Salvation: The Work of Our Sovereign God
** Are you assured of our place in heaven?:? http://talk.thelife.com/2006/09/29/salvation:-the-work-of-our-sovereign-god
Please open your Bible and read:
(Ephesians 2:1 – 10)
Salvation refers to the freedom gained when God rescues a person from slavery to sin and makes him or her part of His family. This deliverance is accomplished only through His Son Jesus, who died in our place so we might be reconciled to the Father. (Colossians 1:22) This statement often evokes questions:
1. What if I try to live morally right, working hard at my job and being good to my family – won?t God accept me? Such questions assume that the Lord saves us on the basis of the way we live. But Romans 3:10 says, ?There is none righteous, not even one.? In God?s sight, even our righteous acts are like dirty rags. (Isaiah 64:6 NIV) Holy God will not have dealings with unrighteous people apart from Jesus Christ.
2. Won?t the Lord accept us because of His goodness? God is loving and good, but He is also just. He won?t overlook sin, no matter how small we think it is. Pride makes us reject the idea that we need forgiveness or cleansing from sin.
3. If we serve in our church or help the poor in God?s name, aren?t we part of His family? Good works do not solve our sin problem or reconcile us to God. Only Jesus does. (Romans 5:1) Good works are an important result of salvation, not a basis for it.
Salvation is a work of God?s grace, not the product of man?s effort. When we respond to the Spirit?s prompting, believe in Jesus, and are born again as God?s children (John 3:3),we can be assured of our place in heaven. How sure are you?
About the Author
This devotional was written by Dr Charles Stanley. Read more about him here: http://www.talk.thelife.com/authors/charles-stanley/
Related Reading
How you can be sure you are a Christian:
http://www.retirementwithapurpose.com/lessons/tcsureurchristian4.html
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