I'm not saved by mere Faith.

"Remember this or you may fall into error by fixing your minds so much upon the faith which is the channel of salvation that you will forget the grace which is the fountain and source even of faith itself. Faith is the work of God's grace in us."


- C.H. Spurgeon





Not too long ago I was reading these words and then it hit me....Sometimes I think I am saved because of my own faith. I have failed to recognize that the faith that I DO have is simply because of His grace. Because He chose to give it to me. Everyone has a different measure of faith. To some the Lord gives faith to heal, to prophecy and to do miracles. To others he has given the faith to graciously love, to be patient, or to have a constant spirit of joy. Yet the same grace of God has been applied to all. It is because of His mercy that we can do even these things for Him.





I was discouraged yesterday after a conversation with a friend in which she challenged my views on why I believe the things I do. I did not get sad because I doubted my own beliefs, but rather because she did not think Jesus was worthy; because She did not know him as the saviour. I started feeling guilty. I told myself, "How can I be thinking of becoming a missionary in the future when I can't even present the gospel in a way that pierces her heart?" Later on that day I had my answer... "You do not save. I save. And it is because of my grace and the cross that you even have this opportunity to have faith in Me!"



How humbling, and how rebuking! I wanted to share this because I know many of us deal with guilt, with lack of discipline, with condemnation and shame. Or, on the contrary, we believe we are okay where we are. We're good to go. I go to church on sunday I pray here and there, and I am a good person. Being a good or bad person is no different in the eyes of God. I think we forget this. We have all fallen short of the glory. We all need the cross. Never get tired of preaching the cross and His grace because it is the power of God. (romans 1:16)



8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— -Ephesians 2:8