Salvation By Grace Through Faith

Have you ever been late for something like class, work, or paying bills?
Fourteen-percent of students are late for class (Consumer Affairs, 2006). Thirty-percent of American employees are late for work (San Francisco CBS, 2017), and thirty-five percent of Americans are late paying their bills (Ashford, 2014).

Whether we are late for class, work, or paying bills, thank God that schools, employers, and creditors sometimes grant grace periods, before taking actions against us. While only some people are late for school, work, or paying bills, all are in need of God’s grace. Similar to schools, employers, and creditors, God is also willing to grant grace, but He only grants it to those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Without God’s grace via accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, we are spiritually dead men and women.  “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (Ephesians 2:1-3)

We are all guilty of sin.  

According to Romans 3:23,  “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”   So, what are the consequences of sin? “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9)

We can never earn God’s grace.

This gift is for those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and granting grace was God’s plan for us all along. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Although we can bear the consequences of being late for school, work, or paying bills, we could never bear the consequences of our sins. "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41)

However, everlasting fire does not have to be your fate; you do not need to remain in your sins. God’s gift of grace awaits you and all those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

​Will you accept Him now, before it is too late?

Reference
Ashford, K. (2014). One In Three Americans Is Late On A Bill. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateashford/2014/07/30/americans-in-collections/#5b4a52cb1880
Consumer Affiars. (2006). Survey: Teens not getting enough sleep. Retrieved from
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/03/sleep_teens.html
San Franciso.cbslocal.com. (2017). Survey: Nearly 30 Percent Of Americans Are Late For Work. Retrieved
from https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/01/27/survey-nearly-30-percent-of-americans-are-late-for-work/

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