Yesterday, we dealt with how God's grace, mercy and love combined to save us, raise us from our Spiritual death, and place us "positionally" in Heaven. In God's magnificent provision, we are there "in Christ." This is our guarantee that we will be there "actually" in God's timing. Only those who know Jesus as Savior and Lord have that guarantee. This is not a guarantee for any who have not received Him or for any who have made only a mental assent to the Truths of the Gospel. A change in our attitudes, interests, values and behavior is what gives evidence of a genuine conversion. This change is not to bring salvation to us. It is the result and confirmation of genuine salvation. Verses 8-10 of Ephesians 2 speak to this. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Verses 8-9). Bible faith takes God at His Word and turns the control of our lives over to Him. His grace is what enables our faith to receive His gift of life. We can't take one speck of credit for responding to Him. He gives the quickening, shows His love and extends His mercy. His Word gives us the information we are to believe and He even gives us the capacity to trust, to exercise saving faith. It's all of God! There is not one thing in which we can pridefully boast. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Verse 10). This part is often overlooked by those who would base their hope of Heaven on some kind of affirmation of a formula that someone uses trying to "get them saved." A Christian lifestyle is inevitable if we have truly yielded to Him. We are His work and He works our entire lifetime from the moment of conversion to bring our "practice" into harmony with our "position." Selah! Works never earn salvation but saving faith motivates good works. Ron
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