The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World

by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Jesus dined with sinners, but he didn’t sin with sinners. Jesus lived in the world, but he didn’t live like the world. This is the Jesus paradox.

Good neighboring is at the heart of the gospel we know.

Part of being responsible brothers and sisters in Christ means knowing you can’t give a good answer to a bad question.

Common grace is that kindness by God given to all of humanity—to the whole human race without distinction.

But God’s common grace is not enough to render any of us holy in his eyes. Common grace restrains sin on earth, but it does not remove the stain of sin from the giver’s ledger.

Common grace does not ingratiate us to God. Christ must rescue us; Christ must bleed for us; the Holy Spirit must comfort us. We must respond. Common grace is a works-driven blessing, and the Bible records our good works as filthy rags.

Special grace is bestowed on those whom God has set apart.

Grace does not make the hard thing go away; grace illumines the hard thing with eternal meaning and purpose. Grace gives you company in your affliction, in Christ himself and in the family of God.

🙌🏼🙌🏼