A beautiful passage from Brennan Manning’s new (and final) book, the memoir All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir, ht DJ:
My message, unchanged for more than fifty years, is this: God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be. It is the message of grace… A grace that pays the eager beaver who works all day long the same wages as the grinning drunk who shows up at ten till five… A grace that hikes up the robe and runs breakneck toward the prodigal reeking of sin and wraps him up and decides to throw a party no ifs, ands, or buts… This grace is indiscriminate compassion. It works without asking anything of us… Grace is sufficient even though we huff and puff with all our might to try to find something or someone it cannot cover. Grace is enough… Jesus is enough (192-194).
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read more on and from 
12 comments
R-J says:
Jan 27, 2012
I love these words so much. What I am struggling with is getting through to my congregants that all of their attempts at holy living are just defense mechanisms against God, layers of insulation between them and the almighty, but they fight me tooth and nail. Maybe I’m wrong? And don’t mishear me, I’m not trying to discourage holiness (or morality), at least I don’t think that I am, but people are getting frustrated with me not offering more “instruction” on holy living and I just want to yell at the top of my lungs “Jesus is enough!” Any thoughts?
BHawk says:
Jan 27, 2012
Give them the “imperatives” of holy living but only in the context of the “indicatives” of the Gospel promises. Check out chapter 10 of “Jesus+Nothing=Everything” by T. Tchividjian
Zach says:
Jan 27, 2012
My suggestion: (1) Remind them that every religion provides its own model for holy living. (2) Urge them to watch the evening news.
Todd Brewer says:
Jan 30, 2012
RJ, your persistence is admirable! There’s nothing wrong with you at all. Now, this may not be actually true of you, but from reading your statement I would comment that the statement “Jesus is enough” does not *only* imply the insufficiency of moral living. Self-righteousness takes many forms, with many implications! “Moralism” is just a big a problem as “intellectualism” or “defeatism”. And personally, I know that my own “moralism” not only shields me from God, it also shields me from honest reflection of myself and other people.
Zach says:
Jan 27, 2012
It sounds implausible.
Dan says:
Jan 27, 2012
He spoke at my church a few years back. It was incredible to see this feeble old man get so invigorated by the gospel.
Anthony says:
Jan 27, 2012
RJ,
Reminds me of the opening paragraph of Stephen Paulson’s book ‘Lutheran Theology’… “Lutheran Theology begins perversely by advocating the destruction of all that is good, right, and beautiful in human life. It attacks the lowest and highest goals of life, especially morality, no matter how sincere are its practitioners.” and later … “Virtue is not the goal of life, virtue is our problem. Religion is not given for morality; it is there to end it.” New Creations need a New Law for living outside of the Earlthy Legal scheme. Christ has come that we may have freedom, and have it abundandlty. Praise be to God!
Steve Martin says:
Jan 27, 2012
Paulsen’s book sounds like a winner.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Steve Martin says:
Jan 27, 2012
Sorry…’Paulson’
R-J Heijmen says:
Jan 30, 2012
I kindled the book. It is off the chain good, and sums up so much of what I am trying to do and say. Thanks Anthony!
Jim McNeely says:
Jan 27, 2012
R-J, you did it, you asked for advice from a rabble of religious people! I probably just started a big firestorm saying that. I’ll jump in as well. I’ve been perusing Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians, and it amazed me how he went on about how we have to fight for the gospel, fight for grace, how the flesh in people are going to fight to let go of their works and merit. I think we should have grace for ourselves if we have trouble getting the message across, or if we keep being misunderstood. It is a scandalous message, after all. It is no shock that there is resistance; I’m sure there’s a case to be made that Jesus was crucified for this very thing.
I love this quote; I saw Brennan Manning up in Abbotsford BC a while back during a time when I really needed to hear it, and it was comforting. I am a ragamuffin for sure.
R-J says:
Jan 30, 2012
Thanks so much for this Jim, and you’re certainly right about the need for to be gracious with myself:) I think I also need to let go of my expectations that I can change anyone, and let God do His thing. Lastly, it has always been difficult for me to not be “Pharisaical about Pharisees”, which is a real problem. Even if I have disagreements, it is so important that love is known and felt anyway.