Changing Your World

Salvation is something we immediately received when we got born again. As believers, our status as redeemed and ready for heaven is one thing that sets us apart from the world; it’s therefore critical that we understand what God’s Word of grace says about the relationship between our faith and our works. No striving or self-effort is needed to earn what we now have as God’s children. We’re efficient and at rest when working out of the supply that God has already placed in us.

Salvation is something we immediately received when we got born again. As believers, our status as redeemed and ready for heaven is one thing that sets us apart from the world; it’s therefore critical that we understand what God’s Word of grace says about the relationship between our faith and our works. No striving or self-effort is needed to earn what we now have as God’s children. We’re efficient and at rest when working out of the supply that God has already placed in us.

Salvation is something we immediately received when we got born again. As believers, our status as redeemed and ready for heaven is one thing that sets us apart from the world; it’s therefore critical that we understand what God’s Word of grace says about the relationship between our faith and our works. No striving or self-effort is needed to earn what we now have as God’s children. We’re efficient and at rest when working out of the supply that God has already placed in us.

Knowing the connection between our belief and our actions helps us to understand how they both fit together in our service to others. We must never minimize the power of faith. Our works are indeed important, but by themselves they don’t justify us before God; they should instead flow out of our faith in His grace. Our works should be the evidence of our strong faith; they should demonstrate our belief in a tangible way that others can see.

Knowing the connection between our belief and our actions helps us to understand how they both fit together in our service to others. We must never minimize the power of faith. Our works are indeed important, but by themselves they don’t justify us before God; they should instead flow out of our faith in His grace. Our works should be the evidence of our strong faith; they should demonstrate our belief in a tangible way that others can see.

When we get born again, God immediately declares us righteous because of our belief in Jesus. This is our stance in Christ, independent of our actions. Our salvation comes as a gift from God, but we receive it through faith. We could never earn our righteousness or our salvation; we received them as gifts because we believed. Just like Abraham, God sees us as righteous when trust in Him—not in ourselves—is our motivation for the things we do.

When we get born again, God immediately declares us righteous because of our belief in Jesus. This is our stance in Christ, independent of our actions. Our salvation comes as a gift from God, but we receive it through faith. We could never earn our righteousness or our salvation; we received them as gifts because we believed. Just like Abraham, God sees us as righteous when trust in Him—not in ourselves—is our motivation for the things we do.

As believers, we routinely learn about belief in our deliverance and how it fits with God’s grace, but we need to take this one step further. Genuine faith in all the gifts He gave us doesn’t waver, even when we don’t see them on the physical level yet. Through His grace, God has already made available everything we need; we receive these gifts by faith, with no laboring or striving needed. Resting our faith in God’s love positions us to receive from Him.

As believers, we routinely learn about belief in our deliverance and how it fits with God’s grace, but we need to take this one step further. Genuine faith in all the gifts He gave us doesn’t waver, even when we don’t see them on the physical level yet. Through His grace, God has already made available everything we need; we receive these gifts by faith, with no laboring or striving needed. Resting our faith in God’s love positions us to receive from Him.

As believers, we routinely learn about belief in our deliverance and how it fits with God’s grace, but we need to take this one step further. Genuine faith in all the gifts He gave us doesn’t waver, even when we don’t see them on the physical level yet. Through His grace, God has already made available everything we need; we receive these gifts by faith, with no laboring or striving needed. Resting our faith in God’s love positions us to receive from Him.

Believers have been made right with God. He sees us as righteous not because of anything good we’ve done, but because of what Jesus did and our faith in that. This is a significant departure from Old-Testament law, which demanded strict obedience and constant self-effort to earn righteousness. Our stance in Christ is permanent and independent of our behavior, which reflects our continually transforming state on our Christian journey.

Believers have been made right with God. He sees us as righteous not because of anything good we’ve done, but because of what Jesus did and our faith in that. This is a significant departure from Old-Testament law, which demanded strict obedience and constant self-effort to earn righteousness. Our stance in Christ is permanent and independent of our behavior, which reflects our continually transforming state on our Christian journey.

Believers have been made right with God. He sees us as righteous not because of anything good we’ve done, but because of what Jesus did and our faith in that. This is a significant departure from Old-Testament law, which demanded strict obedience and constant self-effort to earn righteousness. Our stance in Christ is permanent and independent of our behavior, which reflects our continually transforming state on our Christian journey.

Believers have been made right with God, regardless of their actions. As Christians, we’re righteous because God says so and we believe it; this is our stance, which is permanent. By contrast, our state is continually changing as we progress through our earthly lives, making mistakes but gradually becoming more and more like Christ. The world offers us plenty of choices of foundations to build our lives on; any foundation other than Jesus Christ will crumble and fall when trouble hits.

Believers have been made right with God, regardless of their actions. As Christians, we’re righteous because God says so and we believe it; this is our stance, which is permanent. By contrast, our state is continually changing as we progress through our earthly lives, making mistakes but gradually becoming more and more like Christ. The world offers us plenty of choices of foundations to build our lives on; any foundation other than Jesus Christ will crumble and fall when trouble hits.