No Difference Between Them and Us

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

It is written: “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” (Acts 15:8-11)

When the blind lead the blind, they both fall in to the ditch. For thousands of years the spiritually dead have groped in the abyss of darkness, attempting to lead others into the Light, where they personally have never been, and into that freedom which they have never experienced. The results have been devastating for both the leaders and the followers, because neither has ever found rest for his soul. He has never escaped the bonds of death or the confines of eternal condemnation. Only the eyes of the Holy Spirit can lead the blind into the Light, where the shackles of sin are broken off and liberty unto life everlasting is bestowed through the grace of the Lord Jesus.

The Apostle Peter was saying that God put no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles, but the fact of the matter is God has never offered more than one way of salvation. From Adam and Eve until the end of time, salvation has been and shall always be secured by purifying hearts of men by faith through grace, “plus nothing and minus nothing.” There is no other authorized process. A mere drop of another thought would utterly pollute grace and dilute faith; the consequence would be no salvation at all. What was true for patriarchs, the prophets, the Apostles, and the saints of old is equally true for this generation; heaven wrought salvation is by faith, and this gift of faith is a gift all of His sovereign grace. God put no difference between them and us; salvation is by GRACE, GRACE, ALL OF GRACE!

All things considered, I am thrilled that the way of salvation has never been changed. It would indeed be perplexing to figure out what way of salvation was being used this day or this hour. God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore; and so is His great salvation ever by faith through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you will be saved, there is no difference; it must be by faith through His grace.