Grace Isn't Cheap But It is Easy

Ever fall for the marketing trick of raising prices to elevate the perception that the product or service has more value because of its inflated price. Suppose you see two cups of coffee. One is thirty cents and the other is $1.50. Most of us would assume that the coffee used in the more expensive cup is better quality because it has the higher price.

Grace is like that. We think that if God's grace is so valuable, we have to pay more for it. But we don't. We can't pay for or earn His grace through bible reading, church attendance, fasting, tithing, forswearing swearing, giving up addictions, lots of good works, etc. He offers it freely, which sometimes makes us thinks it's cheap. It's not cheap. It requires whole-hearted, whole-headed, whole 'everything' submission, as it says in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which Y'shua Meschach affirms as the greatest commandment: Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, your 'very' (literal translation meaning everything, 110%, your essence and more).

Naaman, an Aramean general with leprosy invading Israel, was so desperate he went with nearly a thousand pounds of precious metals and several sets of fine clothes to visit the King of Israel and find Elisha the prophet. Instead of coming out of his house, Elisha sent someone out to tell Naaman to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. At this Naaman became enraged because Elisha refused to see him and also because Elisha wasn't going to do anything (like wave a hand over his skin) and because he could have bathed in 'better' rivers near Damascus if that's all it took. His servants calmed Naaman by suggesting that if the prophet had told him to do something difficult, like forge statues from the precious metals, or climb Mt. Ararat or Sinai, he would have done it without any question. Why not do the simple thing as the prophet suggested? It might take a little humility.

Likewise, to gain the Christ's righteousness, it only takes a simple belief and submission to be changed into His character. But, oh, what an adventure! There will be storms but the peace is amazing! It's free but the value is immeasurable!