Body

Devotions

Saved by Faith Alone

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

When we first came to faith in Christ, we trusted that our sins were forgiven. We believed we were accepted, that we could lay down all guilt and fear and say, “I am saved by faith alone in what Jesus did for me at the cross.”

As we proceeded in our walk with Jesus, we committed fresh acts of disobedience. We were crushed by our sins and quickly lost our vision of the cross. We tried to work out our own righteousness, to win back God’s favor by trying harder, but life then became a nightmarish merry-go-round of sin and confession, sin and confession.

We sometimes act as if trying harder on our own can save us. We think if we could just reform this flesh of ours, God would be pleased. Soon we are constantly working on our old man, to shape him up for a victorious Christian walk.

Some Christians may say, “I paid a high price for the victory I’ve achieved. I went through a lot of pain and suffering. I fasted, prayed and successfully put down all my lusts and sinful desires. Is my struggle to obey worth nothing to God? Does he consider all my righteousness, all my hard work, as filthy rags?” Yes! It is all the flesh and none of it will stand before him. There is only one righteousness, and that is the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3, NKJV).

The only way to get into God’s good grace is to admit the truth: “There is no good thing in my flesh, nothing in my good works to merit my salvation. I cannot become righteous through anything I do in my own strength. My righteousness is in Christ alone.” Paul says of the gift of righteousness, “Those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).

No Inheritance?

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

Paul gives us a list of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God: “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NKJV).

Then the apostle adds, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

How did these people who were saved out of such horrible sin become righteous before God? What happened to them that they no longer were evil but were accepted by God?

First of all, God is no respecter of persons. He is not at all impressed by a person’s title or earthly honor, whether a king, a queen, a president or a prime minister. Second, God is not charmed by any goodness in us. Long prayers, fasting, tithing, Bible study, benevolent acts—none of these makes us righteous or acceptable to God. Even our “good” flesh, character, speech, thoughts and deeds are a stench in his nostrils if used as a plea for our own righteousness.

When Jesus went to the cross, he crucified our “old man” of the flesh. There is only one man left, only one whom God will deal with and that is the Son. When Jesus finished his work on earth and sat down at the right hand of the Father, God said, “From now on I recognize only one man, only one righteousness. Anyone who comes to me must come through my Son. All who would be righteous must accept his righteousness and no other!”

We are accepted in God's eyes only by faith in Christ and his work. “He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

Do you see how important it is to abide in Jesus, to come to him quickly whenever you fail? You must learn to run to him, crying, “Jesus, I have failed you! I cannot work this out. No matter what I do, I can never be recognized before the Father, except as I come to him in you.”

Finding His Rest

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

“You will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30, NKJV).

I know of only one way to enter into this rest that Jesus is talking about. If understood and appropriated, this truth will usher you into the most glorious peace possible on this side of heaven and end all feelings of insecurity.

This foundational truth upon which all others are built is the doctrine of justification by faith. It is the one doctrine you must understand if you hope to enter into the rest that Jesus offers.

I can only touch on the highlights of the magnificent truth of being justified by faith, yet I believe God desires to lead his church further into this divine truth. He wants to give us a foundational strength that will hold us in the days to come.

Sadly, when you mention the subject of doctrine, many Christians turn up their noses. They say, “I don’t want to hear all that deep, heavy stuff. Just give me Jesus!” Yet what they really mean is “I don’t want to discipline myself or spend the time to learn what Jesus did at the cross.”

Too many Christians become emotionally involved with the cross but never really study it. I have heard many preachers deliver emotional appeals about Jesus and the cross, about his beatings, the crown of thorns on his head, the spikes driven into his hands. The preaching of the cross is about much more than that, however. It is about the victory of the cross and what Jesus did for all of humankind.

Two things are involved in our justification by the cross of Jesus Christ: First, we have pardon for all our sins. When Jesus went to the cross, his blood pardoned us from all guilt. Second, we are accepted by God as righteous in Christ, through faith. This means God accepts us on the merits of what Jesus did on the cross and not because of our works or any good deeds.

For those who desire to “learn of him,” who want to understand Jesus’s wonderful work at the cross, justification by faith is how we enter into Christ’s rest.

Justified before God

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)

Picture yourself standing before God's throne with no excuse or alibi. Satan, your legal adversary, is reading off the list of charges with times, places, every shameful detail. He makes accusations of pride, prayerlessness, covetousness, unfaithfulness, and your heart smites you because you have to admit, “Yes, that's me. I did it all.”

It looks hopeless for you. You know God's eyes are too holy to look upon sin, and his justice demands that you pay for your crimes against his holiness. You are helpless.

Suddenly, here comes your lawyer and advocate. He stretches forth his nail-scarred hands, and you know something is about to happen. He smiles and whispers, “Don't be afraid; none of these charges will stand. You're going to walk out of this courtroom free and fully pardoned. When I'm finished, your accuser won't have one charge left against you.”

Best of all, your lawyer tells you he has adopted you as his brother. Then he tells you he is the son of the judge, so you now belong to the judge's family as well!

There is still the matter of justice, though. What about the charges against you? You listen in absolute wonder as your advocate pleads your case: “Judge, you know that I fulfilled the law, living a sinless life. I took this person's place, taking on all the punishment for his crimes. Through these nail-scarred hands and my pierced side, blood came forth to blot out all of his transgressions. All these charges were put on my back, and I paid the penalty for every one of them.”

Your advocate then looks at your accuser and says, “Satan, you have no grounds to accuse my child. Each of his sins was placed on me, and I have fully pardoned them all. He is not guilty because his faith in the victory of my sacrifice gives him full pardon. You have no case!”

As the devil slinks out of God's court, you can hear the Lord cry out, “Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33, NKJV).

Our Peace and Strength

Gary Wilkerson

In Revelation, Jesus said to the church in Philadelphia, “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8, ESV). 

How many of you feel like you give and give, share and share? You probably have people coming to you hour after hour, phone call after phone call. Maybe it gets to the point where your strength feels like it’s gone and you have little power to give anything more. 

When you hit the end of your strength, perhaps you say to yourself, “Who gives to me?” 

Like in his letter to the Philadelphian church, Jesus answers, “I’ll give to you. Come to me, and spend time with me just to be with me.” His heart in this letter reminded me of when my oldest son was very young. We were walking through New York City, and it’s really loud there with cars, horns and sirens. Suddenly, he tugged my hand. I bent down so he could put his mouth to my ear. 

I thought he might have a question or a concern. Instead, he said into my ear, “Thank you, Daddy. You give me clothes and toys. But I wanted to tell you, Daddy, I love you just because of who you are.” 

A few days ago, I reminded my son, now a grown man, of that memory. We both were barely holding back tears. He’d forgotten that he’d said that, but I never forgot. That should be our heart for Jesus. That is the heart that he is longing for us to have. When we set ourselves to spend time with Jesus just because of who he is, he will restore our strength and set open doors before us that no one may shut. 

Jesus promised his disciples and those of us who would come centuries later, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). When you’re weary, tug on Jesus’s arm and tell him you love him. Spend time in his presence, and he will give you peace and strength.