Balancing Jay

One soul ponders Jay Phelan's writings.

Jay Phelan pens a regular article, Markings, for The Covenant Companion, the Evangelical Covenant Church's monthly magazine.   Dr. Phelan is President of North Park Theological Seminary.

I respect Dr. Phelan (we've never met).  I appreciate the way he challenges my thinking, beliefs and conclusions.

But sometimes I feel he doesn't adequately address the reasons behind some of my beliefs. So I'm compelled to respond: to scrutinize, add perspective, and challenge. To bring balance.

The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him. —Proverbs 18:17

Thanks for visiting. Click on comments at the end of an article to give me your two cents—or balance me!

Monday, May 15, 2006

Grace and self-indulgence (May, 2006)

Jay takes us from the Covenant's roots into Scripture to help us discern God's grace from its counterfeits, and see it for what it is: "God's most wonderful gift."

If we are not careful, the idea of grace will produce self-indulgence. The idea of grace can produce complacency. ... While grace is the gospel's great gift, "cheap grace" is a curse.


Jay asks:

  • "How can we avoid turning God's most wonderful gift of grace into the hollow gesture of a bored deity?"

  • "How can we ourselves avoid presuming upon such a gift, so that we experience none of its transforming effects?"


Like a spoiled child, I receive God's grace with hardly a moment's reflection.

You know those VISA commercials? "this thing ... $10 ... that thing ... $20 ... what it means ... priceless." That's where my mind goes when I hear "priceless." But God's gift of grace is truly priceless in a way nothing else is. O Lord, rescue me from Madison Avenue!

May you and I take a long hard look at God's amazing grace. May we see better who we are in light of it. May we better see the One who gives it. And may we be transformed.

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By The Scrutinator, 5/15/2006 | 0 comments