Grace PLUS NOTHING
This is not to say that our efforts are not essential or that there will be nothing for us to do since it is God Who saves us from our failings.
To the contrary, God graciously saves us by causing us to work, “training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon” Titus 2:11,12.
But our efforts are merely a product; they are the means through which God saves us. We contribute nothing.
It is not a question of our discipline and volition, but of pride and self-reliance concerning our discipline and volition, of boasting in the flesh instead of glorying in the transforming power of God. As long as we continue to see ourselves, in the final sense, as the key to anything, we will remain proud, antagonistic to “the grace of God in truth” Col. 1:6.
It is one thing to conceive of ourselves, in a dutiful sense and relatively speaking, as “cooperating” with the Lord Jesus, as He leads us into paths of better service. It is quite another, however, proudly to fancy ourselves to be so utterly independent of the Supreme Deity Himself, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, that even He is at a loss to change our will or walk without our help.
Luke 6:32-35 shows us what God’s grace (thanks) is; He is gracious to the wicked, which means sinners like we all were when He was gracious to us. It’s not that we have to preach so they can be saved, otherwise we’re responsible for their “eternal damnation”, and they have to receive the message (if we happen to present it to them), or else they will be eternally damned. Salvation is not based on human actions, but on divine actions. He chooses who to save and when, and at that moment, that soul is saved. And He will save all, as He has clearly said He will do.
We believe the message we heard, and we preach because we are so commanded, but God doesn’t depend upon us to save ourselves, nor does He depend upon our conveying the message, to save others. He is the only Sovereign, and He so arranges EVERYTHING that each will be saved.
Free will and chance are myths which have completely twisted the mindset of many Christians.
- James Coram-
This is not to say that our efforts are not essential or that there will be nothing for us to do since it is God Who saves us from our failings.
To the contrary, God graciously saves us by causing us to work, “training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon” Titus 2:11,12.
But our efforts are merely a product; they are the means through which God saves us. We contribute nothing.
It is not a question of our discipline and volition, but of pride and self-reliance concerning our discipline and volition, of boasting in the flesh instead of glorying in the transforming power of God. As long as we continue to see ourselves, in the final sense, as the key to anything, we will remain proud, antagonistic to “the grace of God in truth” Col. 1:6.
It is one thing to conceive of ourselves, in a dutiful sense and relatively speaking, as “cooperating” with the Lord Jesus, as He leads us into paths of better service. It is quite another, however, proudly to fancy ourselves to be so utterly independent of the Supreme Deity Himself, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, that even He is at a loss to change our will or walk without our help.
Luke 6:32-35 shows us what God’s grace (thanks) is; He is gracious to the wicked, which means sinners like we all were when He was gracious to us. It’s not that we have to preach so they can be saved, otherwise we’re responsible for their “eternal damnation”, and they have to receive the message (if we happen to present it to them), or else they will be eternally damned. Salvation is not based on human actions, but on divine actions. He chooses who to save and when, and at that moment, that soul is saved. And He will save all, as He has clearly said He will do.
We believe the message we heard, and we preach because we are so commanded, but God doesn’t depend upon us to save ourselves, nor does He depend upon our conveying the message, to save others. He is the only Sovereign, and He so arranges EVERYTHING that each will be saved.
Free will and chance are myths which have completely twisted the mindset of many Christians.
- James Coram-
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