01/22/2025
This morning I am contemplating my salvation and how sometimes God's most lavish blessings can become an impediment to me. My thoughts have produced some observations that might help you as well. So, let's begin by laying the ground rules of salvation... What does it take to be saved and when does that salvation occur? Salvation is not some elusive goal, but attainable, and hinges on God’s desire for us… it is a gift of grace that comes through our belief in Jesus Christ.
“And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."”
Acts 16:31 ESV
OK, that is how we acquire salvation, but who is salvation open to? Who can receive this salvation? Well, the answer is so simple... all people.
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'”
Acts 2:21 ESV
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,”
Titus 2:11 ESV
Then finally, once I have established my belief in Jesus as the son of God, when does my salvation actually take place? Is there a waiting period or are there other unforeseen requirements? The answer is simple... God saves you immediately without hidden stipulations! Even in the Old Testament we read that God saves us the moment we turn to Him.
“"Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:22 ESV
So now that we are saved and endeavoring to lead a righteous life. It is good to realize that when we are first saved we are like newborns, there is much to learn and understand about Jesus, our Heavenly Father, and how our human nature leads us into God's will. There is much to be perfected in our lives that doesn’t negate the fact that we are saved.
During this period of learning, God blesses us. Some of these blessings enrich us spiritually while others give us physical increase. The odd thing about blessings is that they often lead us into our next lesson... not necessarily because we have been increased in faith (even though that happens) but because they reveal yet another shortcoming in us that we must shore up with the help of God.
We often see people pray for wealth, or the success of their business, and watch as the Lord provides. Then, in their newly received increase, they stumble. It might be selfishness, pride, or any number of shortfalls, but the blessing has both multiplied their gain, and then revealed a character flaw within them that they may not have realized before, but must be dealt with.
Wealth is but one example of a blessing that leads to the next lesson, I could easily have used spiritual advancement where someone prays for piousness... only to find that they feel it places them above others or makes them less likely to engage sinners for fear of soiling themselves. In this way the lessons of humility or servitude might become their next step towards increasing faith.
In all things, including blessings, we need to remain focused on Jesus and on God. I have often found myself using the lives of other saints as a guide for my own faith, but there is much uncertainty in this practice. They are moving through the teaching moments of their faith and righteousness just as we are. I think Oswald Chambers spoke to this point very well when he wrote:
"Many of us have a mental conception of what a Christian should be, and the lives of the saints become a hindrance to our concentration on God... The very thing we look for, we shall find if we concentrate on Him."
Concentrating on God; making Him the focal point of our lives; this is the way we move towards perfecting ourselves; not by searching for piousness in others. Jesus is the only human example worth gauging our faithfulness upon. So, as we pray, it is alright to pray for those things which we desire, but in the full knowledge that God's provision isn't meant to advance us on this earth, but to give us increase in heaven... the wealth we might have asked for comes with a heavenly lesson that could have a price of suffering on earth attached to it.
Have we grasped the full impact of our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior? With the help of the Holy Spirit do we see that we have begun traveling a course that perfects us and increases us in righteousness by listening for the will of God and then being obedient to it? Do we see that our journey each day is predicated on the fact that we are already saved and that this gift will not change just as the gifts God has given Israel in the past have not been removed from them? Are we prepared to receive each blessing knowing full well that there will be another measure of perfection beyond it? Father, we thank you for your many blessings, and we thank you for each lesson we learn along the way of faith. But even as you help us to be more like Jesus and to keep our focus forever on you, we thank and praise you in the storms we encounter along the way. Help us in our unbelief, and perfect us each and every day.
“As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Romans 11:28-29 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your many blessings, but especially for the next steps and further shortcomings in our lives they reveal to us. Lord, we thank you for starting our pilgrimage towards faith and righteousness with small steps and basic lessons that are meant to gently begin our journey towards you. Lord, you give us those things which we can accomplish in our youth, and then grow us each day in faith through your instruction. We thank you for your understanding, and your patience in our stumbling ways. Give us blessings as we obey you each day but temper our next steps and make them possible for us to take in you, no more impossible than the lessons that have led us to this point, and which we have mastered with your guidance and the aid of Jesus, your Holy Spirit, and your Word. Father, teach us to pray today for those things that will not cause us insufferable pain or harm as we learn by them... but if we do overstep our bounds or must endure hardship, then lovingly redirect and comfort us. Keep your hand upon us always and treat us with mercy and kindness. Spare not the rod so that we will not be spoiled but taught to submit to your will and be made holy in it. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who has given us salvation in Christ and will not remove it from us. Holy are you who loves us this much. Praised be your name Father and great are you… above all things, always, and for all eternity. Let your grace be poured out upon us through Jesus Christ and be sufficient for us as we walk the way of the saved while learning more of you with each step we faithfully take…. We pray all of these things in the name of your Son Jesus our Savior and redeemer...
AMEN! and AMEN!
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:17-18 ESV
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
Rich Forbes