* You can now watch a video of this message at: https://new.livestream.com/rickpina/live.
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to teach on the fact that “God’s Grace is Sufficient.” In yesterday’s message I told you that God’s grace is sufficient to save. I am led to go back to that point this morning. This is a major issue for many Christians. There has been lots of debate around whether or not we are saved by our works or by grace when we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I personally think the Bible is clear on this. No human could never be good enough to earn eternal life, but that does not stop being from trying to earn their way to heaven. If you are one of those people this morning, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit frees you from human effort as you study salvation by grace.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. You are not saved by works. The Apostle Paul went on several missionary journeys and he ran into lots of opposition when he preached salvation by grace to Jews who had been conditioned to focus on works. The Jews quickly rejected and fought against the gospel of grace, because they were so focused on what they thought they were doing for God, that they could not embrace what God had already done for them through Jesus. Unfortunately, over 2,000 years later, many (Jews and non-Jews alike) still have the same mentality. While they think they are doing right by focusing on their works, and while their heart may be in the right place, the only way to receive eternal life is to embrace God’s grace and the finished work of Jesus on Calvary’s cross. You should perform divine works BECAUSE you are saved, to TO BE saved.
2. The Law of Moses was not designed to save you. Paul taught, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6). The letter was the Law of Moses and the Holy Spirit is freely given by God’s unearned grace. Paul taught, “The Law gives sin its strength” (1 Cor 15:56). Without the Law you would not sin, because you would not have any rules to break. In two places Paul made it clear that we are not under the law but under grace (Rom 6:15 & Gal 3:25). Paul even called the 10 commandments, which was God’s Law etched in stone, “the ministry of death” (2 Cor 3:7). Why? Because the Law was designed to show us that we needed a Savior. The Law was designed to get us (mankind) to the end of ourselves. We could never fulfill the Law. The Law condemns us, but Jesus came to give us access to eternal life and freedom IN HIM by Grace!
3. Salvation is a gift, not a reward for works. Paul said, “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” (Eph 2:8,9 NLT). You could never earn or deserve eternal life, so stop trying. Accept eternal life, through Christ Jesus, by grace, as a gift. A gift cannot be earned. If you can earn it, then it is not a gift, it is payment. All you can do to lay hold of a gift is ‘receive it.’ When you settle the fact that you are only saved because of what Jesus did, it will bring you overwhelming and unshakable peace.
4. When you have Jesus, you have eternal life. John said, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13 NIV). If I were to ask you, “Do you have Jesus?” Your response would probably be, “Yes.” But if I were to ask you, “Do you have eternal life, right now?” Some of you would say, “Well, it depends;” because you are thinking that it is contingent upon your works and whether or not you will be remain good enough to make it to heaven. You could never be good enough. If you were to stand at the pearly gates and God were to ask you, “Why should I allow you into my heaven?” Your answer cannot be based on the number of missions you went on, or the number of mouths you fed, or the number of sick you visited, or… the list could go on. The only right answer is, “Because Your Son Jesus is my Lord.” That’s it! No other answer. You can only go to heaven because you have Jesus. You just read what John said. Eternal life is in God’s Son. If you have the Son, you have life. If you do not have the Son, you do not have eternal life. And John wrote it so that belivers would KNOW that we have eternal life!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me the gospel of grace. I now understand that I am not under the Law and I can never earn salvation by works. The Law condemned me and I got to the end of myself. I arrived at the point where I knew I could not do it on my own, nor could I ever be good enough to deserve eternal life. So I embraced Your grace, I received eternal life in Christ, not because of my works, but by Jesus’ finished work. I am not perfect, but Jesus was perfect for me. I am not worthy, but Jesus was worthy for me. Jesus is my Savior and He is now, and He will always be my Lord! I now freely share this message, this gospel of grace and the Kingdom, with everyone You lead me to share it with. I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is Your power for salvation, freely offered to everyone who believes. I have Your Son, therefore Your Word teaches me that I have eternal life. I have it now. I have eternal life because of Jesus’ finished work. I have eternal life because of Your grace. I have eternal life because You loved me enough to send Your own Son to die in my place. I have eternal life because Jesus loved me enough to pay the penalty for my sin, even though He was completely innocent. I have eternal life NOW because I have accepted Jesus as my Lord. I have eternal life and I did not do anything to deserve it. Completely unearned, underserved and unmerited — I have eternal life by grace. This truth frees me from the weight of human effort and it gives me a peace that cannot be disturbed. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
