“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”–Eph.2:8-9
One man said that he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins; for his duties often made him proud, but his sins always made him humble. Another said, ‘We must take heed not only of our sins, but of our good works.’
Of this matter, Thomas Brooks wrote,”Duties can never have too much diligence used about them, nor too little confidence placed in them. They are good helps, but bad saviors. It is necessary we do them, but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot dissuade us from performing pious duties, then his next work will be to persuade us to rely upon them, to make saviors of them; because this will as certainly ruin our souls….Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness—and to take sanctuary alone in the pure, perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in the free grace of God.”
Dear friend, we cannot compensate for the wrong we’ve done by doing something right. When it comes to the forgiveness of sin and salvation from judgment, works won’t work! Good deeds can never make up for the sins we have committed. Nothing short of faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can save us from sin.–HDS
