Dwight Fletcher | We can’t buy God

We have ‘nothing’ which we can present for his favours. And yet there are many who seek to ‘purchase’ the favour of God. Some do it by good deeds and prayers; some by penance and fasting; some by attempting to make their own hearts better, and by self-righteousness; and some by penitence and tears. All these will not ‘purchase’ his favour. Salvation, like every other blessing, will be ‘his gift’; and if ever received, we must be willing to accept it on his own terms; at his own time; in his own way. We are without merit; and, if saved, it will be by the sovereign grace of God. (Barnes)

Isn’t that which is true of Simon (Acts 8) also true about us? Many times we try to purchase God’s favour and love. We have good desires but attempt to get them using the wrong methods. Sometimes, it may not be through purchase with money, but it may be through godly or good activities. Consider the person who is far from God and is unsaved. He recognises that he is not where God wants him to be, so he tries to gain God’s favour and love outside of the prescribed way. He attempts this by giving money to the poor, not cheating on his spouse, being kind to the homeless, all good things but they fall short.

All that we access from God is freely given to us. We cannot work for it and we do not deserve it. This is a fundamental truth of the gospel of Christ. The Word says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-10.

‘For it is by grace…’ – His unmerited favour and unconditional love, ‘…you have been saved…’ It is because of this grace that I can experience a state of salvation, where my sins are forgiven, where we are made children of God, we become partakers of the Holy Spirit, he speaks to us and speaks through us (Adam Clarke’s Commentary)

‘… through faith …’ Our access to God comes through faith in His Son, ‘… not from yourselves’. What we need does not originate from us – it is a gift, and we can’t work for gifts. For new believers, we understand this for salvation but not for living out our Christian life. The Galatians had that same problem and Paul wrote to them: “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? … Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?” Galations 3:1-5

HAVING FAITH

Entry into the Kingdom is by faith in Jesus Christ and our continued walk in the Kingdom is by the same faith. By faith, we will read the Word because it will teach us, correct us, and train us in the things of God. By faith, we appropriate for ourselves the things God promises us in the Word. By faith, we draw close to God because the Word says, when we do, He will draw close to us. By faith, we obey God. We cannot buy God’s favour or gifts with our money or through our works. It’s all free.