For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Yesterday we talked about the defining moment of accepting God’s free gift of salvation. But from there, far more happens at that defining moment when we trust Christ than just salvation. Throughout the history of humanity, we have always wanted assurances. We have always wanted guarantees, because you can’t always trust other people. People don’t always keep their promises, and people lie. So we demand oaths, contracts, warranties, anything that will guarantee that what we are promised to get, we will get.
Thankfully, God gives those of us who place our faith in Christ the greatest guarantee of all that our faith will be rewarded with everything that God has promised, and that is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s good housekeeping seal of approval that we belong to Him, He belongs to us, and what He has is ours. The joy, the peace, the love that we experience here is just a down payment on what we will experience for all eternity. When you believe in the grace of God, you receive the guarantee of God.
So the question now is not how we have become a part of God’s family, but why? Why did God do this for us? It is the same reason God does everything else, to the praise of His glory. The plan was always around the grace of God. The purpose was always for the glory of God. Everything that God does is only secondarily for our good. It is always primarily for His glory. That is why Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit has come to us, not just to give us a guarantee that God will do for us what He has promised, but He has actually come to us for the glory of the one who made the promise.
Dear Father, thank you that I can always count on you, that you will never let me down, and that your promises are guarantees. Help me to remember that even though other people may fail me, you never will. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Topics: Faithfulness
