8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; ad that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The life of Christlikeness or the perfect human life is the life of a saved person. In Adam all died, but in Christ all shall be made alive.
The experience of God's salvation is the experience of the Grace of God. The Grace of God speaks of His unmerited favour. It is by the favour of God that a person is saved. God looks upon us and favours us to want to save us. Such thought does cause our vain heart to think that there must be something special and attractive in us that makes us stand out among others before God Almighty. Such vain thought cannot stand before the Word of God.
That God's grace is unmeritted means that there is nothing in us which obliges God to save us. In fact, God's Word reveals that outside of God's grace and in Adam, we are condemned for hell. That is what we deserve for sinful lives we are living. Men who compare themselves with themselves cannot agree with this judgment of God, but, in fact, often they think themselves worthy a better life. God's tsunami judgments against Ache and Japan should show us that He is no Respecter of person. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
While our salvation is the work of God's grace, it is to be accomplished through faith. This is not to suggest that salvation is the result of God's work of Grace and man's work of faith. Faith is not the work of man although is if found in man and exercised by man. Faith (saving faith) is a gift of God, put in the hearts of all whom God will save.
As all creatures came into being by the Word of God, so faith also comes into being in a person by the Word of God. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) The hearing of faith is no ordinary hearing of the preaching and declaration of God's Word. Such a hearing is the awakening of the deaf to the call of God, the raising of the dead to life. This awakening must take place first before one can truly repent of sins and place his confidence and hope in Christ.
This saving faith is essentially related to the Word of God. A person who would be Christlike must expose himself to the pure Word of God. We cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The Word of God convicts us of our sins and directs us to Christ, our Saviour. So, do not be surprised that Christlikeness may have to begin with the knowledge and conviction of our sins. Nobody likes to have his or her sins pointed out to him or her. But the humble pie must be eaten first before we can enjoy the glory of Christlikeness. Christlikeness is the putting on of the Wedding garment of the Bride of Christ, the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us in Justification. The more we see of this garment in worship the more we are transformed from glory to glory to be more like Him.
The true human life is a life of humility, joy and peace which passes all understanding and full of glory. It is a saved life in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
God bless.
lck
