on the right path

Submitted by kid bertha (United States), Oct 31, 2008 at 17:05

Thank you for you kind words Keith. I would like to add a couple verses of scripture to help explain myself nad my faith a little better.

Ephesians 1:7 - In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Note the importance of Jesus' blood in grace. Men ought to die eternally for our sins. But God's grace provided a sacrifice to die for us, so we do not have to die.

Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. "Save" means to rescue or deliver from harm or danger. Sin endangers our soul by dooming us to eternal punishment, but God offers deliverance. We do not deserve deliverance, so it is not of ourselves, but is a gift of God. Hence it is of grace - unmerited favor.

Titus 3:3-7 - By God's kindness, mercy, and grace, He saved and justified us. "Justify" means to declare one to be right or just - to pronounce one to be what he ought to be. We do not merit or deserve such a right standing before God on the basis of the deeds we have done. On the contrary, we have all sinned (Rom. 3:23), and sin deserves death (Rom. 6:23).

So based on our deeds, we all ought to be punished eternally. But God sent His Son to die for us so we can have eternal life instead - a gift we surely do not deserve. That is supreme grace or "unmerited favor." We ought to fall on our knees every day to thank God for it.

However, none of this proves we can be saved without doing anything. It does mean that nothing we do could ever earn or merit forgiveness.

Sin alienates or separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1,2). Forgiveness by grace reunites us into God's fellowship.

Romans 5:1-2 - Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God ... we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We are no longer enemies of God.

Ephesians 2:1-5,11-13,18,19 - Salvation by grace (v5,8) changes us from being dead in our sins (i.e., separated from God - v12), to being made alive (made nigh or reconciled so we have access to Him). This makes us His children, members of His house or family (v19).

Suppose someone repeatedly mistreated you and acted as an enemy. Would you want him in your family? Would you allow your son to die so that one could enter your family? That is what grace led God to do for us. [1 Peter 2:9,10]

D. God's Grace Offers Us Eternal Life.

Titus 3:7 - Having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Acts 20:32 - The word of His grace is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

1 Peter 1:3,4,7 - By God's mercy we are begotten to a living hope reserved in Heaven ... praise, honor, and glory at Jesus' revelation (v7).

Who can search his life and honestly say he deserves such blessings as these? Yet God offers them anyway. That is "unmerited favor."

[1 Peter 5:10; 1 Tim. 1:13-16; Jude 21]

I hope these scriptures help you in your walk with the Lord. God bless you.

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