Singing the great hymns of the faith has had a significant place in the church for centuries. Some are absolutely awe inspiring and when you learn the circumstances behind their writing, even more so. Some hymn writers, like Fanny Crosby, Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley seem inspired in their ability, though not in the inerrant and infallible sense the writers of Scripture possessed. For the most part, these, as well as other hymn writers, seemed to have a firm grip on the Bible and theology as a whole, but occasionally, we run into one that misses the mark; and while expressing deep feelings of piety and even thankfulness to our God and Savior, they present a view of God that inaccurately portrays Him.
One of these is a hymn I’ve loved singing over the years, and while the song deals with one of God’s attributes we all love to sing about, the message of the song itself can be misleading. In the chorus of the hymn, we find the words ‘Grace, Grace, God’s grace’. In the background, being sung at the same time, are the Words, ‘Marvelous Grace, Infinite Grace.’ That was my part and I loved to sing those words. But it is here that the problem comes in.
While God’s grace is certainly marvelous, it is not infinite. You see, the word infinite implies ‘being limitless,’ and as wonderful and marvelous as God’s grace is, it is not limitless. There is nothing in all the Bible that says this. In fact, there are many places in Scripture where we find the time for grace has passed and time for judgment has arrived. As R. C. Sproul once wrote, ‘God is infinite and God is gracious, but His grace is not infinite.’
Genesis 6:5-7 tells us that when God saw how wicked man had become that it grieved Him that He had made man on the earth and that He would destroy every living thing on the earth as a result, showing evidence for what He said in verse 3, that ‘My Spirit will not always strive with man.’
Also, God told Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet, in chapter 7:16 not to pray for the people of Judah, neither make intercession for them. Why? Because “I will not hear you.” Here God had already purposed to bring the Babylonians to destroy them because of their incessant sin and rebellion against Him. So, while God is very patient and long-suffering, there is evidently an expiration date when it comes to His grace and mercy.
This is precisely why we are beginning a new study this Sunday of dealing with God’s attributes. It is important that we truly know and understand who He is, and sweep away misconceptions that may have developed over time. He has revealed Himself to us only through the Scriptures and we need to understand Him truly as He is revealed there, and not how we want Him to be. While not a guarantee, I believe that, for those who truly know and love God, a better understanding of who He truly is could lead to a radical transformation within us all. See you, Sunday.
For God’s glory and God’s alone,
Pastor Terry.