Salvation by Grace through Faith
by Ivan Ho 23 Apr 2022
You are not saved by your works nor are you defined by what you do. You are saved purely by the grace of God through your faith in Him. Those who try to attain salvation through their works, which is basically what most religions teach, have alienated themselves from Christ. You are not saved by works but rather saved unto good works. God saved you and gave you your job description.
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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of 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.
Galatians 2:16 KJV
Moses did not wake up one day and thought it was a good idea to go and confront Pharaoh. He didn’t come up with a mission statement and say: “start a business to deliver my fellow countryman from the control of the government so they can fulfill their God given dreams in the desert” . Moses did not choose his assignment, he received it from God.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Hebrews 11:23-29 KJV
Abraham is called father of faith, not father of works. By faith he left his hometown in obedience to God’s calling even though he did not know where he was going. When Abraham tried to attain God’s promise in the flesh, he totally messed up and gave birth to Ishmael who gave rise to the religion of works. Issac was born by promise of God’s word when both Abraham and Sarah became too old to give birth. Abraham is great because he followed a great God not because of anything great that he did.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Hebrews 11:8-12 KJV