Saved by what?

 

The author of this year’s devotional seems to write for those who are in constant doubt of their salvation. I finally did a bit of research and discovered that this person was involved in the “Holiness Movement” in the USA. Churches aligned with the holiness movement teach that the life of a born again Christian should be free of sin. Their emphasis is on “a second work of grace” which is called “entire sanctification” or “Christian perfection.” The Bible says this about claiming no sin:

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5–10)

Striving to be sinless so as to be “entirely sanctified” and be a perfect Christian causes all sorts of problems. The Bible is clear that we will not have that perfection of behavior this side of heaven. It is also clear that our perfection is in Christ, not in ourselves or our ‘good works’ for we are saved by faith, not by anything we do. The verses that talk about being perfect are about wholeness in our faith, trusting Jesus alone for redemption. “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:8–11)

Another danger is that those who strive for perfection may not have Christ in their life at all. He was perfect and did not strive for it. Faith in Him means that I have all that He is. My striving is human effort and no one is saved by human effort. This ‘second blessing’ doctrine is dangerous for it puts faith in ‘how I am doing’ rather than in the One who does it for me. It also appeals to sinful pride.

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:9–12)

Where what I believe and what the holiness movement believes agrees is that all are sinners and depraved because of original sin. I believe that sin ruins all my choices for it makes all I do based on what I want and think. The author of this devotional believes that God’s grace gives them some sense of right and wrong and enough spiritual “light” to make a free choice for Christ. I agree that grace gives that sense, but it also grants faith — my choosing is not the issue. When faith is granted, we just know that we are saved as the Bible says: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)

This may not seem an important issue. Those with either view can be genuine believers, or not. Both can be relying on their own works, either to be saved or to keep themselves saved, or to ‘grow’ in their faith. The biggest danger is not being saved at all because of refusing to admit the need to be saved. I hear “I don’t need that” and “I am a good person” far more than any claims to be a Christian for the wrong reasons.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, You know who belongs to You and You know what to do with those who do not, because You know the human heart. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to figure it out for others. I just know that You granted me the faith to trust You and not myself. I don’t like being helpless. However, it means knowing and loving You, so I’m glad to have realized it, and realize how much I need You, and how much You have done for me. Thank You.

Building spiritual stability . . .

 

Simon, who is called Peter was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. His first encounter with the Savior indicated that this man would be a “new creation” because of the transforming work of God as Jesus gave him a new name:

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1:40–42)

This new name means “rock” which contrasts Simon’s nature. He was impulsive and vacillating, unlike the man he would become as a leader in the church. When he sinned, Jesus called him by his old name, and when Peter acted in strength, Jesus called him by this new name. And He often called him “Simon Peter” as he drifted between sinful Simon and spiritual Peter.

I identify with Peter, and other Christians do also. We get annoyed with ourselves for taking matters into our own hands, forgetting to pray, being fearful or being proud, displaying old traits instead of living in the joyful power of God. We also complain about our spiritual instability and regret our fleshiness, wondering if we will ever ‘grow up’ and be more like Jesus and less like that old person.

Jesus worked with Peter and transformed him into a true spiritual rock. When He asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:15–18)

Jesus used this profession His identity to bless Peter and to affirm that this impulsive man’s declaration of it would be the foundation of His church. In other words, even those who complain about their instability are kept, not because they have earned it by being consistent but because faith in Christ, the Son of the living God, has secured their eternal future.

It is faith that transforms our lives. Hearing and believing the Gospel changes us from self-focused, self-centered sinful people to servants of the most High as we realize our efforts apart from Jesus are useless. Failure in self-effort is also used by God to teach us how much we need to rely on His Spirit.

God wants me to be a spiritual rock, just as He wanted that for Peter. Peter later wrote:

You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5).

That occurs as I “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and as I realize the truth of: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) and learn to:

Walk by the Spirit, and not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep me from doing the things I want to do. But if I am are led by the Spirit, I am not under the law . . . . because those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If I live by the Spirit, let me also keep in step with the Spirit. Let me not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16–26, personalized)

An important part of walking in the Spirit is confessing sin and asking the Lord to refill me: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . . . .” (1 John 1:5–10)

Jesus, don’t let me neglect confession, or resist putting sinful selfishness to death. This is for my good. You can forgive and remove that sin and enable me to put it out of my life. Better to obey in the first place, yet when that does not happen, may I be quick to get on my knees.

READ 1 and 2 Peter. Note all that God gives me to be a ‘rock’ from these words that were written by a  man who once was anything but!