Saved?

(thinking of Communion this Sunday)

I recently wrote this to an individual about their salvation:  “Man is full of pride and thus about self-promotion and defense of self.  He is born consumed with self.  Man is also fearful and thus driven to fight for food and shelter, a place in life, and for security/future concerns.  Man is about his success, his agenda, and his will.”

Man, because God put eternity in his heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11), senses a need for a “higher power” and goes about securing one on his terms.  Thus idols/people, organizations/clubs/churches/cults, service to others, doing right, etc. are all efforts to please the god of his making.  Such efforts can even be to please Jesus, the true God, but they fail because man’s works seeking to please God are laced with pride and thus unacceptable.  Only faith in the work of Jesus works, Hebrews 11:6.

Man also realizes there are issues and times out of his control so he seeks a “genie” to serve him at his beck and call, but NOT to control him.  The true God is not such a genie.  He is the Almighty Creator who is King of all.  As the Sovereign of the universe, He decides who, what, when and where.  He is Lord of all!   Unsaved man is not good with such a Being.

When a person confesses his selfishness, rebellion, and sins and then repents (wants to turn from those and go a new direction), followed by bowing the knee to Jesus as Lord – they are saved!  To be saved is to understand that Jesus paid the price for their sins which they acknowledge and then to ask Jesus for forgiveness and for a new life with Him as their God and Lord.

A saved person realizes God’s amazing love shown in His overflowing mercy and grace that saved them from deserved destruction so that they want to live pleasing to Him the rest of their days.

When a person is truly saved, God is in their life for the rest of their life.  God will never leave!

And God is able to carry His followers through any situation – not always on the person’s terms or timing, but God is there and working.  God’s people know that God makes NO mistakes and that God uses all things for a good purpose (even a spanking – painful to the child – has a good purpose).  God makes NO mistakes!  He can be fully trusted in all situations.

So, two questions:

1. Are you saved?  Have you gladly turned your life over to His rule?  Salvation is an act of the mind and will.  Salvation is not found in baptism, church membership, a role in the church, church attendance, giving or good deeds.  Salvation comes by agreeing with God that Jesus paid your sin debt and asking Jesus to forgive you and take over management of your life.  One truly saved is not a Baptist Christian, a MacArthur Christian, or a K-Love Christian, but a Jesus Christian.
2. Are you trusting Him?  Do you know that He is able and that He allows and also provides?  Are you daily looking to Him to manage your life?  (Too often we insist on control and only ask Him to “drive” when we are in trouble.  Get into the passenger seat and let Him drive!)

Are you saved?

II Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified.