That do unto others instruction is a paradoxal form of grace. Grace partnered with an instruction. Romans 6:14, “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” In both Luke and Matthew we see this instruction for grace within a series of do’s and don’t’s verses. Keep, beware, bless, love, do, don’t. But we no longer live under the law. So what do we do? How does grace fit into an instruction as we are no longer live under requirements?
Once you believe that Jesus is Lord and is your Savior, He makes you righteous in God’s eyes. Therefore he offers us grace instead of rules. Then why even have these instructions like, do unto others, love your neighbor, give anyone who asks, do not judge, beware..? “After all, Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2: 9, 10.
He gives us instructions so that we may truly become who he created us to be! He gives us instructions so we know how to share the Good News – the good news that we don’t have to live under law but grace! Good news that Jesus is Lord and we will no longer face judgement! He gives us instructions because he has not left us or forsaken us – because he is discipling us so that we can “go and make disciples.”
So, how do we extend grace, and do unto to others?
We remember that we were saved by grace, “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time – to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:9
We remember that non-believers do not yet know their full calling and what is available to them and we remember that our fellow believers are also trying to understand this grace and action life we are called to live.
We do, we don’t, we love, we bless – not because we are required to but because he has made us anew and it is each of our callings,
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:11-15
