“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)” (Romans 10:6-7).
In Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable about the kingdom of God. It begins: “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come for all things are ready…’” (vv. 16-17).
Nothing better illustrates the gospel and God’s offering of righteousness by faith. No human ingenuity or input was required in eternally purposing it. And, from His miraculous conception in the womb of Mary (thus making Him the Son of Man) to His miraculous resurrection from the tomb of Joseph (thus declaring Him to be the Son of God with power), no human counsel or assistance was required in making God’s perfect plan a fact of human history.
Everything we could not do to save ourselves from sin’s unrighteousness has been done for us. Therefore, “all things are ready…”
Everything we can do to save ourselves from sin’s unrighteousness has to be done by us. Its invitation to come must be personally accepted. Its requirement of heartfelt faith in response to its proclamation must be confessed by your mouth. Its requirement to call upon the Lord to be saved must be individually obeyed by arising and being baptized (Acts 22:16).
Whoever lives by faith in the faith can and will be saved, because “all things are ready!”
