As regular readers know, I am a participant in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and love to encourage others to find a BSF class in their area so they can participate in this in-depth study of Scripture. This year we are studying the Book of Acts (and related letters of Paul). As always, very rich.
Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1, NASB95, emphasis mine)In the margin, I've written:
"Beware this phrase ["unless you are ... you cannot be saved"]! It diminishes the grace of God. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!"I've been a follower of Christ for over 35 years, and I've seen the damage that can be done by legalism, damage that is caused by any additional condition or requirement that churches/believers try to put on people for them to earn salvation. "Unless you are (fill in the blank), you cannot be saved." There is only one way to be saved: belief in Jesus (“if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” Romans 10:9). Thank God I didn't have to do anything else to receive His forgiveness. Thank God that He reached down and accepted and saved me just as I was—a mess!—and then He started me walking on the path of sanctification that I continue to walk today.
November is the month of Thanksgiving for Americans. A great time to remember to thank God for His mercy (not getting what we most surely deserve, i.e. hell) and grace (getting what we most surely don't deserve, i.e. heaven). I pray that you will join me this month in daily thanking God for His amazing, grace-filled, merciful blessings that He has poured out upon us.
~robin
Robin,
ReplyDeleteI too thank God for His Grace and Mercy...you think you were a mess? I probably have you on that! I was a DOUBLE mess...until He came and drew me in with His unconditional love. I don't know why He loves me, but I sure am thankful that He does!
Robin,
ReplyDeleteHow timely! We were just discussing legalism in my Sunday School class this week.
I'm writing a novel right now in which the main character has committed a horrible sin. She's a Christian, but feels she really can't be fully forgiven or saved unless she is "perfect", volunteers at church extensively, etc.
How often do we try to do the same? It can be so easy to forget that there is no way we can earn grace, whether we've committed one sin or 1,000. It's a free gift.
I'm not nearly grateful enough for the awesomeness of what God has chosen to give us--simply because he loves us and is a great God.
Robin, thanks so much for posting this today! I have a friend who's in a church that is so legalistic and it breaks my heart when I see her in the thick of it. She knows the truth, but this church just does so much to say their Truth is the only one. *sigh* Sadly, her depression has gotten so bad, she's pushed me away at this point. Just praying for her :-)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to have to find the verse in my Bible and do the same that you did. Such a great reminder for when you pop open your Bible and it's just staring at you :-)
Lindsay and Veronica, I totally agree with your last sentences! I'm in the same boat as you. I'm thankful He loves us like He does...and I'm not nearly grateful enough towards Him.
Veronica, I so agree. It is amazing that He loves us in all of our messiness.
ReplyDeleteLindsay, sounds like you are writing a book with an important theme. May God bless your endeavor and touch many lives.
Catherine, saying a prayer right now for your friend, that she will be set free from whatever binds her and keeps her from being filled with joy.
What a great way to start Monday morning. My Pastor was just preaching on this on Sunday.
ReplyDelete2 Corinthians 12:9 " “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
God changes the heart of man, not us. He takes us out of the pit and puts His Son Jesus upon us. We are accepted because of Christ Jesus. He is our righteousness.
The only thing we offer to our salvation is our sin.
We are free in Christ Jesus!! Here is a quote: "But remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, thought that is the instrument - it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith; and if thou dost that, ten thousand devils cannot throw thee down, but as long as thou lookest at thyself, the meanest of those evil spirits may tread thee beneath his feet... it is not faith, it is not our doings, it is not our feelings upon which we must rest, but upon Christ, and on Christ alone."
[Charles Spurgeon]
Laura, thanks for sharing that Spurgeon quote. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteRobin,
ReplyDeleteGreat word we as Christian probably need to be reminded of on a regular basis. Legalism has a way of creeping into the life of a believer or a church body sometimes in ways we least expect. Thanks for the reminder that our salvation is and always will be in Christ alone!
By the way, I love to take photographs of old buildings and trees decked out in fall colors, so I love your picture, even if you didn't take it!
Amen, Robin---excellent reminder today. And during this Thanksgiving season I want to focus on being extra-thankful for ALL my many blessings (Salvation being at the TOP of my list!). ~ Catherine, prayers going up for your friend and her depression struggles. ~ LOVE the tree picture, Robin. Right now I have a gorgeous view out my kitchen windows---the leaves are at their peak of beautiful color. Everytime I looked out today, I'd say aloud "Thank you Lord!"---He has the most marvelous "paintbrush"! ~ Hugs, Patti Jo :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Teri. And yes, it is easy for legalism to creep in. I think because it is easier to follow rules than to listen to the Spirit.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Patti Jo. God's paintbrush is spectacular. Never more so than in the autumn.