For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)How comfortable am I knowing that my path to salvation is the same as it is for everyone else?
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.....
I think deep down, many Christians like to think that it was easy for God to save them because after all, "I am a pretty good person". We can understand why God would want us to be a part of His family--He didn't have to use up a whole lot of grace on us! But, the truth of the matter is there is nothing "we bring to the table" that makes us any more worthy of salvation than anyone else. When we look around us on the path of grace, it is filled with all kinds of people.
How comfortable are we about making room for others on this same path? Do we look at it as our own path and not one we can share space with others?
This thought struck me this morning during my devotions. I was reading from "Morning by Morning" (Barbour & Company, 1990), a collection of writings from Charles Spurgeon (Charles Spurgeon-Wikipedia). In his comments on Revelation 22:17 he had this to say: "Oh, how many there are who are rich in their own good works and cannot therefore come to Christ! 'I will not be saved,' they say, 'in the same way as the harlot or the swearer.' What! go to heaven the same way as the chimmney sweep. Is there no pathway to glory but the path which led the thief there? I will not be saved that way. Such proud boasters must remain without the living water; but, 'WHOSEVER WILL, LET HIM TAKE THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY.'" (June 13th, p. 126)
Am I willing to accept the fact that others who I consider vile or beneath me can walk the same path of grace to eternal and abundant life that I walk? I wonder does that hinder me from sharing The Gospel? Does that cause me to be selective about who I reach out to?
Tough questions for me to pray over.
Have a great day in the Lord!
No comments:
Post a Comment