Jesus, John, and Grace

Have we become so refined and so civilized that the benefits of our faith have become more precious and valuable to us than the benefactor of our faith?

Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way, 49

Imagine these two scenarios.

Scenario 1:
I have this friend, his name is John. He's a musician and he travels, so I don't get to see him much. When he is free, though, we hang out and it's cool. We'll go see a movie or get dinner or whatever. Every now and then we'll bust out the guitars and play some songs, but it's rare because that's like his job. When he comes to town to play a concert, he gets me in and we'll get to hang out a bit after the show, but it's always really late and he's tired. I wish we could hang out more. He's got some problems in his life, but who doesn't? I think that if he had more stable friendships that maybe his life would be a bit less crazy. So, even if it's just a matter of being there, I try to make it a priority because I know that relationships are important.

Scenario 2:
Dude, my best friend is John Mayer. Seriously, new albums - get them before the come out. Bootlegs, check. Songs you'll never hear - all over my iPod. It's pretty sweet. When he comes to town, backstage passes. I always take my guitar and after the show we'll jam. That song "Daughters", I was there when he wrote it. People hassle him for saying and doing stuff, but I'm just like, "that fool is hilarious."

I think it's obvious that the second scenario smells a bit foul. And yet, I think that this is about how we treat Jesus. He's forgiven our sins and gets us into Heaven, so we're pretty well set. In short,

Grace has become better to us than Jesus

Or, rather, we've made grace and end unto itself.

There's this apologetic methodology of moralism that challenges someone to realize that they can't uphold the law. Even if they say that they could meet the 10 commandments, there's the challenge from Jesus

21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:21-22, ESV

We can never live up to such a law. So, this is our grace that Christ imputes His righteousness to us so that God would accept us. Sadly, one the other side of salvation, how quickly we slough off this law and say, "God, I'm so thankful for your grace that a) my sins are forgiven, b) I'm going to Heaven, and c) I don't have to worry about that darn "Law" thing. Oh yeah, Jesus is cool too."