Grace cannot incur a debt. An act is not gracious if, under any circumstances, it incurs a debt.

Grace is the unrecompensed favor of God. That includes any past, present or future repayment. Salvation is a gift, and a benefit cannot rightfully be called a gift if it must be paid for before, at the time of, or after (Romans 6:23).

No service is to be given, on the part of the believer, with the thought of repayment. Any such attitude would only cause “distress” to the Giver. These attempts only “frustrate” His grace (Galatians 2:21). How faithfully we should serve Him, as an expression of love, but never as a repayment.

Grace is not exercised as a payment of a debt (Romans 4:4; 11:6). Grace could never be the payment of a debt (i.e., deserving). All worthiness on man’s part has been disposed of absolutely and permanently (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7). Pure grace is neither treating a person as he deserves, nor treating a person better than he deserves, but treating a person without the slightest reference to what he deserves.

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6).

Justification

Justification belongs to a radical new sphere that you and I now walk in. This is a spiritual reality that can satisfy one if one simply thinks upon it. This is known as the spiritual new creation.

Paul speaks of it in 2 Cor. 5:16-17: “So that we, from now on, are acquainted with no one according to flesh. Yet even if we have known Christ according to flesh, nevertheless now we know Him so no longer. So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! There as come new!”

We are to think differently than Israelites. Israelites think: “How can I make sure I get my sorry flesh into the kingdom?” We are to think: “How can I better understand the fact that God no longer considers me in accord with my sorry flesh?” Israel’s challenge is: REFORM THE FLESH. Our challenge is: REFORM THE THINKING.