The Grace and Truth Paradox

Here is an excerpt from the book, The Grace and Truth Paradox by Randy Alcorn.

Welsey Allan Dodd tortured, molested, and murdered three boys in Vancouver, Washington, fifteen miles from our home.

Dodd was scheduled to be hanged–the first U.S. hanging in three decades–shortly after midnight, January 4, 1993.

At dinner that evening, both our daughters, then eleven and thirteen, prayed earnestly that Dodd would repent and place his faith in Christ before he died.  I agreed with their prayer…but only because I knew I should.

I stayed up and watched.  Reporters from all over the country crowded around the prison.  Twelve media representatives were firsthand witnesses to the execution.  When they emerged thirty minutes after Dodd died, they recounted the experience.

One of them read Dodd’s last words: “I had thought there was no hope and no peace.  I was wrong.  I have found hope and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Gasps and groans erupted from the gallery.  The anger was palpable.  ‘How dare someone who has done anything so terrible say he has found hope and peace in Jesus?’ Did he really think God would let him into heaven after what he’d done?  ‘Shut up and go to hell, child killer–you won’t get off so easy!’

The idea of God’s offering grace to Dodd was utterly offensive.

And yet…didn’t Jesus die for Dodd’s sins just as He did for mine?  No sin is bigger than the Savior.  Grace is, literally, not of this world.  I struggled with the idea of God saving Dodd only because I thought too much of myself and too little of my Lord.

I’d imagined the distance between Dodd and me as the difference between the South and North Poles.  But when you consider God’s viewpoint from light-years away, that distance is negligible.  In my standing before a holy God, apart from Christ… I am Dodd.  I am Dahmer.  I am Mao.

It is so easy to sit and judge other people.  Someone recently said, it is easy for me to condemn the sins that I don’t struggle with.  Too true right?  It is easy to feel like I am better than everyone else because I don’t do what they do.  Let’s take a step back.  What does Jesus say?  Check out Matthew 7:3-5

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

I am one of those people.  I have become incredibly god at judging other people’s specks while wandering around with a nail in my own eye.  This little book by Randy Alcorn, is well worth the read.  Put this book on your amazon wish list.

For those of you who are recovering judge’s… It’s time to set the gavel down.  Step down out of the bench and come alongside of those who suffer.  Let’s stop throwing stones at one another and graciously help bring one another to the cross of Christ.  It is at the cross where we can find forgiveness and grace.

Which is more difficult for you, telling truth or giving grace?  I’d love to hear your thoughts…

~Peter