This Grace
Better Disgraced Than Disguised
On failure, exposure and repentance: why there is more glory in being shamefaced under the Sun of Righteousness than in deceiving ourselves.
- Published
- 1 July 2020
- Edition
- First edition
- ISBN
- 978-9988-53-950-4
- Pages
- [PAGES]
- Category
- Christian Living
About the book
This Grace begins in Malachi 4, where the same day burns two ways: as a furnace for the arrogant, and as the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing for those who fear God. The book invites readers to choose exposure over disguise, and walks through ten ways God brings hidden things into His healing light: His Word, the Holy Spirit, sincere friends, open rebuke, the “voice of the donkey”, failure, self-examination, even hypocrites and judgmental people, confession, and finally the Last Day.
Read a sample: Introduction
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. (Malachi 4:1-2, NLT)
Malachi 4 verses 1 and 2 offer a good explanation to the grand scheme of this book. In verse 1, the day of God’s judgment is approaching like a burning furnace and will consume the arrogant and wicked. In the next verse, the Sun of Righteousness will rise over those who fear God, with healing in His wings. This Sun of Righteousness is Jesus Christ, the true Light of the world (John 1:6-9, 8:12).
I want you to note that both verses speak of a burning – verse 1 of God’s wrathful judgment and verse 2 of God’s Sun. The former destroys the arrogant and wicked. The latter heals the reverent.
In order for Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness to heal us, He must shine forth on us. We must be bare under the Sun. It is only through exposure to the light and heat of the Sun that we can be healed.
Although the arrogant and wicked are condemned in verse 1, verse 2 isn’t really for perfect people. If they were perfect, they would not need healing from the wings of the Sun. The favoured category are described as people who fear the name of God. They will live under the Sun in freedom and joy.
In this book, we are invited to be candidates of Malachi 4:2 instead of Malachi 4:1. We are reminded that pride ultimately destroys. However, if we humble ourselves before Jesus Christ, we will be healed and saved. Simply put, there is more glory in being shamefaced under the Sun of Righteousness than in deceiving ourselves.
How does the Sun of Righteousness heal us as we walk as children of the Day? Nine of these ways are explored in the climax of this book. And it all ends with another warning, that we escape the burning furnace. Choose the Sun of God’s Righteousness, not the Furnace of His Wrathful Judgment.
Lines from the book
“It is better to be saved shamefully than to be applauded into death.”
“Spiritual people are not inerrant, they are sensitive and repentant.”
“There is nothing more dangerous than a well-bandaged rotten foot.”
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