Its your turn

Growing up in the 80s, I, like most kids, had a Nintendo or original NES, as it’s called now. I had all the cool games like Duck Hunt and Mario, but one of my favorites was Ninja Gaiden. I loved that game, and one of the best memories I have as a kid is playing the game with my Dad. He wasn’t much for spending time with us, so this was always a treat. He and I would spend hours going back and forth, taking turns trying to beat all the bad guys to finish the game. We never did beat that game, but I always enjoyed spending that time with him. 

What’s funny to me is my Dad’s influence is one of the biggest reasons that I am so headstrong to do things on my own and not ask for help. He was always a very proud man, and I learned that I do what I can, and if I get really stuck, then maybe, possibly, I could ask for help. I know that this is a common thing for a lot of people, and sometimes we even believe that God expects us to be this way too. I’m sure many, if not all, of you have even heard the saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” Unfortunately, some people truly believe that if they don’t do “their part,” then God won’t do “His part” in salvation or life in general. 

Titus 2:11-14 says: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

So the first thing that we see is that its Gods grace, His unearned, undeserved favor towards us that BRINGS salvation. That salvation teaches us that God has a standard and we should live by that standard; because of what He has ALREADY DONE for us. We see this in that we are looking FORWARD to His appearing as that is our blessed hope or expectation. Then we get to the meat of this point in that He REDEEMS us for HIMSELF for good works AFTER. See Jesus has done all the work on our behalf ALREADY so that we can live out our lives for Him and not under a burden trying to earn His forgiveness. 

Now you might say well Aaron in James Chapter 2:26 it says Faith without works is dead so that means we do have to do our part. Well I’m sorry but that’s not what that means and I will show you. See If we look at the context we see that James is really saying that a faith that isn’t lived out isn’t real genuine faith. In other words just because you say you can fly that doesn’t mean you can unless you can actually prove it. See all of us are helpless to save or even keep our salvation and as we see that’s not what God intended. We can rest in who Jesus is and know that He is our savior and He will keep us because He has redeemed us. The only thing that we do on our part is our response to Him and the sin we bring and nothing else. 

"Your salvation was His from the beginning, it is His in the middle, and it will be His until the end." - PAUL WASHER

Today if you don’t know Jesus I want to ask you why not? Are you trying to clean yourself up before you come to Him? Jesus wants you to come to Him as you are and He will forgive you and cleanse you from all sin and save you. Isaiah 43:11 says “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior".