Consider what the famed Russian novelist, Dostoevsky, wrote about the judgment of God and the gospel of grace, in his classic work, Crime and Punishment.
At the last Judgment Christ, will say to us, “Come, you also! Come, drunkards! Come weaklings! Come, children of shame!”
And he will say to us: “Vile beings, you who are in the image of the beast and bear his mark, but come all the same, you as well.”
And the wise and the prudent will say, “Lord, why do you welcome them?” And he will say, “If I welcome them, you wise men, it is because not one of them have ever been judged worthy.”
And he will stretch out his arms, and we will fall at his feet, and we will cry out sobbing, and then we will understand all, we will understand the Gospel of grace! Lord, your kingdom come!
Dostoevsky
put this soaring gospel in the mouth of the character, Marmeladov – a bumbling
drunkard whose family is left destitute because he spends all they have on his
addiction. He utters this gospel – the true gospel – even while still in the
stupor that will lead to his tragic death. Yes, grace even for that slob, even
to his bitter end ...
This excerpt is from Greg Albrecht's forthcoming book, Spiritual Soup for the Hungry Soul, Volume 3. Previous volumes are available at ptm.org for $10 each, including shipping in the US.
This excerpt is from Greg Albrecht's forthcoming book, Spiritual Soup for the Hungry Soul, Volume 3. Previous volumes are available at ptm.org for $10 each, including shipping in the US.
