Jesus: Grace before the Cross

Abram (or Abraham) was far from perfect. There were times when he trusted the Egyptians before he trusted God. He even lied, telling Pharaoh that his wife, Sarai (or Sarah), was his sister. A pagan worshiper and a cheater. But Abram made one decision that changed his eternal life: he “believe God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3).

Here is a man justified by faith before his circumcision, before the law, before Moses and the Ten Commandments. Here is a man justified by faith before the cross! The sin-covering blood of Calvary extends as far into the past as it does into the future.

Abraham is not the only Old Testament hero to cast himself upon God’s grace… We must not see grace as a provision made after the law had failed. Grace was offered before the law was revealed. Indeed, grace was offered before man was created! “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18-20, NKJV).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

From In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado