Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Gift-DD 6/3/2010

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

Many today have a warped sense of Christianity and by extension, what it takes to achieve salvation. During my own evangelistic efforts, I have heard many say things like "I'm a good person," I try to do what's right," "I don't go to church but I have good morals and I believe there is a higher power" or things along that line.

No mistakes should be made about something as important as where one will spend eternity. Every believer must "believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him," Heb 11:6. God is real, God is true and God is active in our lives.

One of the ways He is active is that he generously distributes grace to us. Grace is favor with Him that is unearned and undeserved. Despite our sin, rebellion and disobedience, He loves us and provides for us. In fact He made the ultimate provision to our sin sick world by allowing His absolutely unique son to die a cruel death on the cross for our benefit. This He did without requiring any payment or work on our part. The necessary sacrifice was indeed a free gift to us but cost Jesus his life.

It was this free, grace given gift for which none of us can claim credit that allows us to look forward to an eternity with the Father and His son. The only thing that is required for us to do is to accept it. Through returning the love to Him that was shown to us, we work out our soul salvation. We do this not because being good, obedient, giving and moral earns salvation for us but we become and live those things because salvation was given to us as a gift.

[Memory verse of the week: Phi 4:13]

In Revival,

Lee

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