Future Grace, Revised Edition

1. Faith in future grace is the key to Christian living

The only life I have left to live is future life.

Future-oriented faith. The Christian life is fundamentally about trusting in God's promises for the future, not just being grateful for past blessings. This "faith in future grace" is the driving force behind obedience, love, and perseverance. It involves believing that God will continually provide what we need to live for Him, both in this life and for eternity.

Practical implications. This perspective transforms how we approach challenges, temptations, and service. Instead of relying on our own strength or past experiences, we look to God's promises for each new day. This faith gives us courage to take risks for God, resist sin, and love others sacrificially.

2. Gratitude alone is insufficient; trust in God's promises is essential

Gratitude is not designed for this. Faith is.

Beyond thankfulness. While gratitude for past grace is important, it's not enough to sustain Christian living. The author argues that the Bible rarely motivates obedience through gratitude alone. Instead, it consistently points us to trust in God's future provisions and promises.

Avoiding the debtor's ethic. Relying solely on gratitude can lead to a "debtor's ethic," where we try to pay God back for His kindness. This mindset misunderstands grace and can lead to legalism or discouragement. True faith looks forward, eagerly anticipating God's continued goodness and power in our lives.

3. God's grace is both unconditional and conditional

Grace would not be grace if it were a response to resources in us.

Unconditional aspects. Some of God's grace is entirely unconditional, such as election and the initial calling to salvation. These are based solely on God's sovereign choice, not on any merit in us.

Conditional aspects. Other aspects of God's grace, particularly in sanctification and receiving certain blessings, are conditional. However, these conditions (like faith and obedience) are themselves enabled by God's grace. This maintains the free nature of grace while also emphasizing our responsibility to respond.

• Unconditional grace examples: Election, initial calling to salvation
• Conditional grace examples: Ongoing sanctification, certain blessings

4. Saving faith embraces Christ as the ultimate satisfaction

Faith is being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus.

More than intellectual assent. True saving faith goes beyond merely believing facts about Jesus. It involves a heart-level embrace of Christ as our supreme treasure and satisfaction. This faith sees Jesus as more desirable and valuable than anything the world offers.

Transformative power. When we find our deepest satisfaction in Christ, it breaks the power of sin and worldly temptations. This faith-driven satisfaction in God becomes the fountain from which obedience and love naturally flow.

5. Love flows from faith in future grace

Faith works through love.

The connection. Genuine faith in God's promises inevitably produces love for others. As we trust in God's future provision and care for us, we become free to love sacrificially, knowing our needs will be met.

Practical outworking. This love manifests in:

• Generosity with our resources
• Forgiveness of those who wrong us
• Willingness to take risks for the sake of others
• Patience in difficult relationships

The Holy Spirit produces this love, but He does so through the channel of our faith in God's promises.

6. Battling sin requires faith in God's superior promises

Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God.

The nature of temptation. At its core, sin offers a competing promise of satisfaction or security. To overcome temptation, we must believe that God's promises are superior to whatever sin offers.

Practical strategy. When facing temptation:

1. Identify the false promise of sin
2. Recall specific promises of God that address that area
3. Pray for faith to trust God's promise over sin's enticement
4. Act in obedience, relying on God's grace

This approach applies to various struggles like anxiety, pride, bitterness, and lust.

7. Spiritual depression is countered by preaching truth to oneself

We must talk to ourselves instead of allowing "ourselves" to talk to us!

The battle within. Christians often struggle with discouragement, despondency, and even depression. While there can be physical and circumstantial factors, the author emphasizes the role of unbelief in prolonging these states.

Active response. The solution is to actively preach truth to ourselves, especially God's promises. This involves:

• Recognizing negative thought patterns
• Intentionally recalling and meditating on Scripture
• Speaking truth out loud to ourselves
• Choosing to act on God's promises despite our feelings

8. Ministry and service are empowered by future grace

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Source of strength. All Christian service and ministry must be done in reliance on God's future grace, not our own abilities or resources. This applies to pastors, missionaries, and all believers in their various callings.

Practical application:

• Begin each task with prayer for God's enabling
• Recognize our dependence on God's strength moment by moment
• Give God glory for any good accomplished through us
• Persevere in difficult ministry, trusting God's promise to sustain us

9. The Christian life is a fight of faith until the end

Fight the good fight of the faith.

Lifelong struggle. The author emphasizes that living by faith is a continual battle that lasts until death. It requires ongoing effort, vigilance, and renewed trust in God's promises.

Encouragement for perseverance:

• Remember past faithfulness (both God's and our own)
• Draw strength from the community of believers
• Keep eternal rewards in view
• Utilize spiritual disciplines to strengthen faith

The goal is to be able to say with Paul at life's end: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Last updated: October 12, 2024