No turning back . . .

Genesis 34; Job 1; Mark 5; Romans 5

Obviously, my mind has been preoccupied these days with thoughts of death and with the glorious truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This morning, nothing jumps out of the above readings except the reality that Paul describes in Romans 5. I have peace with God because of faith in Christ. My sister is enjoying the fullness of that peace because of her faith in Christ. One day we will dance around the throne of God and celebrate what Jesus has done. Right now she stands before that throne — complete!

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1–11)

This is easily personalized and gives me an anchor when I think about this during the waves of grief. My sister and I enjoy the peace of God and stand in grace. Endurance in suffering teaches me that and most certainly she learned it too. Our hope in Him increased and for me is still increasing because His grace is there, even in the worst of times, to give the ability to not only trust Him but show love to others, His love, when we have nothing in ourselves left to give.

It is in this weakness that we are saved, not because we have any strength or ability of our own. In that, we fall short and must willingly face that reality. No excuses, no pride at all or any claim to deserving even the least of His mercies. Yet it is in that humility we begin to understand the marvel of grace.

Being reconciled to God is not something we could ever do. We have no credentials, no valid abilities or reasons. Our sin would condemn us to hell. Yet Jesus took the penalty we deserved and because of Him, we are saved, a total gift from God.

I will see her again. She is not gone in the sense of vanished forever. Instead, she walked through a door, a portal, crossing from here to there. I can imagine her waving over her shoulder but not turning her head. Her eyes are on the great view ahead of her, the glories of heaven and the face of Jesus. No looking back. For this, I can credit the grace of God and the fact of what Jesus has done for us, for the world. May He be honored and blessed for giving us such great hope.

Faith in what? And why?

Various passages of the Old Testament speak of redemption and salvation in terms of deliverance from physical harm, physical enemies, poverty, and other temporal dangers rather than referring to being saved from sin and eternal damnation:

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you . . . .’” (Isaiah 43:1–3)

In the New Testament, the message of redemption is from sin, beginning with deliverance from God’s wrath and extending to deliverance from the power of sin to rule our lives. Instead of physical well-being, the focus is our relationship with God and the wonderful gift of eternal life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ:

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:1–11)

I heard a well-known radio preacher talking about this offer of salvation belonging only to those God has chosen, the elect. He said that a person might wonder if he is one whom God has selected, then added that those who are not in that group would never ask that question because God has not put it in their hearts to care. This reminds me of a man who said he could be “saved anytime” he felt like it, but he “didn’t feel like it.”

My hubby often chides the idea that people who say, “I gave my life to Christ” need to eventually realize that this happened because Christ put a hunger for Him in their hearts. The saving work belongs to Him, from start to finish and the glory of it should go to Him.

Even in the OT, God is the author of all saving work, whether it is salvation through fire, floods and enemy attacks, or that salvation by faith that makes a believer a child of God. Access to Him is and has always been by faith, yet faith comes by hearing Him, by hearing the “word of Christ.”

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)

Faith requires an object, something to believe. It does not stand alone because no one can say “I have faith” without that ‘faith’ being in something or someone. Faith in ‘faith’ is worthless. However, I can put my faith in many things, such as electricity, my computer, the postal service, and so on. I can do it because evidence shows that these things will do as expected, at least most of the time.

Faith in God is not exactly the same. For one thing, He is totally reliable. He does not lie nor break His promises. How do I know that? I know it because He declares it and I take Him at His Word. Logically, if this were faith in any human person, my faith would require more than that, like evidence that they are what they claim and will do what they say. Yet God didn’t have to prove anything to me. Instead, He simply gave me the gift of faith through grace so that I could trust Him.

“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)

Saving faith is a gift. While it is bolstered by seeing the works of His hands in creation, or having answers to prayer, it first comes simply by hearing God speak. That is a gift; that is salvation. That is saving faith.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, nearly every morning and every day since that day of my salvation, You continue to speak to my heart through Your Word and grace me with faith to believe what You say and to trust You with my life here and my life for all eternity. Your salvation, redemption, reconciliation, and all other names for the gift You give are covered in the word “grace” and again today I rejoice in the marvel of it.