Lift Neither Hand nor Foot

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
Friend, are you seeking to win Christ and His eternal salvation by your own righteousness and good works? Is your hope for eternal life built on what you can do for Christ, or have you learned that the only security God Himself can give you is to put your trust in His Son and what He has done for you? Then in love and thanksgiving for so great salvation you will desire with all your heart to please Him in all your manner of life.
"And if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon." Ex. 20:25, 2625And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. (Exodus 20:25‑26).
Works must flow from salvation. There must be first the fountain, and then the stream; first the tree, and then the fruit; first the fire in the grate, then the smoke from the chimney; first the seed in the ground, and then the crop above ground.
There must be in shining on God's part before there can be the outshining on our part. There must be in-pouring on His part before there can possibly be outpouring on our part.
Sad to say, such is the ignorance and perversity of poor fallen man that he strives to "lift hand or foot" to obtain his soul's salvation. He does not or will not see that God was before him at the cross of His own Son, and that everything that God required for His glory and that man needed for his salvation, has been done once for all there.
We read in the Old Testament that Jonah was in the great fish's belly three days and three nights. The waters compassed him about, the depths closed him round, the weeds wrapped themselves round his head; the bottoms of the mountains, the earth and her bars were about him apparently forever! What could he do there? He could lift neither hand nor foot to free himself, but in conscious guilt and helplessness he cried: "SALVATION IS OF THE LORD!" Immediately the fish vomited out Jonah upon the dry land of God's everlasting salvation, where not a drop of God's judgment could ever reach him.
In the New Testament hear the penitent thief on the cross, and listen to his confession: "We receive the due reward of our deeds": his vindication of Christ was, "This Man hath done nothing amiss"; his request of the Lord, "Remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom"; and Christ's answer came: "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise." What a blessed case of conversion in the face of death, and on the verge of eternity!
What did that poor thief do towards obtaining it? Nothing! His hands and feet were nailed to the cross, and he was therefore totally unable to lift either hand or foot. JESUS DID IT ALL, and the thief got the benefit of it, all through casting himself just as he was upon Jesus and His finished work. What a crown to it all―the Savior and the sinner that very same day together in the paradise of God!
"To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8, 98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9).
Does this message meet the eyes of one whose cry is, "What must I do to be saved?”
Then listen to God's answer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Be assured that in the momentous matter of your precious soul's everlasting salvation, God will not suffer you to LIFT EITHER HAND OR FOOT.
I would not work my soul to save,
For that my Lord hath done;
But I would work like any slave,
From love to God's dear Son.
"As many as received Him,
to them gave He power to
become the sons of God,
even to them that believe
on His name.”