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Mar 21, 2025 06:00am

Grace Alone

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“No purchase necessary.”

Every year, McDonalds runs a Monopoly game on their products. You can find game pieces on certain items, such as the fry box or the cup for your drink. There are many prizes to win, from free food to cash to gifts. At the end of every commercial, they always say, “No purchase necessary.”

But to me, that just doesn’t make sense. If you have a game piece to win, and you have to get those off of the items you purchase at McDonalds, how then do you get them without purchasing?

It’s either one way or the other. It cannot be both. That doesn’t make sense.

Romans 11:1-6 NIV

“1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?
4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”

As Paul finished chapter 10, he shared how the Jews had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, but many rejected Him. As we begin this next chapter, Paul continues that conversation and asks, “Has God rejected His people?”. And he answers that clearly – “no!”.

While many have rejected Christ, some still have and continue to accept Him as the Lord. How? They trust in Jesus’ words about how the law isn’t enough to save them and that it has to come by believing in Him. The law was focused on works, but faith in Christ is by grace alone.

And as he finishes this statement, he reminds us yet again that it cannot be both.

“And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”

Only by God’s grace, the unmerited favor of God, can we receive and obtain salvation. If there was any form of work or merit to earn it, it would not be grace. Therefore, just as Paul exclaimed to the Roman believers, those who come to Christ can only do so because of God’s grace.

Listen, even though we may not follow the Jewish customs and laws, we get this confused, too. It’s human nature to feel we must work to receive something good. There must be something we can do to earn it. Sure, we are willing to accept God’s favor, but we feel we have to work to have it.

Have you ever thought, “I have to act this way and do these things to be a Christian and stay a Christian”? Do you believe God loves you because you are “good”? If you stood before God right now and He asked you why He should allow you into heaven, how would you respond?

Would you say, “Well, I’ve tried to follow the 10 commandments. I’ve tithed, I go to church, serve in the church, and help people.” Those are good things, but they aren’t part of salvation.

Would you say, “I was baptized”? Again, not what God said was required for salvation.

Would you say to the Lord, “I gave money to the poor, fed the hungry, and helped the widows and orphans.” Wonderful things to do, but not what is needed for salvation.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace. Gods grace. That’s it. That’s the only thing that builds the bridge over this great chasm our sin has created between us and God. When we believe in God’s grace, when we have faith that God can save us in this unique way, when we realize there is nothing we can do or add to this, when we confess our sin to Him and call out to Him to forgive us – THEN we are saved.

By grace alone.

It can’t be both.

Have you done that? Listen, you may be an active churchgoer and do all the things, but if you’ve never trusted Christ alone to save you, you are simply trusting in your works just as many of the Jews did.

Is He calling out to your heart today? Do you feel it? Is there uncertainty in your mind? Pray. Tell the Lord what’s on your mind and heart, and trust in Him alone.

If you want to learn more and know how to live a life according to the Word of God, go to follow.lifeword.org. Let me show you more about the truth of Jesus and the free gift of salvation and freedom He offers to those who choose to follow Him.