The Daily Word of Righteousness

Jesus—the Ticket or the Way?, #9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9,10)

To view John 5:24 and Hebrews 10:14 as a one-time, instantaneous experience of salvation, such that after obeying them we remain "saved" even though we do not abide each day in Christ, will cause us to ignore most of the New Testament writings. Since the four Gospel accounts as well as the Epistles of the Apostles (and the Old Testament) have to do with the necessity for holy, righteous behavior on the part of Christian people, the teaching that salvation is only an instantaneous experience that takes place at some point in our life has caused a veil to cover the Scriptures. We cannot understand what is plainly stated. It is as though God has sent delusion upon us because we do not love the truth.

When Paul teaches that the believers in Galatia will not inherit the Kingdom if they persist in sinning, Satan is able to persuade us that "you shall not surely die!"

In the day in which we are living the Lord is lifting that veil. Now we can understand that God's goal for mankind has never changed. The goal has remained the same throughout all covenants, although the demands on the worshiper have become increasingly comprehensive.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)

The believer who lives in the "now" with Jesus, who continually is drawing on the body and blood of the Lord for his wisdom and strength, who prays without ceasing, who bears his cross after the Master, will find to his delight that he is beginning to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. The family likeness is revealing itself in him. Instead of walking in pride in his own abilities he is living by faith in the living God.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)

Can you hear the Lord Jesus right now? Is your faith resting in the Father? Then right now you are living in eternal life and are without condemnation before God in Heaven.

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (I John 5:19-21) (from It Is Time for a Reformation of Christian Thinking)