The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Sequence of Salvation"
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
By grace. Through faith. Unto good works. Herein lies the sequence of salvation, which applies to the initial reception of God's freely given gift of redemption in Christ, and the life to which He calls us to live in faithfulness to His glory and will.
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7).
Problems with obedience in the believer always in some manner stem from problems with grace, or rather, with our failure to access by faith God's freely given leadership and enabling. The question we can always ask ourselves regarding sin and failure is simply, "Of what aspect of God's grace am I not availing myself? How am I not trusting Him for that grace? What of my Lord am I failing to see regarding His promised working in my heart "to will and to do of His good pleasure?" (Philippians 2:13). The writer of Hebrews confirms this diagnosis regarding any challenge we may have regarding faithfulness to God and His will:
"Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).
Clearly, if we fail to "serve God acceptably," we have in some manner failed to "have grace." This may involve truth we already know (but are neglecting or forgetting), or truth we should know, but have failed to realize because of neglect in learning our Lord's promises found in the Scriptures. We cannot avail ourselves of the particulars of God's grace if we have not known Him or His Word well enough to realize they exist. Or, if we do not remember and affirm rays of gracious light that already abide in our hearts and minds, but from which we look away. Indeed, recall the indictment Matthew directed toward Capernaum, and which can apply to us: "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58).
By grace. Through faith. Unto good works. The sequence, the sequence of salvation, never changes in either root or fruit. God ever initiates, motivates, guides, and empowers. We ever trust Him and submit ourselves to Him in the expectation that acceptable service proceeds solely from the grace of our Lord's promised working in our hearts. Yes, whatever happened in the blessed moment of our new birth must be known as that which will enable every step of faithfulness to God forevermore. He gave. We received. Newness of life occurred. He gives. We receive. Godliness of life occurs. No other way or sequence exists whereby we honor our Lord, fulfill His will, and serve as a blessing of Christ to others. Nor need we any other way.
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
(Romans 5:1-2)
Weekly Memory Verse
"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory."
(Hebrews 2:10).
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