Messiah Complex?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The whisper of peace met the marching beat of war. Between the blaring notes of the band, some people heard the insistent psst: “Peace now, Peace now, Peace now.”

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Before you created the universe, was it terribly boring?
Before you created life, did all seem empty?
Before you created humans, did you feel lonely?
Before you created love, did everything seem cold and sterile?
I’m glad we might have helped relieve your possible depression.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“My therapist says I have a messiah complex.”

[A therapist might have been right, but Jesus never said this.]

D. Blog: A Response to Some Inconsistent Theology

I once received “correction” for my understanding of grace. “A price had to be paid for our sin” my self-proclaimed teacher asserted.

What makes divine grace so amazing is that it is absolutely free. If it’s free to me but somebody else paid for it, it ceases to be amazing. This very issue put Jesus in conflict with scribes and Pharisees, because he pronounced forgiveness when no price had been paid.

Why do some people have such a difficult time accepting that God, like any other loving parent, could forgive us without a price being paid? And then shamelessly accept God’s forgiveness when they think somebody else paid a price/ransom God demanded?

I think it’s probably true that people who hold this view of grace will only forgive others if a price is paid to them…