Grace Equation

[tubaloth]

Dwight: Listen up! Come to the center of the room, please. This... [holds up paper that resemles a sheet sized dollar bill with Dwight's face in the middle] is a Schrute Buck. When you have done something good, you will receive one Schrute Buck. One thousand Schrute Bucks... equals an extra five minutes for lunch.

Pam: [raises hand] What is the cash value of a Schrute Buck?

Dwight: Excellent question, Pam. 1/100th of a cent.

Oscar: So ten thousand of your dollars is worth one real dollar?

Dwight: Soil. Right. We have, in front of you here, seven different types of Pennsylvania top soil. Now, what would you say... is the most important element in the production of above ground leafy growth? Probably phosphorus, right? [Angela smiles, shakes her head "no"] Wrong! It's nitrogen! Absorb this information. Good! Now, let us discuss precipitation. Stanley! When rainfall occurs, does it usually fall in a liquid, solid, or gaseous... state?

Stanley: Liquid.

Dwight: Very good! You have earned one Schrute Buck.

Stanley: I don't want it.

Dwight: Then you have been deducted 50 Schrute Bucks!

Stanley: Make it 100.

Dwight: We--- Don't you wanna earn Schrute Bucks?

Stanley: No. In fact, I'll give you a billion Stanley Nickels if you never talk to me again.

Dwight: What's the ratio of Stanley Nickels to Schrute Bucks?

Stanley: The same as the ratio of unicorns to leprechauns.

Dwight: Okay---

So this is how Grace works. Well not really. One of the things I have seen with Grace is how we try to put a value on our Work. But when we compare it to the Grace of God it doesn’t have a value. At least not a value in the sense of converting it correctly.

I guess I look at it this way in terms of converting.

Me =All

Christ = 100%

Meaning my obedience isn’t some part of Grace its just my all. Christ is and well always make up 100%. My part of the equation is giving my all. There is no way to convert a Human's All to God's Grace. The equation doesn't work that way.

[Still_Small_Voice]

Someone posted this thought a while ago on grace and I liked it so much I copied it to my spiritual journal.

Grace is so easy to misunderstand without modern revelation.

Grace empowers us. Grace is a free gift, but it allows us to work harder and do more. It's not for the idle.

Too many mistake grace being a free gift as meaning you don't have to do anything to get it, because, they reason, if you did then you are earning your salvation.

It doesn't have to be. It can be a free gift, but that gift empowers or enables us to accomplish more than we can on our own. If you look at it that way then it makes more sense.

[bert10]

Grace for the wicked is the period of time God gives them to repent before Justice condemns them to stripes.

Grace for the righteous is the ability of God to see them as little children.

Works is with Faith and it is for producing CHANGE WITHIN US so that GRAce of GOD can see us as little children.

As all of you can See...I do not do away with works, ordinance or even works of Repentance, nor teach abominations concerning faith and grace.

What I teach has everything in its place and you can see that it is all required in their proper order and time.

bert10

Dwight: Listen up! Come to the center of the room, please. This... [holds up paper that resemles a sheet sized dollar bill with Dwight's face in the middle] is a Schrute Buck. When you have done something good, you will receive one Schrute Buck. One thousand Schrute Bucks... equals an extra five minutes for lunch.

Pam: [raises hand] What is the cash value of a Schrute Buck?

Dwight: Excellent question, Pam. 1/100th of a cent.

Oscar: So ten thousand of your dollars is worth one real dollar?

Dwight: Soil. Right. We have, in front of you here, seven different types of Pennsylvania top soil. Now, what would you say... is the most important element in the production of above ground leafy growth? Probably phosphorus, right? [Angela smiles, shakes her head "no"] Wrong! It's nitrogen! Absorb this information. Good! Now, let us discuss precipitation. Stanley! When rainfall occurs, does it usually fall in a liquid, solid, or gaseous... state?

Stanley: Liquid.

Dwight: Very good! You have earned one Schrute Buck.

Stanley: I don't want it.

Dwight: Then you have been deducted 50 Schrute Bucks!

Stanley: Make it 100.

Dwight: We--- Don't you wanna earn Schrute Bucks?

Stanley: No. In fact, I'll give you a billion Stanley Nickels if you never talk to me again.

Dwight: What's the ratio of Stanley Nickels to Schrute Bucks?

Stanley: The same as the ratio of unicorns to leprechauns.

Dwight: Okay---

So this is how Grace works. Well not really. One of the things I have seen with Grace is how we try to put a value on our Work. But when we compare it to the Grace of God it doesn’t have a value. At least not a value in the sense of converting it correctly.

I guess I look at it this way in terms of converting.

Me =All

Christ = 100%

Meaning my obedience isn’t some part of Grace its just my all. Christ is and well always make up 100%. My part of the equation is giving my all. There is no way to convert a Human's All to God's Grace. The equation doesn't work that way.

[threepercent]

I disagree, it the most basic simple terms, you could think of grace as the greatest gift, but you still have to open the box.

think of it this way:

you take a journey, you go through pits, and mountains, and cliffs and valleys of death and mists of darkness and Indiana Jones style traps shooting fiery darts of death at you to reach a place of sublime beauty and peace.

Grace= the ladder to get out of the pit, the substance to give you energy and water to sustain you and clothing to warm you over the mountians, the ropes to protect you while you climb the cliffs, the courage to keep moving through the valleys, the rod to guide you through the mists, the armor to protect you, and the place of sublime beauty and peace.

your part= you must climb the ladder, it is not a escalator or transporter or a elevator. you must partake of the bread and water and clothing. your must tie the rope around you. you must pray for courage, you must grasp the rod, put on the armor and SEEK the place.

Grace is EVERYTHING. the power to move, the foundation you move on. but YOU must move.

the thing is, as you journey, you will always find that someone has gone before you and marked the path, and prepared places of safety. but you must make the journey.

Edited December 10, 2010 by threepercent

[Justice]

Someone posted this thought a while ago on grace and I liked it so much I copied it to my spiritual journal.

Grace is so easy to misunderstand without modern revelation.

Grace empowers us. Grace is a free gift, but it allows us to work harder and do more. It's not for the idle.

Too many mistake grace being a free gift as meaning you don't have to do anything to get it, because, they reason, if you did then you are earning your salvation.

It doesn't have to be. It can be a free gift, but that gift empowers or enables us to accomplish more than we can on our own. If you look at it that way then it makes more sense.

That was me. :)

And... I still agree.

[pam]

Pam: [raises hand] What is the cash value of a Schrute Buck?

Dwight: Excellent question, Pam. 1/100th of a cent.

Good to see I ask excellent questions.

[GADBabaganoosh]

Jesus Saves, I Spend.