Jesus is the Hand in this glove

 

When a person is drafted into military service, they begin that life by being taught how to live it. While some of those principles apply to civilian life, doing them does not make that person a soldier or a marine or whatever part of the military they aspire to become. They must first be enlisted.

This is also true of becoming a Christian. I began that life when God called me to Himself. Then He began to teach me how to live it. Sadly, those principles are often preached to civilians who cannot live like members of God’s family until they are members, because without that calling, they do not have what is needed to be it. All efforts are self-effort and even if those things seem to be the right things, doing them without faith is what the Bible calls sin.

Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

(Jesus said) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)

In this world, a person can enlist in the army when they hear the call to do so. In the spiritual realm, that call is something like “Uncle Sam wants you” only it is Jesus doing the calling. Many Christians attest to hearing Him call and that it comes to them when they were ready to hear it. Some  might say no to the existence of God, or no to the reality of their sinfulness, or no to all sorts of ideas they have about religion and the church, but when Jesus calls, that invitation is irresistible.

I remember one woman who said she heard the gospel at camp when she went there to pick up her sister. She had no intentions of listening never mind responding, but when she heard Jesus, she  tightly grabbed the chair in front of her to keep herself seated. It didn’t work. She went forward, was filled with faith and saved.

This happened also to Saul who became Paul. He was on a road planning to destroy Christians when Jesus called him and transformed his life. From that time on, he became a mighty soldier of God. While not so dramatic, God did the same in my life. He walked into my living room and revealed such powerful truth to me about Himself that saying no was impossible.

My point is that God never asked me to first give up my old life, to be poor in spirit, to deny self, or anything like that. He just gave me faith to believe that Jesus died for my sin, that Jesus is God in human flesh and wanted me in His kingdom. I knew this was true. The training to live for Him came after that and because He had come to live in me, I had the ability and the desire to do His will.

PRAY: Jesus, You know that we who sin cannot save ourselves nor can we do any of the things You require unless we have You in our lives. Any self-effort is just that — self-effort, and because it is, we “go our own way” instead of the way that You clearly say is the only way: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) and Paul affirms it: “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.” (Ephesians 2:8–9) I cannot claim any part of becoming Your child as something I did. You are the Savior and You did it all and are still doing all as You enable me to live as Your soldier and Your child.