For instance, when I’ve disobeyed God in some way, he put these thoughts in my head: “You are not a Christian. Why would God save you anyway? You don’t deserve His mercy. You’re not good enough. How presumptuous to think God could ever use you!” As MacArthur says, these doubts are common when I focus on my performance rather than on God’s power. This is not only an error in thinking but idolatry — worshiping myself as the one who keeps me good. If that were true, I would not need Jesus.
Today’s devotional warns about the folly of being quick to acknowledge God’s power to save me but slow to rely on His power to keep me. This can result in thinking salvation can be lost, and living in fear of falling away. It can also result in self-effort to the point of losing sight of grace and falling into a works-righteousness mentality something like that of the Pharisees.
MacArthur says, and I agree, that my performance doesn’t determine my standing in Christ; my standing in Christ determines my performance. God created me to do good works, but saving and keeping me is God’s work.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8–10)
Nothing could be clearer. He does the saving so that I can walk in ways that please Him. And with Jude, I can say:
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)
In this passage, “able” speaks of His power and “keep” about being guarded, held secure in the midst of an attack. “Stumbling” is about falling into sin and ruin. This is what God saved me from — not for. It is His work and His power that keep me. No matter how intense Satan’s attacks might be, Jesus lives to protect and cleanse me until that day I see Him face-to-face and will be like Him. In the meantime:
If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . . . . My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 1:7–9; 2:1–6)
PRAY: Jesus, the truths of the gospel are my helmet. You gave it to protect me from the Liar’s attempts to have me believe something other than You saved me and keep me. It is in knowing You that I can obey You. You are at work in my life. You keep me in Your care. I could not save myself. Without You, I cannot keep myself, but I am never ‘without’ You for You promise to never leave me or forsake me. I am Your child and I praise You for Your saving and keeping work and for all that You do in my life.
PONDER: Jude 24–25 and continually bless and worship my only God and Savior who keeps me and will present me blameless in the presence of His glory with great joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment