Steven A. Bush - May 1, 2016
Orange Barrels and Amazing Grace
The famous preacher, Charles Spurgeon, said this about God's grace: "If He gives you the grace to make you believe, He will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward." Despite being justified--declared righteous--we're called to live godly lives. Titus 2:11-14 says: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works." (ESV) No we are not saved by good works but we certainly have been saved for them. Meanwhile we are surrounded by spiritual orange barrels as we remain God's work-in-progress, under significant reconstruction. The former slave ship captain, John Newton, who penned the words to Amazing Grace, said it well: "I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle, "By the grace of God I am what I am." Stay tuned for the finished results!