God did not want man to be perfect or holy by
himself—like the anointed Cherub, why?
10C.1
What is the consequence if man becomes perfect or holy by himself?
Again Apostle Paul wrote in
Romans 4:4 thus:
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
(New King James Version)
The same verse in other versions of the Bible:
"Now to him that worketh,
the
reward is not reckoned as of grace but as of debt." -- ( American Standard
Version)
Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due.
(Revised Standard Version)
If man can be holy by works of
righteousness which he does by himself. God would then be forced to
pay man his reward or wages—which he
rightly earned, because it is due him.
10C.2 In such a situation,
what may become of man?
In Ephesians
2:9, this is written:
not the
result of works, so that no one may
boast. (NRSV)
If man
becomes holy by works of righteousness which
he does by himself, man may
boast about it. This is reason why God does not want
man to become like the anointed Cherub.
10C.3
What does God want man to know about His reward—which is salvation—for
being holy?
In Ephesians 2:8 it is recorded;
"For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God." (NKJV)
The same verse in another version of
the bible:
For by grace you
have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is
the gift of God-- (New Revised Standard Version)
God wanted man to know that his reward
for being holy—that is salvation—is a gift of God. It is not given because of works of righteousness
done by a person. It is given only because it is the gift of God so no
one can boast about it.
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God purposely does not want man to
be perfect or holy by himself because he might
boast about it—like the anointed cherub.
Instead, God wants man to fully understand that his
reward for being holy—that is salvation—is a
gift from Him (Eph. 2:8). It is not given for any reason or works
of righteousness done by a man, but it is given
to a man as a "gift from God" so no
one can boast about it (Eph. 2:9).
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