Daily Devotional
Are You Adding to the Gospel of Grace?
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
December 3, 2023
Ponder This
I was on an airplane with a man who was a member of a denomination that believes you have to be baptized to be saved. I said, “What if I were a businessman on this plane with you, and we heard we were minutes away from a deadly crash? What would you do if I asked, ‘Sir, would you tell me how to be saved?’” He said, “I wouldn’t have a message for you.” Is that not sad? In that logic, you have to take the “whosoever” out of the Bible and say, “Whosoever would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be fortunate enough to be near water and have a preacher there to baptize him—and some would say, ‘and be of my denomination’—will be saved.” Do you see what that does? It emasculates the Gospel. It takes the good news out of the Gospel. I am so everlastingly glad that I can say to anybody, anyplace, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is totally, completely by grace. It extends to every person. It extends to every place, and it extends to every problem. There’s only one thing that ultimately matters, and that’s your relationship with God. There’s no other message that has an answer to sin, sorrow, and death, but the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
- What are some conditions you feel tempted to add to the Gospel?
- What’s a recent example of God’s grace in your life?
Practice This
Practice sharing the Gospel with someone. Are you prone to make much of grace or works in sharing with others? Evaluate how you can grow in sharing the Gospel.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
