Dear Ted,
Hope you are well. What you are asking is the crux of what I have been trying to accomplish by all the writings on grace and the rest only possible from it.
God had provided salvation for all on the cross -- believers and unbelievers. And it is true that we all must believe in the salvation provided by grace in order to receive it, for if one does not want it, believe it and claim it, God is certainly not going to force it on us. But just because we tarry does not mean God runs out of patience, sets a deadline and punishes us to burn in eternal fire. Like the ever-shining sun, the warmth and and patience of God will melt all hearts through revelation of His mercy, justice and glory in due time according to our choices and His timing. Not one will be left behind -- salvation is assured.
And such certainty is by the work accomplished on the cross and nothing else -- not even our faith, which is only a part of repentance from self-effort into full reliance on grace. The sooner we proclaim such faith the sooner we can receive and enjoy the peace and rest of imputed righteousness His blood purchased for us. Yet it is not faith that keeps us saved but continually His grace. So don't worry daily about if you have done enough or have faith enough to maintain good standing in God's eyes, for we count for nothing but through the pleasure He finds in Jesus Christ, in whom we reside and who lives in us.
Not knowing the full extend of grace does not void salvation; but it does rob a believer the deep enjoyment of rest in Christ. If one constantly feels like he needs to prove his worth and faith to God there is no rest, and it is in fact evidence of a lack of faith. Yet God does not count that against him, but still receives him. It only grieves the Father's heart that the son is still fearful and not assured of His complete love. When the lost son returned to the father's house he did not have the sincerest of intentions nor complete trust in the father's forgiveness. It was only when he was at the end of his ropes that he remembered his father. In all the rehearsed speech about doing wrong his heart was not in it but only as a way to persuade the father to take him back. Yet the father overlooked all that charade from mistrust and welcomed the son back in a demonstration of true love and the attendant forgiveness even undeserving by worldly standard.
That is the love of our Heavenly Father! Fear not that you are not good enough, for Jesus Christ is good enough! Jesus said that if only we have faith like a mustard seed even the mountains will move. He is not asking for "great faith" in us, but just the tiniest bit. Mustard seed is so tiny it is almost invisible, yet that is all God requires of us. The power to move mountains is not in us but in Christ, so we must believe the ever important work of salvation is not by us but by Christ. All we need to latch on to is the belief that He died for us to save us. Even if still incredulous in the heart, just the saying of such belief is good enough and be counted as faith by God.
And the only two incidences Jesus praised man for having great faith were the Roman Centurion and the Syrophoenician woman who believed that Jesus is able and willing to do what they asked. Aside from the faith they claimed for what was still unseen, the only common denominator between these two individuals was that they were both gentiles who were not aware of the the Jewish laws. This tells us that in order for faith in grace to flourish we must first remove the doubts created by law (what we should do) from our minds and hearts. This is explained clearly in Romans 7 and 8.
As said in my last reply, a lukewarm Christian is one who continues to hold on to both law and grace, thinking that they still have to do their part in order to maintain salvation and blessing. Well-intended they may be, this is exactly what Jesus warns of us about when rebuking the Pharisees' prideful attitudes in their own righteousness. Grace is thus forfeited when we try to do good works instead of resting in the living work of Christ to bear good fruit.
Rest assured in your salvation, for that is the purpose of Jesus Christ dying on the cross. If one calls oneself a Christian, it is an expressed belief in the work of Christ -- salvation. To doubt one's salvation is to disclaim one's Christian faith. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your savior, it is evidence enough of faith that you are saved! Isn't that simple and such good news? Amen!
Be well and God bless!
Hope you are well. What you are asking is the crux of what I have been trying to accomplish by all the writings on grace and the rest only possible from it.
God had provided salvation for all on the cross -- believers and unbelievers. And it is true that we all must believe in the salvation provided by grace in order to receive it, for if one does not want it, believe it and claim it, God is certainly not going to force it on us. But just because we tarry does not mean God runs out of patience, sets a deadline and punishes us to burn in eternal fire. Like the ever-shining sun, the warmth and and patience of God will melt all hearts through revelation of His mercy, justice and glory in due time according to our choices and His timing. Not one will be left behind -- salvation is assured.
And such certainty is by the work accomplished on the cross and nothing else -- not even our faith, which is only a part of repentance from self-effort into full reliance on grace. The sooner we proclaim such faith the sooner we can receive and enjoy the peace and rest of imputed righteousness His blood purchased for us. Yet it is not faith that keeps us saved but continually His grace. So don't worry daily about if you have done enough or have faith enough to maintain good standing in God's eyes, for we count for nothing but through the pleasure He finds in Jesus Christ, in whom we reside and who lives in us.
Not knowing the full extend of grace does not void salvation; but it does rob a believer the deep enjoyment of rest in Christ. If one constantly feels like he needs to prove his worth and faith to God there is no rest, and it is in fact evidence of a lack of faith. Yet God does not count that against him, but still receives him. It only grieves the Father's heart that the son is still fearful and not assured of His complete love. When the lost son returned to the father's house he did not have the sincerest of intentions nor complete trust in the father's forgiveness. It was only when he was at the end of his ropes that he remembered his father. In all the rehearsed speech about doing wrong his heart was not in it but only as a way to persuade the father to take him back. Yet the father overlooked all that charade from mistrust and welcomed the son back in a demonstration of true love and the attendant forgiveness even undeserving by worldly standard.
That is the love of our Heavenly Father! Fear not that you are not good enough, for Jesus Christ is good enough! Jesus said that if only we have faith like a mustard seed even the mountains will move. He is not asking for "great faith" in us, but just the tiniest bit. Mustard seed is so tiny it is almost invisible, yet that is all God requires of us. The power to move mountains is not in us but in Christ, so we must believe the ever important work of salvation is not by us but by Christ. All we need to latch on to is the belief that He died for us to save us. Even if still incredulous in the heart, just the saying of such belief is good enough and be counted as faith by God.
And the only two incidences Jesus praised man for having great faith were the Roman Centurion and the Syrophoenician woman who believed that Jesus is able and willing to do what they asked. Aside from the faith they claimed for what was still unseen, the only common denominator between these two individuals was that they were both gentiles who were not aware of the the Jewish laws. This tells us that in order for faith in grace to flourish we must first remove the doubts created by law (what we should do) from our minds and hearts. This is explained clearly in Romans 7 and 8.
As said in my last reply, a lukewarm Christian is one who continues to hold on to both law and grace, thinking that they still have to do their part in order to maintain salvation and blessing. Well-intended they may be, this is exactly what Jesus warns of us about when rebuking the Pharisees' prideful attitudes in their own righteousness. Grace is thus forfeited when we try to do good works instead of resting in the living work of Christ to bear good fruit.
Rest assured in your salvation, for that is the purpose of Jesus Christ dying on the cross. If one calls oneself a Christian, it is an expressed belief in the work of Christ -- salvation. To doubt one's salvation is to disclaim one's Christian faith. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your savior, it is evidence enough of faith that you are saved! Isn't that simple and such good news? Amen!
Be well and God bless!
No comments:
Post a Comment