Translate

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

By Faith, Not By Works.



Hey guys! So today I want to talk about something I actually heard a lot today in my English class. We were having pre-reading discussion, and my teacher asked us why people volunteer and even risk their lives to help people in natural disasters. The overwhelming response was that people wanted to do good so that they could get into heaven. I was shocked at how many people were convinced that you had to be "good enough" in order to earn God's approval. I am reminded of a verse in Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:8-9
New International Version (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.



This is, of course, a very humbling verse, but It can also be extremely encouraging. It makes me realize that no matter what I do, I am nothing without faith. My good works do not amount to anything. Rather, my faith pushes me to do good works in order to display the glory and love of my God. 
So many teens grow up hearing that you have to do good and try your hardest to get into heaven. However, there is no way that we will ever do enough good to get into heaven. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is only through Jesus, the holy and perfect sacrifice, that we can claim our eternal life and relationship with God. 
Jesus isn't just a free ride to heaven, however. Christianity cannot be taken lightly. We are sinful in nature, and so what we desire can often contradict what God desires for us. I struggle daily with being absolutely undignified and open to my peers about God. However, I know that God has a perfect plan for my life, and each day, I am reminded of his grace. 
I'm not saying at all that once you are a Christian, you don't have to even try. Rather, your good works should be based in gratitude and a knowledge of true salvation through God's overwhelming grace. 

I want to keep these short enough to read, but long enough to give you something to think about throughout the day. 

In Christ, Jackie :)

No comments:

Post a Comment