Grace Cannot Exist With Works

 Grace Cannot Exist With Works

If you seek to save yourself you've destroyed Grace. 

 

 

 

"Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."---Romans 11: 5-6 KJV---all verses are KJV

In this verse in Romans, Paul makes a statement regarding grace that should settle all matters regarding salvation by faith, or works, or whether you can lose your salvation, or whether you must do works to maintain it.

He plainly states, that it cannot truly be grace if you have to do anything to obtain it, or keep it.

The whole idea of grace is negated by any notion of effort on our part.

The King of everything is offering us salvation, adoption, total forgiveness, mercy, joint ownership of the Kingdom, all for free, forever, if we just turn to Him, and ask. Confessing Him as our Lord, believing and trusting Him alone.

 

" For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."--- Eph. 2:8-10

We are saved by grace. THROUGH faith. 

Faith is a medium. It's like a telephone line that connects us to God's Grace. We are not saved by faith, we are saved THROUGH faith.

God does not want anyone boasting or acting like they did some great deed to be saved, or that they were obedient servants. We must accept our fallen state and inability to save ourselves, in order to receive God's Grace. That's part of it. You must acknowledge your need for him alone.

But, here's where we encounter a problem.

Some people want to use Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 as an excuse to try to save themselves. It will not work. We cannot save ourselves or even help God at all. The second you try or think you are, grace ends.

After Adam fell humans became corrupted with a sin nature. We are not able to do right or fix ourselves. This is why God gave us the law. The purpose of God's law is to show us we cannot obey it and need to turn to God for salvation. This is why Jesus came to save us. We are not saved by doing the works of the law. We are saved by Grace. We are saved through faith in Christ alone. We follow the law because it helps us avoid trouble in this life. But, it does not save us.

Let's rightly divide the Word, in verse 10.

"We are HIS workmanship"=  It is God's Work not ours.

"created in Christ Jesus unto good works"= We are "Born Again" or Created in Christ, to build the Kingdom, to Spread the Gospel. to love and help people. These are the works we do.

"which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."= God already had a plan for our lives in Him and wants to work through us.

This is not about our salvation. We cannot do the works God desires without first being saved and letting Him work through us, by His Spirit.

But, some continue to use this verse and other verses to attempt to prove that we must  pay for our salvation or do something to earn it.

The fact that they think they can earn it, is proof that they really do not understand how wicked we are. It proves God right, when He says "None seek God". We seek ourselves, when a person wants to save themselves. (Romans 3:11)

When you wonder if someone can lose Grace. The answer is no. But, many "Christians" have never received Grace. Because they have chosen to earn it themselves, And force others to do the same.

They don't lose it.  They never had it. They never fell on their face and said "Have mercy on me a sinner". They never really had any oil in their lamp because they never had faith in God. ( Luke 18:10-14)

Let God save you.

 

Just turn to Him and ask Him to save you. (Acts 2:21)

 

Confess that Jesus is your Lord and believe He rose from the dead. (Romans 10: 9-10)

Believe He has saved you and is working on you. Trust His promise. It's not a feeling.

God has saved you, if you asked him to. Now He will start working in your life to help you to have more faith and grow in Him. To help you serve Him. He will lead you to study his Word and find a place where you can be with other saved people.

 

 Trust Him.

Let me give you a little analogy.

Let's say there's a parent and a child.

Which is better?

The child that ignores the parent, and goes its own way and is hurt or has a ruined life?

 

or

The child who chooses to read about the parent and rules and laws, obeying them perfectly but never really knowing the parent?

 

or

The child who turns to the parent and says. "Please help me". The child who chooses to turn to the parent and ask them to help them and grow them. The child who wants a relationship?

 

Which is better?

 

It's kind of a no brainer.

 
Turn to the Lord and trust Him.

 

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Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“  a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

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Read His Spiritual Writings on Blogger: https://chrisbunton.blogspot.com/

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