Make Every Effort: Peter's Fervent PleasSample

Day 1: Is Salvation by Grace or by Works?

Is Peter straying away from salvation by grace through faith in his four “make every effort...” pleas? Well, let’s see. This phrase occurs five other times in the New Testament. And, well, it can’t be because Jesus, Paul, and the writer to the Hebrews all declared that salvation was free and not by works.

Yet, Jesus said it in Luke 13:24: “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”

Paul said it in Romans 14:19: “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace,” and in Ephesians 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

And the writer to the Hebrews said it in Hebrews 4:11: “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,” and in 12:14: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.”

We are never saved through our own effort; there is no effort we could ever conjure up that would meet the high standards of God’s holiness and justice. Our salvation is only possible through the amazing sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who through the cross and His horrific death paved the way for sinners like us to enjoy eternal life.

But the high value of our salvation, bought by Jesus Christ giving everything He had for us, demands us giving Him our all so we can move into the beauty He has planned for us. Ephesians 2:8-10 makes this abundantly clear: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Reflection: Did we receive God’s gift of salvation and then never move forward in faith because we are hesitant to step out in obedience to what He asks of us? Let us not be content to risk everything God has planned for us! He has so much more for us; His plans for our lives are magnificent!