This has been chapter 2 of “Down to Earth” by David McDonald (@guerillahost). Buy a copy at http://samizdatcreative.com.

…you begin to understand your true wealth and wealth in the world as someone free and clean.

(End of chapter two)

Once you begin to understand what your sin costs, and what it cost Christ…

…who finally come to understand the tremendous cost Jesus Christ has paid for our sinless standing before a Holy God.

Ryan’s is a story I’ve seen retold in the lives of countless Christians…

…he’s happier…more able to enjoy life…more free from guilt, from distraction, from temptation, from the stain of his mistakes.

Because he knows that Christ willingly died not just to get rid of sin, but more importantly to give Ryan new life…

…especially not through his carelessness or lack of attention.

Because he knows that Christ had to be crucified to get rid of those sins, he’s reluctant to commit any more…

Because Ryan knows his sins have been crucified with Christ, he’s able to enjoy their absence.

Lo and behold! Ryan starts to understand just how precious a gift Jesus’ atoning death really is.

Eventually, Ryan figures some stuff out. He dives into Scripture. He gets a mentor. He’s held accountable for his indulgence.

Ryan’s cheap understanding of grace doesn’t just offend God, it hurts Ryan. It steals the only real chance he’s got to feel clean.

He still feels soiled, even after asking for forgiveness, because he thinks he’s been given a hand-me-down pair of shoes instead of the single greatest gift in the universe.

As a result, Ryan’s life is robbed of meaning. He takes no comfort in God’s grace because it’s a formula.