Grant Cyster reflects on the nature of salvation

Grant Cyster

I have been contemplating the nature of salvation recently, and it has been giving me a headache. Not only from a philosophical point of view, which is mysterious enough in itself, but also in terms of my personal experience in relation to it. I find this subject to be an enigma packed in a puzzle and wrapped in a riddle. Perhaps God really was not kidding when he declared that his ways are above my own as much as the heavens are above the earth. I find myself feeling like a five year old staring at a chalk board attempting to make some sense of Quantum Physics. Wait...who am I kidding? I feel like present day me trying to make sense of Quantum Physics!

On the one hand, there is the business of attempting to comprehend that salvation is entirely a work of God's redemptive grace. It has naught to do with works, so that no man may boast. It is the result of the magnificent generosity of God and has its origin and perfection in his goodness. Now for the vast majority of us I imagine, this in itself is an incredibly difficult concept to grasp. Most of us cannot comprehend enjoying a sense of belonging and acceptance that is absolutely separate from anything we have done or achieved. This is not the way the world in which we live has programmed our minds to operate. And sadly for many of us, neither has the environment that we have been raised in. On the other hand, we must grapple with the notion of working out our salvation with fear and trembling. We must come to terms with the reality that faith without works is dead, and we must endeavor to produce fruits in our lives that are in keeping with repentance. And all this within the context of keeping in mind that the most impressive deeds are as filthy rags in the eyes of God, apart from the gift of his son. I have found the balance line between these two realities to be a very elusive one to tread.

Depending on how we assess the condition of our lives at any given point, we are almost always venturing into an unhealthy extreme with regard to one of these two mindsets. It is my suspicion that there are precious few people on the face of this earth who have learned the serene peace and quiet confidence that comes from consistently living in a healthy tension between the two. Most of us who have been exposed to Christian teaching for any length of time are aware of the fact that we are desperately in need of the mercy of God. It is possible however, for the truth of this statement to remain but a vague mental acknowledgment until we are confronted with our own capacity for wickedness and rebellion. In times like these, mercy becomes immeasurably more than just a theological term. It becomes a life raft in the tumultuous storm of life. We begin to understand why there really never was any other option apart from Calvary, because we were never going to find the moral fiber to save ourselves from the consequences of our sin.

You know the feeling when it's like you've failed one too many times and it's practically impossible to imagine God having any patience left whatsoever? There are those moments when opening your mouth to utter the words "I'm sorry" or "Please forgive me" just seems like an entirely pointless exercise because prayers like that barely hold any meaning any longer. The Bible cautions everyone not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to, but to embrace a sober assessment of their lives. I can approach God with no illusions regarding any attempt to trade or bargain with him. I have nothing to bring to the encounter that in any way facilitates the liberation of my soul, and if there is any hint of good in me it is but a reflection of his beautiful image and work within me. However, on the flip side yet again, I am encouraged by my Father to approach his throne of grace boldly and with confidence so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need.

Personally, it has always been easy to disqualify myself in my own mind from any receipt of God's goodness towards me, because of an awareness of my brokenness. If nothing else, my advancement in years on this planet serves to convince me of my hopelessness in the absence of his compassion. The painful and frustrating awareness of my own capacity for sin has led me to make one prayer my own above all at this specific point in my life. Like the tax collector who Jesus spoke of in Luke's gospel, I will approach the King of heaven and say, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner". May I too, like him, walk away justified before my Father.