"God's Plan"

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9

 

I woke up this morning with these words repeating over and over again in my mind. "Oh, the love that drew salvation's plan. Oh, the grace that brought it down to man. Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary." The cross was a place of shame, pain and death. But it was also the plan that God devised in order to redeem mankind from sin. This was the plan of God that would settle the sin debt that we owed. The cross, the death of God's Only Begotten Son, this was the only plan that could save men.

 

We have tried to come up with our own plans. The Pharisee's plan was through the keeping of the Law. The heathen through worshipping idols and giving gifts to them. The rich young ruler's plan was through keeping the Commandments. Saul tried through his education and knowledge. Countless numbers throughout history, including today, have a plan that they believe will save them. Their plan is called-- salvation by works. They think that church membership, water baptism, giving offerings, singing in the choir, serving on some church committee, or going to church once or more a week will save them. 

 

If salvation through works was a good plan, if it was the best plan then God would have come up with it-- it would have been God's plan and way. That would have been the plan He put into place. But it wasn't. It is a faulty plan. It is a plan based on our own ability. We have no ability to save ourselves. No matter how hard you work at accomplishing your plan of salvation, it won't work. The rich young ruler accomplished it rather well to a point-- he did the works, he kept the commandments-- but he still went away sorrowful not receiving salvation because he fell short in his plan, and then would not surrender to God's plan. The only plan that will work was Jesus dying on the cross. This plan is perfect and without fault. Whose plan are you working on to receive salvation? Are you working on your own plan as to how you are going to be saved? It won't work. 

 

Have a great day. Our plan for salvation is by doing good works. God's plan for salvation is by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. That is the only plan that will work. 

 

For further reading:

Titus 3:5

Matthew 19:16-22

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

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