Who will sustain you to the end . . .
1 Corinthians 1:8
Most of God’s grace is His work behind the scenes, even largely hidden from those who have clear spiritual sight. Much is attributed to man what should ultimately only be attributed to God. While the Bible undeniably addresses man and his volition will, it never divorces it from God’s enabling grace.
When we don’t give God all the glory for our salvation, which includes our perseverance in faith, we commit idolatry—ascribing to man what belongs to God. This happens much more than we realize. That doesn’t mean that we should be passive instead of actively pursuing God’s will.
However, the fuel of our active obedience is God’s enabling grace: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Cor. 15:10).
Today’s verse is massively encouraging, especially since Paul addressed to a church that had significant divisive and moral issues. Nevertheless, he stated that Jesus “will sustain you to the end.” He’s the One who will bring you safely home.
That echoes what Jesus Himself had said: “I give them [My sheep] eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). He does so by sustaining us throughout our lives. In the end, God’s word will prove to be true: “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isa. 46:4).
This devotional is from It’s All about Jesus, the book used for Jesus’ $100,000,000 birthday gift. Will you join His collective birthday gift and buy the one-year devotional on Christmas Day, 2019, for just $9.99?