Don: In the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke there are about 31 parables of Jesus. (Altogether, there are over 50, many of them overlap, leaving about 31 that are unique.) Of these, 20 (fully two thirds) deal with the topic of grace and justice. Many of the other stories Jesus told also deal…

Don: The concept of mercy is recognized by all religions, but the concept of grace—that one does not get what one deserves from judgment, that there is something for nothing—is uniquely Christian, yet even to a majority of Christians it is unbelievable, polls suggest. In His teaching and His parables, Jesus explained and emphasized it…

Don: If there were no grace, judgment would seem relatively simple: The good would go to heaven, and the bad would go to hell. But it then begs the question: How good, how bad? In fact, with grace, judgment is easier because there is no need to measure how good or bad. As taught by…

Don: In recent weeks, we seem to have arrived at a conclusion that grace is actionable—that it needs to be passed on, that we have to do something with it if we have the right tools in our toolbox at the needed time and place. Yet the amazing thing about grace is that it operates…

Don: Jesus taught the principle that in judgment, grace triumphs over destruction. That is God’s way. Man’s way is the substitution of his own works, instead of accepting God’s grace; in part because we are suspicious of free gifts and undeserved forgiveness. Is grace really free, unencumbered, and available to all? Jesus said “Yes, but…”…

Don: A 2017 Pew poll of American belief found that 52 percent of Protestants believe that both good deeds and faith are needed for salvation. Two core principles of the 500-year-old Reformation seem to be eroding. Protestants, including Martin Luther, thought that salvation was obtained through faith alone—sola fide—and that Scripture alone had the authority…