“Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life.” (1 Timothy 6:3 NLT)
There is much more to being a follower of Christ than being forgiven. The emphasis of many is what we’re saved “from.” We are delivered from a life of sin and estrangement from God. We’re filled with God’s Spirit and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. We’re promised a life of hope that will one day lead us to our eternal home in heaven. We’re given power that exceeds anything the devil can send against us, and we’re given an eternal family, of which we become a member the moment of our new birth. That’s certainly a wonderful beginning to a brand-new life in Christ, but what are we saved “to?”
If the only reason we’re saved is to go to heaven, why not keep a shot gun by the altar and after someone prays for forgiveness, we can ask them: “Are you saved? Are you certain you’ve placed your hope and trust in Jesus?” And when they respond: “Oh yes, absolutely, Christ is mine and I am His!” Then we can say: “Hallelujah!” BOOM! Another saved child of God is off to heaven!
Yes, I know! I know how ridiculous that is, but no more so than someone who professes faith in Christ yet doesn’t understand or care that now the effects of the work Christ began in us must launch us into a life motivated, informed by, and lived for the Lord Jesus. We’re given new life in Christ for some very specific reasons. We’re born again by the Spirit of God to . . .
- Become a Member of His Forever Family! Pastor Rick Warren wrote in a recent devotional: “Some people think of the church as a building, an institution, or an event you attend. The church isn’t any of those things. It’s a family you belong to.” While I sadly realize there are exceptions in the world in which we live today, as a rule, when we’re born as a human being, we’re born into a family. It’s like that when we’re born again of the Spirit. God has created the Church to be the place of spiritual nurturing and for the training of new believers, giving them insight and understanding as to how they should now live as one who has been saved to live a godly and exemplary life of faith.
- Become Transformed by the renewing of our minds! Jesus said in Matthew 16:24: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me.” What does that mean? It essentially means to set aside your will in favor of knowing and doing God’s will. How can that happen? By learning to think differently. Paul wrote in Romans 2:2: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing, and perfect.”
- Become a Witness to what New Life in Christ should look like! Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” We’re saved from sin to a new life of godliness, in the pursuit of holiness, seeking daily to become more and more like Jesus.
There are many more dimensions to the life into which we’re saved, so we’ll look at a few more tomorrow.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 