Today was the last chapel of the semester for CBTS. Pastor Daniel put all the graduating seniors on the spot by asking them to give a testimony last-minute. Talk about the sovereignty of God...although none of them had time to prepare a response, their exposure to God's glory shown forth through their personal testimonies of their struggle to walk with God. Each and every one of them testified of the grace of God, God's faithfulness, their lack of worthiness to be in His service, and their humble hopes to be used by Him in the future. It moves me to ponder what is meant when we say we are thankful for God's grace in our lives? I think often I have used the phrase "by God's grace," flippantly in the past without really thinking about what that means.
God's grace first of all is what brings the believer, the elect sinner, to salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 is the classic passage that addresses this. "by grace you have been saved through faith; this is not of yourselves; it is God's gift--not of works so that no one may boast." We have read the glorious truth of the first part of this chapter, "You were dead in your trespasses and sins...but God made us alive with Christ." God's grace gives life to the dead body that up to that point had cursed His name. God's grace gives the believer this standing in Christ. So first of all, God's grace abounds where our sin held us in a state of death and alienation so that we can be saved into a relationship with Him.
For most people who understand the gospel, this first part is not hard to grasp. But what about after salvation? The same grace that brings us into relationship with God keeps us in that relationship. Some have not understood this, thinking that good works cause a believer to grow; but how would that bring glory to God? If I cannot gain His favor initially through my works, why would I think that I can keep His favor through my works? For this kind of thinking Paul chides the Galatians in 3:3, "You are so senseless! Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected in the flesh?" NO is the answer to the rhetorical question. Those who by God's grace, walk in the Spirit, will put to death the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). The grace that God gave us to justify us is also the grace we need for sanctification, because we cannot grow through our works. Yes, through our own works we may be able to fool a lot of people into thinking we are spiritual; we may be able to put on a great exterior, but that is worthless, and it does not satisfy. When the facade is stripped away, what is left? Nothing, because only God truly satisfies. His presence and His glory sanctifies us by His grace. So what does that leave us to "do," what are we left to pursue for sanctification? God alone.
What is the conclusion to all this? Merely that when all of those guys got up there today and testified of the grace of God, what they were saying is this: "Even though I have finished an M.Div, I am nothing without God; He has worked in me. He saved me and He is sanctifying me. I am bewildered that He would want to use me. But He will get the glory for anything that I do for Him, because He is accomplishing it. I am now pursuing His glory as I leave this place knowing that He will accomplish His work in me." I sat there challenged by the evidence of God's grace in their lives and craving a close dependence on Him that forces me to rely on His grace alone.
For God's work we must praise Him and continue to pursue His glory. As I go through seminary, my goal is the same as when I leave. Nothing will change except the environment I may be in. That goal is to, by God's grace, walk with God so I may behold His glory. Nothing more, and nothing less.
"Now we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord are being changed ino the same image from one degree of glory to another, even as from the Lord who is the Spirit."
II Cor. 3:18.
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