Grace Cheapened
It breaks my heart to see those who claim Christianity, yet are actually deceived. Some believe that, since their parents had them sprinkled in baptism as a baby, that they’re all set, regardless of how they choose to live their lives. Others are religious church goers participating in elaborate rituals that are designed to magically secure them a place in Heaven. These people believe Jesus existed, and probably even believe that he did everything the Bible says he did, but their lives show no fruit of a personal relationship. Sadly, these people have cheapened the grace that came at such a great expense to our Savior.
Ray Stedman, in his book Authentic Christianity, puts it like this:
We cannot attain eternal life through a mere intellectual exercise. We do not become authentic Christians by intellectually comprehending and accepting the historical facts about Jesus. Nor do we become authentic Christians by grasping the theological implications of His death and resurrection. We do not become authentic Christians by adhering to certain moral and ethical standards that Jesus taught. Nor do we become authentic Christians by trying to relate to God apart from Jesus Christ. Our lives must be joined to his life. We become authentic Christians by asking Jesus to come in as Lord and Master, and by trusting Him to accomplish and fulfill His eternal life in us by means of the Holy Spirit.
Ray C. Stedman, “Authentic Christianity”, Discovery House, 1996.
I was once this person. I attended a church and did everything I was supposed to do. I even said the magical prayer of salvation. I believed in Jesus, and I had been sprinkled as a baby. The pastor at the time even told us from the pulpit that Jesus had done all the work, there was nothing we could do, we were free, and we could do whatever we wanted to do in life. I readily adopted that viewpoint to my own destruction. In truth, it almost cost me my life. I thank God every day that he didn’t give up on me and finally got through my thick, deceived skull and brought me into a real relationship with him.
Salvation by faith is the focal point of the Christian’s faith. It is outlined in the book of Romans, and it is the discussion of this week’s article, “It’s Always Been About Faith.” It is solidified in the words of Paul here:
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
So what exactly is belief in Jesus Christ? James talks about this extensively.
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
James 2,14-20 (NLT)
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
I want to make it clear that James is not talking about salvation by works. What he is saying is that when you have a real relationship with Jesus Christ, you will change, and the natural result will be good works to glorify and please your Savior! Someone who claims to be Christian but feels no desire to please God is most likely not saved at all. As Stedman stated above, a Christian is someone who has made Jesus the Lord of his or her life.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
True salvation involves the act of repentance and asking Jesus to reign in your life. Repentance is a very misunderstood term today in Christianity, and many simply think it means to say you’re sorry. In truth, it means to change your mind about something – in this case – sin. In true repentance, the believer acknowledges before God that he or she is a sinner in need of a Savior, acknowledges that the things God says are sin in the Bible are in fact sin, and makes a decision to go in a different direction away from sin. Does this mean they will be perfect? Of course not. We will not be made perfect until we are clothed in our new bodies in eternity. But until then, we can become more and more like Christ by entrusting him with every area of our lives.
When Adam and Eve walked in the Garden of Eden, the Spirit of God lived inside them, and they were in perfect union with God. They never had to question what to do in order to get the perfect outcome, because God gave them all the answers. When Adam chose to rebel against God and eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, God’s Spirit immediately left them. Now they were left confused, guilty, and lost. They were on their own. With the finished work of Christ at Calvary, we are now blessed to be able to have the Holy Spirit living in us once again, but it is not a perfect connection. The connection is disrupted by sin and will only be made perfect again in eternity.
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27
Doing the will of God is not just about eternity, but it is also about our lives today. During my years of rebellion, I felt very much on my own. I felt tossed about by everything that was happening around me, and many of the decisions and choices I made ended badly. The result was anger, frustration, and depression. When I repented of this life, God’s Spirit began to guide me and encourage me. I felt a new sense of life and began to have a joy that I never imagined was possible. I can in no way tell you that I am “there”. Since that time, I have failed many times, and often I find myself taking back certain areas of my life. When I do, the outcomes usually aren’t good. But the more I give everything back to Jesus and ask his guidance, even in the small things, the smoother things go.
One of the best books that I have read on the topic of real faith is the book “Authentic Christianity” by Ray C. Stedman. He talks about a relationship with Jesus that is so real and so consuming that the result is overwhelming thanksgiving, integrity, and impact in the world for the glory of God. This kind of lifestyle creates encouragement, confidence, joy and hope in all circumstances. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be an authentic Christ-follower! It is available on Amazon at this link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1627079041/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Songs of Victory
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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