Salvation Does Not Originate with Us

Paul wanted us to know that our salvation has its roots in God’s grace and our faith-filled response to Him, for salvation is the gift of God, and it is, “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2.9).

Yes, there are things we do in our salvation, such as having faith, but God is the One who saves us. Without His grace, we could have all the faith in heaven and on earth, but it would not save us.

Why should we boast of our salvation when we were the ones who got ourselves into eternal trouble initially? God wanted to save us and we wanted Him to, so that all the glory goes to Him. DR

 

What Is Straddling the Fence?

By J. Randal Matheny

[Randal is a missionary friend of mine in Brazil, DR]

Our good brother and friend Alexandre Magalhaes preached here in São José dos Campos. He told the story of the man straddling the fence.

On one side of the fence, stood an angel; on the other, the devil. The angel did not stop encouraging the man to jump off the fence on his side, the good side. The devil said nothing.

The angel kept up his appeals for the man to come down from the fence on the good side. The devil said nothing.

The angel never let up as he pleaded with the man to decide for God and get off the fence. The devil said nothing.

The man was intrigued that the angel spoke fervently and insistently, while the devil said nothing.

“Why,” he asked the devil, “have you said nothing so far?”

“Because,” replied the devil, “the fence is mine.”

Straddling the fence is not a neutral position. It is sitting on the devil’s property.