TRYING TO EARN YOUR SALVATION?
“…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began… (2 Tim. 1:9)
The grace of God is challenging to comprehend, even for Christians. Although most of us understand that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:5), we sometimes feel the need to DO SOMETHING to help “deserve” or “earn” it.
A preacher friend told me about a faithful sister-in-Christ that confided to him that she was uncertain about her salvation, despite the fact that she was as faithful as anyone in that church. Why? She confessed that she had been contributing large sums of money to the church without her husband's knowledge. Although she felt that it was wrong to keep this from her husband, she also believed that she needed to “give more in order to be saved”.
In other words, she felt that she might not be “doing enough” to be saved. And she is not alone in that respect. Many Christians experience similar feelings.
Don’t misunderstand; as Christians we must strive to obey God as long as we live. Faith without works is dead – James 2:20, 26. On the other hand, our works demonstrate our faith in God and Christ. But they do not in any way EARN our salvation. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).
If you have obeyed the gospel - by believing that Jesus is the Son of God, repenting of your sins, confessing your faith in Christ, were baptized to wash away your sins, and continue to obey Jesus – then you are on your way to heaven! You can depend on the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and thank God for His amazing grace. Don’t try to be deserving; just be faithful until death – Rev. 2:10.
A Recommitted Me in 2023,
Dennis
“…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began… (2 Tim. 1:9)
The grace of God is challenging to comprehend, even for Christians. Although most of us understand that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:5), we sometimes feel the need to DO SOMETHING to help “deserve” or “earn” it.
A preacher friend told me about a faithful sister-in-Christ that confided to him that she was uncertain about her salvation, despite the fact that she was as faithful as anyone in that church. Why? She confessed that she had been contributing large sums of money to the church without her husband's knowledge. Although she felt that it was wrong to keep this from her husband, she also believed that she needed to “give more in order to be saved”.
In other words, she felt that she might not be “doing enough” to be saved. And she is not alone in that respect. Many Christians experience similar feelings.
Don’t misunderstand; as Christians we must strive to obey God as long as we live. Faith without works is dead – James 2:20, 26. On the other hand, our works demonstrate our faith in God and Christ. But they do not in any way EARN our salvation. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).
If you have obeyed the gospel - by believing that Jesus is the Son of God, repenting of your sins, confessing your faith in Christ, were baptized to wash away your sins, and continue to obey Jesus – then you are on your way to heaven! You can depend on the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and thank God for His amazing grace. Don’t try to be deserving; just be faithful until death – Rev. 2:10.
A Recommitted Me in 2023,
Dennis
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