Where Credit Belongs

Daily Bread

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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The apostle Paul wrote these words to the believers in Corinth to set them straight,

“. . . are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” (I Corinthians 3:3-7 – NASB)

We like to take credit for things. We like to gain the applause, the recognition, the attention, the credit for things achieved, credit for that which we gain, to brag about who it is we know, who it is we are associated with. The Corinthian believers were taking credit for having worked out their salvation, and they took it an extra mile by boasting that their salvation was better because they were “of Paul,” or they were “of Apollos. Maybe today someone of the same mind-set might say, “I worked out my salvation” and “I’m of MacArthur,” or, “I’m of Jeremiah,” or, “I’m of Piper.” I mean, lets give credit where credit is due, right? Look what I have done and who I am of . . . . WRONG! To be of this mind is to be “fleshly,” to be acting like “mere men.”

Brethren, salvation is of God! He “causes the growth!” He saves! It is God in Christ who credit belongs to! We are wise to recall this fact to mind, looking at the Scriptures to keep us straight on this most gracious work of the saving of our soul.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus . . .” (I Corinthians 1:30 – NASB)

“But . . . He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5 – NASB)

“And you being dead . . . But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Ephesians 2:1, 4-5 – NASB)

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works . . .” (Ephesians 2:10 – NASB)

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation . . . . He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thessalonians 2:13-14 – NASB)

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (II Timothy 1:8-9 – NASB)

In regards to salvation the holy Scriptures are very clear where credit belongs! They are clear as to who has saved us! It is “by His doing!” It is a fact that “He saved us” and it was “not on the basis of deeds which we have done . . . not according to our works . . . but according to His mercy . . . by (His) grace.” It is “by His doing” that “you have been saved!” It is “by His doing” that you, “being dead, “were “made alive!” It is “He” who “called you . . . according to His own purpose and grace,” we being “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”

May we never cease to remember where the credit belongs for the salvation we have in Christ . . . may we never forget it and may we never cease to give Him praise for it, “always giv(ing) thanks to God . . . because God has chosen (us) from the beginning for salvation . . . called us with a holy calling.” God . . . He is where the credit belongs!

Have a good day . . . and as you walk do so in assurance of what God has done, knowing that what He has done cannot be undone . . . . and give credit where credit is due. Oh praise His glorious name!