Posted on 10/23/2001 7:25:47 PM PDT by RnMomof7
I was astounded. I had just explained to a group of nuclear scientists the difference between trying to earn salvation by our own works and trusting Christ for it. I thought that I had made myself exceptionally clear. As I left, however, one man thanked me and remarked, "I guess I just need to try harder to be a Christian." He had missed it completely! Why couldn't he see my point?
He had as much hope of getting to God by his human effort as by a space shuttle. Without the aid of the Holy Spirit and the understanding provided only through the Bible, every man reasons that he must earn God's favor. The Bible does not say that. It teaches that salvation is a gift, "not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2:9
The ancient patriarch Abraham discovered that being accepted as righteous before God, (called justification), does not happen by our good works, but through the exact opposite—faith alone. This faith is not in what we do for Him, but in what Christ has done for us.
"If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works," says Paul, "he has something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Rom. 4:2-3
If you could be accepted by God on the basis of your works there would be reason to boast. It would mean that you never sin. Since, however, we have never known anybody who is perfect outside of Christ, the "works" way to heaven must be the impossible way. But there is a possible way to be justified—through belief or faith, just like Abraham.
Once, after finishing a meal with some friends, I asked, "Where's the bill? I'd like to pay for your meals." "You can't pay for them," my friend said. "No, please," I insisted, thinking that he was just being polite. "You can't pay," he clarified, "because the bill has already been paid!"
Should I have tried to pay for the meals anyway? Even if I could have forced the cashier to take some money, it would not have changed the bill. It was paid by another, and nothing would alter that. Instead, I took him at his word and rested in what had been done for me.
Christ has fully paid the debt of those who are His. When He suffered and died at Calvary, everything was done for man's sin that could be done. This was an act of the greatest possible grace. For you to think that you could be accepted by your own efforts at being good, makes light of the cross of Christ. Paul said, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Gal. 2:21
If you will ever be justified or accepted as righteous before God, then you will have to come God's way, through faith in Christ and what He has done for you. "Trying to be a Christian" is an insult to God and is a way of despising what Christ has done on the cross.
Friends of mine watched a catastrophic event from a hill just above the Guadalupe River in Texas. A bus full of high school students had just come off the hill in order to cross the bridge below. Because of rains upstream the bridge was covered with water, but with the high wheel wells of the bus, the driver thought he could make it easily enough. Just as they were half way across, however, a wall of water slammed into the side of the bus and toppled it over into the pounding river.
Soon the students were attempting to maneuver out of the submerged bus. Some made it; others did not. Those who got out were swiftly carried downstream, attempting to hang on to the rocks wherever they could get a hold. They would not last long.
Soon helicopters from a San Antonio military base were on the scene. A line from the helicopter was fastened around the students making it possible for them to be lifted up and over to dry land some distance away.
One girl was nearly insane with fear. When the soldier got to her, it was only with the greatest difficulty that he was able to get the harness around her. As she was being lifted up into the air, high above the ground, her arms were flailing wildly—so wildly, in fact, that she slipped loose from the harness. My friends watched as she plunged to her death below.
Had she only trusted, she could have been saved.
God will never reward the self-effort you exert to save yourself. He will not let you make the cross a meaningless act. He will not obligate Himself to save you because you do what you believe are good works. But there is a possible way because of Christ—the way of faith.
"Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom. 4:4-5
Yep, But ya cant bear fruit with out being attached to the vine ..first things first *grin*
By faith are you saved not by works lest any man boast.
Of course, reading the Bible - especially Romans - would be a cure to this, if Christians took the time to do it, with a spririt for being taught, instead of 'finding' something useful.
I speak out of my own experience here. That engineer who said "I guess I gotta try harder" may well have been thinking in the right direction, he just hasn't learned the proper vocabulary yet.
I said many a boneheaded thing when I was a young Christian - still do sometimes!
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. We think like men..everything has to be "earned" its only when we realize that ther is nothing we can ever do for God,that we can accept that it is by Faith alone
However, we who are already Christians should always try to be better Christians. :-)
That is obvious to any Christian. HOWEVER AND A BIG HOWEVER YOU CAN BE DAMNED BY YOUR WORKS.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I have a Savior that saved me in my sin.I didnt earn my Salvation..
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
My works,my righteous is as filty rags to a Holy God
Colossians 1 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
2
It is He that makes me holy..nothing I could do myself
Timothy 1 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
I could never do anything to earn my own Salvation
Romans 8
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Awesome huh?
We need to pray to have the grace to "walk as He walked".....to let our light shine..:>)
Now, as for works - those are a gratitude response to my salvation already finished. One who is grateful desires to be obedient to walk in good works.
Don't we all?
Thanks.
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