The Empty Hand of Faith (Protestant Devotional)

Alpha And Omega Ministries ^ | James White

[Gamecock]

Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness . . . For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants.”

—Romans 4:4-5, 16

“That I may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.”

—Philippians 3:9

“Faith is chosen by God to be the receiver of salvation, because it does not pretend to create salvation, nor to help in it, but it is content humbly to receive it. Faith is the tongue that begs pardon, the hand which receives it, and the eye which sees it; but it is not the price which buys it. Faith never makes herself her own plea, she rests all her argument upon the blood of Christ. She becomes a good servant to bring the riches of the Lord Jesus to the soul, because she acknowledges whence she drew them, and owns that grace alone entrusted her with them.”

—Charles Spurgeon, All of Grace

The single most amazing truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: it is all of grace. It is the work of God, not of man. It is the story of a powerful Savior who redeems His people, and He does so completely. It is about a sovereign God, a perfect Savior, and an accomplished redemption.

In the above quoted Scripture we hear the very message of life itself. We first hear about our inability: if we think we can “work” to gain something from God, we do not understand how truly lost we are. The one who works receives only his wages, not righteousness. But to the one who does not come to God with any idea of merit or earning, but instead trusts in the God who justifies the ungodly, that kind of faith is reckoned to him as righteousness. It is a faith that comes with empty hand, claiming nothing for itself, but seeking its all in Christ. This empty-handed faith is the kind of faith that results in a right standing with God.

Next we hear about God’s ability: since faith comes with empty hand, it finds in the grace of God all that it could ever need or want. God’s grace is powerful, and it brings full salvation to the soul of the person who despairs of anything other than free, unmerited grace. Grace cannot clasp the hand that carries within it ideas of merit, or good works, or any other kind of human addition to grace. “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6). God’s wondrous grace cannot be mixed with human merit. The hand that holds onto its own alleged goodness, or attempts to sneak in a merit here, a good work there, will not find the open hand of God’s grace. Only the empty hand fits into the powerful hand of grace. Only the person who finds in Christ his all-in-all will, in so finding, be made right with God. This is why the Scriptures say it is by faith so that it might be in accordance with grace: in God’s wisdom, he excludes man’s boasting by making salvation all of grace.

Finally, we see the certainty of salvation: because God saves by His all-powerful and undeserved mercy and grace, the promise of salvation is “guaranteed” or made firm and unmovable to everyone who extends that empty but believing hand to His all powerful and sovereign grace. If salvation was in the least bit dependent upon the sinner, the promise could never be thought of as firm and unmovable. But since faith brings no idea of self-worth with it, and since grace is by definition free and unmerited, then salvation itself is wholly the work of God (1 Corinthians 1:30-31), and hence it is certain, firm and can be “guaranteed.” Only salvation that is God’s work in its totality can fit this description.

My friend, do you have the kind of righteousness that Paul spoke of in Philippians 3:9, cited above? Or do you have a standing before God that is based upon what you do, rather than upon what Christ has done in your place? Can you understand why a true Christian cannot help but stand in wonder at these words: “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not impute to him” (Romans 4:8)? Have your sins been imputed to Christ, and His righteousness imputed to you by faith? Do you know what it means to have Christ not merely as Savior in name, but in fact, so that your entire trust is in Him and in nothing you can ever do? Can you honestly say you trust Him with your eternal destiny, and fully believe He carried your sins on the cross, and has given His righteousness to you, so that you can stand before the holy God? It is my prayer that if you cannot claim Christ in this way, you will give consideration to these truths, and God will be merciful toward you so as to grant you true faith to embrace His gospel. May God richly bless you as you seek His truth.

Remember this; or you may fall into error by fixing your minds so much upon the faith which is the channel of salvation as to forget the grace which is the fountain and source even of faith itself. Faith is the work of God’s grace in us. . .”No man comes to me,” says Jesus, “except the Father who sent me draws him.” So that faith, which is coming to Christ, is the result of divine drawing. Grace is the first and last moving cause of salvation; and faith, essential as it is, is only an important part of the machinery which grace employs. We are saved “through faith,” but salvation is “by grace.” Sound forth those words as with the archangel’s trumpet: “By grace are you saved.” What glad tidings for the undeserving!

—Charles Spurgeon, All of Grace

[Gamecock]

Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not impute to him (Romans 4:8)

Back when I was still on Active Duty I went to the funeral of a dear brother killed in action in Afghanistan. After the military service people were expressing their condolences to his young wife. When I hugged her those are the words I whispered in her ear. For the first time during the service she smiled.

[metmom]

Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Philippians 3:2-9 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

All that hard work and Paul counts it as rubbish for the excellency of knowing CHRIST.

Religion is worthless in knowing God. All it does it provide an opportunity for the flesh to brag about itself.

Colossians 2:16-23 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

[ravenwolf]

This is all true but I would suggest that it should be made plain that Paul was not against doing the works of faith.

What he was saying is that we should not think that we can earn our way into glory land by our works.

Even people who do not believe in works will brag about the works they do, but is it the works Jesus told us to do?

We are not saved by works, we are saved by Gods grace.

Was Paul against works?

1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

If Paul was against works why would he tell the Corinthians he worked harder than them all?

James 2
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Any one can holler about how much faith they have, lets see some of it.

Any one can holler about how much work they do, is it the works which come from faith or is it just so they can brag?

John 14
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Matthew 22
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Luke 10
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Was Jesus against works?

John 14
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;

[Kandy Atz]

Amen. I can read Paul’s letter to the Ephesians over and over and still be in awe of God’s Mercy. All you can say is Thank You Lord!

Ephesians 2:4-9 (AMP)
4 But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,
5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).
6 And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
7 He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

[tophat9000]

I’m not sure why faith vs work get so complicated. ..

Anyone in a relationship should understand. ...your didn’t buy your wife love.. and you do not buy in on going in the relationship. ..but you also love..you give back.. some see that as work and are trying to buy “love”...but if you do your not in love in the first place

See many do on not see it... but faith is a two way street.. and God shows his faith in you.. faith in man..first...

so once you come faith in God.. you also honor that faith God first show to you... God gave you a chance. . God show faith in you... honor that faith God put in you
..that is the works...

It works to honor the faith God showed in you..

work do not buy.. works honor what was given freely

[kosciusko51]

Well said!

[GeronL]

“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness . . . For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants.”

—Romans 4:4-5, 16”

---

That will leave a mark. :p

[JesusIsLord]

If our works are motivated by guilt or the law, they will be like the works of Pharisees and humanists. Works which please God are an expression of Christ in and through us. - 1 John 4:10,11

"Faith works by (agape) love." - Galatians 5:6.

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

[caww]

The certainty of salvation:

.....” faith brings no idea of self-worth with it” and since grace is by definition free and unmerited, then salvation itself is ‘wholly the work of God’ ... and hence it is certain, firm and can be “guaranteed.” ....Only salvation that is God’s work in its totality can fit this description”......

I write these things ‘to you who believe’ in the name of the Son of God so ‘THAT YOU MAY KNOW’ that you have eternal life...... I John 5:13

It’s noteworthy that he’s writing ‘to those who believe.....which would indicate that those who do not know the assurance of their salvation may very well have a false sense of belief...relying on something or someone else rather than the work of Jesus Christ who said..”It is finished”.

Therefore their eternal security is at stake...blinded by a misplaced faith.

[caww]

JESUS plus works for righteousness equals nothing....

[caww]

In certain churches they use a term ‘Sacerdotalism’ which means that salvation is mediated through the priesthood or persons appointed.. Instead of being regenerated by the word, they have a completely different approach to salvation....

....They ‘combine elements from the Old Testament’ (ie. priesthood, leaders, dress, rituals etc.),.... as ‘the means’ of grace which is “dispensed” by the priest or persons appointed and this through their church or their group..... which therefore nullifies the simple gospel...So the cross is made of NO effect.

They do not trust that the cross that Christ died on can bring full redemption in and of itself...and it is this what Paul stated as ‘a different gospel’.

We know that when Constantine legalized Christianity he had the pagans enter the church ‘by baptism’, not by being born spiritually, which Jesus taught when he said you must be born again...

As the hymn goes what can wash away my sin? “Nothing” but the blood of Jesus”.

Jn.3:3-5 states “Unless one is born again (from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God.” It’s not of man but of God the new birth comes from; it is His Spirit, His power and His work. Titus 3:5 state, “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

[avenir]

That’s awesome!

[Mom MD]

By grace alone by faith alone by scripture alone The battle cry of Luther and the reformation still rings true today!!

[metmom]

That’s a great way to put it.

[ravenwolf]

They do not trust that the cross that Christ died on can bring full redemption in and of itself...and it is this what Paul stated as ‘a different gospel’.

---

I believe that to be true, but since so many people seems to have forgotten what Jesus said it seems a good idea to emphasize that Paul believed in works of faith as much as the next one and particularly since some protestants believe Paul is the final word.

[metmom]

Faith alone saves.

Works WILL accompany faith, demonstrating that it was indeed saving faith.

That’s the ONLY reason works count for anything.

It certainly isn’t because God needs us to do them, and we don’t need to do them to please God so that He would save us.

There’s a difference between works as the fruit of the regenerated life and works people do to somehow procure God’s favor.

[caww]

.....”since so many people seems to have forgotten what Jesus said it seems a good idea to emphasize that ‘Paul believed in works of faith’ as much as the next one and particularly since ‘some protestants believe Paul is the final word”.....

I’ve not heard Protestants think Paul is the final word...news to me...and I’ve attended many Protestant and otherwise churches and have not heard that. But certainly Paul refers to works that follow salvation.

Our works before salvation are done in the flesh and cannot please God; even our most “righteous” deeds fall far short of God’s glory .. We can be saved only because God is gracious and merciful and has designed a way for us to be declared ‘righteous’ when we are not and this of course rests in the righteousness of Christ... of whom as believers we now stand “in”.

.... God sees us now through his sons righteousness....and even what we do after salvation is what we’ve inherited from Him...... Salvation is a divine exchange...our filthy rags of self-effort for the perfection of Christ.

[ravenwolf]

Actually it is what Jesus said that we need to live by.

[caww]

God gave us His entire Word as a guide....and by His Spirit He teaches us throughout His Word....Jesus often Quoted Scripture and in fact is the ultimate author....so yes we live by His Word.