Remaining

It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken off, and the branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to that first tree. If you are not a Jew, you are the same as that wild branch, and you now share the strength and life of the first tree. But don’t act as if you are better than those branches that were broken off. You have no reason to be proud of yourself, because you don’t give life to the root. The root gives life to you. You might say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be joined to their tree.” That is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not believe. And you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe. Don’t be proud, but be afraid. If God did not let the natural branches of that tree stay, he will not let you stay if you stop believing. So you see that God is kind, but he can also be very strict. He punishes those who stop following him. But he is kind to you, if you continue trusting in his kindness. If you don’t continue depending on him, you will be cut off from the tree. Romans 11:17-22 (ERV)

We have the makings of an age old problem right here in these verses. Paul is reminding the church in Rome that, as Gentiles, they have all the same rights to salvation as the Jews. So far so good. Then the Apostle Paul, veteran of many missionary trips and epistles, seems to suggest that both the Jews and the Gentiles can be denied salvation if they don’t keep believing. Correction, he doesn’t ‘seem to suggest’, he says it outright and unambiguously.

Although the chosen and promised people were close to God’s heart as a nation, some individuals within the tribes were disobedient, and therefore cut off from the root. So, some Jews will be lost eternally, and therefore some who once were saved can indeed be lost too.

The first 8 chapters of Romans are often, and almost exclusively, used to show that when you are saved, you are saved forever….no matter what. Likewise chapters 12 to the end of the book. But when you read chapters 9,10 and 11, you get Paul’s argument to counter that belief. It is true that God’s love is unchanging towards us, and nothing can diminish it, but Paul compares the Jews who stepped out of His will to the Gentiles who stop believing. In each case, not all do, but some will.

When it comes to the free gift of salvation and choice, the old saying is true. Keep short accounts. Stay close, obey, and confess our failings often. Pray that God removes the heart of stone, and replaces it with a heart of flesh as recorded in Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” My only careful warning is that your prayer will be answered, and what a difference it will make to your Christian life. In fact you may never slip back from the salvation Jesus the Christ earned on your behalf.

Confirmation

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Romans 8:15-17

How do we know we are a child of God? In fact, how do we know this constantly, day by day, no matter how things are going, or how we are feeling? Resting and relying on our feelings is not the most reliable way to decide anything, because we can be up one day, and down the next.

If you received Christ as a child, I think you have an advantage. You see, as we get older we tend to over analyse things, but when we are younger it is natural to trust and believe without second guessing ourselves. So, how do we know for sure that we are saved and heaven-bound? It is too important to be left to chance.

But how exactly does the Holy Spirit confirm with our spirit that we are children of God? It can come in many ways, and always with an unmistakeable tug in your heart. Perhaps you get this assurance in something said from the pulpit. Or in the Creation that only God could have made for us. Or the words and melody of a hymn, chorus, or gospel song. If I am being honest, this is the way I feel the Spirit confirming His presence the most. I am often reduced to tears as we sing songs about God’s gift, and our promise of a heavenly home. Or as we read the Bible accounts of God moving in the lives of His people, in the Old and New Testaments. Or when a new Christian gives the story of their own encounter with the living Christ. The ways we are affected are many. John Wesley said it this way, “My heart was strangely warmed” and that about sums it up.

Don’t doubt it. If you have prayed, confessed your sin, and repented, the Spirit will not let you forget it. He will tug at your heart from time to time in unexpected ways, just to remind you that you are a child of God. Isn’t our God good? We are certainly blessed!

The Main Thing?

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

It’s good to know context and background when a preacher explains a passage of Scripture, but these should not take over from the Gospel message. A bit of sociology, or psychology can be good in their place, but these should not overshadow the reason for the good news of the Gospel. In fact if pushed to make a choice, I would side every time with the Gospel message over any other background information or ‘-ology’ used.

Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. No second place, no doubts and nothing to please or ease the mind of any who may need, and be looking for truth and salvation. It is the Word of God that saves. Nothing else, and certainly no other philosophy of life.

The church in general is slowly becoming less relevant to society with declining attendance, and this could be because we have diluted the message to make it palatable and not so likely to offend or cause embarrassment. After all, we have redefined sin to the point that it is not the same thing we are warned to shun in the Bible. The in word is ‘unity’ and if we are not seen as uniform with other views we show ourselves as being out of step. The preaching of the cross is, and always has been, madness to the unchurched, disinterested, or unsaved, but to those of us who are constantly being saved, and enjoy our salvation, it is the power of God. That is power to change a life from the inside out. Power to make others see God at work. Power to heal physically, emotionally and spirituality. With all that power at our disposal, why should it matter that the rest of the world sees the cross as outdated? The Gospel of Jesus Christ is needed now, more than ever before, and it shouldn’t be diluted to taste!