What is True Salvation?
What does it mean to be "saved'? I've been pondering that question a lot lately especially after listening to Ray Comfort's message, "Hells Best Kept Secret". So many Christians seem to have the notion that they can somehow live the Christian life by making some "commitment" to God. A "commitment" to "now" live a more righteous life. If we could accomplish Christianity by our own strength then Christ has become of none effect. In our flesh dwells NO GOOD thing. True salvation occurs when a sinner comes to the place of realizing that he/she has NO hope at all to save himself, that Jesus is the only way for any hope of salvation/ righteousness etc..
Is "lukewarm" Christianity coming from this type of conversion? Dave Hunt addresses this issue also. He says that it is not a matter of commitment but rather of "surrender". I can't see how anyone can be saved if they have not come to a place of total abandonment of themselves....realizing how wicked they are...and knowing that Jesus is their only hope. This is the state of mind that the Lord wrought in my heart. The 1st time I prayed I was desperate!! I knew I was really lost and needed help!!! I wanted to be saved and I clung to Jesus in prayer, weeping tears like I have never wept before. I was very broken and contrite!! My prayer was not a short little "sinners prayer" that I see in so many tracts, but it came from a broken vessel who knew only one thing, "that God was my only hope on salvation"!!! The presence of God came to me that night and flooded my heart with peace and joy and love like I've never known. It was life-changing experience and I was not the same person the next day.
Why do I say all this? It is because so many who claimed to be saved and yet, it is if they think they can live the Christian life on their own merits.... If they just put "character first" or "confess" all their sins to everyone they can think of,...or maybe wear this or not do that,...it will somehow be enough and they will be right with God. My heart is weeping for this! The cross has become of none effect. God help us to see that we have NO HOPE without His shed blood. We need it everyday. Our faith can only be in that and that alone. Just think what a worship service would be like if every member had this revelation?!!! How I long for that!!!!
posted by Ottersons @ 6:33 AM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
This is a subject that I have also pondered much as you have, Jane. You touch on some great points. I would like to add a few more thoughts. My dilemma came from the seeing at various times in Scripture the answer to what must I do to be saved seemed to be "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" and other times simply repent, repent and be baptized, etc. What are we to repent of? Many people respond with repent of your sins. Yet, no where in the Word of God does it ever say that! Who do you know that has ever totally repented of their sins? If that is a condition for salvation then what happens the first time we sin after we are supposedly saved? And what really does save us- belief or repentance?
After doing a careful study of the Word of God I believe that we will find it to say that we are to repent of our UNBELIEF. In other words we are to repent of believing in any other idea/person/religion, or whatever and place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and his plan of salvation - His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead as payment for our sin. Discovering this truth has made it very clear to me that there is nothing I can add to God's plan of salvation other than to believe it for myself and cling to it as my only hope. He did it all, I can do nothing but believe it.
Perhaps this will spur some on to check out what I say, to see if this is indeed true. I'd be interested to know if this does not square with the Word of God in any way.
~Judy
Judy, I think you hit the nail on the head, "to repent of our unbelief"! Thanks so much for your comment!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home