Devotional Blog Wednesday, July 20

Daily Devotional for Wednesday, July 20

Not by Works of Righteousness

When I was in high school, I had a close friend who believed you must earn salvation by works and keep it by works. I am embarrassed to say that we as teenage boys did some things that were not pleasing to God. After these sinful deeds were done, I remember how afraid my friend would be. He would tell me that if he died right then, he would go to hell. I was no theologian back then, but I did try to explain that true salvation was eternal. All I knew was John 3:16, and it was enough to argue for “everlasting life.” 

I get my friend’s dilemma. If you must earn salvation by works, it is only logical that you must keep salvation by works. You know internally that this is impossible because “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Thankfully, your salvation is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5). I cannot lose something I never earned. Instead, you “are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). 

I saw in my friend the agony that comes from not understanding salvation by grace and not of works. I do believe that my friend is saved. What he lacked is security of salvation, something that comes from understanding the truth of salvation. Salvation is the gift of God (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8). A gift is never earned. A gift is given because of love (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).

Thought: Rest in the security of salvation. 

Phillip Miller