The Advancement of Grace

“…How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15

In a day of war, heartache, and economic turmoil, all of us need peace. In a day of bad news and rising enemies, all of us need hope. Contrary to what many might say about faith, the gospel of salvation is not about getting an insurance policy on the afterlife. Quite the opposite, in fact. The gospel of salvation is about peace. It’s about hope. It’s about looking to a life beyond the one we have now.

For the state of sin and imperfection that we all live, there is no way, no method, and no work through which we can justify ourselves before the Creator. You simply can’t be “good enough” to reach the other side of heaven’s blessing, because “good enough” is always measured by your own expectations. The God of all creation does not have a scorecard for your good points and your bad points. What He has is far better than a scorecard. He has a gift that you merely need to accept and believe.

Your Creator and mine stepped onto the earth 2,000 years ago in the person of Jesus Christ. On a cross, He gave His life as a perfect sacrifice so that you and I would not have to try and perfect ourselves. They took Him down from the cross, buried Him in a tomb, and on the third day, He arose. That storybook picture that you may have heard for years is not just a story to be tossed around like fiction. Your very faith in Christ crucified, buried, and risen again is the ultimate gift that you must believe.

Where you put your eternal trust is far more important than anything else you may decide or consider in this temporary life. If you place that trust in yourself, you can be sure of failure. If you place that trust in the work of Jesus Christ, you can be confident of a heavenly future. What may seem simple is indeed quite simple, but like most people, there are lingering questions that challenge us to ignore the option of trusting in Christ. Some believe that they can save themselves. Some believe they can somehow make their way to the gate of eternity and negotiate. And some simply look at this gospel of salvation only to let those questions chase them away from the message they’ve heard.

Today. Right now. Let us resolve your most pressing questions by letting God speak for Himself.

(1) Are you sure that I can’t do something to earn God’s favor?

“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.” Ephesians 2:8-9

(2) Am I really incapable of making it to heaven myself?

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;.” Romans 3:23

(3) Why should I believe anything that God says?

“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times..” Psalm 12:6

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him..” Proverbs 30:5

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart..” Hebrews 4:12

(4) If God’s Word is true, then what exactly is the gospel of salvation?

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: .” I Corinthians 15:3-4

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:.” Ephesians 1:7-10

(5) How can I have faith in a message I’ve never seen?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear..” Hebrews 11:1,3

(6) What about other religions and other faiths?

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me..” John 14:6

(7) If I place my trust in Christ, but then begin to doubt, will He forget about me?

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory..” Ephesians 1:13-14

“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself..” II Timothy 2:11-13

The choice is simple, but the walk will be tough. When you place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior, the challenges of life will not go away. You will be pushed on all sides to forget what you know and to forsake what you have believed. Some will make you question whether you’ve done enough to be saved. In the face of those who doubt your faith, you simply need to remind them that it is Christ who did enough.

If you have placed your faith in Christ today, please know that there are those who will love and support you in that faith. We would love to have the opportunity to pray for you and encourage you in your walk if you’re comfortable sharing it with us. Please feel free to contact any one of us here at the Advancement of Grace so that we might extend you a hand of fellowship.