God's grace, though freely given, imposes a profound obligation upon us. His love, unmotivated by any external force, comes entirely from within Him, despite our history of vanity, deceit, and weakness. Yet, this grace has appeared, bringing salvation through the gospel of the Kingdom of God, bursting forth like the sun's light onto a darkened earth with suddenness and unexpectedness. It reveals a clear message that governs our responsibility and growth, teaching us through the Greek word paideuo, meaning to school, train, or discipline, directing us toward moral and spiritual development. This grace obligates us negatively to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and positively to live lives of self-mastery, integrity, and piety in this present world. It instructs us to purge out the old leaven of sin and to grow in the attributes that conform us to His image. We cannot become godly until we first quit being ungodly, ridding ourselves of sin's corrupting influence through consistent effort. Grace trains us to live consecrated lives, motivated by the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, encouraging us to modify our conduct in this present evil world. Furthermore, grace leads us from ungodliness onto the path of holiness, redeeming us to be a special people eagerly desirous for good works. It demands conscientious, earnest effort, as we must not stand still after entering the New Covenant. God's gift, while free from His perspective, requires from us a humble devotion to bear any burden He deems necessary for our good or as a witness in this way. Thus, the grace of God, bursting into our moral darkness, calls us to walk this path with eager anticipation of His return, being purified and filled with zest for noble deeds.

Grace, Costliness of The costliness of grace is evident in our utter inability to repay the debt of sin, a debt that stands as an unpayable burden before God. We cannot return to the past to undo wrongs, nor can any amount of tears, self-discipline, or change of life lessen this indebtedness. No work we do can mitigate the penalty, for as Jesus illustrates in Luke 7:42, we have nothing with which to pay. This insolvency places us in a position of complete dependence on God's mercy, as forgiveness comes solely by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. If we could pay, God would be indebted to us, but such is impossible; our past remains cast in stone with a death sentence upon it. Yet, this recognition of our penniless state before Him is good, for it compels us to choose between attempting to pay an impossible debt—resulting in death without hope—or allowing Him to forgive all. Choosing the latter binds us under a profound obligation to the One who pays our unpayable debt. Jesus Himself correlates the recognition of the enormity of forgiven sins with acts of love, stating in Luke 7:47 that one who is forgiven much loves much, while one who perceives little forgiveness loves little. Thus, those most aware of the costliness of grace will bear the most fruit in godly love, living in a manner directed by the Payer of their debt. The apostle Paul exemplifies this deep sense of obligation, acknowledging in I Corinthians 15:10 that by the grace of God he is what he is, laboring abundantly not of his own strength but by the grace within him. His awareness of the enormity of what God forgave fueled his fervent Christianity, driving him to live and work out of grateful obligation. This costly grace, freely given through Christ's sacrifice, becomes the foundation of all loving relationships, motivating us to love as we failed to do before, which initially placed us in debt. Remembering Christ's selfless act, as commanded in I Corinthians 11:24-25, ensures we retain a right sense of obligation, filling us with awe that He would pay so much for something so utterly defiled.

The costliness of grace is vividly illustrated through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was crucified for the forgiveness of our sins. He is the propitiation by which we can enter into God's presence, paying an incalculable price as the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. This human sacrifice, of the most sublime quality, underscores the profound value of His blood, as no common person or animal could meet the qualifications to atone for all sin—only the sinless God-Man could achieve this. God, in His grace, justifies us through Christ's blood at Passover, a time to focus on the payment for our sins rather than on ourselves. This monumental sacrifice, as described in the scriptures, demands fitting remembrance and deep appreciation, for failing to grasp its meaning risks treating His death unworthily. The sacrifice of Christ is the unique means by which our relationship with God, with others, and our spiritual liberty are made possible, driving us to examine ourselves seriously in contrast to His perfect glory, recognizing that He lived without committing even one sin. The value of Christ's blood is further emphasized as the basis of our covenant with God; rejecting it through willful sin is a grave repudiation of His merciful judgment. God's design considered our free moral agency, concluding that such a profound payment for sin would inspire overwhelming gratitude, compelling us to drive ourselves from sin. Passover forces us to confront our weakness against Christ's strength, our sinfulness against His perfection, and our sentence of death against His offer of life. Sacrifice is seen as the holy act, the essence of love, where God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Unlike animal sacrifices, which fail to produce a desire to obey, the sacrifice of a human life—especially the most valuable Life ever lived—creates a deep sense of indebtedness and gratitude, motivating worship and obedience. The theme of Passover is the awesome cost of salvation, manifested in the sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose sinlessness was not mechanical but filled with sympathy, empathy, and compassion for the helpless slaves of sin. This should evoke both revulsion at the injustice our sins caused and appreciation, leading us to depart from sin in thanksgiving for His role as Savior, Redeemer, and Lamb of God.