Page 72 - Ephesians

multi-faceted salvation process, is a gift from start to finish. It’s
grace all the way. It starts by grace. Continues by grace. And
comes to a glorious ending, by grace.

In John Newton’s “Amazing Grace”, there’s a verse that says,
“Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come.
It’s grace that’s brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me
home.” Exactly right! It’s the grace of God. It’s amazing to me,
how many people believe that it’s grace at both ends, and
somehow works in the middle.

If Jesus comes back before this study is finished, and takes us
alive to meet Him in the air, what part would you have in it?
Should we jump s high as we can? Should we flap our arms and
try to flylike wings? What part would you have in the rapture? I’ll
tell you, it’s by grace. It started by grace, and it’s going to end by
grace. You have no part. He’ll change you in a twinkling of an
eye and give you a new body. If it starts as a gift, if it ends as a
gift, why do we have trouble believing, it’s a gift all the way?

“It started as a gift but now I’ve got to work at it! I’ve got to be
sincere and I’ve got to work really hard. I’ve got to dedicate
myself and I’ve got to deny myself. I must strive and struggle with
sin then get involved in every program that comes along. I’ve got
to work hard for the Lord and quit sinning and believe and rest
and pray and study and confess and repent and give and be in
good Spirit and all the rest. I must do that.” No you must not!
It’s a gift of God. It’s the grace of God. It’s not by works.

Have you ever meditated upon the impossibility and stupidity of
creature merit? In order to get merit, two things have got to be
true:

#1 In order to have merit it can’t be duty. You have to do
something that you are not obliged to do. It must go beyond
duty.