Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretched like me
I was once lost, but now am found
Was blind but now I see…
I believed I am saved by His grace through faith (Eph 2:8) and I also used to believe that I am saved because I repented and asked for the forgiveness of my sins and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. What’s wrong with that? It’s because I thought I have a role in my salvation by deciding to accept Him to be my Savior. That I made that choice out of my own free will.
I thought I found Christ, but now I know that I found Him because He first found me and revealed Himself to me. When God made Adam out of the dust, Adam was lifeless and never asked God for life nor long to have life. But it was the will of God to breathe life on him and it pleased God to do so. And so with my wicked and lifeless heart. I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Ps 51:5). That sin separated me from God, it blinded my mind and enslaved my whole being that even all my righteous acts are like filthy rags (Is 64:6) in His sight. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he can not understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (I Cor 2:14). I was that depraved that the message of the cross is foolishness (I Cor 1:18a) to me. How can I see God’s holiness and my wickedness? How can I long for His salvation because I didn’t see myself needing it? No one can see the Kingdom of God unless He is born again (Jn 3:3), but how can I be born again if I am depraved and would never accept the message of the cross?
Praise God He saved me from death! He breathe life to me and unblinded my eyes. He moved first within me so I could see His glory. The Spirit moved within me so I would listen to His voice (Jn 10:16). And I learned that my salvation is not rooted with my decision, it was ordained in eternity past, planned by the Godhead for it pleases Him to save me. God the Father chose me before the creation of the world, in Christ I have redemption through His blood, and the Spirit was given as a seal guaranteeing my inheritance (Eph 1:4,7,13-14). God works out my salvation in conformity with the purpose of His will (Eph 1:11).
Hallelujah! Salvation is, indeed, of the Lord (Jnh 2:9b). I am saved because it is the will of God for me to be saved. I responded to Jesus and accepted Him as my Savior because He willed and made me accept Him. Francis Turretin says, "In the knowledge of God is eternal, it is necessary that the decree upon which it is founded should also be eternal…All things were decreed of God by an eternal and unchangeable counsel."
My salvation was decreed by an eternal and unchanging counsel for His glory. And His grace did not end there, for His grace will see me through. I have a promise that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6) and will bring me safely to His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen (2 Tim 4:18b)
