[FamilyofGod] Gift of God
Gift of God
What's the best gift you were ever given?
If you are a Christian (John 3), then your salvation is the best gift!
You didn't do anything for it except believe on Jesus as your Savior (He paid the price for your sins) so you could be reconciled to God.
Here's how Paul describes it in Ephesians 2:8-9:
NLT -- "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."
NASB -- "For (A)by grace you have been saved (B)through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is (C)the gift of God; (D)not as a result of works, so that (E)no one may boast" Cross references: Ephesians 2:8 : Acts 15:11; Eph 2:5Ephesians 2:8 : 1 Pet 1:5Ephesians 2:8 : John 4:10Ephesians 2:9 : Rom 3:28; 2 Tim 1:9Ephesians 2:9 : 1 Cor 1:29
That's right, there is absolutely nothing you can do to make your salvation happen, it is entirely up to God and His grace.
If it were up to us, we'd fail because 'none are righteous, no not one' (Romans 3:10), and 'all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23). We could never even begin to qualify to the level of holiness that God requires -- that's why He sent Jesus to make it possible for us to have a relationship with Him, John 3:16-17.
Salvation is a gift.
Eternal life is a gift, Romans 6:23.
Jesus is a gift to us, from God, John 4:10, "Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God."
The Holy Spirit is a gift, Romans 5:5.
With God, He not only makes a way, Jesus, through Whom we can be rightly related to, or reconciled, with God by believing on Him but He also provides us with the tool, the Holy Spirit, in order to sanctify us (help us become like Christ in terms of surrender to God and obedience) and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God." 1 Corinthians 2:12
Being sanctified means being transformed into a new person, in thought, attitude, words and behaviors. It comes with obedience to the commands of Christ and God found in the Bible, 'Be holy as God is holy'; forgive; be generous/share; put God first; do not lust, lie, cheat, steal; what evil you think upon doing in your heart is the same as doing it; keep God's House as a place of prayer not commercialism; do unto others as you'd have them do unto you; know Truth as the Person of Jesus and the Words of God in Holy Scripture...
As you read the Bible, and from your grateful heart for your reconciled relationship with God, you'll WANT to be obedient to God, and Jesus. As a result you'll start changing into a new person (old habits will go away replaced with Godly behaviors).
But it starts with a God perspective - put God first, recognize He's God and we are not, obey Him from a grateful heart, do your best to apply the principles of Scripture to your life, spend time every day in Bible reading and prayer to learn of/from God.
You cannot work for or earn ANYTHING with God. But as you obey Him you'll see changes in yourself, and fruit blooming such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self control, Godly wisdom, character, compassion, generosity..
As we obey God, He responds with love, mercy, grace, making us new.
And as you read your Bible daily, you'll learn to discern (catch) what is Truth and what is error. You'll learn how to walk with God in a daily friendship, how to quote Scriptures as Jesus did when Satan tempted Him, because as a Christian you'll be tempted to sin. Sin breaks our fellowship with God. Confession of our sins restores the fellowship, and also repentance (doing a U turn and trying not to sin that way anymore).
It starts with God making salvation possible, and then we believe on Jesus Christ as Savior, admitting our sins and asking God's forgiveness. We then get water baptized because Jesus did so, and because God wants it - it reflects a washing away of sins. Jesus said to do what He did, even to taking up our cross (burdens) and following Him.
We don't follow other people in our faith ---- we follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is our Lord therefore we follow and obey Him. His commands are found in the Gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
READ YOUR BIBLE AND DISCOVER JESUS!
Mary discovered Jesus and He called it the better thing. Luke 10:42.
Sit at Jesus' feet by reading your Bible, and learn of/from Him. And be blessed!
Love & Prayers,
Michael J Night
From everyone who has been given much, much will be required... Luke 12: 48
http://groups.
What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Post a Comment