MORNING MANNA 8-29-22
IT’S ALL FAITH
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.- Romans 4:1-5
Many people are willing to come to God on their own terms, but not on His. The world is filled with different religious systems whereby people try to gain acceptance in the eyes of God. It may be things they do or avoid doing, things they eat or don’t eat, things they value or find worthless, but the hope is the same—that somehow their own efforts will justify them before God. The problem is that all such efforts are doomed to failure. The only way to come to God that He will accept is the way that He has declared and provided—through His Son, Jesus Christ. All others paths lead to failure and eternity apart from Him.
The people of Capernaum came to hear Jesus, and they wanted to know how to be right with God. This is a worthy desire, but their focus was in the wrong place. “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29). It is not whether we do works, but whether we believe that determines whether we are in God’s family or not. We cannot expect the best that we could do to measure up to His perfection. We must believe that the worst we could do is beyond the reach of His grace to forgive. It’s not about us, but about Him, and that is our hope.
Faith in Jesus Christ and His free offer of salvation is the only way to eternal life.- Paul Chappell
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
Humble, Tx.
