"I Do It Myself"

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Beloved,

My little girl, Olivia is two years old.  She has gotten to the age when she loves to try and complete task without any assistance.  She loves to say, “I do it myself.”  At least once a day, Olivia becomes extremely frustrated with some task because no matter how hard she tries, she cannot complete it by herself.

There is the two-year old spirit in all of us who say to the Lord in our hearts that “I do it myself.” We want to believe that our work and our effort bring us into a right relationship with God, but we will become frustrated for salvation cannot be completed by ourselves.

The Scriptures says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.”  Grace is unmerited favor.  Grace is a gift. It cannot be earned or won, but it is freely given.  We must destroy the two-year old “I do it myself” spirit, by putting all our hope and trust in Jesus Christ.  God has saved us through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf.  If we had a part to play in our salvation then we would be able to boast before God, but God called us when we were low and despised.  1 Corinthians 1:28-31,

God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’

We cannot boast in God’s presence because of our works, but we can boast in the Lord who became to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.  Beloved, God has given us grace and made us righteous through Jesus Christ.  God has made us holy and bought us back from the grave through His shed blood on the cross.  Beloved, boast in what God has done for you through Jesus Christ.

Never try to earn your salvation.  Never bring your works before God as a reason to boast.  Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.  Be free from trying to earn your salvation. Trust in the grace of Christ. We are born with an “I do it myself,” attitude, but only when we are broken and see our desperation can we say, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”  It is only then that we walk away justified.  We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  

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