God's Faithfulness And Ours
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
Many
people suppose that salvation is God’s reward to those who do their
best to live good lives. This is not so, for God’s Word says of those
who are saved:
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Tim. 1:9).
Referring to this “salvation which is in Christ Jesus,” St. Paul says:
“It is a faithful saying, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him” (II Tim. 2:10,11).
In
other words: The believer, viewing Calvary aright, has “died with
Christ.” Viewing the Cross, he has said: “This is not Christ’s death. He
was no sinner. He had no death to die. He is dying my death!” And so by
faith he is “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). The penalty for all
his sins has been fully paid, for he died — in Christ, and thus has also
risen with Christ “to walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3,4).
This
is all God’s doing, and only now is the believer in a position to do
good works that will please God. Thus the Apostle writes of believers,
in II Tim. 2: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny
Him, He also will deny us” (Ver. 12). When the believer’s service for
Christ is reviewed some, indeed, will “receive a reward,” but others
will “suffer loss,” though they themselves will “be saved, yet so as by
fire” (I Cor. 3:14,15).
It
will be deeply embarrassing, in that day, for unfaithful Christians to
face empty-handed the One who gave His all, Himself, to save them. Yet
salvation is by grace, thus the Apostle hastens to conclude his
statement in II Timothy 2, with the words:
“If we are unfaithful, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (Ver. 13)
Thus our rewards as believers depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation, thank God, on His!.
There
is only way to be SAVED 1. Corinthian 15;1 - 4 Christ died for our
sins was buried and rose again the third day. Believe this from you
heart and you will have eternal life.
Les Feldick Ministries
30706 W. Lona Valley Rd.
Kinta, OK 74552
Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
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