At
age 18, I was introduced to my need for salvation by a girl in my yearbook
class in college. She explained that salvation was not of works, but by grace
through faith - a free gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23, 6:23,
10:9-10).
Raised
as a Catholic, I was baptized as an infant, received my first communion in the
second grade while dressed in my little white dress, and memorized the Catholic
catechism to earn my confirmation when I was about twelve or so. I was used to jumping
over my spiritual hurdles through self-effort.
I
readily accepted my salvation as a free gift, but then I reverted to works to
learn how to earn God's love and approval. I accumulated every verse that I
could find in the Bible on how to please God.
I
kept every jot and tittle of those commands, and I knew without a doubt that I
was on my way to earning more grace from God. I had no doubt that God and I
would be great friends, because He could not resist my religious fervor.
One
night, a dear friend looked at me with shock on his face and said, "You
sound like a foolish Galatian. You need to read Galatian 3:1-3." I quickly
grabbed my Bible and avidly read each word.
I
discovered from the Apostle Paul that even though I readily received salvation
as a free gift, I forced myself to spend the next ten years attempting to earn
God's favor by keeping His commandments through my human efforts.
God
gives all of us a free will to choose to love and obey Him, or to condemn our
self to eternal torment by our unbelief (John 3:18). We do work out our own
salvation with fear and trembling, but it is God who gives us both the desire
and the power to accomplish this (Philippians 2:12-13).
As
I read Galatians 3:1-3, God convicted me that I was a white washed tomb full of
dead men's bones and rotting flesh (Matthew 23:27). I truly was a foolish
Galatian.
I
soon learned that sanctification - holiness - is a work of grace just like
salvation. Salvation and Sanctification have nothing to do with works; but everything
to do with obeying God and freely receiving His eternal, unconditional love for
the whole world (John 3:16-17).
God's
Spirit gradually sanctifies us throughout our lifetime by changing us from one
stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18). He incorporates into us the
mind of Christ, as well as His divine nature (1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Peter 1:4).
The
day my friend challenged me about being a foolish Galatian, was the day that I
learned that God could not love me more than He already did when He stretched
out His arms on Calvary's cross to guarantee a place for me in His family, and as
part of His beloved bride (2 Corinthians 11:2).
Prayer:
Father
God, teach us to consult You in every thought, word and deed (Proverbs 3:5-6).
You have a perfect plan for each of us, and You fashioned it before we were
ever born (Ephesians 2:10). Help us to walk in Your Spirit each moment of every
day, and allow us to serve at the pleasure of our King Jesus.
We
want to help as many people who are interested in salvation, to come to the
saving knowledge that Paul teaches us about in his writings. Help us to realize
that obedience is more important to You than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22); and
that as we walk in Your perfect plan for our life (Ephesians 2:10), we will find
rest for our soul and Your joy as our strength (Matthew 11:29; Nehemiah 8:10).
Thought
for the Day:
Just
as we cannot earn the salvation of our spirit, we cannot earn the
sanctification of our soul - they are free gifts from God; and also, we can
look forward to the free gift of the glorification of our body, when we see
Jesus face to face.
-
Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 13:12
