“As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation – a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT)
What constitutes salvation? What does it take on our part to respond appropriately and effectively to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him? According to Paul in the verse above there are two critical ingredients. First, it’s a salvation that comes through the Spirit, which results in our holiness, and second, it’s a salvation that must be accompanied by belief in the truth.
Because God is a gentleman, He will never force His will on us. He extends an invitation from the Spirit, which we will either receive or reject. That’s our part. The cleansing, purifying, sanctifying of our heart, mind, and soul is a work only the Spirit can accomplish. We are helpless to cleanse ourselves of our sin.
By the Spirit’s indwelling presence, He teaches us how to avoid and be protected from Satan’s attacks, but, here again, it’s a joint process. The Spirit who lives within will equip and enable us to defend ourselves, but we must put on God’s armor in order to be prepared for battle.
When I think of salvation and sanctification I envision a railroad track – two parallel tracks upon which the “train” of our faith travels. And the engine of that train is belief in the truth of who God is and what He has given us in His holy Word – embodied in Jesus and recorded in the Bible.
Salvation is all God, but sanctification, the Work of His Holy Spirit working in and through us, is a joint venture. We can’t live effectively and fruitfully without the Spirit, but the Spirit won’t do the work in and through us without our permission and cooperation. We grow as we work cooperatively with the Spirit, submitting ourselves in humble dependence upon the Spirit’s strength, knowledge, and direction.
But what does any of this have to do with “The Pain of the Empty Seat?” John MacArthur wrote: “Some pastors feel the pain of the empty seat. If they take discipleship and sanctification seriously they’ll feel the weight of the occupied one.” Many, likely most, churches have not recovered from the Covid-19 setback in attendance.
Many churches closed, but when they reopened only a fraction of their previous attendance was regained. That speaks loudly about at least two things: first, the parishioners obviously didn’t see value in what they were receiving, at least not enough to return. But the second glaring issue is the immaturity of the believers themselves. When so-called “Jesus followers” are attending simply for what they can get out of it, their faith is likely an inch deep and a mile wide.
Churches and Pastors are responsible to offer Biblical instruction and a framework in which believers can learn how to build their lives on the rock of dependence upon Christ and a foundation of positive Christian disciplines. If it’s offered and I don’t avail myself of it, shame on me. I will feel the pain of the empty seat. But if I have desire to learn and to grow and the church body doesn’t have the framework whereby they can help me do those things, shame on them. They will feel the pain of the empty seat.
As we grow in Christ the Lord gives us discernment that enables us to seek out what the Lord makes clear to us, we need. As a believer I’m responsible to follow a pattern of Spirit-directed habits or disciplines that will keep me focused on Jesus through daily reading, studying, and seeking to apply Biblical instruction. If the church I attend isn’t offering opportunities to hear the Word in preaching, applying the Word in service opportunities, and growth potential through small groups, I either need to have a discussion with the leadership and/or find another church. I don’t just quit attending. That’s spiritual suicide.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 