In Christ - I am saved

I am saved...

I Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Titus 3:4,5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but because of His mercy He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit... 

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.

Truth for Life Daily Devotion

June 12, 2012
We Are Saved

2 Timothy 1:9

"The apostle uses the perfect tense and says, "who saved us." Believers in Christ Jesus are saved. They are not looked upon as people who are in a hopeful state and may ultimately be saved, but they are already saved. Salvation is not a blessing to be enjoyed upon our dying bed and to be sung of in a future state above, but a matter to be obtained, received, promised, and enjoyed now.

"The Christian is perfectly saved in God's purpose; God has ordained him to salvation, and that purpose is complete. He is saved also as to the price that has been paid for him: "It is finished" was the cry of the Savior before He died. The believer is also perfectly saved in His covenant Head, for as he fell in Adam, so he lives in Christ.

"This complete salvation is accompanied by a holy calling. Those whom the Savior saved upon the cross are in due time effectually called by the power of God the Holy Spirit to holiness: They leave their sins; they endeavor to be like Christ; they choose holiness, not out of any compulsion, but from the power of a new nature, which leads them to rejoice in holiness just as naturally as when previously they delighted in sin. God neither chose them nor called them because they were holy, but He called them that they might be holy, and holiness is the beauty produced by His workmanship in them.

"The excellencies that we see in a believer are as much the work of God as the Atonement itself. In this way the fullness of the grace of God is beautifully displayed. Salvation must be of grace, because the Lord is the author of it: And what motive but grace could move Him to save the guilty? Salvation must be of grace because the Lord works in such a manner that our righteousness is forever excluded. Such is the believer's privilege—a present salvation; such is the evidence that he is called to it—a holy life."

From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003.

There was a long time in my life when I didn’t know I needed to be saved – I was a “good girl” – and didn’t do the things that “those other people” did.  I loved God – don’t get me wrong – I just didn’t realize that I needed Him to save me from sin – because I really didn’t understand what it meant to be a “sinner!”  Sure – I knew the Bible says we’re all sinners – that no one is without sin – but I consciously didn’t apply that to myself, because I was a “good girl.”  When I look back at that time in my life I cringe!  How audacious of me to put myself above anyone else!  How useless I was to the Kingdom of God, too!  I could live like a “good girl” – but in my heart of hearts there was an evil that needed to be “outed” – and until I was willing to face it, God was unable to use me as His holy and sanctified vessel.

It took almost two years of living “in the gutter” to finally see the truth – I was a sinner very much in need of a Savior!  It was at that point when I truly understood the grace and gift of God – and when I faced up to my own sin nature and repented I put myself in the position of being useful to the Kingdom.  Now I choose to live a holy life – not because I have to be that “good girl” again – but because I want the world to know what God has done for me – and what He yearns to do for them! 

Are you saved?  If so, are you living a holy life?  Or – are you allowing darkness to creep in and pollute your heart and soul?  These are questions I have to ask myself often.  Just because I have a relationship with God that’s now based on the truth of who I am and what I’m capable of doesn’t mean that I don’t sin – or that I’m not tempted – or that I always make the right choice.  I have to seek the Lord with my whole heart – every day – and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those things that still need to be refined.  The result of that will be a holy life that others will see.  Not a “holier than thou” life – a HOLY life – a life set apart for service to Christ!  Sharon

In Christ - I am crucified with Christ

I am crucified with Christ...

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

Wednesday, November 10th Update from Joni:

“November in sunny California is an odd season -- the roses and purple sage along my back fence are expiring in one last burst of color, as if to stave off the coming cold. Not even flowers like to die, I guess. Neither do we Christians, yet lately when I flip through the New Testament, I keep reading "... unless a seed falls to the ground and dies" or "... put to death, therefore" or "... I have been crucified" and finally, "... take up your cross." It seems from the moment we are born, we need to learn how to live and die.

“None of us, in our culture of comfort, know how to prepare ourselves for dying, but that's what we should do. As I shared in a recent Christianity Today interview, every day we are called to die a thousand deaths -- not just walking through the valley of the shadow of death when we get a bad medical report; but when we say 'no' to our selfish desires or 'yes' to trusting God when it's hard. And nothing helps us learn how to die better than suffering. My struggle with cancer and chronic pain is teaching me on a much deeper level how to yield to Christ and embrace both His cross and mine -- at times it's so hard the only thing I can do is give in and groan alongside my Savior, ‘Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.’

“When I was 14 years old and a new Christian, I wanted my life verse to be Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." I may not have understood it at 14, but that's how to die -- and it brings power, joy, peace and contentment. May God give you and I the strength to lose our lives for Christ's sake... because that's when real living starts :-)!”

Joni’s right – no one wants to think about death – or dying – but it’s something we will all experience – no one escapes death.  Some of us may live longer than others – but in the end, there is death.  For the Christian that doesn’t have to be a scary thing – it can actually be quite comforting – death means that our struggle here is over and our eternal life with Jesus begins.   She’s also right about our need to die daily – to our sin – to our flesh – to our own will – to see ourselves crucified with Christ.  That’s hard to do – it’s so much easier just to do what I want - but God wants us to CHOOSE death to self in order that He might work the character of Christ into our lives.  Do you want to see yourself as that “new creature in Christ?”  Then die to yourself – live the truth that you have been crucified with Christ, and live wholly – and holy - for Him.  Sharon