“ . . . the cross of Christ alone can save.” (NLT)
David Wilkerson, in the World Challenge Pulpit Series of April 26, 2010, writes:
“No matter how I feel, Christ is my righteousness. No matter how many doubts may arise, Christ is my righteousness. No matter how many accusations I hear from the devil during the day, I stand on this: God sees me as righteous in Christ!”
There are, I think, many kinds of salvation. There is the eternal salvation that saves us from the damnation of hell and separation from God. And of all salvations, that is the most crucial, but there are other salvations. There is the salvation from danger or from illness. Hebrews 1:14 tells us that God sends His angels to care for the saints: “They are spirits sent from God to care for those who will receive salvation” (NLT). How often have we been saved from certain death or injury or even an illness because of God sends His angels to guard us and intervene on our behalf? Even in this life, in our day to day doings, God’s salvation is present.
We are also often saved from consequences. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we are removed from the consequences, but rather that God uses the consequences to continue to mold us into the image of His Son. Romans 8:28 tells us “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV). Even when we do the things we shouldn’t, when we rush ahead of God’s plan or purpose, He continues to work everything—including the consequences of our choices—for our good.
In other words, He continues to save us. We cannot step in and confound God’s plan of salvation for our lives in any way unless we simply reject Him. But as long as we trust Him, He continues to save us, even from ourselves.
A couple of days ago, my husband and I were out driving in a nearby desert community. Now, if you haven’t been in a rural California desert, you may be unfamiliar with what they call roads in some areas. If you are lucky, there may be pavement, but frequently the roads are dirt and sometimes rather rustic. Saturday, we actually found ourselves in a less than one-lane road, surrounded by cactus and sage brush, stopped by a “No Trespassing” sign. Contrary to our map, we had locked ourselves into a dead-end with very little room to turn around. It took some fancy driving for my husband to get us headed in the opposite direction, back toward the pavement some distance away.
I think that life is like that. We find a map we think we should follow. Whether that “map” is a friend’s advice or simply our own desires, we head out toward what we hope is a good opportunity only to find it is a dead-end with seemingly no way out. If we fail to trust the Lord, we can end up responding with depression or anger. But if we understand God’s plan of salvation, we can trust Him to work even those “dead-ends” for our good.
There is no righteousness apart from Christ, but there is all righteousness when we trust Him and Him alone for our salvation. And whether we are focusing, at that moment, on our eternal salvation (which puts everything else in proper perspective) or on the salvation of the moment, Christ alone is what will save us . . . even from ourselves!
In Christ Alone
by Shawn Craig & Don Koch
In Christ alone, I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory, let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone.
© 1990 Paragon Music Group. c/o Benson Music Group, Inc. 365 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN 37228. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. by Shawn Craig & Don Koch
In Christ alone, I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory, let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone.
© 2010 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
