So Was It The Chicken Or The Egg?

Hey church family . . . Hope you’re having a good week. Looking forward to seeing you with us in worship this weekend. Whether that’s online as we stream out services out to you, or live and in person in our parking lot this Sunday morning at 11:00AM.

In all our services we’ll be observing “The Lord’s Supper” and I look forward to sharing that with you. In thinking about that – I was reflecting on the age-old question. . . Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Strong arguments can be made on both sides. And in case you’re not aware of it, life is filled with these types of questions. Scientists study, and examine and argue over the origin, and the make-up, and the effects of different forms of life and matter all of the time. Sometimes they find definitive answers, and sometimes they are left with more questions.

Likewise, there are many deep, theological questions that are constantly examined and debated in the Christian community. Oswald Chambers touched on one of them when he wrote . . . “I am not saved by believing; I realize I am saved by believing.”

In other words, “Which came first, my faith or my salvation?” While some might be frustrated by questions like this, I think they’re necessary. And the reason is, that there can be a tendency among Christians to emphasize what we have done, over and above what God has done in Christ when it comes to our salvation. We don’t mean to do it…but it happens. We look to our repentance, and our prayer of salvation, and other outward signs to give us confidence that we are saved. When it comes to our salvation experience we look to the point at which we realized what Christ had done for us; instead of to that cross thousands of years ago, through which we became His own.

The fact is, if any one of us is right with God, it is because of what Jesus did – long before anything we had done. We are saved totally because of His finished work on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. When God reveals the truth of the Gospel, and invites us to believe, and we accept His invitation. . . It’s then that we experience the supernatural grace of God. And all at once, we stand right with God. Not because we repented and believed, but solely because of what Jesus has done.

Romans 5, verse 10 says it this way . . . “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!” (Romans 5:10). That verse tells us that we were reconciled with God – not when we believed – but while we were His enemies.

There is nothing we did to earn salvation…and there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor now. It’s His grace that saved us, and His grace in which we are able to stand right now. And that’s something for which we can all be thankful - AMEN.