Salvation by Grace Alone

Salvation by Grace Alone

The Condition of Man
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.” Rom 5:12-19

As a young father I remember taking my kindergarten son to McDonalds to eat lunch and to enjoy the play structure they had there with slides, climbing toys and other children. As I sat watching the kids play I noticed that children at a very young age were defiant, self centered bullies that were highly capable of hating parents who loved them enough to bring them to a play ground knowing full well they would get tired and rebel their way into rottenness. I smiled as I realized that adults are just older kids and that we are no different. Descendents of Adam we are all cut of the same cloth.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” Rom: 3:23-24

Even a casual look at the world quickly reveals man’s sinful condition and the ruin in which this fallen condition has left behind. Furthermore; it is a condition in which mankind is completely helpless in rectifying this condition when left to their own human resources. Despite a magnanimous effort with rows and rows of self-help isles at Barns and Nobel, yoga pads and Feng shui the world tends to miss to root of the emptiness they feel; the void that was left when our relationship with God was shattered because we self-helped ourselves in the Garden of Eden.


In spite of all man’s efforts to bring about a new society in which man is able to bring about peace and prosperity, the world remains shattered and torn by the ravages of sin locally, nationally, and internationally.

God did not leave us without hope. The Bible speaks of God’s gracious plan to provide a solution to man’s problem. We call it salvation

Salvation
According to the broadest meaning as used in Scripture, the term salvation encompasses the total work of God by which He seeks to rescue man from the perilous ruins and power of sin and bestows upon man the wealth of His grace encompassing eternal life, provision for abundant life now, and eternal glory (Eph. 1:3-8; 2:4-10)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, *both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. 11 Eph1:3-8


The word “salvation” is the translation of the Greek word soteria which is derived from the word soter meaning “savior.” The word “salvation” depicts deliverance, safety, preservation, soundness, restoration, and healing. On the one hand, salvation is described as the work of God rescuing man from his lost estate. On the other hand salvation describes the estate of a man who has been saved and who is vitally renewed and made a partaker of the inheritance of the saints.




Salvation by Grace Alone
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." John 8:1-12

As the condemned is presented to our Lord he sees the heart of man. He sees the convicted bringing the convicted for their death sentence. Still in their sin they are blind to the eyes of our Lord. How the religious need grace as much as the world. We all fall short yet his love and compassion is for us. His heart holds back his hand of wrath while his finger prescribes the dose of reality that allows us to see the cancerous sin that consumes us. Yes, God is gracious in his view of man. His love has covered mans sinful past with the blood of His son. As we can never understand the depth of Gods sovereignty we can never fully understand the Grace that looks beyond what we have done to the man whom God has created in his own image. So deep is Gods love for us that it is rivaled only by that portion of Grace in which he bestows upon us that we as his sons and daughters might be reunited with him.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”. Eph 2:4-10


Gods Motivation for Salvation
When we look at the stubbornness and rebellion of man, we ask ourselves, why should God want to save sinners? Why would God want to save a sinner like me? Why would God want to send His beloved Son as a spotless lamb to suffer Gods righteous and Holy judgment for our sins on a cross meant for us?

God’s word says that it is “…according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praises of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved ( Eph. 1:5b-6). Salvation brings glory to God and it does so because it manifests the very nature and character of His person. It’s not something God does it’s who God is. It’s a part of Gods character that is gifted to mankind that when received and accepted brings the Lord insurmountable pleasure. So much so that that it brings glory to him. It is His will that we are accepted in the Beloved.
Salvation reveals a number of things about God that bring glory to Him and tell us something of the reasons for salvation.
Salvation reveals His love. That God would reach out to sinful man by sending His only begotten Son is the greatest manifestation of His love. It declares God provided salvation because He is a loving God and His love is directed toward us (John 3:16; 1 John 4:7-10, 16).
Salvation through the person and work of Christ is also a manifestation of God’s grace, the un-meritorious favor of God (Eph. 2:7-9). Only Christianity offers a salvation based on grace rather than works. All the other religions of the world have man working to acquire a certain level of goodness to achieve some goal that they can never obtain. The standard is perfection and unobtainable by any fallen man but, God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son as a spotless lamb a perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
The salvation of the Bible manifests the holiness of God. God provided salvation through the person and work of His Son because He is a holy God. In His love and grace God desired fellowship with man, but man’s rebellion and sin created a barrier between God and man that hindered any fellowship with man whatsoever because of God’s infinite holiness. Both God’s holiness and His love are satisfied, however, by the person and work of God’s Son so that man can be reconciled to God and fellowship restored.

Lastly, thought Adam and Eve were created in the image of God and visibly displayed the character of God as they walked in fellowship with Him. When the human race fell through Adam’s sin, the image was not only marred, but man lost the capacity for fellowship with God. Through Gods gift of salvation, the capacity for fellowship is restored and so also is man’s ability to have Christ shine through there life once again. Gods unfathomable grace allows us to be Christ like, to be imitators of Him. Who can know the depths of Gods Grace and His mercy upon the condemned?

Gods Grace not only saves us but it calls us to an abundant life in him. His desire is that we come as we are and he accepts us in that broken condition. Yet he requires that we be changed. Jesus said in John 3:3 “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God Jesus never desired his beloved to live as a dead corps, he commands the dead to rise to new life. The old man is dead and the new [born again believer] lives in Him. Jesus says in John 8:31 …” If you abide in My word, your are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make your free.” Yes the Truth shall make you free. Jesus explains this further in John 14:6 when he says“ I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” As we discover the truth through revelation of the Holy Spirit we are changed. Paul puts it like this in Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presents only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” As we abide in Him and He in us our salvation is worked out through our love inspired servitude to the master who has saved us and who has always loved us. God not only desires to save us, to free us to empower us to know him and therefore love him back. As I started with an analogy of sin describing for you my experience with my son on the McDonalds play equipment denoting that all have sinned and have fallen Short. I end this paper with the thought that as believers there comes a spot in our walk were we will experience Gods tremendous grace and depth of it and we will stand in awe of the mighty display of his Glory. It was a couple of years ago that I realized that my son, the same son I took to the playground as a small boy had grown up he is now twenty six as he searches the world with his own walk in life he will experience God in a very personal way. He will experience Gods grace for him and the power of his salvation in his life. And as the light bulbs go on it will bring Joy to my face as the foundation in which the Lord had laid for him through me is fortified. So it will be to Gods glory as you and I encounter to power of Gods grace though salvation in our lives. May we always bring Glory to King Jesus.