Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. … Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:19, 21)
The movement of our salvation begins in grace, is completed in grace, and is carried on in grace every step of the way into glory. Grace has brought us out of the darkness into God’s marvelous light. Grace shatters our darkness. Grace sanctifies our darkness. Grace swallows up our darkness. Along the way, grace illuminates the remaining darkness that still looms around our hearts and minds — not to shame us, but to strengthen us. Jesus brings His grace into our lives to deliver us from the darkness that remains in our thoughts, words, deeds, and desires.
In exposing our darkness, it is God’s plan to prompt us and propel us into His glorious presence. Jesus is the light of the world and the light of our world. He is committed to doing everything that is necessary to dispel every bit of remaining darkness in our lives and fill us with His light.
The devil would have us feel shame every time the light of the Lord exposes some dark area in our lives. Shame is one of the sharpest darts that Satan throws our way. It is his goal to cause us to shrink back from our Savior by shaming us into believing that “God could not possibly love someone like me.” But as my friend Steve Brown from Key Life Ministries often says, “That smells like smoke and comes from the pit of hell.”
Because the light of grace has come into our lives, we need not fear any accusation hurled at us by the enemy. As Paul said so well, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?” (Romans 8:33-34). There is nothing that is exposed by the Light of our Lord that He did not already know. Not only does Jesus know every remaining area of darkness in us before it gets exposed, He has covered all of it with His precious blood. His grace is sufficient, both for our eternal salvation and for our daily lives.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 