Jesus said it — that settles it!

The author of today’s reading seems to consider consecration as being something we do. However, both the OT and the NT say things like:

Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine. (Exodus 13:2)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

While this author tells us we must consecrate or to set ourselves apart for God, the Bible tells me that I belong to Him by faith in Christ, therefore saying yes to that teaching is saying yes to something that is already true. God set me apart for Himself. I do not make it true by what I do. Rather, my changed life demonstrates He has done it.

Some think we are called to consecration and it does not happen without taking several steps, like the Israelites who were delivered from bondage in Egypt, given commands about how to live, failing to do it or enter the Promised Land, wandering in the wilderness, then finally entering and beginning the battle there to take that land. The devotional writer calls that final step full consecration and says this means we need to be fully consecrated before we can enter heaven.

I cannot ignore that the NT says I am God’s the moment I was saved. I will battle sin but His promise is our security to the point that He declares the following:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:4–9)

The verbs in this passage are incredible. Verses 5-6 say that “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” This means I am alive in Christ and already seated with Him in heavenly places. What could be more consecrated (set apart for God) could I be!
This will seem odd to those who preach the importance of works, but telling me what God has already done does more to motivate my devotion and obedience than telling me what I must do. Do I hear an ‘amen’?

In eternal terms, I’m already there. In time, my life is imperfect and I battle those giants like fear, disappointment, making errors in judgment, thinking I know better than God (that is a big one), but the Bible tells me that I am His, nothing can separate me from His love, and He is living in me, my life, my eternal life. And eternal is eternal. It is not about making progress.

PRAY: Jesus, the most subtle temptations to doubt You or to worry about being ‘good enough’ often come from well-meaning people who are caught in the lie that salvation depends on me and my choices, and that I can will myself out of Your loving care and eternal salvation. Your Word is my defense. I am not an OT Israelite but a participant in the New Covenant. While their story depicts some of my experience, You say I am Yours, totally and forever. You said it. I believe it. That settles it.