2004-09-25 - Are You Saved?

Part 3

When just about everything a person has is burned away it's like he just escaped the fire. He only has his Salvation. Almost like he just got saved at the last minute before He died. He easaped the flames of Hell, and survived the testing fire (beamaseat) with his life through his relationship in Jesus Christ.

Galatians chapter 5 is another favorite scripture of mine.

Gal 5:1-26 For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. ² It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, (Put yourself under the old law and done good works to try and save yourself,) Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³ Once again, I declare to every man who has himself circumcised, that he is bound to observe the entire law. ⁴ You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. ⁷ You were running well; who hindered you from following (the) truth? ⁸ That enticement does not come from the one who called you. ⁹ A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.

¹⁰ I am confident of you in the Lord, that you will not take a different view, and that the one who is troubling you will bear the condemnation, whoever he may be. ¹¹ As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. ¹² Would that those who are upsetting you might also castrate themselves! ¹³ For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵ But if you go on biting and devouring one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. ¹⁶ I say, then: live by the Spirit, and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, ²¹ occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another.

Here's an analogy given to me one time, that is pretty neat. A king owned a large restaurant, and it had a beautiful buffet. However, those invited to the buffet did not come to it. So the king sent his servant out to bring people into His restaurant. The servant came out to the back alley, and he found me living in squalor, eating from the restaurant's dumpster. He picked me, cleaned me and gave me new clothes to wear. He brought me in to the King. The King gave me a place to live in his mansion. He said it is mine, and now it is my home. He brought me to the restaurant where he made me sit at His banqueting table. I was able to eat all of the food I wanted. When I was at the buffet table, I noticed a window across the room. From where I was, I saw something that looked familiar. I walked over to the window, to see that it was the alley that I had been living in all my life. I saw the dumpster that I ate out of every day. My mouth began to water. I began to walk to the door to go outside; my old nature was drawing me home. The King said "where are you going?" I said, "I am going out to my dumpster to get some food." The King said "why do you want to go to the dumpster and eat that will be dumped in the garbage (burned away at the testing fire), when there is freshly prepared food for you here? Think about it. Which is better, which tastes better? I know that you are used to eating out of the dumpster, but please come and continue to dine with me. This is your new home."

Are you living in the dumpster? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, today is the day to come to know Him. E-mail me, and I will introduce you to Him. If you do know Him, I want to encourage you to be assured in your salvation through the saving work that He did on the Cross, when He purchased you with His blood. Allow your new nature to flourish. Come away from the dumpster, and enjoy true life in Him.

To be continued.

In Christ, my Friends,
Rob

I want my life just to be for the Glory of God.

rob@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org