1v3 Grace from the Father and the Son

The station nearest our house has only one platform. That means trains travelling north and south from us both stop at the same platform. If you don't know which way the train is travelling that can have substantial consequences. A 30minute inconvenience is about as bad as it could get, but nonetheless I could live without making that mistake.

Direction of travel matters. It matters for the Christian life is vital. Which way are things travelling? The myth goes this way: We travel towards God through worship, ritual, rules or other aspects of how we live. That's the story of religion isn't it? People being good. People being devout. People being religious.

The reality is that the travel is from God to us. Grace from God. For a second time in this letter Paul introduces God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in this letter. Already we know that the Father raised the Son. In v4 we find that the Son gave himself according to the plan of the Father. The two working together in this plan that sends Jesus to the cross and then raises him from the grave. Talk about grace, talk about the cross and resurrection. Talk about the cross and resurrection, talk about grace.

Grace and peace to us. Perhaps a standard first century greeting but Biblically language of great significance. A free gift to us. Grace from the God whose name is gracious. The travel comes from God and it's not been earned by us. It's not like I go into the station, pay my money and get given a ticket. I'm there and I just get given it. No contribution made on my part.

Christianity isn't about what we do, it's about things done by God - centred upon the work of the Father and Son and the historical events of the cross and resurrection of the Son. It's not about what I can do for God, it's about what he has done - his actions of which Christians are benefactors. He is centrestage.