Shades of Grey or Saved by Grace?
With Valentine's Day this past weekend, and everyone talking about "Love," Hollywood delivered their version of a love story. For many, the story of a private billionaire and a quiet student carried the makings of a romantic movie certain to carry the weekend's movie ticket sells.
With the movie, 50 Shades of Grey, audiences received a twisted, perverted version of a love story between a man and a woman.
The world is always prepared to offer a substitute for the Gospel love story. The world is more than happy to provide a lesser version of all of the good that Christ promises.
Jesus speaks words of forgiveness while the world preaches shame, a lesser substitute. In the face of sin, however, there can be no substitute for the forgiveness of Christ. In the face of deep wounds, there's nothing that can heal like the touch of a Savior. In the face of depression and anxiety, there's no substitute for the joy and peace of the Spirit. And in the face of a hurting world, there is no substitute for the love of Jesus.
50 Shades of Grey is a story of worldly love.
The Gospel is a story of godly love.
50 Shades of Grey is temporal.
The Gospel, eternal.
Shades of Grey is conditional.
The Gospel, unconditional.
50 Shades of Grey is a story of a man who refuses love, but longs to deal out abuse, violence, and pain.
The Gospel is a story of a man who freely loves, longing to endure our abuse, our violence, and our pain, so that we may enjoy the gift of forgiveness, love, and life.
The world offers Shades of Grey.
Jesus promises to Save by Grace.
Jonathan Williams is the founder of Gospel Family Ministries and the author of Gospel Family.
