Verse of the Day 5/6

Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  English Standard Version (ESV)

As Christians we realize that it is "by grace that we have been saved through faith, and that it is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8.  However, it is something that we seem to forget rather easily, that is why we are reminded of it throughout the New Testament.  It is not like we make a deposit for our salvation and then God comes along and finishes the transaction, nor does He make the  down payment and we make installments or the final payment.  It is all from God, and He should get the glory.

We also  realize that it is not simply a purchase and a free pass to heaven so that we can go right along with our lives and not  give it a second thought.  There is a regeneration, a renewal, a cleansing that takes place in our lives as we learn and live to follow Him.

Blackaby writes, "In this current age of entitlement and self-centeredness, we are never to take our salvation for granted.  Again, salvation is the kindness  of God revealed.  Our salvation is unearned, undeserved, and uncommon; it is nothing less than an act of divine love".  As the ESV states, it is "according" in accordance with His mercy and as The Message says below "it was all His doing, we had nothing to do with it.

I'm reminded of the old hymn, Jesus Paid it All and the lines Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Let's give thanks today for Jesus and the gift of salvation and show it in how we live today.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Titus 3:3-11The Message (MSG)

^3-8 It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

^8-11 I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It's obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off.