Never should we claim to be saved because of what we did. It is true that we are saved through faith, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8 . But God does not offer salvation and wait to see whether we accept it or not. He is not limited by our will and work. It is true what Paul said to the jail keeper: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31 ). This was his answer to the prison keeper's question, "What must I do to be saved?"
But take note of the fact that the very question asked by this jail keeper reveals that God had already begun the work of salvation in him. He had implanted in his soul the desire for salvation. God does not "offer" salvation and wait to see whether sinners are going to let Him save them. That insults the almighty God. He is never frustrated by any creature. He does not depend upon man's will and work.
No, Paul tells this jailer that if he believes, and if those in his house believe, then salvation has already been begun in them by God, and will be fully accomplished when Christ returns on the judgment day. For we are saved by grace, not by our works (Ephesians 2:8-10 ). God's grace gives us the new spiritual life that wants salvation, wants spiritual life that believes in Christ as our Savior. Believe, and you know that God has begun it. Believe, and that means that already you have been engrafted into Christ by faith as God's gift. We are saved through faith, not because we believe by our own power. We are saved by God, not by letting God save us by "accepting" His "offer." God saves us by making us to be believers. Then He brings salvation into our consciousness. If we are saved, we will thank God for every bit of our salvation, and confess Him to be our complete Savior.
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Ezekiel 31 , Ezekiel 32
Hebrews 12:14-29
Psalm 113 ; Psalm 114:1-8
Proverbs 27:18-20
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Quote for Reflection:
"… The Scriptures do not cater to modern man with his ten-second attention span, his inability to think clearly about almost everything, his need to have any knowledge given in TV-size bits, and his easy slide into boredom and ennui if any prolonged concentration is required." – Prof. Herman Hanko
Additional Info
- Date: 15-November
