December 29, 2005

Just to be clear: neither FAITH nor GOOD WORKS (can save)

“Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.”
-- Jesus to a woman healed of a 12-year hemorrhage (Luke 8:48, Mark 5:34, Matthew 9:22) as well as to many others (Mark 10:52, Luke 17:19)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
-- Paul the apostle, Ephesians 2:8-9

Lest anyone should boast.
Lest anyone should boast, i would like to clarify that it is not my faith but the object of my faith that has made me well, that has saved me. From the trivial to the all-encompassing, we all believe some things, but not all are true, and not all are correct.
Lest anyone should boast, i would like to clarify that anything and everything i have is from God, whether or not i have faith in Him. He will not cease to exist if i refuse to acknowledge Him. i, on the other hand…where would i be without the One who created me?
Lest anyone should boast, i would like to clarify that my worth in God’s eyes is not determined by the size of my faith in Him. Please do NOT go around saying, “I have bigger faith, nyah nyah nyah…”(!!)

It is the object of my faith that has saved me and made me well.
Deeper faith does NOT automatically mean a better life.

BUT
deeper faith means greater dependence, bigger trust, on the Lord and Master of all Creation.
meaning
more willingness to tap into the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-encompassing presence of God Himself.

It is the object of my faith that has made me well and saved me.
It is a gift of God
not of works
--- and NOT of my faith, in itself! ---

Lest anyone should boast.

=)
(written December 12, 2005)

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