GOD SAVES THROUGH FAITH ALONE!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JANUARY 28, 2024.

SUBJECT : GOD SAVES THROUGH FAITH ALONE!

Memory verse: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2 vs 8.)

READ: Ephesians 2 vs 4 - 10:

2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

2:5: even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved),

2:6: and raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

2:7: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

2:9: not of works, lest anyone should boast.

2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God 

prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

INTIMATION:

God saves us through faith alone. And faith is primarily a firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing. The Bible, in Hebrews 11 vs 1, defines faith thus, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character: He is who He says. The end point is believing in God’s promises: He will do what He says. When we believe that God will fulfill His promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.

Therefore, the main elements in faith as it relates to the invisible God, as distinct from faith in man, are (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgement of God’s revelation or truth; (2) a personal surrender to Him, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name” (John 1 vs 12); (3) a conduct inspired by such surrender; “For we walk by faith not by sight” (Second Corinthians 5 vs 7). All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good faith without necessary reference to its proof.

Why does God save us by faith alone? (1) Faith eliminates the pride of human effort, because faith is not a deed that we do, but a gift from God. (2) Faith exalts what God has done, not what we do. (3) Faith admits that we can’t keep the law or measure up to God’s standards—we need help. (4) Faith is based on our relationship with God, not our performance for God. In all these man has no contributions, and therefore, is wholly dependent on God. 

Because our salvation and even our faith are gifts, we should respond with gratitude, praise, and joy. We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as a result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or acts of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church. 

God did not save us because of, or rather, in spite of what He saw in us. In addition to thanking Him for what He has done for us, we should also show humble patience and tolerance for others who seem unworthy or undeserving of our love and compassion. They may be spiritually dull, rebellious, and even antagonistic toward God, as we were before embracing the truth, but God loved us anyway. We ought not to do less for fellow sinners. 

The penalty of sin and its power over us were miraculously destroyed by Christ on the cross. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, or not guilty, before God (Romans 3 vs 21 - 22). God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning and sometimes will sin. The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. But now we are alive with Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God; who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2 vs 20). 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of faith, and for what Christ wrought for us in redemption. Give me the grace to live for You the rest of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!