07/19/2023
The gift of salvation through God's grace and our belief in Jesus Christ is totally of God, and has nothing to do with our earning it... but does that relieve us of all personal responsibility?
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV
I was reading a devotional message yesterday in which the author wrote that our salvation was 100% the work of God's grace, but as he went on, he concluded that because of this we have "no responsibility whatsoever"! I agree that we had no responsibility in the gift, but once received we most certainly have a responsibility... in fact, we have responsibilities as a result of it.
Many years ago my son wanted a dog. My wife and I resisted for quite some time, but finally my wife (in a moment of weakness) took him to an animal adoption agency and he picked out a 6 week old black lab mix. The puppy was free and my son was ecstatic, but my wife quickly explained that although the puppy was free, it came with responsibilities. It would be up to him to feed the puppy, take it for walks, and clean up after it. Of course, she also knew that if he failed in his duties, that she and I would inevitably pick up the slack. After all, the puppy couldn't be allowed to suffer because of his neglect.
The gift of salvation by grace that we have received is a lot like that new puppy. We have been given it free of charge, but it does come with certain ongoing responsibilities.
One of the first, and most obvious, responsibilities is in believing that we have received a gift... we have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and came to save us. God holds out this gift, but it is our responsibility to accept it.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
John 3:17-18 ESV
There is a saying that we hear all the time; "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!" Well, being offered salvation by grace seems too good to be true, but this is one time in which it really isn't. So our first responsibility comes into play, and we must accept the gift; but then we must also change our ways so that we can live up to the responsibilities that come as a result of having been received it…
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”
Hebrews 10:26-27 ESV
What isn't true is the perception that once we received the gift, we are free of all responsibility for our actions, and that the gift will remain ours regardless of what we do. We see a good example in the Old Testament in the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel when God takes back the gift of life.
“But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.”
Ezekiel 18:24 ESV
And we see another example repeated in the New Testament...
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”
Hebrews 10:26-27 ESV
We have responsibilities, and although we sometimes don't live up to these obligations, God continues to hold out the gift. You can accept it more than once, but your contrition must be sincere, your intentions pure, and your agreement to the terms of responsibility seen as binding.
It didn't take long for my son to forget to feed and water his new puppy. When this happened, my wife did the chore. The next morning we spoke with our son and told him that the puppy belonged to us now because we were performing the responsibilities of caring for it. Quickly, he begged forgiveness and promised to do better... and the puppy was his once more… remember the story of the prodigal son?
“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.”
Luke 15:20-24 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your grace, and the gift of salvation and life that it offers. I ask you Father to have patience with me, and although I am not refusing your gift... I feel that I disappoint you often. Help me to live up to your expectations and the responsibilities that go along with being your child by the grace you have extended. Holy Father, when I am safe and covered by the blanket of grace you have drawn over me, keep my thoughts and actions pure beneath it. Never allow me to think that my sins are beyond your ability to see, or that I am beyond your caring oversight. You love me too much to let me live in sin, and I love you too much to be satisfied with anything short of perfection in your eyes. Receiving a gift is wonderful, but giving one in return is a blessing... help me to be a blessing to you always as I tend to the gifts you have given me.
Rich Forbes