p. 4 | SALVATION BY GRACE by Methodist Recorder

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 20, 1887

SALVATION BY GRACE.

By Methodist Recorder

SIN and grace are words closely associated in the word of God. Sin, as the destroyer of the soul; grace, as the power of God unto man's salvation. Sin is of man, reigning within him unto death; grace is of God, and the gift of his love to sinful man. Sin seeks the enthronement of God; grace seeks the salvation of man, and his enthronement at the right hand of God. Sin brings man under the curse of God; grace delivers him from that curse, and brings him into the favor of God. Sin begets in the soul of man misery and death; grace brings into the heart of man peace, and joy, and the hope of eternal life.

By nature man is born into a state of sin and misery; by grace man is born of the Holy Spirit, and is a child of God and an heir of Heaven. If saved at all man must pass from the state of nature into the state of grace. He must be born again. Without the new birth he cannot be saved, because as long as he remains in the state of nature he is dead in trespasses and in sins; but a dead soul cannot love and obey God, nor by his own power restore himself to life. While thus living in sin he is under the condemnation of the law, which declares that "the soul that sinneth it shall die."

For his salvation he must, therefore, look to God through Christ. In this emergency, that "grace of God that bringeth salvation" appeared unto all men. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." So, by being justified by his grace, we are made "heirs according to the hope of eternal life." "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." . . . Although salvation is of grace, and "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ," and salvation "is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy," this grace and mercy do not in the least interfere with man's free agency, nor his personal efforts to secure salvation; but working in and with the sinner makes effective his desires and his efforts to the salvation of the soul, so that his salvation is all of grace. This is clear from the words of Christ, "If any man will [or wishes to] come after me." Salvation is not forced upon anyone. No one is saved unless he wishes salvation. It is chosen by the sinner. It is desired before it is sought, and the desire and the seeking belong to the sinner, and spring voluntarily from his heart, and must precede the self-denying, the taking up of the cross and the following of Christ. From the first motion of the heart of the sinner toward Christ and salvation, all the energy of the soul is called into activity. . . .

Yes, salvation is of grace. This is the joyous song of our pilgrimage. Blessed be the name of the Lord! He has made salvation sure. It is he that "worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It is because his love first sought and found us that we ever sought and found Jesus. It is because we are born of the Holy Spirit that we are able and disposed to deny self and take up our cross and follow Christ. We are encouraged to persevere in the divine life and to bear our cross daily because "his grace is sufficient for us," and his strength is made perfect in our weakness. Gladly do we follow him because he is ever with us, and his everlasting arms are our protection. And when he leads into the valley and shadow of death we will not fear. Even if he requires of us the surrender of all earthly possessions as an evidence of our love for him, we will freely give them all up.—Methodist Recorder.