How important is your Salvation to you?

Is it like a Christmas layby: No deposit, perhaps a few payments along the way and then just pick-up the eve before the big day? I think there are many people who see it just like that. They think that they can "choose" now, perhaps make some small payments along the way (like attending Church) and do nothing else until just before the big day (the coming of Christ). The sad thing for people like this is that, unlike a layby, their chosen eternity will not be there for collection just before the big day. I had a dream last night that a large group of girls and I were together listening to the song "East to West" by Casting Crowns. There was a moment of silence at the end and without even knowing what I was going to say, words just came to my mouth. I woke up telling the girls this one thing and I need to share it with you.

When Jesus came to save us He came to save us from 2 things.

1. From the consequences of our sin

2. From the sin itself

Most people already know this, but some don't. We all know that Christ, through the shedding of His blood, saved us from the wrath of God that was to be displayed against the sin that we have committed; the consequences for us would be an eternity in Hell. Most of us also know that Jesus conquered both "sin" and "death". "Death" is referring to our spiritual death in Hell and "sin" is referring to our rebellion against God.

The thing that we "DO" want to know about our Salvation is that all our past and future sins have been atoned for in Christ’s Death. The thing we "DON'T" want to know is that He also made a way for us to RESIST temptation that causes us to sin. I think many of us like to have Salvation on our own terms, by either remaining ignorant of the entirety of Salvation or refusing to comply, holding to the fact that God is a loving God and forgetting that He is also a Holy consuming Fire that must act justly against our sin.

The thing we don't realise is that God's road to Salvation wasn't just a quick fix for His people. He "had to" and "has to" provide Salvation with certain things in place and our response needs to be according to certain criteria. As much as His unfailing love would compel Him to want to let us in "by the skin of our teeth", His unfailing Holiness prevents Him from allowing such an occurrence. We are either saved or we're not. It's a defined line without any blurring, you either step over the line or you don't. Getting in by the skin of your teeth is not defined, it's subjective.

If you don't already know the path of Salvation that "God" has provided then it is essential that you find out what that is. Don't be content with "Your Own" ideas of the type of Salvation that God "should" provide: remember He Is God not you and there is a reason for that.

Jesus provided a way for us to resist sin and be as righteous as we possibly can here on earth. However our earthly righteousness is not enough to usher us into the presence of God, but Christ’s righteousness is. Jesus did His bit and enabled us to do ours. Let's keep to our end of the bargain and serve God in love by denying ourselves and carrying our cross like Jesus did. Nothing less on our part or His constitutes Salvation.

 

Listen to Casting Crown - East to West