“By Grace Alone”

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12 (ESV)

As I’ve been choosing my own verses regarding my assurance of salvation, it occurs to me that they all point to Jesus. My verses are showing where salvation is and NOT guaranteeing mine. Okay, I think this can be lovingly argued on my behalf, but that is not what I’m after.

There is nothing I can do to earn my salvation. And neither can you.

I can have faith in the grace of the Son, but even that faith is supplied by the Spirit. I cannot even consider the power and the beauty and the fragility that is Jesus without that the Spirit calls to me.

Sometimes, just knowing that you have no power is comforting. But giving someone else the keys to your car AND the driver’s seat, is frightening. Especially when they don’t go where you expect them to.

The truth for me this morning, again, I didn’t know which verse to choose. But as soon as I sat down, even before I reached for my Bible, I had the verse in my head. Given to me by the Spirit. The Spirit who holds my car door open for me and even lets me have the keys. I’m avoiding His eyes.

And the lovely thing for me is, how well I knew that verse. I have the capacity. I have the potential. I have the background. I should use it better. As I write, stream of consciousness really. As I try to work it out, I’m given direction. I know what I should do. It’s not time to move on yet, even though I’ve dwelt in this objective for 6 days now.

No, I am supposed to write my testimony of my assurance. It’s kind of like my master’s thesis. Then I can move on. One step at a time. There is no rush. And there is only one book I need.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

1 John 4:13 (ESV)