Is grace extra hard to grasp for the Asian mind? Here’s one Asian American’s view:

‘A gift given means a gift must be repaid.…

‘Principle of Reciprocity

‘My family’s social dynamics, both American and Chinese, generally reflected principles found in Confucian-influenced worldviews….

‘Can You Repay Grace?

‘But what happens when someone tries to repay God for his gift of Jesus Christ? It’s easy to agree logically that the gift of Jesus can never be repaid….

• ‘1. God’s grace can never be repaid. A gift by God’s definition is free, and his gift of salvation comes by grace….

• ‘2. God deserves eternal praise. God is worthy of infinite honor and glory (1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 24–25)….

• ‘3. The obligation to glorify him is good. While the desire to repay God for grace is faith-killing, our obligation to give God his due is faith-driving and faith-enlivening….

‘Put Reciprocation to Rest

‘Trying to repay God by singing a few songs or giving a few hours of service only cheapens and nullifies the very thing that ought to be cherished….

-Jeremy Yong, “Why Grace Is Hard for Me as an Asian American”

Read whole article here