05/05/2025
Salvation... We question ourselves by asking how we can achieve this and live our lives as God expects... obeying Him is just too hard and it can be difficult to believe that anyone could possibly accomplish such a thing. Satan whispers to us “You can never be saved!”, but that is a lie.
Judgement… does the uncertainty of our success in obeying or pleasing God challenge us? Does the complexity and mystery of God cause us to wonder if we will be judged worthy? Well, if we trust in His Word and the gospel of Jesus, believe in Jesus, and ask forgiveness for those things we feel we have failed at, then we can rest assured that we are indeed worthy.
And finally there is Fear… This is what we feel when we face Satan’s lie concerning our salvation, and the doubt that confronts us regarding our own worthiness. Fear causes so many of us to run away from the challenges we face in life and the greatest of these is believing and having faith in God and Jesus Christ. Until we overcome fear, as scripture tells us repeatedly to do by saying “Fear Not”, then we can never truly rest in the Lord, experience His peace, and walk eternally in His presence.
Let’s study these things.
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
1 Peter 4:17 ESV
As sinful creatures we are faced with our own failures. Our sins stare us in the face and convict us at every turn. So how are we to achieve salvation? How can we pass the test and enter heaven when the only passing mark is 100% and there are no bonus questions to overcome our failures? Don't feel dejected and alone, even the disciples feared judgment. They asked Jesus how they could possibly achieve salvation, just as we ask Him today...
“When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"”
Matthew 19:25 ESV
There is one thing to keep in mind about salvation and redemption, and that is this... they aren’t something that man concocted! No, salvation and redemption were both God's ideas and by His mercy and desire that none be lost He came up with the perfect way to reunite us with Himself through Jesus. Do you believe that God and Jesus are perfect? Then believe that God’s plan for our salvation is perfect as well. He sent His Son as a sacrifice to redeem us from our sins, and he paved a new way by grace to reconcile us to Himself… for us to join Him eternally in heaven. All that we must do is believe, and seek forgiveness...
“And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"”
Mark 9:23-24 ESV
Mark 9:24 is one of my favorite verses of scripture; it tells us that not only did God provide us a way back to a sinless state, but that he helps us in achieving it. We too can say "help my unbelief!", and through Jesus, His Word, and the Holy Spirit, God will help us in our unbelief too. No sin is too great, no commandment impossible, He helps us to believe, and to thrive in His Word and the gospel of Jesus...
“But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."”
Matthew 19:26 ESV
I was in a math class in high school that was tough. Every student in the class was struggling and as we neared the end of the semester it became obvious that the "bell curve" principle of grading was failing miserably. The class was barely making passing marks. It was then that the instructor announced a series of extra credit assignments, extra help, bonus questions, and a strategy of forgiving our worst grades that would restore our ability to be successful in his class. He didn't do this for us, but rather for himself. He was providing us a means of restoring the class to its proper balance. God went much further than this teacher did... in God’s class there is no "curve"; every student must have a perfect grade... 100%... A+, so He gave us a Tutor in Jesus Christ, and the understanding we needed through the Holy Spirit.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you believe that God is omniscient, omnipresent, perfect, and infallible? Then believe this... He has a plan for your salvation and it is perfect. He will judge you after washing you clean in the blood of Jesus, and by His love Spirit, He will relieve our fears.
“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Matthew 26:26-28 ESV
God manifests Himself in this most magnificent manner when we are failing the worst! He matches our iniquities and sins with His grace… a grace that is more than sufficient when it comes to redeeming us. He helps us to believe, and trust in Him. He forgives and we are completely forgiven by Him. He loves and we are loved by Him; and in all of this He removes our fear, and we FEAR NOT!
When I was in my first few weeks at the Virginia Military Institute, my company was taken to the edge of a high cliff and instruction began regarding how we could successfully repel into the valley below. I was more than just afraid; I was nearly petrified with fear, but the more the instructor talked about how this could be done, the more I believed I could do it. When at last he asked "who wants to go first?" I stepped forward. Yes, I still felt fear, and yes, if given the opportunity I would have walked (maybe run) away from that precipice, but I was also convinced that I could do it. So, with the help of the instructor, I tied the ropes around my waist, and then ever so slowly I backed off of the cliff and onto the rock face. I was 150 feet above the floor of the valley, but I trusted in my tutelage, the rope, and my instructor. As I began my descent, I became more and more confident and by the time I was halfway down I was bounding off of the rocks and dropping through the air... confident, successful, and free of my fear.
I could have let my fear of heights paralyze and defeat me. I could have let the fear of failure keep me from one of my life's most thrilling moments, but I took those first tentative steps over the cliff and overcame my fright by having faith in the rope, the harness, and the instruction I had received. Our initial commitment to God and our faith in a His Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are very similar... we are initially afraid of failure, but if we will listen to the voice of God and trust in His Word, then stepping off into the vapor of our faith will become the greatest moment in our lives, and prepare us for every other challenge we will face.
So now we understand that all things are possible in God. And that, through Jesus, those things which require perfection will be restored to us by our Father’s forgiveness and grace. Are we ready to step away from the safety of the worldly life we have known into the unseen realm of Spirit, truth, and faith? Are we prepared to believe, and ask that our belief be increased and strengthened through Jesus and the help of the Spirit?
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for talking me over the cliff edge of my fear and for giving me peace and reassurance in my ability to do it. I thank you for encouraging me to believe in your perfect protection, and forgiveness. Holy Father, I entrust myself to your plan for my salvation and your love for me. Lord, I love you more than life itself, and I place my faith in your mercy and grace as you forgive me my failures and sins. Your love for me is both unearned and a mystery, but it is also a fact, and in it I am certain of redemption and salvation. Thank you for the blood of your Son Jesus Christ, and the flesh that I taste in communion. Never let me forget His sacrifice because it is a monument to your love, and the seal of my salvation. Father, I am on the face of my faith's cliff, and I’m bounding further into the air with each release I make as I trust in You. When my feet finally come to rest on the firm floor of heaven, I know that I will look back from wince I have come and realize that it has been a wonderful journey... full of lessons, faith, and absolute trust in you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who walks with me to the precipice of faith and then talks me out of my fear as I step over its edge into righteousness. Holy are you who gives me the strength and trust that I need to believe in you, and to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. You have taken away my fears, and by so doing have made my salvation possible. All doubt in my salvation, and judgement, was overcome when you taught me not to fear, and now I am still and at peace in you. For this Father I Praise your Holy Name and give you all the honor and glory forevermore!
In God, In Jesus, and my comforter, I believe!
Hallelujah! and Amen!
Rich Forbes