ForLoveness | Episode 4: The Cost of Grace That Wasn't Earned

Hosts: Taylor and Ryan

Welcome back to ForLoveness! Having discussed forgiving others (Episode 1), setting boundaries (Episode 2), and forgiving ourselves (Episode 3), Taylor and Ryan now dive into the foundation of it all: the infinite cost required for our total forgiveness.

This episode details the massive price God paid for a gift we did not earn. We explore why grace, though free to us, was not cheap.

Key Topics and Insights:

• Grace and the Gift of Salvation: We examine Ephesians 2:8-9, noting that salvation is a gift of God received through faith, and not from ourselves. We reflect on Romans 5:8, where God demonstrated His love by having Christ die for us while we were still sinners.
• The Old Covenant (The Mirror): The hosts use the powerful analogy of the mirror to explain the Law given through Moses. The Law was a perfect standard (holy and righteous), but it revealed our dirt and imperfections—it showed us the problem (sin) but could not wash it away. Romans 3:20 confirms that no human being will be justified by works of the Law.
• The New Covenant (The Payment): The hosts discuss how God planned a new covenant hundreds of years before Christ, promising to write His law on our hearts and to forgive our iniquity and remember our sin no more (Jeremiah 31).
• The Ultimate Cost: Jesus was the price. The new covenant required a permanent sacrifice for an infinite debt. The "signature on that contract" was the blood of God's own Son. The penalty for breaking the contract (death) was paid by Christ Himself.
• The Three Payouts of the Cross: The blood of Jesus secured three eternal blessings:

A Critical Reflection:

The grace we received was free, but it was purchased at the ultimate price. To treat it as anything less is to completely misunderstand the gospel. We must reflect on this immense cost, especially when we are tempted to hold onto bitterness or anger against others. Christ died for us; He only asks that we "let it go and let Him handle it".

Keywords:

• Cost of Grace
• New Covenant
• Christian Forgiveness
• Salvation
• Holy Spirit
• Ephesians 2:8-9
• Romans 5:8
• Infinite Debt
• Biblical Law
• Guilt and Shame
• Direct Access to God
• Christ's Sacrifice
• Eternal Redemption

Teaser for Next Time:

Join us next week on ForLoveness as we prepare for the difficult discussions ahead by exploring The Justice of a Merciful God.