Illusion of Self-Salvation

Synopsis      Psalms 49:6-50:12     10/12/2021 

In the Korahite song, we are reminded of an essential truth.  

No one can save themself by their own actions. Despite all their wealth, unfaithful people will die like beasts. Their destiny is the pit – Sheol. 

But God will save faithful men from Sheol. For this reason, don’t worry about other people’s wealth.  

In a similar way, Asaph reminded the people that sacrifice doesn’t benefit God. Instead, it benefits men. Accordingly, he pointed out to the Israelites of his day that God didn’t need their sacrifices. That’s not why sacrifice was established. Instead, sacrifice was intended to benefit man.   

Illusion of Self-Salvation 

Wealth has long been a measure of success. And so, when someone has acquired wealth, I tend to think that anything is possible for them. This is especially true if the person seems to have acquired their wealth through their own hard work and ingenuity.   

However, wealth is remarkably unrelated to salvation. Try as I might, there is in fact, no way of converting wealth into salvation.  

Of course, one of the most common errors in salvation history is the idea that I can somehow use my wealth to secure my salvation.  

Here’s why it won’t work. Baked into this way of thinking is the idea that I can make God a debtor. In other words, if I give enough of my wealth, God somehow owes me heaven.  

But rightly understood, this attitude teeters on the very edge of reprobation. It’s a desperate blindness. Hence, Jesus said, “…easier to pass through the eye of a needle.” 

“Remember then the LORD, your God, for he is the one who gives you the power to get wealth, by fulfilling, as he has now done, the covenant he swore to your ancestors.” Deut 8:18