We are all different. A multitude of differences separate each individual from another. We can be pretty or ugly, rich or poor, black or white, smart or dumb, loved or hated or somewhere in between in most given categories.
Of the prideful Corinthians Paul asked the following:
"For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"
(I Corinthians 4:7).
Allow me to paraphrase and restate these three questions, centering specifically in regard to salvation:
How can this be?
It cannot, for this is contrary to the teaching of scripture.
Consider the testimony of the Bible concerning man:
…the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth … (Genesis 8:21). But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags… (Isaiah 64:6). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked… (Jeremiah 17:9). … There is none righteous, no, not one…there is none that seeketh after God…there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:10-12).
Because of man’s fallen, anti-God nature he can do nothing to commend himself to God nor does he even have the desire to so do. But one will say that God gives equal grace to all so that man then has the desire and ability to choose God. Not true. But considering that it were true the problem still remains. What is in one man that he will improve this grace and be saved that is not in another man so that he will not?
It is not in sinful man to make himself different. Rather, it is the God who declared that there be “...a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). Grace by its very nature is freely given and not earned. Grace results in the praise of God’s glory for in it alone God “...hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). There is no other basis for the election. It is this grace that gives birth to election. Grace - freely given - not earned.
Where do we find this marvelous grace-based election? Again it is certainly not found in puny humans who are captivated by the will of the devil and in need of the gift of repentance from God (II Timothy 2:25,26). It is not an election that is some convoluted doctrine that teaches that a god who was living in gross ignorance looked out into the future one day and saw some people liked him and so he elected them to salvation. A thousand times, NO!
This election is God’s choice of his people in Christ in eternity past (Ephesians 1:4). It is found where all that is righteous and pure and good and lovely and true is found. It is found in “...the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:5), “...the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” (Ephesians 1:9). Glory to God. He is the only one who makes anyone different in any respect to another.
Many will say that God has provided the salvation but man must provide the repentance and belief. He must turn and trust Christ. But does man have the capability to do so? John 3:27 states, “…A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” Are there some exceptions to this rule, namely faith and repentance? If a man can produce them himself then he has no need of it from heaven. If he can turn himself and believe then he has generated goodness in himself in spite of scripture cited above that teach that none can do good, not even one.
Yet we have seen in II Timothy 2:25 that God must give repentance so that one can acknowledge the truth. Elsewhere we see that it is God working through Christ “…to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:26) and “…to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
Likewise, faith is the means through which we are saved by grace. It is not of ourselves but rather the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8,9). Paul makes it clear to the Philippians that their faith was a gift of God just as was their suffering (Philippians 1:29).
Be it understood that man is not the center of this great salvation. It is the relationship and communion between God the Father and God the Son that results in salvation for man. The elect Christian is a gift of God the Father to the Son. Jesus gives eternal life to as many as the Father gives him (John 17:2,3).
The truth of the elect being a gift of God the Father to God the Son is expressed not only throughout John 17 but is referred to elsewhere by John. A theme in chapter 6 is that God has given to Christ a people. Those people will come to him. Christ comes to do the will of his Father. “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:39). Those who come to Christ come because they are given to him by the Father. They are “…born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).
Thus the salvation of the believer is not in any repentance or faith or anything else found in himself. His salvation is in God and God has given him not only eternal life but the means to attain it as well. Repentance and faith are gifts so that the believer may fulfill the commands of God and gain the ultimate gift of salvation, God himself.
So pause, empty yourself and think. Let there be no good thing you have that you hold in the face of God and say, “This good and righteous deed, object or thought is created solely by me. There is good that you, God, are not to be credited with because this good originates with me.”
Jesus is "...the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12;2). "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…" (James 1:18). “…Salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9). All of it. You have nothing you have not received from God.
With pride the glory due to God is seized and claimed for self. “I did it. It was in me to turn from my sins. My own faith brought me to Christ. I did it.” Such words rob God of the exaltation due only to him.
With humility we are able to give all glory to God. We claim the authorship of nothing for ourselves… except our sin. The God of our salvation granted us not only the salvation, but the means to obtaining the salvation. All glory is his. So let this writer and the few who read these words and the multitude of the elect who do not, relentlessly pursue humility. And, if having found it, recognize that they have it solely by grace. With an overflowing and thankful heart give glory to God for humility is also a gift, since:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
Of the prideful Corinthians Paul asked the following:
"For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"
(I Corinthians 4:7).
Allow me to paraphrase and restate these three questions, centering specifically in regard to salvation:
- Who makes you different from the next person - in regard to salvation?
- What do you have - in regard to salvation - that you did not receive from God?
- If whatever you have - in regard to salvation - you did receive from God, why are you proud and boastful as if you didn’t receive it from God?
- Who makes you different from the next person - in regard to salvation?
How can this be?
It cannot, for this is contrary to the teaching of scripture.
Consider the testimony of the Bible concerning man:
…the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth … (Genesis 8:21). But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags… (Isaiah 64:6). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked… (Jeremiah 17:9). … There is none righteous, no, not one…there is none that seeketh after God…there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:10-12).
Because of man’s fallen, anti-God nature he can do nothing to commend himself to God nor does he even have the desire to so do. But one will say that God gives equal grace to all so that man then has the desire and ability to choose God. Not true. But considering that it were true the problem still remains. What is in one man that he will improve this grace and be saved that is not in another man so that he will not?
It is not in sinful man to make himself different. Rather, it is the God who declared that there be “...a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). Grace by its very nature is freely given and not earned. Grace results in the praise of God’s glory for in it alone God “...hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). There is no other basis for the election. It is this grace that gives birth to election. Grace - freely given - not earned.
Where do we find this marvelous grace-based election? Again it is certainly not found in puny humans who are captivated by the will of the devil and in need of the gift of repentance from God (II Timothy 2:25,26). It is not an election that is some convoluted doctrine that teaches that a god who was living in gross ignorance looked out into the future one day and saw some people liked him and so he elected them to salvation. A thousand times, NO!
This election is God’s choice of his people in Christ in eternity past (Ephesians 1:4). It is found where all that is righteous and pure and good and lovely and true is found. It is found in “...the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:5), “...the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” (Ephesians 1:9). Glory to God. He is the only one who makes anyone different in any respect to another.
- What do you have - in regard to salvation - that you did not receive from God?
Many will say that God has provided the salvation but man must provide the repentance and belief. He must turn and trust Christ. But does man have the capability to do so? John 3:27 states, “…A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” Are there some exceptions to this rule, namely faith and repentance? If a man can produce them himself then he has no need of it from heaven. If he can turn himself and believe then he has generated goodness in himself in spite of scripture cited above that teach that none can do good, not even one.
Yet we have seen in II Timothy 2:25 that God must give repentance so that one can acknowledge the truth. Elsewhere we see that it is God working through Christ “…to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:26) and “…to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
Likewise, faith is the means through which we are saved by grace. It is not of ourselves but rather the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8,9). Paul makes it clear to the Philippians that their faith was a gift of God just as was their suffering (Philippians 1:29).
Be it understood that man is not the center of this great salvation. It is the relationship and communion between God the Father and God the Son that results in salvation for man. The elect Christian is a gift of God the Father to the Son. Jesus gives eternal life to as many as the Father gives him (John 17:2,3).
The truth of the elect being a gift of God the Father to God the Son is expressed not only throughout John 17 but is referred to elsewhere by John. A theme in chapter 6 is that God has given to Christ a people. Those people will come to him. Christ comes to do the will of his Father. “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:39). Those who come to Christ come because they are given to him by the Father. They are “…born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).
Thus the salvation of the believer is not in any repentance or faith or anything else found in himself. His salvation is in God and God has given him not only eternal life but the means to attain it as well. Repentance and faith are gifts so that the believer may fulfill the commands of God and gain the ultimate gift of salvation, God himself.
So pause, empty yourself and think. Let there be no good thing you have that you hold in the face of God and say, “This good and righteous deed, object or thought is created solely by me. There is good that you, God, are not to be credited with because this good originates with me.”
Jesus is "...the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12;2). "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…" (James 1:18). “…Salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9). All of it. You have nothing you have not received from God.
- If whatever you have - in regard to salvation - you did receive from God, why are you proud and boastful as if you didn’t receive it from God?
With pride the glory due to God is seized and claimed for self. “I did it. It was in me to turn from my sins. My own faith brought me to Christ. I did it.” Such words rob God of the exaltation due only to him.
With humility we are able to give all glory to God. We claim the authorship of nothing for ourselves… except our sin. The God of our salvation granted us not only the salvation, but the means to obtaining the salvation. All glory is his. So let this writer and the few who read these words and the multitude of the elect who do not, relentlessly pursue humility. And, if having found it, recognize that they have it solely by grace. With an overflowing and thankful heart give glory to God for humility is also a gift, since:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
