“that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).
The state of Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. Because it is possible for a person to boast (i.e., to exaggerate the truth) and to lie (i.e., to completely misrepresent the truth), a wise listener does not indiscriminately believe everything he hears. The bigger the claim the wiser it is to have a bigger dose of healthy skepticism.
Anyone at any time can claim anything. Therefore, “prove it” is a wise course of action when you feel skeptical about another’s word.
Not only is this true in secular matters, it is equally applicable in the spiritual realm. Biblical faith is not “believing something you know ain’t so” (Mark Twain); it is confidence in God’s word based upon trustworthy evidence (Apostle Paul–2 Timothy 1:12). The apostle Thomas was not confronted by the living Christ because he sought physical proof of Jesus’ resurrection; his faith was flawed because he refused to believe the testimony of reliable eyewitnesses who had seen the physical evidence (John 20:24-29).
The Bible makes many stupendous claims. Two of its greatest claims concern God’s love and God’s grace.
“God so loved the world” is not an idle boast or a boldfaced lie, because the middle cross at Golgotha proves the width, length, depth, and height of God’s love. It is an infallible proof, an inerasable demonstration of the Bible’s stupendous claim (Romans 5:8).
The same is true about the Bible’s stupendous claim of the exceeding riches of God’s grace. The regeneration of a sinner dead in his/her trespasses and sins, then the adoption of this former criminal into God’s family where he/she enjoys every spiritual blessing are an infallible proof, an inerasable demonstration of the exceeding riches of God’s grace.
The church—the body of Christ—is enduring evidence that God is willing, ready, and able to forgive.
Ignoring this proof does not change or remove the evidence. It only proves the absence of an honest and good heart.
