God’s Glory Alone is Our Eternal Benefit
10/3 Reading Portions: 1 Kings 6; Ephesians 3; Ezekiel 36; Psalm 86
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10/3 Reading Portions: 1 Kings 6; Ephesians 3; Ezekiel 36; Psalm 86
Ezekiel 36:22
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.”
SAKE
Our salvation in Christ is all of God’s grace and merited by nothing in ourselves. The Lord GOD says it is for His holy name’s sake, and not for our sake. Yesterday, we read the same thing in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Although God does so for His name’s sake, to show Himself gracious, we do in fact benefit from it— that we could not boast in our own bloodline, nor in the works of our flesh, nor in our decisions or determined will, but in God alone (John 1:13). Whenever we start taking credit for the work of our salvation, we make less of the power of Christ’s work on the cross. Christ’s atoning death becomes more and more diminished in our hearts and minds. Rather than exalting Christ Jesus and glorifying the excellence of His holy incarnation, His righteous life lived, His suffering God’s wrath for sins He did not commit, His laying down His life by death and desolations, by shedding His pure, untainted blood through His pierced side, in His resurrection from the dead, and His ascension to the right hand of Majesty on high, we begin indulging self-idolatry; that is, arrogant, belligerent pride begins to pool in our flesh, and we become no better off than the rascals we once were before Christ saved us. Our faith becomes weak because we begin trusting in our own work; like King Uzziah, who being filled with pride (2 Chron 26:16), attempted to offer incense in the temple, which was the priest’s job. Yes, while God saves for His name’s sake, you and I benefit greatly from God’s amazing grace. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Amazing grace! How sweet its truth!
It glorifies God’s name;
Yet, we do benefit, forsooth,
Grace keeps us from pride’s shame.