Grace Thoughts
GraceLife Thoughts – Confident in God’s Salvation
We can be confident in following any process God established. We do not depend on our abilities, our skills, our personality or intellectual prowess. We depend on the Holy Spirit. Some of us plant the seed of the Word. Some of us water the seeds that have been planted. However, we depend on God to give the increase.
The Holy Spirit will do what only He can do. We need to do what He tells us to do – plant and water.
Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:8
Paul had great confidence in God’s process of salvation. Why? Because God told Paul why he could be confident.
Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.’ And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Acts 18:9-11
God had “many people in this city,” so Paul did not need to be afraid or silent. What does that mean? It means what it says. Paul had just entered into the city of Corinth and faced opposition from the beginning of his ministry there. How could Paul be confident to stay in Corinth even in the face of strong opposition? Because God had predestined many people in Corinth for salvation – “for I have many people in this city.” Those people were “dead in trespasses and sins,” but God had chosen them and sent Paul to them to preach the Gospel. Paul could be confident in God’s power to call dead people to life – by grace through faith.
Did God only have “many people” in Corinth? Go back several years earlier to when Paul and Barnabas were teaching in Antioch, Syria.
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:2-3
The Holy Spirit told church leaders in Antioch to separate Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to Him because God had “many people” in many cities ready to hear the call to salvation. Antioch in Pisidia is another example.
And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. Acts 13:48-49
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
