Romans 11:6, A Free Gift From God

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

The late pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, CH Spurgeon, gave this interesting story in his book “All of Grace” to teach salvation is wholly and solely by the grace of God, His unmerited favour, a free gift from God:

“A minister called upon a poor woman, intending to give her help; for he knew that she was very poor. With his money in his hand, he knocked at the door; but she did not answer. He concluded she was not at home, and went his way. A little after he met her at the church, and told her that he had remembered her need: “I called at your house, and knocked several times, and I suppose you were not at home, for I had no answer.” “At what hour did you call, sir?” “It was about noon.” “Oh, dear,” she said, “I heard you, sir, and I am so sorry I did not answer; but I thought it was the man calling for the rent.” Many a poor woman knows what this meant. Now, it is my desire to be heard, and therefore, I want to say that I am not calling for the rent; indeed, but to tell you that salvation is all of grace, which means, free, gratis, for nothing. Oftentimes, when we are anxious to win attention, our hearer thinks, “Ah! now I am going to be told my duty. It is the man calling for that which is due to God, and I am sure I have nothing wherewith to pay. I will not be at home.” We are not going to talk about law, and duty, and punishment, but about love, and goodness, and forgiveness, and mercy, and eternal life. Do not, therefore, act as if you were not at home: do not turn a deaf ear, or a careless heart. I am asking nothing of you in the name of God or man. It is not my intent to make any requirement at your hands; but I come in God’s name, to bring you a free gift, which it shall be to your present and eternal joy to receive.”¹

The Apostle Paul wants us to see God’s sovereign hand in reaching out to the unsaved. He was gloriously saved not by any good work that he had done, but by God’s loved reaching out to him at the road to Damascus. Thank God that He still saves sinners today by His grace. There is indeed hope for the seemingly hopeless world so blatantly rejecting God in Jesus Christ.

What a Wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ my Lord

What a Wonderful Saviour from sin He set me free

I will praise Him forever faithful to death I’ll be

What a Wonderful Saviour, Jesus is to me! 

Amen.

¹ All of Grace: An Earnest Word with Those Who Are Seeking Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ.