Daily devotion: A picture of salvation
Acts 3: 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
This poor beggar’s life touched by God is a beautiful picture of every sinner whose life comes into contact with Jesus Christ unto salvation.
It also shows us the way of salvation for this poor man was born into this fallen world, lame. Each and every one of us too a born into this world unable to walk in a lifestyle that please our Father in Heaven.
Instead we walked according to the god of this world – Ephesians 2: 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Also this man was poor, and we as sinners are bankrupt before God, unable to pay the tremendous debt we owe Him – the wages of sin is death.
This man was outside the Temple, and all sinners are separated from God, no matter how near to the door they might be!
Lastly this man was healed completely, wholly, by the grace of God and his healing notice was immediate!
Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.