God sovereignly distributes His gift of faith to undeserving sinners. What a gracious Lord we have!
It's not OUR faith, it's a gift from God. Just as it's not OUR righteousness, and it's not OUR power, and it's not OUR love, and it's not OUR holiness. It's all of God, and from God.
God commands us to believe, to love, to be righteous, and to be holy. However, we are hard hearted, and we don't want to obey God, according to his ways. We want to obey Him according to our ways. And God rejects this, and resists this, for this is human pride. And this pride is impossible to overcome for the human heart and mind.
Unless, God has mercy on us.
If that takes place, then the Lord will give us a new heart according to his grace and mercy.
This new heart will long for His forgiveness, though knowing it is undeserved. This new heart will repent, and cry out to the Lord for help, and for His mercy.
This new heart will love the Lord, because He loved us. And His love is a personal love, and it's a love that means what it says; a love that will keep it's promises.
I feel like this post is a bit confusing, but I thought I'd just do a little rambling tonight. Rambling can be a good thing sometimes, cause there's no pressure when we ramble, I guess.
7 comments:
"We want to obey Him according to our ways."
That reminds me of a saying that we teach our kids about obeying. "If it is not immediate, it is not obedience." I think we have also included "cheerful," which is not a standard we consistently enforce in my house.
The flesh is weak and subtle in getting it's way.
Good saying Craver. I'll remember that one.
Good points. I just returned from a short trip, so I am behind checking my favorite blogs. I really like the last few illustrations you have used.
wayne
I liked this, and didn't find it confusing at all :)
Thanks Jazzy & Kristine.
"It's not OUR faith, it's a gift from God."
Seems rather interesting then that when the disciples ask Jesus "Lord increase our faith" he doesn't say, "sure" but rather "if you had faith as a mustard seed you would say to this mountain....." What's the deal with Jesus constantly saying "O ye of little faith" to the disciples, if the reason why they only had "little faith" rather than "great faith" is because that's what he gave them? Rather, when Paul says "according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith" he must mean that God has given everyone in the world a measure of faith, and whether they will increase that measure to a saving measure or not is their business to see to.
Ego,
There's certainly a portion of mystery to the salvation of man. Mankind will have to accept the fact that we are finite, and that God is infinte, who always was, and always will be. Can we understand all things of such a Creator?
I believe human's are dead spiritually, and can not believe the truth, unless God quickens the dead spirit.
And if His mercy comes to a human heart that is callous and rebellous, and He changes that heart from stone to flesh, then the person who is shown this mercy will believe and will love this wonderful Savior and God. Why? Because He first loved us, and died for us, and sought us , and saved us. Why did He love us?
I'll never know that one, and perhaps not even throughout eternity.
What a Savior and Friend we have!
Post a Comment