Spiritual Prescription SAVED FOR FELLOWSHIP
I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2 Cor. 6:16.
There are those who say that our salvation is totally dependent upon the work of Christ, and that when we come to Jesus initially, we are just as saved as we will ever be. This is true. The thief on the cross was just as saved the day he came to Christ as he would have been 40 years from then, had he lived. But he had the advantage of dying right away, which most of us haven't had!
But although our salvation is based upon the work of Christ, none of us are saved any longer than we continue an ongoing relationship with Christ. "Sinful man can find hope and righteousness only in God; and no human being is righteous any longer than he has faith in God and maintains a vital connection with Him."--Testimonies to Ministers, p. 367.
It was the entrance of sin into the world that made our salvation a necessity. And what was sin? Sin was a broken relationship, separation from God. No longer could God walk with man in the cool of the day, no longer could He communicate with us face to face. It was to restore this broken communion that Jesus came to live and die for us. Through Jesus we are restored to fellowship with the Father. The purpose of salvation is not just that we can live eternally, free from sorrow, in the mansions prepared for us in heaven. The purpose of salvation is to restore us to the fellowship with God that was severed when sin came.
We are not saved by the devotional life. We are saved by our initial, and continuing, acceptance of Christ's sacrifice in our behalf, by coming to Him day by day. But for what are we saved? We are saved to be the friends of God that we were created to be, saved for fellowship and communion and relationship with Him.
This fellowship with Him gives us assurance of eternal life. Through this friendship with Christ, through beholding Him, He is able to work the change in our lives that will bring us into harmony with Himself. Through the relationship with Christ comes victory, power of obedience, faith, the fruits of the Spirit, and empowering for service to others.
I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2 Cor. 6:16.
There are those who say that our salvation is totally dependent upon the work of Christ, and that when we come to Jesus initially, we are just as saved as we will ever be. This is true. The thief on the cross was just as saved the day he came to Christ as he would have been 40 years from then, had he lived. But he had the advantage of dying right away, which most of us haven't had!
But although our salvation is based upon the work of Christ, none of us are saved any longer than we continue an ongoing relationship with Christ. "Sinful man can find hope and righteousness only in God; and no human being is righteous any longer than he has faith in God and maintains a vital connection with Him."--Testimonies to Ministers, p. 367.
It was the entrance of sin into the world that made our salvation a necessity. And what was sin? Sin was a broken relationship, separation from God. No longer could God walk with man in the cool of the day, no longer could He communicate with us face to face. It was to restore this broken communion that Jesus came to live and die for us. Through Jesus we are restored to fellowship with the Father. The purpose of salvation is not just that we can live eternally, free from sorrow, in the mansions prepared for us in heaven. The purpose of salvation is to restore us to the fellowship with God that was severed when sin came.
We are not saved by the devotional life. We are saved by our initial, and continuing, acceptance of Christ's sacrifice in our behalf, by coming to Him day by day. But for what are we saved? We are saved to be the friends of God that we were created to be, saved for fellowship and communion and relationship with Him.
This fellowship with Him gives us assurance of eternal life. Through this friendship with Christ, through beholding Him, He is able to work the change in our lives that will bring us into harmony with Himself. Through the relationship with Christ comes victory, power of obedience, faith, the fruits of the Spirit, and empowering for service to others.
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