4
hands. And so when we are going to be slightly
late for that meeting, perhaps miss that
train… because of the traffic jam, this too
shall pass. We write a letter on our computer,
and we lose it. And so what. We are not saved
by works. It is all of grace. Whilst we would all
claim to accept this, the reality is that we are
wired to prefer an attempt at justification by
works. And all sin is rooted in pride. Pride in
our own appearance and works. Justification
by grace hits at the very core of the way
we naturally prefer to manage life, which is
in our own strength. It is pride which mili-
tates against repentance. The Old Testament
prophets confront God’s people and Gentile
nations with their sin- and it is pride which is
their repeated criticism, rather than immedi-
ately seizing upon their idolatry or barbarism.
God is interested more in the process than the
product; the road, rather than the destina-
tion. Our work for Him, and our work in daily
life, is the path needed. And yet we tend to
think that our works achieved are the signifi-
cant thing. God requires not help from man,
and can do as He wishes quite without our
works. He looks at
the heart rather
than the achieve-
ments of the hands.
Martha struggled to
learn this lesson;
and the Lord came
down on the side
of Mary, who was
more interested in
hearing His words
than doing works for
Him. We are as
young children,
painting their pic-
tures or writing a
few simple sentences to make a story. It’s not
the end product which is particularly signifi-
cant on a world scale. It’s the process of
development the child passed through.
We are to humble ourselves under the hand of
God, that we might be exalted in due time
(1 Pet. 5:6). It’s a race to the bottom; only by
Editorial | Frustration
the end of our lives will we have been hum-
bled to the required extent. And that is why
many lives feature a period at the end of de-
clining faculties and ability to work. It’s all
gently and lovingly designed to bring us to the
ultimate truth- that we are saved by grace.
And even our faith is not of ourselves, but the
gift of God (Eph. 2:8). Paul doesn’t just start
writing about predestination in Romans. He
does so in the context of talking about salva-
tion by grace and not works. And he sees our
predestination to calling, the very fact that
some are called and others aren’t, as the pa-
rade example of grace. This is also why we
make mistakes; to humble us. And we are not
therefore to be frustrated by them, but to re-
alize that this too is part of a larger program
to bring us to total trust. For the original
words translated “faith” and “belief” essen-
tially mean just that- to trust.
Peace with God
Every sin deserves eternal death. Each time,
we are as Adam in Eden. For he there is every
man. As Romans 1-8 demonstrates, we come
before the throne
of God and deserve
to be sent to the
left side. But the
verdict is changed,
and we end up
actually justified,
by grace, counted
righteous, and are
assured of salva-
tion. Imagine com-
ing before the
judgment seat and
being condemned.
And then being
told that it’s been
changed, all is eternally OK, and we have in-
stead been moved to the right hand side. There
would be gasping gratitude, forever. And we
are there, now. For the essence of judgment
day is now. This is why in God’s bigger purpose,
He allows us to continue sinning, and uses that
experience; to regularly impress upon us the
wonder of His grace and loving salvation.