Grace Does Not Mean Nice
When the Bible speaks of grace it is not speaking about being nice.
Nice ~def. Soft; delicate; tender; pleasing or agreeable.
Grace ~def. The free unmerited love and favor of God.
Grace is provided by the death of Jesus Christ. Death is not nice.
Grace is purchased by the blood of Christ. Shedding blood is not nice.
Grace is only needed by sinners. Identifying sinners is not nice.
Grace requires the truth be known. The truth can hurt. That’s not nice.
Grace saves us from the wrath of God in hell. It is not nice to think about hell.
Grace teaches us to reckon the old man dead, walk in newness of life, deny ungodliness, and live righteously. This is not always nice conversation.
Preaching grace is not always easy, because it is not the preaching or practice of being nice.
It is, however, the preaching of the love of God. Love takes work. The work of Christ. He did the hard work for you. It was not nice. It was grace.
Praise God for his grace!
Justin “hard truth” Johnson