Romans 9:16 KJV
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
The flesh of man is far too prone to take credit for the things only God can do. Salvation, both the accepting of it and the propagation of it, is of God's mercy.
Men tend to believe that our flesh has something to do with our salvation. Since when we got saved, we willed to come to Christ, we believe that our will had something to do with our salvation when in fact we willed to come because God put that faith in us. Since when we got saved, things changed in our lives;
We were baptized
We began to attend church
We suddenly had a desire to understand the BibleWe think somehow our efforts were part and parcel of our salvation. The truth is that those changes and new desires were not our own, but a new creature God created of us.
Salvation, both receiving it, and spreading it, is not by the hard work and earnest pleading of men. Salvation is always and is only “of God that sheweth mercy.”
We must be obedient to the Lord as He leads. But we must be careful not to confuse our obedience as anything other than the evidence of God showing His mercy.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
The flesh of man is far too prone to take credit for the things only God can do. Salvation, both the accepting of it and the propagation of it, is of God's mercy.
Men tend to believe that our flesh has something to do with our salvation. Since when we got saved, we willed to come to Christ, we believe that our will had something to do with our salvation when in fact we willed to come because God put that faith in us. Since when we got saved, things changed in our lives;
We were baptized
We began to attend church
We suddenly had a desire to understand the BibleWe think somehow our efforts were part and parcel of our salvation. The truth is that those changes and new desires were not our own, but a new creature God created of us.
Salvation, both receiving it, and spreading it, is not by the hard work and earnest pleading of men. Salvation is always and is only “of God that sheweth mercy.”
We must be obedient to the Lord as He leads. But we must be careful not to confuse our obedience as anything other than the evidence of God showing His mercy.
Isaiah 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels."
ReplyDeleteSalvation is a precious gift from God and there is nothing we can do to earn it. I thank God daily for His mercy on me.