At one of our ministry’s events during the opening week of school, we were handing out free ice cream. One group of freshmen women excitedly declared they were spending the week going around campus to eat or collect as much free stuff as they could find. And there you have the main reason ministries and other organizations offer free stuff: People love things that are free! To coin an old line from a famous movie: If you offer free stuff, they will come.
That is true to a point, but it is interesting to note that perhaps the greatest thing ever given away freely has few takers. The grace of God given freely to us through Jesus Christ does not have vast numbers of people lining up to get their hands on it. While students will scour campus looking for free stuff, and businesses will have lines of people gather to take advantage of a free promotional give-away, the vast majority of people take a pass on receiving the free grace of God through Jesus.
One reason, I think, is we have an internal need to earn our way. We want to be accepted by God on our own merits. “I’m a good person.” “I avoid doing bad things.” “I try to help people who need it.” “I read my Bible and pray.” Since the Fall of humanity, human beings have been trying to prove, according to their own codes, how good they are, so, I suppose, when they appear before God after their lives on earth have concluded, they can provide the reasons why they should be accepted into Eternity. Of course, the problem with this thinking is it contrary to the truth of the Scriptures. None of us can earn our way into Heaven.
Secondly, I think people know that “free” may not always be truly free. Several students asked when coming up to our table, “Is it really free?” It was, but it came with a rationale behind it. By giving away free stuff, we hoped to connect with the students, to get their attention, and perhaps start a conversation. The end goal was to begin a journey with them to help them learn about and grow more intimate with Jesus.
All free promotions have some motive behind them, usually to sell you something. A credit card company may offer free t-shirts, but what they really want is your interest payments. A cell phone company may give you a free phone, but what they are aiming for is your commitment to a contract. Thus, “free” often isn’t truly free.
And if we examine the Scriptures, God’s grace is free in the sense that He gives it freely; He is under no obligation to extend it to us, but does so despite our sin. But if we accept His offer, it will cost us—significantly. As Paul writes elsewhere about the cost of accepting God’s offer: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) The cost is control of our lives. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
Though God’s grace is costly, we can still refer to it as free because it is freely given and must be freely received. God is not coerced and neither are we. And once we choose to receive it, contrary to rational thought, it is not up to us to carry through with the bargain, but rather to get out of the way and let Him do the work through us. Surrendering our wills to His is the price we pay for His freely given grace.
Today, recognize God’s grace comes freely from Him and must be freely received by you. He will not coerce you nor should you receive it under some type of coercion. But once you freely decide to receive it, know it comes with a price—your will must be surrendered to His. That’s it. If you are willing to pay that price, He will take care of the rest. It may not be totally free, but if you look at it closely, it is about as close to free as you are going to get because He does the work for you.
© Jim Musser 2015
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