Receptive Grace

Overview

How can you relate to someone whose views and values and practices offend you and distress you? How can we relate to people with whom we deeply differ?

Our culture says we need to be tolerant, but I want to show you that Paul says the mark of a supernaturally changed heart is to go way beyond tolerance. It’s something better than tolerance, something greater than tolerance, something I’m going to call gospel-receptivity—a loving, peaceful receptivity toward people with whom we deeply differ.

What is this receptivity, this receptive grace? The best way to figure it out is to look at 1) what it’s not, 2) what it is, and 3) how we develop it.