Weekly Devotional 4-11-16 A Way or The Way
You probably have heard it said that “faith in Jesus Christ for one’s salvation is a way to God.” I heard this phrase recently and wondered that there are some who do believe that salvation ultimately lies in their own hands. Yes, they claim, one must believe that Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price of their salvation, but that His sacrifice is not sufficient. That something else must be added. Such a belief, no matter the road it may take, finds that works must be added to Christ’s sacrifice in order to earn God’s approval or acceptance.
However, did not the Apostle Paul write, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—Not of works”? (See Ephesians 2:8-9). Yes, he did and he prefaced those words saying;
“1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1-7 NKJV).
One should take note. Paul writes that God rescues a person from a spiritually dead state toward God. Jesus said that one must be born again before he can see (understand) the Kingdom of heaven, or enter into it (John 3:1-8). Earlier in his gospel John wrote that those who become children of God become so not by heredity, by one’s own will, or the will of another, but by the will of God (John 1:9-13). It cannot be clearer, salvation is a gift of God. There is no other way but by His grace and mercy.
The salvation of our souls is not predicated on a way, but on the way. Thank you, heavenly Father for accomplishing in us that which we could not do of ourselves.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Evangelical Free Church www.efreebible