OUR SALVATION COMES FROM GOD'S GRACE AND NOTHING ELSE

Ephesians 2;8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God.

No one can be saved on their own merits. Since wealth was seen as proof of God's love, the rabbis commonly taught that rich people were blessed by God and were, therefore, the most likely candidates for heaven, so not true. Jesus destroyed that notion, and along with it, the idea that anyone can earn eternal life. His disciples had the appropriate response to this startling statement. They were utterly amazed and asked, "Who then can be saved?" If the wealthy among them, including the super-spiritual Pharisees and scribes, were unworthy of heaven, what hope for a poor man was there?  We are not saved by our wealth are condemned for it because if Christ resides in us, then no matter rich or poor, we will be submissive to the Word and inherit the right to be called His children.

Father, we know "some things are impossible with man, but not with You; all things are possible.  Lord, we are saved through our Father's gifts of grace, mercy, and our faith in YOU; nothing we do can earn salvation for us.  Father, give us eyes that see, so we can recognize our spiritual poverty and our utter inability to do anything to justify ourselves to You. Lord, let not the rich be blind to their spiritual poverty; let them not be proud of their accomplishments or content with their wealth. Father, keep us humble, relatively rich or poor, so You can use us to lift up others and build up Your Kingdom.  Lord, Your WORD tells us not everyone who professes receiving You is genuinely saved.  SO SEARCH OUR HEARTS AND REMOVE ALL that is not of You and replace it with the things of the Spirit. SO WE WILL BECOME A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST and BE CALLED Your children and inherit the promise, Amen in Jesus name.