As followers of the Lord Jesus we need to be very cautious that we don’t be familiar with our salvation. By this, I mean that once we are saved we are so excited about the new life that we can’t talk enough about what Jesus has done for us … and then after a season, that initial excitement and enthusiasm tends to wear off or lessen and we speak very little about Jesus and our salvation, be it to believers or to unbelievers. As soon as this occurs, we tend to take on a casual view of our salvation. It becomes so familiar that we don’t give it a thought and this might cause us to slacken in our Gospel morality.
So, today I want to suggest a pathway of thought … not a fool proof pathway but a suggested pathway that could help us remain focused on our glorious salvation. Here are some ways to prevent becoming complacent, familiar or casual about salvation.
First, remember you are saved from the penalty of sin. God will never punish the believer for past, present or future sin because:
1 Pet 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
Here we have an interesting concept. The fact that Christ died “once” means punishment for and dying for and penalty for sin is completed. It will not happen again. Jesus’ death was once … a never to be repeated death! This is qualified by the phrase “once for all”. “For all” does not mean for all people but for all time. This is qualified by the words “the righteous for the unrighteous”. In substitution, Jesus (the righteous) took the penalty due us (the unrighteous) and paid it … once … for all time. As a believer you will never have to pay the penalty for your sin. Jesus did it.
Second, remember you are saved from the power of sin:
Rom 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Because of the meritorious work of Jesus on the Cross we are no longer slaves to sin. This means our new nature is not to live in sin, to choose sin or to desire sin. Being crucified with Christ implies we died and are now free from sin’s captivating power. We don’t need to live in sin!
Third, remember you are saved from the power of Satan. When Paul defended himself before King Agrippa, he related his experience of meeting up with the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road and tells what Jesus said to him:
Ac 26:17 “’I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”
Saul becomes Paul and his mission is to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. Those who believe will have their spiritual eyes opened to turn them from the darkness of being lost and godless to light … spiritual light (truth) to understand who Jesus is and what He did so that they might be delivered from and protected from the power of satan. Belonging to Jesus saves you from the power of Satan because the greater power of the Lord Jesus protects you.
Fourth, remember you are saved from the power of the world.
Gal 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
See that in verse 4? Jesus gave Himself for your sin to rescue you from the present evil age … from “the world”. “The present evil age” is a good translation as it depicts the “present world” as the “evil age”. Its meaning is not what is touched but the prevailing spirit and attitude of rebellion against God … and the willful rejection of holiness. Even the “newest” believer … even the “youngest” believer can identify that the true climate in the world is anti-God, living in sin, seeking to draw others into wickedness, be it drugs, drunkenness, sexual immorality, aggression, hatred, rebellion (especially against authority) … and the list is endless. Having the Spirit, believers are saved from the evil age for we no longer live for it. The magnetic field of the wicked world around us ought not to effect believers because the Gospel “rescues us from the present evil age”.
Fifth, remember you are saved from the power of wrath.
1 Thess 1:9 They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
Another wonderful benefit of Jesus’ substitutional sacrifice is that He saves us from the coming wrath. The fact that wrath is coming reminds us of the Jesus’ second coming, for then He will demonstrate one of the final benefits of the Cross, which is protecting all believers from the terrible wrath of God that will be revealed and exercised upon the population of rebellious, God rejecting souls. The lost will be totally unprotected. They will experience being cut off from any possible relationship with God. Hell means no God. God’s wrath, often mocked about is the worse form of punishment that can be experienced. Jesus experienced wrath for it for 3 hours on the Cross … all lost souls will experience wrath for eternity! You as a Christian tough are saved from the power of God’s wrath!
Enjoy your salvation! Daily, thank God from a grateful heart for being your salvation through His most precious and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, Saviour and Redeemer. Enjoy the benefits of the Cross. Marvel about your salvation. Think about it … speak about it and rejoice about it.
Blessed Lord, what lasting joy we experience as we remain Cross focused. Help us never to become casual, complacent or familiar about our salvation. We do love You and as we remember Your love for us expressed so powerfully at Calvary, may we always be ready and eager to share the Gospel with the lost, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.