Saved by Grace
I know I did not get saved by God based on merit, being sinless. Jesus saved me by His grace way back so many years ago – not because I got it all together for Him.
And I’m still saved, and still not sinless! But now that I am His – I strive to follow Him in all my ways. I want to be what Jesus wants to see in me.
The Apostle Paul said,
“For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I [at one time] fiercely oppressed and violently persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect. In fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles, though it was not I, but the grace of God [His unmerited favor and blessing which was] with me.”
I am what I am by the grace of God
It’s like the exuberant newlywed who came home after work and shouted out, “Honey I’m home. And I’m new and improved!” He wanted to please his wife. He was already her husband, but he wanted to make her happy.
“The way to live” once you become a newbie Christian is described well in Philippians 2:1-18. This is the “New Leaf” passage. You have become a true child of the King, and it’s time to “turn over a new leaf” by the power of God in you.
He has made you a brand new creature – and the Holy Spirit lives in you now.
– Source: Your “New Leaf”…once you have repented
Trainees are tested to make sure they actually do what their position promises they will do. Testing is also good for us to do as His ambassadors. Test yourself with this Checkoff List.
Am I actually doing what I committed to do when accepting Jesus as Savior?
How mature in the faith was I today?
I am working on this list. I don’t expect to ever get it all right. But Jesus still loves me as I am.
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My Checkoff List:
Today, all day, I was….
I can honestly say before God: Today, all day — “I was…
Ο…| never irritated by anyone (re: raising my voice, changing into that distinct irritation inflection)
Ο…| never scolding, harshly correcting, condemning, mocking
Ο…| never disdainful, disgusted, challenging, putting-down, impatient
Ο…| never unloving, irritable, in a bad mood
Ο…| never snappy, sassy, nasty, pouty, sulky, snarky, moody
Ο…| never angry – to where I sinned with it
Ο…| never spiteful, wishing harm on anyone, vengeful, pent-up with rage
Ο…| never jealous, envious, wanting what someone else has, wanting to possess their things
Ο…| never egocentric, egotistical, narcissistic
Ο…| never selfish, self-centered, contrary,
Ο…| never sheltering negativity, harshly negative in any way
Ο…| never lusting, lusty, sensual towards others, doing porn
Ο…| never “using others”, manipulative, manipulating for my own good
Ο…| never evil-minded, wanting to do some evil thing
Ο…| never discontented, unsatisfied, dissatisfied, wanting more, feeling empty, unfulfilled.
Ο…| never wanton 1
Ο…|{add your own} never…
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I am working on this list. Don’t expect to ever get it all right. But Jesus still loves me as I am. I am not saved by “not sinning”. Sinning does not take away my salvation. I have repented and I am following Him. Day by day, I am growing into my natural new life in Christ.
I will not let sin define me. I rather believe what God says about me as His child. The sins around us and the sins we do can never take us away from His love.
I am what Jesus says I am. I’ve been redeemed.
Tomorrow is a brand new day. “I will rejoice and be glad in it”.
Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the Lord has made; Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 32:11
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous [who actively seek right standing with Him]; Shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
Psalm 64:10
The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; All the upright in heart will glory and offer praise.
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].
*Based on the article: Imagine You, the Perfect Person
FOR MORE:
“Sin is not the issue in salvation“
Your “New Leaf”…once you have repented
Growing into our natural new life in Christ
The overcoming faith of Christ Followers
Jesus will return soon – just as He left
How then should we live now – believing the Rapture is just around the corner?
The Reality of Incompleteness on Earth
Following Someone Excerpt: Salvation is all about genuineness. God obviously does not accept a lie. How can one expect God to accept falsehood? You cannot expect God to save a “lied repentance”, as it were. If it is fake, God has to reject it:
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- Fake “repentance”
- Fake “calling upon the Lord”
- Fake “accepting Christ” as your Savior
- Ungenuine allegiance to Christ
- A life that screams ” I am unwilling to bow my knee to what the Bible says.
- Fake Christian – saying one thing, but your life is opposed to what Jesus stands-for.
The sins around us and the sins we do
How you can know you are a Christian
The Gift by His precious undeserved grace
Promises God makes about your salvation
Why we never lose our salvation in Christ
You cannot lose what God keeps secured for us
Footnotes
- a. synonyms: deliberate, willful, malicious, malevolent, spiteful, vicious, wicked, evil, cruel; unprovoked, unmotivated, motiveless, arbitrary, groundless, unjustifiable, unjustified, needless, unnecessary, uncalled for, gratuitous, senseless, pointless, purposeless, aimless, useless, meaningless, empty, vacuous
b. synonyms: promiscuous, immoral, loose, immodest, indecent, shameless, unblushing, unchaste, unvirtuous, fast, of easy virtue, impure, abandoned, lustful, lecherous, lascivious, salacious, lubricious, libidinous, licentious, libertine, profligate, dissolute, dissipated, debauched, degenerate, reprobate, corrupt, sinful, whorish, disreputable
c. careless, heedless, impulsive, impetuous, rash, reckless, abandoned, audacious, cavalier, devil-may-care
d. Noun: behave in a sexually unrestrained way. ‘rebellious, lacking discipline’
Source: Google.
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