Monday, November 24, 2014
419 - When Will We Be Saved?
Spirituality Column #419
November 25, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville- Fishers-Zionsville
In the thankful spirit of the Thanksgiving season, be diligent in thanking God that the heavy lifting of salvation is already done.
When will we be saved? That’s easy. We already are.
Our Western culture looks at things – things like history, politics, wealth, education, families, recreation, morality, hunger, disease, abuse, strife and even religion – as works in progress. We are a linear sequential society with clocks, calendars, goals and to-do lists. We start there, work here, and finish somewhere up ahead.
St. Paul had some linear-sequential in him, even back in biblical times. He talks about running the race, chasing the prize, finishing well, and looking forward. But Paul was pressing onward … always onward. He knew a better life was ahead.
One of the great things about Christian life is its focus on the future, a redeemed future. Meanwhile the secular world tries to figure itself out by examining the past. That’s frequently unsatisfying and far from liberating because it is so easy to get trapped in the past, either by the gentle snares of nostalgia or by the sharp, tangled claws of pain, guilt, shame, loss, regret, remorse, injustice or plain old bad breaks. In Christ, in His forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others, we can look forward.
The Old Covenant of the Bible’s Old Testament required keeping very close tabs on one’s righteousness via obedience to religious laws, observance of feasts and offering of sacrifices. I have no doubt that God loved the nation of Israel – it makes sense to me that He would … He had to. But that covenant wasn’t about love; it was about God choosing a people to represent Him on earth.
The New Covenant of salvation is different, embodied not in a pact or agreement but in the eternal person of Jesus Christ. This covenant is not compensation or an enterprise we work at to make it happen. It’s already happened in the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. When we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) we’re not “working” our way into heaven. We are accepting the grace of Jesus Christ and strengthening the relationship we have with God thanks to the work of Christ. We do that with prayer, service, humility, and love.
On the Cross when Jesus cried, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) it is our eternal salvation that was at that moment, and from that moment on, “finished.” When we accept that gift, trust God’s mercy, are assured in the Holy Spirit and look forward to this immeasurable prize, it’s the biggest thing I can think of to be thankful for.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that our thanks is never finished.
November 25, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville- Fishers-Zionsville
When Will We Be Saved?
By Bob WaltersIn the thankful spirit of the Thanksgiving season, be diligent in thanking God that the heavy lifting of salvation is already done.
When will we be saved? That’s easy. We already are.
Our Western culture looks at things – things like history, politics, wealth, education, families, recreation, morality, hunger, disease, abuse, strife and even religion – as works in progress. We are a linear sequential society with clocks, calendars, goals and to-do lists. We start there, work here, and finish somewhere up ahead.
St. Paul had some linear-sequential in him, even back in biblical times. He talks about running the race, chasing the prize, finishing well, and looking forward. But Paul was pressing onward … always onward. He knew a better life was ahead.
One of the great things about Christian life is its focus on the future, a redeemed future. Meanwhile the secular world tries to figure itself out by examining the past. That’s frequently unsatisfying and far from liberating because it is so easy to get trapped in the past, either by the gentle snares of nostalgia or by the sharp, tangled claws of pain, guilt, shame, loss, regret, remorse, injustice or plain old bad breaks. In Christ, in His forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others, we can look forward.
The Old Covenant of the Bible’s Old Testament required keeping very close tabs on one’s righteousness via obedience to religious laws, observance of feasts and offering of sacrifices. I have no doubt that God loved the nation of Israel – it makes sense to me that He would … He had to. But that covenant wasn’t about love; it was about God choosing a people to represent Him on earth.
The New Covenant of salvation is different, embodied not in a pact or agreement but in the eternal person of Jesus Christ. This covenant is not compensation or an enterprise we work at to make it happen. It’s already happened in the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. When we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) we’re not “working” our way into heaven. We are accepting the grace of Jesus Christ and strengthening the relationship we have with God thanks to the work of Christ. We do that with prayer, service, humility, and love.
On the Cross when Jesus cried, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) it is our eternal salvation that was at that moment, and from that moment on, “finished.” When we accept that gift, trust God’s mercy, are assured in the Holy Spirit and look forward to this immeasurable prize, it’s the biggest thing I can think of to be thankful for.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that our thanks is never finished.
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