Are you Saved or Selfish?

Posted On January 31, 2022

It’s only by God’s grace that we have a chance to go to heaven!

All the grace contained in (the Bible) is owing to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour;  and, unless we consent to Him as our Lord we cannot expect any benefit by Him as our Saviour.

Matthew Henry

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;  Tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.

John Newton

God’s grace is a gift to each and every person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Saviour.  We can’t earn salvation by works, but only by faith in Jesus.

Grace – A state of reconciliation to God, favour and love of God, divine influence

Ephesians 2:8

“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.”

We are certainly justified by faith in Jesus.  What does justification mean according to the scripture:  The single action whereby God moves a person that is willing from the state of sin (death/injustice) to the state of grace (life/justice) – righteousness (this righteousness can easily be interpreted as in right standing with God)

Galatians 2:16

“knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law (we are free from the rituals of the law), but by our faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law:  for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

II Timothy 1:9

“who hath saved us, and called us with a 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.”

God calls each and every person to salvation, but we need to be willing to accept the Gift, Jesus Christ and believe on Him.  We need to be baptized and the Holy Spirit will renew us day by day in our walk with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit will be our guide and compass unto eternal life, don’t suppress the Holy Spirit. 

Titus 3:5-6

“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing (baptism) of regeneration (rebirth – Messianic restoration), and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

We are saved, now what about works!

We are saved through faith, but the Word tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).  If we know Christ we want to do good, we don’t do good works to get into heaven but rather to glorify our Father in heaven.  It is natural if you let the spirit work in your life that works will follow your faith.
God created us for good works: 

Ephesians 2:10

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

He will give us all we need to abound in every good work (II Corinthians 9:8).  We will be perfectly equipped and will know exactly how we need to go forward, we have scripture that was given to us by the inspiration of God to teach us.

II Timothy 3:16-17

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Jesus is the perfect example! We read in Acts 10:38-39 that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power.  We also have the Holy Spirit and therefore we received power to testify and out of that flows good works.  We don’t have any excuse to not do good works, and embracing doctrine that causes you to adopt a laid back attitude regarding good works is not of God, as He wants as many people to come unto repentance. Whereas when we are all sitting ducks due to our newly received grace and comfortable situation of no attempt to do good, who is going to reach the nations? Who is going to help the people in need of physical, spiritual end emotional support? Don’t justify a lazy lifestyle that only appeases your own needs.

We think it is ok to just go to church and then we have the audacity to think we have done our duty as a Christian.  To be a child of God is a lifestyle of wanting to be in the will of God and touching others lives with the love of God.  We will bring people closer to Jesus by how we act, what we say and what we do! (Refer to attached post about evangelism)

Triple Get: Get Up

Faith and works have a positive correlation with each other and must not be separated. We all know that works don’t save you – so why does pastors want to convince people that works are unnecessary? are we really that selfish that we just want to do what is necessary to save our own soul and to hell with the rest?

Titus 3:8

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Galatians 6:9-10

“And let us not be weary in well doing:  for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

At the end we have to give account of our actions and our works will be judged by God.  It matters how you live and what you do here on earth.

John 5:28-29

“….all that are in the graves shall come forth;  they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;  and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

Revelation 20:12-13

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;  and the books were opened:  and another book was opened, which is the book of life;  and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

Our rewards will be according to our works.

Revelation 12:12

“I came quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

Ecclesiastes 12:14

“For God shall bring every work unto judgement, with every secret thing, whether to be good, or whether to be evil.”

Also read I Timothy 6:16-17 and Romans 2:5-11.

When God spoke to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, He started the letter every time with the words “I know thy works”.  God knows everything about us, what we do, what we think, what we plan, where we go and how we live.  Let our works be acceptable in God’s sight, let our lives be an acceptable sacrifice to God and let us always be in right standing with God. 

God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.

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