Any faith worth putting at the center of your life must do at least three things.

1. It must accurately describe the dark reality of our brokenness and pain.

And so the gospel of Jesus Christ declares, “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.”

That’s why the Father acted to rescue us from the rebellion we had chosen: “God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.”

And finally, the Father offers us a future better than we ever imagined—or deserved: “For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms” (Eph 2:1; 2:4-5; 2:6).

Jesus says, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

Grace is God’s kindness fitted to the story of our lives. And this story never ends.

So stay in grace. -Bill Knott