Open Heaven 19 December
MEMORISE: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” – Ephesians 2:8
READ: Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven here
Many of our beloved ‘grace’ preachers have often misinterpreted todays Bible reading to mean that since being saved is not by works but grace, you can do whatever you like and still maintain your salvation.
Grace means unmerited favour. That means, you did not do anything to be amongst those who God decided to save. John 6:44 says “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:”
John 15:16 says “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” It is only by grace that we had an encounter that brought us into a relationship with Christ.
The passage then goes on to say that we are “saved through faith”. So we are not only saved by grace, we are also saved through faith. This means that even if the grace is available for you to be saved, salvation can only occur through your faith. Now faith is the belief in Christ and His finished work on the cross.
Romans 10:9 says: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
So no faith, no salvation. The Bible says in James 2:18-20: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
You cannot claim to have faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross and still be acting against His word. Without faith, even with the availability of grace, you can neither be saved nor please God (Hebrews 11:6).
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” – Galatians 6:7
KEY POINT: Grace does not give you the liberty to sin; rather, it gives you the ability to live above it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Peter 1-5
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – By Grace, Through Faith – written by Pastor Enoch A.
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Open Heaven 19 December 2020
