JOTS FROM OLD JAKE
HIS GRACE
Friday, Jan. 19, 2007 - 6:28 p.m.
HIS GRACE
My question today is� Why do we keep trying to pay for our own salvation or why are we afraid to acknowledge that we are saved only by the Grace of God� and not by anything that we do of our own?
We fellowship with others who try to earn their salvation through works and still call themselves Christians. In Galatians 2, Paul talks about how Peter was fellowshipping with Gentiles until the old line Jews came, he then disassociated him self with the Gentiles and mixed in with the Jews. His reasoning was that it was not politically correct to fellowship with the uncircumcised. Now Peter taught the same gospel to the Gentiles as he did the Jews. Well, Paul got on his case about it in front of everybody and cleared up a lot of questions or misconceptions of the time. Many of our today �Christians� need to heed the words that Paul spoke back then.
I know that most of us were brought up on the scripture, �For by grace are we saved, through faith, not of ourselves, but a gift of God.� Yet we still give into the doctrine of doing the works. There is no way that I can do anything to make my Lord love me more than he already does.
Here is a question for you. Of all the sins that Jesus paid the price for on the cross, how many of them were sins of the future? Of course the answer to that is ALL OF THEM! Some how we fall into the trap of thinking that if we sin after we have accepted Christ into our lives that we must pay penance for that sin. Not so� if we, �confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.�
In summary, I think that the scripture that says that if salvation were possible through the law or by works that Jesus Christ died for nothing, says it all!
Without Him I could do nothing, Without Him I�d surely fail, Without Him I would be drifting, Like a ship without a sail. Jesus, Precious Jesus, Do you know Him today? Please don�t turn Him a way� Oh Jesus, Precious Jesus, without Him how lost I would be!
Blessings to y�all
Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit to overflowing!
References:
�Galatians 2: 11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.�
�Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.�
�1 John 1: 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.�
