ESOCS Devotional 22 June 2024 – God Ensures Your Salvation
MEMORY VERSE: “And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, ‘Who then can be saved?’ And Jesus looking upon them saith, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:26-27
TEXT: MARK 10:23-31
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or ands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
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Lord Jesus Christ was telling the disciples how hard it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. This assertion by the Lord was a disturbing one to the disciples. It could not be imagined that it would be difficult for a rich man who is comfortable in life to do the will of God and gain eternal life. From knowledge of their history, they may have remembered how rich their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were in their time.
A rich young ruler came to Jesus. When the Lord asked him about the law, he responded that he had kept all from his youth and the Lord was impressed with him – He looked at him and loved him. However, the rich young ruler could not think of parting with his great riches because of the attachment he had to his riches. That was why the Lord said it is hard for those who are rich in this world to enter the kingdom of God (v 23).
The disciples asked Him who could save be then? It was possible that they were considering the fact that the poor were more prone to do any evil to survive in life. In their clime, riches were a sign of healthy spiritual life and God’s blessings. But the Lord Jesus taught them (and us today) to understand that salvation is possible only with God, and not any human or works of man. With God, salvation is sure and authentic.
We are saved by grace and not by our works. No level of man’s righteousness can qualify him to attain salvation. The best of man’s efforts, the Bible says, is like a filthy rag (Isaiah 64:6). Only Jesus can save. In 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, the Bible says, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
God is the author of the salvation process, which He initiated and executed in Christ Jesus, and through Him. John 3:16-18 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
We need to have faith and trust in God and not in our effort and uncertain riches. Believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. He died on the cross to pay for your sins. Remove your trust in your riches and put it in God entirely, and God will perfect your salvation.
- Put your trust in God!
- Father thank You for Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation made possible in Him.
Further Reading: Exodus 32:15-29; 2 Kings 24:18-25; Romans 14:13-end
ESOCS Devotional 22 June 2024
