[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the daily devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading
[00:00:06] the Way. Extravagant Grace by Dr. Michael Youssef
[00:00:12] Good works are the essence of every other religion on earth. All other religions strive to earn
[00:00:19] God's favor and to achieve moral perfection. We see this in the Jewish ceremonial law, the
[00:00:26] Eightfold Path of Buddhism, the Hindu doctrine of karma, and the Sharia law of Islam. But
[00:00:35] the essence of Christianity is not human effort. Instead, it's God's grace. The concept of
[00:00:42] grace is unique to Christianity. It's not found in any other religious belief systems. The
[00:00:49] doctrine of grace not only teaches that we don't need to earn our way to heaven, it teaches
[00:00:54] that it is impossible to earn our way to heaven. The Apostle Paul put it this way, for it is
[00:01:01] by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves. It is the
[00:01:08] gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. So it's tragic and a fatal error to believe
[00:01:17] that I have lived a good life. I don't need to be saved. Are you trying to earn your way to heaven?
[00:01:22] The truth is that no one can ever earn his or her way to heaven. We are all under the curse of Adam's
[00:01:30] sin, and we are all unworthy of salvation. Yet no matter how far we have fallen into the depths of sin,
[00:01:38] we cannot fall beyond the reach of God's love and grace. He has forgiven, redeemed, and restored
[00:01:45] sinners of every kind. Blasphemers, murderers, robbers, slave traders, adulterers, and worse.
[00:01:56] Nothing you have ever done comes as a surprise to God. He is ready to receive you. Yes, even you.
[00:02:06] Thank you. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for your extravagant grace demonstrated in the gift
[00:02:14] of your Son. Thank you for doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. We pray this in the
[00:02:22] name of Jesus. Amen.