“When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (vs25-26)
The most central doctrine to Christ’s grace is election. Election declares that salvation is of God and not of men, and if we keep man out of salvation, then it is all of God, all through Christ, and all by grace - “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of WORKS, but of him that calls; it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated“ (Rom 9:11-13). This keeps us from the misery of “I deserve” religion, and brings us the joy of thankfulness (Matt 20:8-9). God’s grace does EVERYTHING to save us, keep us, and help us. It isn’t any of you and me. When we understand grace, then we understand the parable of the Laborers (Matt 20:1-18).
They’d gone out to labor, having agreed to a price, and others were paid the same for less work. They begrudged the “goodman of the house”, because they thought that He wasn’t fair to give the same to people who’d done less, “Saying, These last have worked but one hour, and you have made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day” (Matt 20:12). But, this mind-state of “deserving” isn’t the mind of Christ, and it is miserable. To be happy, we must BELIEVE that all that we have done, all that we’ve improved and given up for Christ, is by God’s electing love - “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen” (Matt 20:16). This can’t be a theory or we won’t have peace, and we will be last in joy and thankfulness. But, if we know that we’re hell worthy and keep our eyes on the goodness of Jesus Christ to us, then we’ll have less laborious labor, joy, and peace.
We have left all to follow Him, and yet we don’t brag about it (Matt 19:27). We are daily dying to self and surrendering to Christ, but we have no cause of boasting: we are THANKFUL for God choosing us for this and doing it for us by the Spirit through Christ’s death, “And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name‘s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first [in their own mind] shall be last; and the last [those who have done nothing ourselves] shall be first [and fruitful to God]” (vs29). We have obtained mercy, so we thank God, rather than thinking that we’ve done more than others: we’re satisfied with grace.
God’s gospel causes us to yield in willful submission, thanking God. The flesh says “don’t yield”, and it won’t follow Christ… or, it puts weight on the following and forgets God. Either way, like Peter, we’ve left all, and like the one hour laborers, we’ve done nothing. Both must be kept before our mind, for this is peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment