February 14

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (1 Corinthians 8:9)

Men talk about grace, but, as a rule, they know very little about it. Let a business man go to a banker’s to borrow a few hundred dollars for sixty or ninety days; if be is well able to pay, the banker will perhaps lend him the money if he can get another responsible man to sign the note with him.

They give what they call “three days’ grace” after the sixty or ninety days have expired; but they will make the borrower pay interest on the money during these three days, and if he does not return principal and interest at the appointed time, they will sell his goods; they will perhaps turn him out of his house, and take the last piece of furniture in his possession.

That is not grace at all, but that fairly illustrates man’s idea of it. Grace not only frees from payment of the interest, but of the principal also. The grace of God frees us from the penalty of our sin without any payment on our part. Christ has paid the debt, and all we have to do is to believe on Him for our salvation.