Bill Glass — God's
Gift
But even though we were dead in our sins God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, gave us life together with Christ - it is, remember, by grace and not by achievement that you are saved — and has lifted us right out of the old life to take our place with him in Christ in the Heavens. Thus he shows for all time the tremendous generosity of the grace and kindness he has expressed towards us in Christ Jesus. It was nothing you could or did achieve — it was God's gift to you. Ephesians 2:4-8 (JB Phillips)
Everywhere you look in life, you see a certain law in operation. This law is "hard work gets results." Ask the millionaire how he piled up so much money and his answer will be "Hard work!" Ask the successful farmer, mechanic, or businessman how they did it and their answers will probably be the same.
You can see this law operating in athletics. All my sports' life — in junior high, high school, college and in professional football — I've heard the same basic advice: you can't be an effective athlete if you don't work hard.
"They're not going to give you the game! You've just got to go out there and take it away from them!"
Perhaps this is the reason athletes as well as most other people find it so difficult to understand the Christian faith. Hard work, discipline and teamwork are
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values anyone can understand easily and admire. But in the most important transaction of your life, hard work is your worst enemy, discipline will not help and teamwork is impossible!
"It is, remember, by grace and not by achievement that you are saved."
The law of self-achievement becomes completely worthless when we seek a relationship with God. He is not an impersonal employer who pays us for our services. He is a holy and righteous God before whom we stand in our sin, condemned and guilty. We cannot work our way out of this dilemma. Our so-called "good" efforts are shot through with self-interest and our sin multiplies even as we struggle to be virtuous.
I was sixteen and a junior in high school in Corpus Christi, Texas, when I began to realize how impossible it was to work my way into God's favor. I had gone to church occasionally in the past, but now I made it a point to attend regularly. I watched Christian fellows and girls I admired and tried to copy them. But it was difficult and never successful. I could fool other people for a short time but I could never fool myself.
All my efforts to be good only seemed to pull me further from God. I felt like a hypocrite. I knew the whole thing was an act.
Then, during a church service one Sunday morning, I realized that I'd been going at it all wrong. I saw myself as a helpless sinner with nothing to offer in my own defense. I realized that as I came to Christ in this way and trusted Him as Saviour, He would give me freely the forgiveness and peace of mind I had worked so hard to "earn."
I finally came to see salvation for what it was — a gift. You can't "pay" for a gift. All you can do is accept it and
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say "Thank you." It's a simple and humbling experience. I guess that's why so many people miss it.
When I was playing football with Baylor University, the fullback, a Christian, presented this truth to one of the other team members one day in the locker room.
"I know I need to face my need for God," the other boy said, "but I'll do it later."
As he turned to leave the room, the fullback said, "What's the matter? No guts?"
These words stopped the other boy in his tracks. He came back to talk some more about it. And that day he became a Christian.
Strange to say, it takes more courage to come to God emptyhanded, confessing your sin, than to approach Him in the proud consciousness of your "achievements."
And this humble position before Him never changes! We are continually in need of the grace of God as provided in Jesus Christ. And it continues true that we cannot "earn" it or "work" for it. It is given freely.
We may be tempted to forget this when we have experienced a setback. When a Christian sins, the devil mocks him, accuses him of hypocrisy and advises him to take a seat on the sidelines. But the wise Christian goes immediately to his Master, admitting his failure and asking forgiveness.
". . . if we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward — He forgives our sins and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil" (1 John 1:9, PHILLIPS). Following his frank confession, the Christian is immediately reinstated and is back in action, doing God's will.
I have studied films taken of defensive football plays most of my life. And I have discovered that 75 per cent of all tackles made are made by men who seem, at one
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point, to be out of action. But these men have refused to stay down. They have gotten to their foot again and made the critical tackle.
Spiritually you may be knocked down. It may seem that everything has gone wrong. But Christ still loves you. And in that dark moment He forgives and gives you new strength. You get to your feet and find victory.
The secret is seeing God as the great Gift-giver and Jesus Christ as the greatest of His gifts.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am through making excuses for myself. I admit my sinful condition. I am ready now to recognize Your Son Jesus as my only resource and to believe I am received and forgiven through Him as a free gift of Your grace. I thank You in His name. Amen.
Bill Glass was an outstanding football player at Baylor University and defensive end with the Cleveland Browns. Advisory Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
