Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Ephesians 2:8 ... it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ...
BY GRACE ALONE
Grace is what separates the Christian faith from all other religions. All of the world's religions are based on earning salvation. In no uncertain terms our Lord assures us that salvation is by grace alone-- that is, a gift of God. Our Savior speaks of our salvation by grace when He says: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). That's how foreign the thought of salvation by grace is to the unbelieving. Because of God's perfect love He sent Jesus to buy back or redeem mankind and assures us "by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 1:7).
Our salvation is a gift of God alone with no merit or worthiness in ourselves. This saving grace becomes ours personally by Spirit given faith! The only true and saving faith looks to and trusts in Jesus alone for forgiveness and salvation. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Faith is a precious gift. It can't be bought, earned, or chosen. It can only be given. Only the Holy Spirit can work this faith in our hearts. Only the Holy Spirit can lead us to understand and believe that we are justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law (Romans 3:28).
This saving faith is worked in us by the Spirit through the Gospel-- the power of God to salvation! Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). The Good News of Jesus' life, death, and physical resurrection as our substitute-- that precious Message had been lost in the teachings of the Roman church and in the Gospel's place was taught the work-righteous doctrines of demons. That's why the Reformation is so important. That's why we celebrate it each year. It's a celebration of God's saving Word given back to us through the Reformation. Luther was God's chosen instrument to bring about the Reformation but we need to understand that we are His chosen instruments to carry on the work started so long ago-- to ever hold to and share, by the Spirit's strength, the Word of God in its truth and purity!
