Look what I did?

 

The Gospel can be confusing to some if it is expressed like this:

“There is such a thing as having one’s soul kept in perfect peace, now and here in this life; and childlike trust in God is the key to its attainment. We cannot earn it; we can do nothing but ask for it and receive it. It is the gift of God in Christ Jesus” then adds this: “God can bestow His gift only on the fully consecrated soul, and it is to be received by faith.”

If the gift cannot be earned, and the Bible says faith is an unearned gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), then how can a person make themselves fully consecrated with the faith to be able to receive it?

Reading the beginning statement and then the ending statement in today’s devotional shows how much we sinners want to take credit for having Jesus in our lives by saying it was our acceptance of the gift that did it, rather than the gift itself that saved us and give us a heart to say yes.

Of course in the realm of ordinary life, if I am offered a gift and say no thanks, it will not be mine. And if I take it, I cannot brag that it was deserved. I must acknowledge a gift is about the generosity of the giver, yet when it comes to the gift of God, how easy to take credit. People say, “I accepted Christ” as if that is the reason we are saved.

In contrast, the Scriptures say that becoming a recipient happens because of the gift, not because we earned it and can brag about it:

For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

Part of the gift of grace is being made willing to receive the gift. Just as God works in Christians to do His will (Philippians 2:13) He must work in unbelievers because “None is righeous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God…” (Romans 3) No one would say yes if God did not change our thinking and make us willing to respond to His offer and receive the gift. Jesus makes it plain:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16)

Everything in our salvation is a gift. From beginning to end, God is the giver and we are the receivers; and it is not given to those who do great things or are seeking (none do that), but to those who are called and blessed with the gift of faith, even the gift of seeking.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11–13)

Many believe, as do I, that faith in Christ and new life from Christ happen in the same instant and are both gifts of His grace.

The obvious question is then, “Why does God not save everyone?” But that is the wrong question. It should be, “Why does God save anyone?” All sin and fall short. None deserve even the least of His mercies. The great mystery of salvation is that it happens — even to people who will take credit for what Almighty God has done, even those who think they are special or somehow more worthy, even those who know they are not.

I know the importance of receptivity to the will of God and that my efforts to be godly often are motivated by selfish desires to be important or noticed or worthy in some way. It takes a long time to realize that He is not interested in what I do, nor does He reward my self-centered desires or efforts.

Instead, He works in me that I might realize that His goal is that I become like Jesus, totally surrendered to Him. He bears all my burdens, takes care of all my needs. He wants obedience for my sake — because sin only ruins, never nurtures or is good for me. One day, when I see Jesus face to face, I will be like Him. In the meantime, I’m not to rob Him of His glory by claiming, “Look what I did.”

PRAY: Lord, if I have a receptive attitude, it is because of You. If I am trusting You and wanting to live for You, it is because of You. If You were not in my life, I know what I would be thinking and doing. All good gifts are from You and for my good, to change me into what gives You glory and gives me joy and peace. Your salvation is both mystery and incredible blessing — and totally none of my doing. Thank You.

Why God saves . . .

 

READ Romans 9–12

While living in California, we went to a church where the pastor often said, “We ask the wrong question. Instead of wondering why some are saved and some are not, we should ask why God saves anyone.”

Sometimes I focus on that wrong question and become depressed, even frustrated with God. However, the pastor’s remark settles my heart. For one thing, why did God save me? I did nothing to earn or deserve the remarkable privilege of being His child. I don’t get it, at least I didn’t for a long time.

As Romans 9–11 make clear, most of Israel didn’t get it either. Salvation is about faith in God and a changed life. They tried to change their lives without faith:

And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.” What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:27–33)

How easily that happens. I have faith and sometimes apologize to God for my lack of obedience as if obedience is my salvation, as if pridefully relying on what I do or do not do will made a difference in my standing before God. As granny used to say, “Horse feathers!”

Israel did “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” They were “ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:1–4)

This faith that saves is trusting the Person and work of Jesus. If we “confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10 is clear: “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame . . .  there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” And this faith “comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” not from what we do or don’t do.

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:5–6)

If I insist that my actions can save me, that negates grace and makes God a liar, for He clearly says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All. Me included. What is left to say but this:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

Chapter 12 tells how to live as a person of faith: Present myself to God and be transformed in the way I think. Don’t let the world determine my thoughts and actions; only live by the will of God. This means: drop pride, be part of His people, use whatever gifts He has given me, love one another, hate evil, and overcome evil with good. All those things are impossible without first having faith, the kind of faith where Jesus comes to live in me and empowers me to do His will. Otherwise I fall short.

Again, why does God save anyone? So that He, the invisible God, will be glorified on earth and seen by sinful people in the lives of those He has transformed and who share with them the wonderful message of what Christ has done. We are His mouthpiece, His messengers, His family — by grace and grace alone.