Undermining Christ

A man who says, “I’m saved because I believed. Yeah, nothing changed, all my sin is still here tripping me up, little growth. But I believe so I know I’m in” sounds like he’s elevating Christ.

It sounds as if the guy has understood he can’t work his way in and is ultimately glorifying Christ. “Only a sinner saved by grace.”

Sounds good.

Here’s the logical outcome of it though: If there is no fruit, no growth, no spiritual gifting, no good works which God has recreated us for, you stand on the sincerity of your faith. You stand on you and you alone.

A man who bases his salvation on the fact that he is no longer the same man, that old things are passed away and all things are new, a man who left off the hidden things of darkness and is now walking in the light owes one person credit: Jesus Christ.

A saved man knows his sin and his inability to pull off righteous works. He knows more than anyone that all his past “righteous deeds” are as filthy rags. He also knows the legitimacy of the works that Christ has wrought in him.

A changed life is the biggest glorification of Christ possible. It only happens by God’s grace. It is only begun and continued by an abiding faith. It is what the cross was for.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”