Can Grace Be Overemphasized?

Is it possible to overemphasize grace in the preaching and life of the church?  Shouldn't there be a balance between grace and obedience, God's love and His Holiness?  I've had people ask me that after a few weeks of visiting at Christ Covenant.  Typically, there is an honest and heartfelt concern on their part for Christian maturity, an obedient lifestyle and the holiness of God.  While I share those concerns - they are all important biblical themes - I can say it emphatically: I do not think that it is possible to overemphasize grace in the life of the church.  Here's why:

I believe the Bible teaches that the call to holiness is not something to balance the message of grace.  I believe instead, that grace is the only means by which every believer will ever be able to answer the call to grow in holiness.  In fact, the belief that holiness is ours to achieve through obedience or effort is born of two significant errors: First, it minimizes the depth and impact of our brokenness.  Second, it cheapens the cost of the grace that the Jesus offers us in the Gospel.

Tullian Tchividjian is pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  I came across an outstanding article of his called "Afraid of the Gospel?"  In it, he says

The church has bought into the lie that grace is dangerous and must be kept in check to avoid lawlessness. A "yes, grace … but" disposition is the kind of fearful posture that keeps moralism swirling around in our hearts and in the church.

I understand the fear of grace. As a pastor, one of my responsibilities is to disciple people into a deeper understanding of obedience—teaching them to say "no" to the things God hates and "yes" to the things God loves. But all too often I have falsely concluded that the only way to keep licentious people in line is to give them more rules. The fact is that the only way licentious people start to obey is when they get a taste of God's radical unconditional acceptance of sinners.

The irony of gospel-based sanctification is that those who obey more are increasingly aware that their standing with God is not based on their obedience, but Christ's. The people who actually perform better are those who understand that their relationship with God doesn't depend on their performance for Jesus, but Jesus' performance for us.

Click Here to read this article in its entirety.  It's well worth the time and effort.