Law/s or Grace?

If you are accused (guilty or not) would you rather be held hard to law or given grace? Consider that deeply please.

We've all been and sometimes are guilty, sometimes not, sometimes this percentage one way, that percentage the other and so on.

So shall we for ourselves desire to be treated with law or grace? If given a choice, which one do you choose?

I believe the answer to the core question is one of those many both/and's. Why? Because if one thinks about the various Christian doctrines and theologies, the spectrum of interpretations and ideas based on the Bible -as well as human reasoning- we see something in the practical re. both of these and that's what I want to focus on in this piece.

Practically speaking, we need laws at least in the sense of guard rails, protections, care for humans on planet earth even if one is -not- discussing this about God and scripture.

Blowing through a stoplight at high speed can truly harm and indeed, kill innocent people, even multiple people in just one crash. Laws help. They also don't help at all when people reject, ignore or otherwise disdain them for any number of "reasons" that won't bring a human fatality back.

Grace doesn't do the actual work of law (and I can already hear some chafing at this) nor does grace fully, entirely annul an established law -but laws are at times less than compassionate and we need to face that reality. There are indeed bad, in fact horrible and unjust "laws" in many lands, no? Such laws are not synonymous with grace ("un-merited favor" if one is referencing the biblical term). Gracious laws? That's another matter -and how thankful and relieved when one is in need even when they (we) have not earned pardon, clemency, a clean slate and fresh start. That's ultimately what God offers us in Christ -and what in human courts we all want, at least for ourselves, regardless of whether guilty, not guilty or a combination.

The problem is we seek mercy but don't always want it with those we dislike. We want grace for ourselves and "the hammer" for others we deem unworthy of grace. But again, the very meaning of the term is about treatment beyond what one has "merited"!

Let's face it, we like laws that favor us and disfavor our enemies. We desire punishment for "them" and "slack" for us.

Scripturally speaking, Jesus is "the end of the law" for believers in that He fulfilled it and we simply cannot ("for ALL have sinned and fallen short...", etc., etc., etc.) but oh how we find it hard to offer mercy for people we dislike, disagree with and want to see God's mighty sword upon them. All of this comes out as we read both Testaments -and yet fully ignoring or disowning the validity and need for the laws of God (eg. 10 COMMANDMENTS) are not mere suggestions and options for anyone, certainly not those who claim to be His people and follow Jesus Christ.

Thank God Almighty we can repent and walk His way versus our own as long as we have breath!!

Meanwhile, I emphasize grace for all, not merely law. My sisters and brothers in Christ, the narrow road Jesus calls us to walk is only opened to us by His grace!

Be brutally honest: which would you prefer for yourself, law or grace? I think it's pretty obvious, don't you?

May we remember this the next time we're tempted to desire hard law upon another.

And as always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn