God’s Work in Salvation – Alistair Begg
Salvation is the work of God. It is He alone who quickens the
soul "dead in...trespasses and sins,"1 and He it is who maintains the
soul in its spiritual life. He is both "Alpha and Omega."
"Salvation belongs to the LORD!" If I am prayerful,
God makes me prayerful; if I have graces, they are God's gifts to me; if I hold
on in a consistent life, it is because He upholds me with His hand. I do
nothing whatever toward my own preservation, except what God Himself first does
in me. Whatever I have, all my goodness is of the Lord alone. Whenever I sin,
that is my own doing; but when I act correctly, that is wholly and completely
of God. If I have resisted a spiritual enemy, the Lord's strength nerved my
arm.
Do I live before men a consecrated life? It is not I, but Christ
who lives in me. Am I sanctified? I did not cleanse myself: God's Holy Spirit
sanctifies me. Am I separated from the world? I am separated by God's
chastisements sanctified to my good. Do I grow in knowledge? The great
Instructor teaches me. All my jewels were fashioned by heavenly art. I find in
God all that I want; but I find in myself nothing but sin and misery. "He
only is my rock and my salvation."2
Do I feed on the Word? That Word would be no food for me unless
the Lord made it food for my soul and helped me to feed upon it. Do I live on
the bread that comes down from heaven? What is that bread but Jesus Christ
Himself incarnate, whose body and whose blood I eat and drink? Am I continually
receiving fresh supplies of strength? Where do I gather my might? My help comes
from heaven's hills: Without Jesus I can do nothing.
As a branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the
vine, no more can I, except I abide in Him. What Jonah learned in the ocean,
let me learn this morning in my room: "Salvation belongs to the
LORD."1 Ephesians 2:1 2Psalm 62:2
Sid Stewart
Executive Director
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