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On
The Security of the Believer
"…make every effort to add to your faith goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control;
and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance,
godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these
qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you
from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have
them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten
that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore,
my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling
and election sure. For if you do these things, you will
never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into
the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
-The Apostle Peter (2.1.5-11)
Churches of Christ understand the Bible to teach that
salvation is based on God's grace alone, but that one
has to respond to that grace in the way God expects.
Salvation is based on God's grace alone because humans
tend to boast about themselves (Ephesians 2.8-10, 1
Corinthians 1.27-29) and what they do. God sacrificed
His son for us even while we were sinners (Romans 5.8);
again reminding us that salvation is not based on works
or worth. Jesus even gave a parable in Luke 17 about
what a servant should say that had obeyed his master
in every thing: "So you also, when you have done
everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are
unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' (17.10)."
Even if we didn't need Jesus to die for us because we
were perfect, we still couldn't brag because we only
did what we were supposed to do in the first place.
My friends, just being human means God thought you were
worth dying for (John 3.16). Nothing can separate us
from the love of God (Romans 8.31-39). So don't you
think that God is going to give us every chance, make
every effort, or take every opportunity to keep us saved
once He saves us? Jesus said that he will lose none
of those God has given him, but raise them up at the
last day (John 6.39). There is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus, those who do not live
according to the sinful nature but according to the
Spirit (Romans 8.1-4).
The Apostle Peter, in the quote above, affirmed this
principle-that our calling and election can be made
sure or "tied down;" that we can not ever
fall, be ineffective or unproductive. We "simply"
incorporate into our lives faith, goodness, knowledge,
self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness,
and love in ever increasing amounts. This is the "heavenward
call of God" Paul talked about in Philippians 3.13,
or in the [modified] words of the 1967 hit, "His
love keeps lifting me higher."
So we don't live according to the Spirit to be saved;
we walk according to the Spirit because we are saved!
Therefore let the joy of the Lord's salvation be our
strength and shield. Let us dedicate ourselves to adding
faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance,
godliness, brotherly kindness, and love in ever increasing
amounts to our lives.
~The Elders
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