MORNING MANNA            3-31-23

MORNING MANNA             3-31-23
ACCEPTING GOD’ S  GRACE

“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”- Philippians 3:4–6

The Apostle Paul had all of the credentials necessary to be accepted in any Jewish community. The great missionary traced his lineage back to the tribe of Benjamin, which was the tribe of Israel’s first king whose name Paul shared at his birth. He devoted his life to keeping not just the laws of God, but the additional rules and regulations that the Pharisees had created over the years. By the time of Christ there were more than six hundred of these do’s and don’ts that had been added to the Law that God had given to Moses. These rules were established by people who wanted to gain salvation through their own efforts. Yet Paul completely downplayed all of his human credentials and his own performance. He wrote, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7).

Any effort that we make to deserve salvation is doomed to failure. The sinful nature we have from birth has no interest in obeying God. Many people are like the lawyer whose question sparked the story of the Good Samaritan. The Bible says he was “willing to justify himself” (Luke 10:29). God is not impressed with our good deeds and holiness. The very best that we can do falls so far short of His perfection and glory that it does not help at all. There is no hope of Heaven in anything we do or avoid doing. The only hope that we have for salvation is the grace of God—a free gift.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking anything gives you standing with God apart from His grace. – (Paul  Chappell)

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.