The process of becoming God’s child…

When I make a quilt, the steps are in order: select pattern and fabric, cut as required, sew pieces as the pattern says, make a ‘sandwich’ with backing, batting and the finished quilt top, sew the layers together, finish with a bound edge or facing, then label and find a home for it. 

The process of becoming a Christian follows certain steps also. Their order: first believe there is a God and that He is there for me…

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Second, believe what He says about Himself. Many false gods and ideas exist so check out His Word. It says much more than I can grasp, but the essentials are there: He loves me and wants me to know Him through faith.

Next, believe what He says about my condition. For many, this is the most difficult part… “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) God also says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way” … even going our own way, no matter how good it looks, God calls it sin. (Isaiah 53:6)

Without these steps of acknowledging God and admitting my need, the process stops at that point. I cannot make a quilt with chunks and bits, but need to move forward. In salvation, moving forward means realizing and admitting that I fall short.

However, these first steps do not mean anyone can now become a Christian and start doing Christian things. Jesus says what is next and considered carefully:

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:28–40)

I cannot do “good works” without participating in the life of Christ. He will give me that life when my faith and hope is in Him, not in what I have done or want to do. The rest of the NT is clear that good works identify me as a Christian but they do not make me one. Only Christ can give forgiveness and eternal life, and both are in Him. He is my righteousness and my Savior.

Like quilting, after that “sandwich” is made and sewn together by the power of God and the internal dwelling of the Holy Spirit, only then can Jesus be fully realized and enjoyed. He gives me new life and changes everything.

PRAY: Lord, as I make quilts, I’m thinking of You and how You took me through the process of knowing Your existence, realizing Your goodness, seeing that I do not measure up to what You created me to be, and remembering that glorious moment when You gave me Your life and the faith to wholly trust You. While all this is ‘old hat’ in a way, reviewing redemption is a good idea. You remind me of what You rescued me from (a scrap bin) and that You are making my life like Your life; lovely and useful, like a quilt. May I always remember to confess both my sin and Your amazing goodness. This is Your power to make my life is a warm blessing to those around me, just like Your life is a total blessing to me.