OCTOBER 1, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

OCTOBER 1 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

There have been many through the years, including some rather notable theologians, who didn't believe James belonged in the Canon of Scripture because they said he taught a works-based salvation. Not to be the one who corrects these individuals, but James never teaches that salvation comes by works. What he teaches is that if I have true salvation, works will always be there. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved to good works. Genuine salvation always leads to a life filled with the works of God. We do these because we are saved, not in order to be saved.

The approach to works as children of God should be from the point of privilege, not out of duty, obligation, or constraint. We ought to see walking and working in the Lord as the greatest of privileges we have. Hard to imagine the all powerful God could use us...or that He would want to use us. Who are we that He would choose us for salvation and then use us for His Kingdom's work? Too often we approach our Christianity from a performance-based perspective. We believe if we perform adequately, then God will accept us and love us all the more. The problem with that is, on our own we can NEVER perform up to God's standards, so all we would be doing is spinning our wheels. Our salvation is not based on our performance, but upon Christ's finished work! And because of that we are able, in Him, to join God in what He is doing. What a great privilege!

Please share your thoughts.