The Secret to Believing: As Simple as Grace
Let's begin with salvation. It should be immediately obvious that we cannot attain it through our own efforts; if we could save ourselves, there would be no need for God to send His Son. Therefore, instead of striving to save ourselves, we must understand how God saves us and simply believe in Him and accept Him.
The Bible states: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8–9). Thus, salvation is received solely through faith. However, when we do not know or understand this truth, it becomes difficult for us to accept.
Since man knows he is sinful, he often feels unworthy to enter God's kingdom. Consequently, many believe they must reform their lives and strictly follow God's commandments by obeying His Word. However, this approach is fundamentally mistaken. Sin can only be forgiven after its penalty has been paid. The Bible states, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Because of our sins, we deserve to die. Yet, God rescued us from the curse of death by having His Son die in our place, as these words declare: "He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). No one would willingly give up their life for a righteous person, but God's Son gave it up for a sinner. The fact that God had His Son die while we were still sinners—rather than waiting until we repented or reformed ourselves—is proof of the magnitude of His love! Because Jesus died for us, we are no longer subject to the punishment for our sins. Christ paid the full price for our sins with His life. All that is required is to believe this truth. Can you believe it?
The one who is without sin is righteous. God is righteous; therefore, those who come to Him must be righteous. People strive to become righteous through their own strength and effort by avoiding sin, controlling themselves, and following commandments. However, no one can achieve righteousness on their own. Paul wrote that God freely bestows righteousness upon sinful humanity through Christ: "All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24). Why does God give righteousness to sinners? Because otherwise, they would never be able to attain it on their own.
Regarding the Israelites who sought righteousness through their own efforts, Paul wrote, "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." (Romans 4:1–5).
The Gentiles obtain righteousness through faith, whereas the Israelites failed because they relied on their own works rather than faith. If you believe in what God has declared, you are righteous; if you rely on your own efforts, like the Israelites did, you cannot be made righteous.
Paul wrote, "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!" (Romans 5:9). Hell is reserved for those who lack righteousness and remain in sin. If you believe and accept the righteousness God freely gives through Jesus Christ, you will not go to hell. The righteous have already entered the kingdom of heaven. All of this is accomplished solely by God's grace, without any contribution from human effort; it is received by believing in God's grace.
Those who believe and accept this righteousness will live out the Christian life. Just as becoming a Christian cannot be achieved through human effort, living the Christian life cannot be sustained by human strength alone. Yet, many believers attempt to live this life through their own efforts, resulting in great struggle and frequent failure. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Here, Jesus emphasizes that the Christian life cannot be lived by human power alone. While humans can achieve many things through their own strength, living the Christian life is possible only through Christ Himself. Although Christ does not dwell with believers in a physical sense, He resides within them spiritually.
Jesus declared, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit is this power that enables believers to live the Christian life. However, many believers, not understanding this truth, attempt to live the Christian life by their own strength, which leads them into great difficulty and discouragement.
A car runs on fuel, not on human pushing or pulling. If a person pushes a car, it may move easily on flat ground, but it cannot climb a hill on its own. Similarly, the Christian life may appear manageable through human effort when one is healthy and financially secure, yet it becomes extremely difficult during times of illness, unemployment, or financial hardship. However, in a life governed by Christ or guided by the Holy Spirit, we can overcome these challenges through God's grace. "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose." (Acts 16:25–26). Typically, praise and worship are acts we perform when we feel happy or when life goes smoothly. But why were Paul and Silas able to praise God at midnight while chained in prison? It was not by human strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In general, a person in prison cannot sleep peacefully at night. However, why was Peter able to sleep soundly in prison, even being awakened by the angel of the Lord?
"The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision." (Acts 12:6-9).
Peter was a very fearful man. Even though he had been afraid of four household servants, when the Holy Spirit was with him, he knew no fear and could sleep peacefully in prison. If you and I are under the rule of the Holy Spirit, we will have no more fear. If you do not yet have the Holy Spirit, call upon Him to enter your heart. If you already have the Holy Spirit, then surrender yourself fully to His lordship. Serving God's will is not only easy but also a source of great joy.
REF726