WHO GETS THE CREDIT?

     Salvation does not depend on people.  God is not
holding his breath to see what you are going to do.  God's
program to redeem for Himself a people out of sinful
humanity was His own idea and motivated by His own loving
nature.

     Paul wrote, "It is because of him that you are in
Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that
is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."
(I Corinthians 1:30 NIV)

     If you have already put your trust in Christ Jesus as
your Savior and Lord, you can claim no "credit" for
becoming a Christian.  It was by God's doing that your
salvation came to you, His Word that worked in your heart,
and His Spirit who enabled you to come to faith in Christ.

     It was God who worked redemption through the
incarnation and crucifixion and resurrection of His Son,
and none of the angels of heaven or the demons of hell
understood until it was over (see I Cor. 2).  It is by
God's doing that the holiness and righteousness of Christ
are assigned to the believer.

     Some Christians say boastfully, "Well, I'm the one who
BELIEVED it. Yep, I had to put MY faith in Christ, or He
couldn't have done it!"

     Some folks resist this message because they insist
that God should recognize at least some of their own
efforts, their own goodness, even their own response to the
gospel, as part of the saving equation.  He will never do
this.
     "Salvation is of the Lord", and it is only and
completely by God's grace, received through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ.  That way, only God gets the credit.

     You could probably read through or listen to the
letter to the Romans in 1 or 2 hours.  This is the key book
in the Bible on the teaching we're talking about.
     Even if it's hard on your pride, if you have not yet
"received" Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, do it NOW.
                                   [Clyde Price,  Arrows32]