The Shampoo Approach to Grace

Simply put, grace is the reception of something beneficial which we do not deserve. In the Bible, the word refers to an amazing gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Although we are born sinners destined for Hell because of our natures (Ps. 51:5; Matt. 25:41; Heb. 9:27), God the Father selflessly and lovingly sent His only Son Jesus to die on our behalf. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, people are able to turn from their sins and follow the Lord Jesus.

Grace makes the new birth possible, but it also is a faithful friend that sticks closer than a brother. It remains with believers all the days of their lives. We tend to take for granted that which is readily available, and people regularly disregard grace in at least two ways.

1. The Shampoo Approach to Grace

Most bottles of shampoo contain the following directions: “lather, rinse, repeat.” Many treat grace as an excuse to do what they want. They reason that they always can receive forgiveness; their philosophy is “desire, sin, repent,” only the repentance is not authentic. Biblical repentance is to turn from something with the intention never to return. An example is when God called the farmer Elisha to be a prophet. Elisha burned his plow and sacrificed his oxen so that there would be no turning back (1 Kings 19:21). When Jesus forgave the prostitute, He told her, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

In other words, grace and forgiveness are not excuses for us to load up on all of the sin we want and offer God a flimsy apology after we are done, only to repeat the process the next time that our ungodly desires get the best of us. A country preacher once explained true repentance thusly: “It’s not how high you jump, but how straight you walk when you hit the ground!” Only this type of repentance will receive God’s type of grace!

 ¹ What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ² May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2).

Tomorrow, we will look at another faulty understanding of God's grace.