ACCORDING TO OUR
DEEDS
By Dennis L. Curd
The
Christiansburg Chronicle
The idea that we are saved by grace alone, as
advocated by many denominationalists and even some among us, leaves us empty in
explaining many passages of Scripture. One
such passage says this: “Who will render
to every man according to his deeds” (literally: “works”) (Rom. 2:6). Paul, the apostle, seemed to believe that
judgment will be based on what we have done in the body (2 Cor. 5:10), not
simply on what God has done through His grace.
We are truly saved by grace (Eph. 2:5, 8),
but the idea of grace only leaves something unsaid. Grace is God’s work. It implies only activity God originated and
God delivered. It, as a gift, has
“appeared to all men,” “bringing salvation” (Titus 2:11). Grace is the vehicle that brings salvation
but it is not a distribution service.
That is, it is not grace’s work to dole everything for our salvation except
make up our minds to accept it. Grace
pleads for man to come to salvation through the gospel call (2 Thess. 2:14),
but He will no force us to comply.
It is in this compliance that man’s final
judgment will center. Mankind will be
judged on how well he responds to God’s offering. While our response, and its level of
completeness, is not to be the gauge of out worthiness, nevertheless, those who
respond from a full-heart will be judged better than those who half-heartedly
come. God knows the difference between
those “who by patient continuance in well doing (good works) seek for glory and
honor and immortality, and those who “are contentious, and do not obey the
truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath” (Rom. 2:7, 8). Both the saved and the lost will be
recognized by their response to God’s grace.
Grace saves, but it saves by faith (Eph.
2:8). Faith comes from hearing the world
of God (Rom. 10:27). That message of
God’s saving power, grace fully realized in Christ Jesus, is God’s offer of
salvation. No greater message could or
will be told. Is it any wonder the Bible
so often pleads for total obedience of mankind?
How sad it is that such a message is rejected either from a denial of
God’s grace or by an over-enthusiastic reaction to the promises inherent in
that grace. Judgment without God’s grace
would result in the damnation of all people , but the presence of God’s grace
does not imply the salvation of all people.
Our reception of God’s grace by a faithful obedience is god’s desire for
us all.
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