I have been told on occasion that I don't show enough grace in my blogs. It's true, of course, that I can be blunt, brutal, and confrontational. (Thanks. I try.) However, as for showing grace, let's remember the definition.

Grace is unmerited favor. Such a definition presupposes some level of condemnation, else the favor might be merited. No, those given grace do not deserve it. That's the point of grace. The Lord certainly does not excuse sin. He calls it like He sees it. He flatly tells us that sin earns us death, and righteously so--even the smallest of sins and even if done only once. He goes on to explain how even our very thoughts can be sinful. As if that weren't enough, it's made clear that everybody sins, and we all deserve condemnation. That's the real value of grace: we don't deserve it, but our Father offers it anyway.

The Holy Spirit is not shy about conviction. He doesn't hold back when it comes to confronting us with our sins. Such confrontation is a necessary process of healing. Without conviction, a sickening regret of having done wrong, we cannot move to repentance and then forgiveness and restoration. We must first acknowledge our wrongs, know that they are wrong, and know what is right. These may all be found in the written and living Word. As we are a rationalizing race (not a rational one, by and large), we are sadly adept at denying our sins, hiding them, falsely justifying them, and holding them close to us. Because of this, we often must be shaken out of our deluding stupor long enough to recognize our sins for what they are.

I'm certainly not the Holy Spirit, but the Lord has certainly given me gifts of discernment and more. I recognize sin when it's before me. (I don't claim not to ever delude myself in my own sins, but I also know the Holy Spirit works overtime in convicting me. If it helps you in your perception of me, I'm happy to share such convictions from time to time--but you'll regret asking me to do so.) In fact, so much of what I write comes from conviction I've first received for my own sins. What kind of sadist would refuse to share such discernment when others could otherwise benefit from a chance for restoration? The real cruelty is allowing people to simmer in their sin when there's at least a tiny hope that you could play some small role in waking them up to it.

Were I to pull more of my punches (and believe me, I'm holding back as it is), I would not be exhibiting grace, I'd be demonstrating tolerance. Tolerance implies the opposite of grace. It's granting the benefit of the doubt. It's implying the so-called sin may not be a sin after all. It's allowance of that which just might be righteous. God shows no tolerance for sin and demands we do not either. Sin is to be hated and rooted out.

Don't get stuck at this step though. It may not be comfortable to face one's sins, per se, but it's far easier to do so when we are assured of the blessed grace that's on the other side of conviction. Even though we don't deserve forgiveness, He offers it if we are first convicted and we repent. There can be no forgiveness without having done wrong. To accept forgiveness, then, we must first acknowledge our sin. In so doing, we are given an unmerited opportunity to be fully restored to the sinless, perfect Father. This is grace. Note, though, that grace is not mine to offer. Only the Lord can offer any meaningful grace. I am just as depraved as the next guy; what would unmerited favor from me be worth?

Having said all of this and to demonstrate I am just as guilty of sin as anyone else, I will repent. Here's why: Colossians 4:6 says our conversation should always contain grace. Note that this is most certainly not tolerance, and it's also not my grace to give. As a called and ordained priest of God, though, I can offer His grace to all who seek Him. God's gift of discernment to me may play a role in identifying sin, but His gift of grace to me is the necessary next step toward restoration. I need to include that next step whenever I may identify sin. To this end and in repentance of my sin, I will include the message of God's grace with each message of intolerance of sin. It's not that I would ever withhold the message of God's grace were a convicted reader to come to me; but since not all come to me when convicted, I will endeavor to include the message of His grace publicly within my blog. Watch for it. Hold me accountable, remembering the terms of grace: not tolerance but unmerited favor, and not mine but His.