While Scripture passages such as Romans 8:31-39 assure us that nothing can separate us from God’s love, there is always the temptation for us to accept God’s eternal salvation in which our sins are forgiven and we are assured a place in heaven, yet be reluctant to go deeper in our walk with Jesus because he might demand too much of us in this life.
We enjoy the benefits of our Christian faith and participate occasionally in church events—Sunday services, Easter and Christmas celebrations, weddings, baptisms, funerals or memorials—but often avoid commitments that demand more of us than we are willing to give.
Unwilling to move out of our comfort zone, we give minimally of our time, our resources, and ourselves to God, the church, and to others, leaving the bulk of God’s Kingdom work to the very few dedicated souls among us.
To all of us who claim to be followers of Jesus, he says, as he did to his disciples:
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” (Luke 6:46-49; see also Matt. 7:24-27)
Jesus is not comparing Christians and unbelievers, but two types of Christians—those who listen to his teachings and obey them, and those who listen to his teachings but do not obey them.
What we do with the words of Jesus—especially his Sermon on the Mount teachings about the characteristics of being his disciples (Matthew 5-7)—determines how we respond to life’s hurricanes of crises:
• Obedience to Christ’s teachings creates a strong foundation that will withstand life’s crises.
• Disobedience to Christ’s teachings inevitably leads to major collapses amid life’s crises.
While life’s storms and hurricanes are sure to strike every one of us at some time or another, obedience leads to protection in the midst of these crises. Disobedience doesn’t.
When we read Matthew 5-7 and understand what Jesus teaches and what he calls us to become and to do as his followers, we soon realize that he is calling us to be a unique people whose values are a complete reversal of the world’s value systems.
For example:
• Jesus calls us to both care for people who are poor in spirit, heartbroken, and powerless, and be willing ourselves to be poor in spirit, heartbroken, and powerless, for to such belong the kingdom of God. However, those who are not poor in spirit—the proud, the self-assured, the powerful, the arrogant—are not in God’s kingdom.
• Jesus blesses those who are gentle, meek, and lowly. But the world rejects such qualities as weakness, and places no value on such people.
• Jesus teaches us to seek God’s praise. The world teaches to seek its praise.
• Jesus calls us to seek the Father’s eternal treasures. The world entices us with money, fame, and earthly success that soon fade.
• Jesus calls us to purity of heart and truth. The world persecutes the pure of heart and opposes the truth.
How seriously do we consider such teachings of Jesus? Do we see them as impractical in today’s fast-paced, complex, and sophisticated world? Do we see them as unrealistic? Irrelevant? Too hard?
Or do we, like Peter, consider Jesus’ teachings and respond, “Lord, you alone have the words that give eternal life.” (John 6:68)
Yes, through the love, grace, and mercy of God as expressed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior, we have eternal life—now and forever. And yes, we have Jesus’ assurance that no one can snatch us out of his hands (John 10:28).
But we must never forget that not only do the words of Jesus give eternal life, they also contain many warnings to those of us who are prone to ignore them.
There is grace in “once saved always saved,” but there is also the caveat: “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
The Christian journey, therefore, involves the duality of living with both certainty and caution; assurance of eternal salvation and warnings; balancing God’s gift of grace with our individual responsibility to live obediently in response to that grace.
This duality is expressed beautifully by the New Living Translation of Philippians 2:12-13 where Paul writes:
“Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God’s saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”
May we embrace the duality of following Jesus as today’s disciples—assured of our salvation but always careful to live obediently with deep reverence and fear.
Yes indeed. Jesus desires our service. We often look at that service like a bane, because His service always calls us out of our comfort zones. But service to Him is really a boon, because in it we realize the fullness of our created purpose.
Well said, Joseph.
This is a great post and so full of the Truth! Thanks!
To Him be the praise, Andy.
Thank God we are secure in our salvations and His love, but like you have pointed out, Jesus did not just teach get saved and then continue on with your lives. He taught the gospel of the Kingdom of God, which is a whole way of life for us to live. We need more messages like this. Thanks.
Larry, Grace and peace to you and Carol. Thank you for your ministry
Thank you, Derrick, for another insightful and thought-provoking post. It mirrors the commentary I heard recently on 2Thessalonians 1:11-12: “we ask our God to make you worthy of the life He called you to live. May He, by His power, fulfill all your desire for goodness and complete your work of faith. In this way the name of our Lord Jesus will receive glory from you, and you from Him, by the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”. God has called us to live a certain kind of life, and He has the power to equip us for that life; our lives of obedience to that call will bring glory to the name of Jesus, and in this will be our glory, by His grace. What a life!
Jan, thanks for that great passage and comment. And thanks to you and Dave for a great evening with our international students last Friday.
Derrick, A very thoughtful lesson. We appreciate your messages. Keep them coming!! Love, Norb and Cindy
Blessings to you both. It’s always a pleasure serving with you.
Thanks for a great article, Derrick.
Imagine going out for the football team but refusing to obey the coach. Imagine wanting to be on the team but not wanting to be on the field. Imagine wanting all the benefits but being unwilling to carry one’s own load.
Something doesn’t add up. Disobedience is a sin. It portrays a lack of love, honor, and respect for the Lord. It reveals a total lack of passion for the work of God. If the whole team shied away from obeying the coach who’s gonna play the game? It is simply the nature of real Christian service that it will sometimes be very hard. Being a real Christian is hard on the flesh. How can anyone be a disciple if he refuses the proper discipline therein?
The Lord told Paul in the very beginning how much he would suffer as a believer and proclaimer of the Gospel. What if Paul said, “Well now I’m not so sure about this. Think I’ll take a backseat and you can send someone else. I know I’m going to heaven anyway. Why bother?”
The greatest players are those who play with a passion regardless of any and all circumstances. You cannot get them off the field. They are forever eager to do anything for the team and to defeat the opposing team. Whatever the coach tells them to do they do it. They take losing very hard. They hate losing. This is why they give it everything they have to win, to do their best, to get the victory. They never quit.
When the Lord is crowning champions, it is hard to see Him rewarding those who do nothing but coast. There will be no benchwarmers in heaven.
In heaven, there will only be winners. It will be comprised of people who gave it everything they had, left nothing on the field, fought the highest forms of hatred and adversity and yet still managed to finish their course. We are indeed saved by grace, but salvation by grace only works for those who are fully committed as grace was made possible by the One who was most committed.
The greatest winner overcame the most and set the proper example. The devil, the world, and the flesh can never be defeated otherwise. Anything less than a 100% commitment and everything it entails results in defeat against such formidable foes. In working out one’s salvation, one does not work “for” salvation but “because” of salvation, and because of such a great salvation one gives it one’s all.
A false assurance of salvation without a full passionate commitment to the Lord is part of the cause of sleepytime Christianity. Bless God many are now getting the big idea. Blessings to you, Bro.
And blessings to you, too, RJ. I appreciate your feedback as always.