IT'S BY GRACE, NOT EARNED
*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*IT'S BY GRACE, NOT EARNED*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Eph 2:8 *For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:..."*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Eph 2:9 *Not of works, lest any man should boast.*
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Our salvation is the work of grace.
Though a work of grace, it is still required that those who have not received it, should wake up to receive.Romans 13:11 *And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.*
There are several things earnable. For example, we earn respect through setting boundaries in the way we relate or expect people to relate with us.
However no matter how we work to build social classes or status for ourselves, we cannot earn ourselves salvation or any of relationships with God. It is a free gift. Once it has been given, it cannot be taken back unless we refuse, neglect or abuse it, ref 2 Sam 7:15, Rom 1:28.
God made it a free gift so that everyone could accept it without, for example, any financial responsibilities.
If we could earn our salvation, we could lose it the moment we stopped working for it. If we could buy salvation, people, even the wicked, will buy it before they die.
Our strength can fail us, our treasures can fail us, Is 40:30, Prov 21:31, Ps 20:7, Zech 4:6, Rom 9:16.
We can be very unreliable at times due to our often neglected responsibilities in the vineyard. This is borne out of some reasons known to us. For this and many other reasons, it is not surprising that our salvation is much better given to us by His grace than on our works.
The grace of God is there for each of us. Everything we are assigned to do comes with a measure of our several abilities, Matt 25:15.
We must walk in that grace.
We will be abusing grace when we refuse salvation. We will be abusing grace if we neglect believing after having believed, or after having believed, we stopped believing , fall away, or neglect.
If these things happen, we have received God's grace in vain, God's purpose remains unfulfilled in us. (i.e. not fulfilling the intended purpose of God).
The Apostle Paul says in 2 Tim 1:12 *".....nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed,...."*
Grace is given so that we may trust and please God, knowing He cannot fail.
To abuse grace is to be too self reliant and serving oneself rather than God.
Walk, seek His grace. It is the strength behind any successful believer.
*Remorse corner.*
Romans 1:16 *I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.*
*Call to Word action.*
Paul exhorts in 2 Cor 6:1 *We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Heb 12:15 *Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;*
*Prayer.*
Lord help me to wake up to my Kingdom responsibilities by Your grace, in Jesus name.
Good morning all and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.