Sowing and Reaping

When the writer in his preaching and writing emphasizes godly behavior, people sometimes respond by stating that a more balanced presentation of the Good News should be given. This is to say, it is necessary to stress that we are to live righteously but we must balance this stress by pointing out the grace and mercy of God.
While Gospel preaching and teaching must be balanced if it is to produce good fruit, a problem arises when we attempt to "balance" our emphasis on righteous behavior with the reminder that God's love, mercy, and "grace" are part of the Gospel message.
This essay is dedicated to the millions of believers in Christ who are seeking to live a righteous life even though the theology of their church, and the footnotes of their edited Bible, assure them that they are saved by "grace" and therefore righteous behavior, while always desirable, is not an absolutely necessary part of their salvation.