How does God save? Many think He saves by expecting us to perfectly fulfill His laws and commandments. Then some think He saves by expecting us to follow the pattern Jesus set forth. But according to His word He saves by His blood and His blood is not laws, commandments, or patterns, but a redeeming price. We can contribute nothing to it, or else we could boast. God saves by GIVING to us, not by expecting from us. And once God gives, then He can expect us to be able to obey, for it’s His power that works in us (Luke 12:48, Phil.2:13).
Yet, if we were expected to fulfill all of God’s commands perfectly before we could be saved, then we’d all be doomed. Can any honest person claim to be able to fulfill God’s ultimate command to be perfect (Matt.5:48)? Absolutely not!! James 2:10 makes it clear that we blew that possibility the first time we ever sinned. But what is impossible for man, is not impossible with God (Mark 10:27). Although the Bible clearly presents our responsibility to fulfill all of God’s commands, it also clearly shows our inability to do so, until God intervenes (e.g. Ezek.18; 36:22, 26, 27, Rom.8:7, 1Cor.2:14). For only God can “make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ” (Heb.13:20-21).
“For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Because His divine power has GIVEN His people all they need for life and godliness, which would include faith and repentance (2Pet.1:3). For He saves “not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was GIVEN us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2Tim.1:9). And “it’s GIVEN on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but to suffer for His sake (Phil.1:29). So all glory goes to Jesus who came as “God manifest in the flesh” to reconcile His people to Himself, from every tongue, tribe and nation throughout the world (2Cor.5:19, 1Tim.3:16, Rev.5:9).
God saves by GIVING a Savior to His people and by GIVING His people to the Savior. In John 6:37 Jesus says, “All that the Father GIVETH Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” For they are “justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Rom.3:24, Eph.1:7).
All glory be to God the Father who purposed salvation, God the Son who purchased it and God the Holy Spirit who applies it!! Praise be to God who has been so merciful, kind and loving to give His grace so freely to those who don’t deserve it, those who have no spiritual strength of their own. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6)………. God saves bad people.
Are you a bad person friend? Then you’re qualified for a Savior. And you need one, for you cannot even dare to come to such a holy and righteous God without the Savior whose blood covers all sin, so that you can be “accepted in the Beloved.” For God never rejects those who repent and believe through the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ (Eph.1:19-20).
So if you’re at the end of your rope because you realize you can never (in your own power) do enough to be acceptable to such a holy God, then I have Good News for you friend. His grace is enough. Jesus has already done the redeeming work and He said “it is finished.” And He’s saying to you now, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will GIVE you rest” (Matt.11:28). Sis. Lee Anne—–readers with questions or comments are free to contact me at gospel4life@live.com
Christ Rescued Me! 