Hi tebza4jesus,
Gal 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
I WORKED hard to ensure my salvation, maybe as a result of being afraid to go to hell. I prayed more, read the Bible more, and went to "church" almost daily.
These were your "works of the law," that before you knew the truth you were depending on for your salvation. That was the physical that must come first.
1Co 15:46 But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual.
1. Why should I read the Bible if for me to understand it, I will need spiritual ears, but I cannot get spiritual ears of my own working but they can only be given to me by God. I cannot deserve to receive these ears but its a gift from God.
2. We are saved by grace through faith, and this faith is a gift. So what role do I have in my salvation? I might as well just sit and say, "May God save me when and how He wants to"!
When I look at my life right now, I wonder if I am not lost.
What you are receiving now is most certainly a gift, it is the "spiritual." It may seem so different at first, having the Holy Spirit working in us, that we may feel kind of lost. But now is when you can really start to learn the truth, because before you were blind and now your eyes are opened.
It's like if you could not read because your eyes were bad and someone gave you glasses, so you could read. Hopefully you wouldn't cast them aside, but use them. What you could now learn by reading would open up a whole new world to you, right. So now you can study the Scriptures with the 'new' open eyes that you have.
2Ti 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
You can gain all the understanding and knowledge hidden in the Scriptures, only made available to us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
But even though it is a gift we actually do have to do something.
Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
v. 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
So we are doing the studying and praying, but now it is Christ in us that gives us the spiritual understanding that we can gain LIFE.
Eph 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
mercy, peace and love
Kat