How sure are you of your salvation? I worry that in this age of shallow spirituality, people are failing to understand the assurance of their salvation and believe that they can become "unsaved" in an instant. But our salvation has never been dependent on us except for the decision to believe. I know I have been harping on this all week but if we do not understand the nature of our salvation the enemy will always be able to rob us of our peace.
Abraham is the definition of salvation by grace. This is how his righteousness (for the sake of a simple definition, a right relationship with Yahweh) is described:
He was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised. Therefore, it was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:21-22)
"Fully convinced" is the phrase we should use in examining our own faith. Are we fully convinced when Jesus said:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. (John 3:16)
No other requirements than to believe. It is when we believe that a transformation takes place and we become a new creation. These are two different issues but salvation is a simple matter of belief. It is not dependent on our behaviour or actions or thought process. Believe. Such belief should produce faith which is to act on your belief, as Abraham did.
Paul the apostle told us that there is a direct relationship here between Abraham and us:
But the scripture that says it was credited to him wasn’t written only for Abraham’s sake. It was written also for our sake, because it is going to be credited to us too. It will be credited to those of us who have faith in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. (Romans 4:23-24)
And that is the assurance of our salvation. It is not dependent on behaviour, we can't earn it, we didn't buy it, it was a gift purchased for us by Jesus. So you aren't saved today and tomorrow you are not. This assurance is important as we grow and mature spiritually. We no longer focus on our salvation but growing strong in Jesus, of allowing the transformation to take place, to obey the conviction of the Spirit, to see Jesus become more and us become less.
Jesus said our sins are forgiven by his sacrifice. He said we only need to believe him in order to be saved. This is the assurance of our salvation. There is no other path, no other source, no other condition. We were the enemy of Yahweh and he sacrificed himself, laying down his life, so that we may be reconciled to him. You are not perfect but he is. You cannot measure up to him but by his grace he has declared that you do. C'est tout! It is finished.
Showing posts with label assurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assurance. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Looking For Air In A Season Of Adjustments
Since taking over The Snack Shack as a church ministry life has been all about adjustment. Adjustment to keep my spiritual disciplines. Adjustment to guard some precious wife and family time. Adjustment to finding ways to be available for people. Social media commitments. Blogging. Home schooling commitments. Financial adjustment. Health adjustment. Energy adjustment. I have not yet found the key for all these adjustments.
On top of this, Melodie-Joy is struggling with her job. Not that it has anything to do with her but it seems she just can't catch a break. She feels the financial and time constraint pressures (managing a job, two babies, two full time students and two part time). She is a wonder woman but the adjustments are not easy.
All this to say it is a time of crying out to the Lord for strength, assurance, energy, direction and hope. In the flesh things may look a bit dark but we are not directed by our flesh. We are so thankful that we can wake every day knowing that our hope is real and ongoing each and every day. Our future is not crafted by our hands but by the Lords. I am not the captain of my own destiny and I make a conscience effort every day to keep it that way.
Jesus did not promise me comfort or ease and I have not sought for it, although there have been times I have longed for it. Life can never be about taking short cuts to make it easier for me. Jesus did not take short cuts and there was purpose in everything the Father directed him to do, and I am a follower of Jesus. Having failed in the past, I press on with a desire never to fail him again. And that is all we can do. Press on with a passionate desire to serve him truly and always.
One of the most powerful and encouraging verses concerning this subject was penned by Paul the apostle in one of his last letters as he sat in a Roman prison. After all he had been through, Paul simply stated:
"For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (2 Timothy 1:12)
At the end of that, that is what it is all about. If we every lose that relationship, nothing else has any worth. May we experience and operate in the assurance of our relationship with Jesus today. God bless.
On top of this, Melodie-Joy is struggling with her job. Not that it has anything to do with her but it seems she just can't catch a break. She feels the financial and time constraint pressures (managing a job, two babies, two full time students and two part time). She is a wonder woman but the adjustments are not easy.
All this to say it is a time of crying out to the Lord for strength, assurance, energy, direction and hope. In the flesh things may look a bit dark but we are not directed by our flesh. We are so thankful that we can wake every day knowing that our hope is real and ongoing each and every day. Our future is not crafted by our hands but by the Lords. I am not the captain of my own destiny and I make a conscience effort every day to keep it that way.
Jesus did not promise me comfort or ease and I have not sought for it, although there have been times I have longed for it. Life can never be about taking short cuts to make it easier for me. Jesus did not take short cuts and there was purpose in everything the Father directed him to do, and I am a follower of Jesus. Having failed in the past, I press on with a desire never to fail him again. And that is all we can do. Press on with a passionate desire to serve him truly and always.
One of the most powerful and encouraging verses concerning this subject was penned by Paul the apostle in one of his last letters as he sat in a Roman prison. After all he had been through, Paul simply stated:
"For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (2 Timothy 1:12)
At the end of that, that is what it is all about. If we every lose that relationship, nothing else has any worth. May we experience and operate in the assurance of our relationship with Jesus today. God bless.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Wake Up Warriors, It's Not About Us!
There is no doubt that you are going to face some difficult times in your life. You can't live in a fallen world without running into some hardships. Some people seem to face more than their fair share, but then again, who are we to define fair. The question is, how are you going to deal with these things when they happen? Will you panic, fall apart and generally not handle it well? Will you run to someone you trust for the answers, taking whatever advice they have to hand out? Will you just ignore it and hope it goes away? There are plenty of ways of handling or not handling the difficulties of living in this world.
The question is not if these things will happen but what you will do when you come upon them. May I suggest that you change your perspective. Part of our problem is that we measure everything by the standards of this world, but we no longer belong to those standards. We have new standards and a new method of measurement. We have a new measurement of success and failure; a new measurement of riches; a new measurement of values; a new measurement of purpose; a new measurement of what is important.
Face it, this world and the various societies belonging to it are pretty messed up and getting worse by the day. They pursue logical argument and what seems right. They are absolutely convinced in themselves that their logic and the arguments behind the logic are solid because they seem right to them. But since the Fall we have not been able to trust our own thinking and judgment on matters. We needed a higher standard, something outside of the depraved thinking that resulted from the Fall.
As you face some of the difficulties of living here do not trust your logic or emotions. Do not trust the wisdom of this world. Do not look around this place for a lifeline or an example to follow. Do not model yourself after the perceived success of this place. You, child of God, have only one source for all things, and his name is Jesus. In troubled times we are not troubled. Instead we find strength in truths and standards that cannot be changed or re-shaped by the storms of this place:
"If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
These are a few truths that are stones in the foundation of our faith. These truths are unchangeable, regardless of our circumstances. From these things we draw strength and are able to continue with joy. They are not just words but truths that strengthen our mind, heart, spirit and body, to stay the course, to stand our ground.
If the warriors of the Kingdom could be stopped by mere circumstances and hardships of this world, the Church would have died long ago. But we can't be stopped because our worth, value, standards and measurements are not from this place but from the Kingdom of which we are citizens. We are strengthened in this place beyond our own sake but so that we may be of use to our King in bringing salvation to the lost. Wake up warriors, it's not about us! Stop panicking, get back in the ranks, trust the King and stand your ground. Now sing with the joy that comes from the assurance of our salvation!
The question is not if these things will happen but what you will do when you come upon them. May I suggest that you change your perspective. Part of our problem is that we measure everything by the standards of this world, but we no longer belong to those standards. We have new standards and a new method of measurement. We have a new measurement of success and failure; a new measurement of riches; a new measurement of values; a new measurement of purpose; a new measurement of what is important.
Face it, this world and the various societies belonging to it are pretty messed up and getting worse by the day. They pursue logical argument and what seems right. They are absolutely convinced in themselves that their logic and the arguments behind the logic are solid because they seem right to them. But since the Fall we have not been able to trust our own thinking and judgment on matters. We needed a higher standard, something outside of the depraved thinking that resulted from the Fall.
As you face some of the difficulties of living here do not trust your logic or emotions. Do not trust the wisdom of this world. Do not look around this place for a lifeline or an example to follow. Do not model yourself after the perceived success of this place. You, child of God, have only one source for all things, and his name is Jesus. In troubled times we are not troubled. Instead we find strength in truths and standards that cannot be changed or re-shaped by the storms of this place:
"If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
These are a few truths that are stones in the foundation of our faith. These truths are unchangeable, regardless of our circumstances. From these things we draw strength and are able to continue with joy. They are not just words but truths that strengthen our mind, heart, spirit and body, to stay the course, to stand our ground.
If the warriors of the Kingdom could be stopped by mere circumstances and hardships of this world, the Church would have died long ago. But we can't be stopped because our worth, value, standards and measurements are not from this place but from the Kingdom of which we are citizens. We are strengthened in this place beyond our own sake but so that we may be of use to our King in bringing salvation to the lost. Wake up warriors, it's not about us! Stop panicking, get back in the ranks, trust the King and stand your ground. Now sing with the joy that comes from the assurance of our salvation!
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