One of the chief glories of salvation is that it is all of grace. This will make it shine with a lustre all of its own, not only in time but throughout the endless ages of eternity. How unitedly will God’s redeemed ones sing throughout eternity:
“Not unto us, Lord, not to us,
but do Thou glory take
Unto Thy Name, ev’n for Thy truth
and for Thy mercy’s sake.”
How strange it is then that that which constitutes one of the chief excellencies of salvation is the very thing that proves a stumbling-block to so many. The reason for this, of course, is evident. It is because of man’s fallen nature. Grace is so high above man’s natural understanding that he cannot understand or accept it. Men give rewards on the ground of merit or worthiness; how then can man explain, or seek an explanation of the free bestowal of divine unmerited favour — the bestowal of pardon to the hell-deserving, of life instead of death.
Another reason which renders it difficult for man to accept a salvation that is all of grace is his wish to have some hand in his own salvation. The proud heart of man is not ready to submit to a salvation in which he has no part. If man is to have opportunity to exercise his natural boastful spirit then he must have something of his own to boast in. But if salvation is all of grace there is nothing left for him to boast in. If in lesser things men desire to boast, how much more so in a matter of such importance as their own salvation. Man desires to be his own saviour or, at the very least, to have a conspicuous share in that salvation.
To what an extremity then must men be brought by divine power before they are ready to relinquish their various schemes of self-deliverance and submit in meakness and humility to a way of salvation, all the glory of which is to accrue to God. Into what depths Jonah himself had to go before he finally acknowledged that “salvation is of the Lord.” May we then be brought to acquiesce in a salvation that is all of grace.
Seeing it is all of grace, Christ is to have all the glory of His people’s salvation. They will never grudge Him the glory of it. The Father has honoured Him, placing Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Angels accord Him the glory of it, desiring to look into these things. The redeemed upon Mount Zion will never, no, not to all eternity cease to magnify the riches of God’s grace and will cast their crowns at His feet.