I’m sure you've heard this phrase more than once; “The prison doors are open, why are you still inside?” It brings to mind the mental picture of a small cell, a metal bench, with you (or I), sitting on that bench while the jail door sits wide open. No guards, cameras, barbed wire, nothing.
We are free to leave the cell… but… we don’t!
At first the reality of this behavior is impossible to grasp. Why would anyone stay confined within the cell when, we know, we’re free to leave at any time?
Jesus has set us free, yet, by our own decision, we choose to remain captive. Sounds completely nuts but…Inside the cell there is something that keeps us there. We find the cell comfortable, sensible, reassuring. We understand that we’ve entered the cell through Adam and therefore we must spend our time paying for our transgressions. We understand this “if, then” mentality. If I do this, then this will happen. The cell is conditional and we are so very used to conditions.
“Eat your vegetables, then you may have dessert.” Study hard, work hard, marry the right person. Don’t rock the boat or be prepared to face the circumstances.
Inside the cell there is the comforting reality that “I must” pay for my wrongs. That’s how it works, I do this, and this happens. It makes “sense” because an equal an opposite reaction occurs while I am confined by my condition. It is how our entire world operates.
It’s fair, it’s sensible, it’s less challenging, it shouts impartiality, but, grace bursts on the scene and blows up all our conditionality. It messes up everything and we cry out, “THIS IS RIGHT!” This doesn’t work around here!
Inside the cell, everything works the same way. There’s no difference, conditionality is what works, everyone on the same page, everyone “paying it forward.”
But, what about Luke 17:11-19?
“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
HEY, WAIT A SECOND – This can’t be right! This doesn't work! Only one was grateful and they all were cleansed?
Not only cleansed, but when Jesus instructed them to “show themselves to the priest’ what He did was return them to society. Once the priests saw they were no longer unclean they were free to return to their families, to earn a living and stop begging, to hug their wife and children whom they hadn’t seen in years!
Jesus healed there sickness and He gave them back their dignity. Not just the repentant one. Not just the one half breed Samaritan who ran to Jesus to thank Him. Not just one but ALL TEN.
All ten received unconditional grace. All ten went home.
That’s not conditional love. That’s not “I will if you will” theology. That’s the way the world works. That never happens in our safe little cell!
God’s grace does not depend on our gratitude! God’s grace does not depend on anything we can do. God’s grace doesn't depend on our work because Jesus did the work on Calvary.
Thank you Jesus for paroling me. For setting me free from the bondage of conditional love.
We are free to leave the cell… but… we don’t!
At first the reality of this behavior is impossible to grasp. Why would anyone stay confined within the cell when, we know, we’re free to leave at any time?
Jesus has set us free, yet, by our own decision, we choose to remain captive. Sounds completely nuts but…Inside the cell there is something that keeps us there. We find the cell comfortable, sensible, reassuring. We understand that we’ve entered the cell through Adam and therefore we must spend our time paying for our transgressions. We understand this “if, then” mentality. If I do this, then this will happen. The cell is conditional and we are so very used to conditions.
“Eat your vegetables, then you may have dessert.” Study hard, work hard, marry the right person. Don’t rock the boat or be prepared to face the circumstances.
Inside the cell there is the comforting reality that “I must” pay for my wrongs. That’s how it works, I do this, and this happens. It makes “sense” because an equal an opposite reaction occurs while I am confined by my condition. It is how our entire world operates.
It’s fair, it’s sensible, it’s less challenging, it shouts impartiality, but, grace bursts on the scene and blows up all our conditionality. It messes up everything and we cry out, “THIS IS RIGHT!” This doesn’t work around here!
Inside the cell, everything works the same way. There’s no difference, conditionality is what works, everyone on the same page, everyone “paying it forward.”
But, what about Luke 17:11-19?
“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
HEY, WAIT A SECOND – This can’t be right! This doesn't work! Only one was grateful and they all were cleansed?
Not only cleansed, but when Jesus instructed them to “show themselves to the priest’ what He did was return them to society. Once the priests saw they were no longer unclean they were free to return to their families, to earn a living and stop begging, to hug their wife and children whom they hadn’t seen in years!
Jesus healed there sickness and He gave them back their dignity. Not just the repentant one. Not just the one half breed Samaritan who ran to Jesus to thank Him. Not just one but ALL TEN.
All ten received unconditional grace. All ten went home.
That’s not conditional love. That’s not “I will if you will” theology. That’s the way the world works. That never happens in our safe little cell!
God’s grace does not depend on our gratitude! God’s grace does not depend on anything we can do. God’s grace doesn't depend on our work because Jesus did the work on Calvary.
Thank you Jesus for paroling me. For setting me free from the bondage of conditional love.
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