- 47. Salvation and Strength
Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
The promise of salvation and strength is conditional: it is conditional on repentance and faith. If you return to the Lord and trust in Him, that is, repent and believe, then you will be saved and you will find strength. Repentance and faith is always the condition and the means of entering into the kingdom of God, being saved, and receiving eternal life. John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth announced the Kingdom; “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.”
Repentance and faith does not cause salvation and strength; the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cause. Repenting and believing simply receives the free gift, already earned and given by Jesus. God does it all: He even gives us a repentant and believing heart. When the Holy Spirit works repentance and faith in the heart through the Gospel we own the promise. We have salvation and strength.
In returning and rest you will be saved. Jesus pronounced, “Come unto me…and I will give you rest.” Coming to Jesus is returning to the Lord, for Jesus brought us back to God the Father where we belong; He bought us back = He saved and redeemed us. Coming to Jesus is resting on the everlasting arms. Strife and striving is gone. We are no long tired and weighed down with sin and guilt. Coming to Jesus is quietness and confidence, for there is nothing left for us to do. We can be confident simply trusting in the finished work of Christ. Coming to Jesus is not only resting and trusting; it is also where we find strength. Spiritual strength is the ability to cope with the struggles of life and overcome. Coming to Jesus is to cease striving and know that He is God: we have no more unrest from wondering if I am doing enough good works or whether I have done the right thing. Worry not; Jesus is taking care of it. We can rest in confidence. The arms of Jesus are always open and welcoming: Come! Return! I have salvation and strength for you.