Walk by faith one step at a time
Imagine Peter stepping out of the boat to walk to Jesus on the water. He throws his leg over the side of the boat as the perfect picture of faith. It’s not until Peter shifts his weight onto the water that he will experience grace. Grace to save was there. It took a step of faith to see it. Grace held Peter up after that initial step and empowered him to do what he could not have otherwise done. The fact that he began to sink reveals that salvation isn’t a one time event. No, we need the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with every step. It reveals that every step need be taken in faith, if we hope to find God’s amazing grace. Each step, eyes on Jesus, faith in His power to save. Eyes off Jesus, who is full of grace and truth, faith falters, doubt is cast over our salvation. Walk or sink, grace is there. Faith steps upon it and is lifted up.
Never separate faith and grace
We all are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). That verse goes on to say that it is not by works, lest we should boast. Therefore, salvation lies squarely on the shoulders of Jesus. Not just salvation from hell, but salvation from sinking in this world. Human effort has no power to walk on water. However, the bible also says that faith without works is dead. Faith without works is cut off from the empowerment of grace. Illustrated by Peter getting out of the boat, he moved out onto grace and received power to walk on water. The same work that stepped on grace is the same work that began to sink. Peter couldn’t take credit for walking on water except that with one step his faith was in Jesus’ omnipotent grace and the next in his impotent step.
A gift of sight
Faith can be defined many ways, but one is the gift of sight. Faith gives us sight into the Kingdom of God that is more real and stable than this natural world. The miracle of new birth that we receive when we ‘step’ toward Jesus in repentance and faith gives us the ability to see the Kingdom of God. This in itself is a miracle of grace. We have no more power to become born again and see the kingdom of God than go to the sun. Only the gospel of grace can open our eyes to turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to God and receive forgiveness of sin (Acts 26:18). The point is that if we will look by faith, expecting, we will see the kingdom of God and will be lifted up. Peter received and walked in a higher kingdom. What he did was a ‘sign’ of a higher kingdom and that ‘God was with him.’ (See John 3:2).
Invitation to empowerment
The Christian life is not an invitation to do the ‘best we can.’ It’s an opportunity to be a ‘sign’ that ‘God is with us.‘ It’s an invitation to a daily, hourly walk with God by faith. The gospel is the ‘power of God for salvation for all that believe’ every moment of our lives. Peter walked on water. He sank when he ceased walking by faith and began walking by sight. Be devoted to loving the Father and not this world. The low life is where our sight doesn’t reach beyond this world and we remain devoted to living a limited life. The high life is when our focus is fixed on Jesus and we are lifted up to become examples of what the ‘kingdom come’ looks like.
“We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection.” – Hebrews 12:2 TPT