"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should
boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Introduction
We have all heard the phrases, "You don't get
owt for nowt" and "If it sounds too good to be
true, it probably is." Unfortunately some people we present the Gospel to
hold to this kind of skepticism. They think that Heaven is gained through hard
work, morality, religious activity and humanitarianism. Thus God and the
precious gift He offers is rejected as unbelievable twaddle.
The Gospel of Grace
The majority of religious people think that God can be approached on the
grounds of their personal merit or by some ritualistic system formulated by the
leaders of their organization. The moment trust is placed in ceremony and
ritual, it is no longer faith but works which is the foundation that is
built upon.
The Galatian
church were diverted from the Gospel of grace to a false gospel when they
adopted works as the means to salvation. "I marvel that ye are so soon
removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel" (Galatians 1:6). This makes the blood of Christ useless and
worthless. Those who adhere to a works gospel have no understanding of the love
and grace of God. Any system that offers salvation as a payment for personal
performance is eternally flawed. Rules and rituals cannot redeem the soul.
"Grace, without any respect to human worthiness, confers the glorious gift.
Faith, with an empty hand, and without any pretence to personal desert, receives
the heavenly blessing" (John Wesley).
Grow
in grace
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever"
(2 Peter 3:18).
To let God rule and reign in our lives should be our greatest desire. We
must see Him as a God of grace and mercy. A God who provided the only means of
eternal salvation, through Christ, to those who could never deserve or earn it.
We must once and for all accept that salvation is all of God and nothing of us.
This undeserved favour
cannot be bought, it is a gift purchased for us by the blood of Christ.
Possessing
the blessing
Even though salvation is by grace through faith, and that it cannot be
gained through personal merit or bought with good works, we must possess the
blessing. We cannot possess the wonderful gift of God's grace until we believe
it is ours in Christ alone. "Grace is God's part, faith ours"
(Robinson's Word Pictures). It is good to study and meditate upon the grace of
God, but its fullness will continue to be too much for our human brains to
comprehend until the day we reach Heaven. "May be able to comprehend
with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:18-19).
Yet somehow in our spirit we can have the assurance that all that God has
promised is true. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9) ... "In
whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption
of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians
1:13-14).
Conclusion
© 1/1/2009