April 7, 2014

“Mercy, Not Works”

Blessings folk!

We are looking at the detailed context of how we are to live as OneAnother.
Too often, we see a commandment, an instruction, and immediately assume an application without considering the near context of the passage...much less the context of the entirety of the Word of God.

We have seen how we once were…

Titus 3:3
3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

Then that wonderful word…”but”…

Titus 3:4-7
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Let us examine this a step at a time.

God saved us.
He did so according to His own mercy, not by anything we did.
There are no “works of righteousness” that we can do to earn salvation.
It is simply the merciful act of goodness and lovingkindness of God when He appeared as Savior.

Think on that.

Think on the character of God that is revealed in just a portion of this Word…
Goodness.
Lovingkindness.
Mercy.

Think of the acts of God…
Appearing.
Saving.
Lovingkindness.
Mercy.

This is what the Lord has done for us.

Believers, rejoice!

Unbelievers, for what do you await?
Today is the day of salvation.