Security

We've had some uncommonly good sermons lately. The one we had last Sunday got me to thinking, and objecting a little. The speaker preached on Hebrews 6:4-12, a difficult passage. Some things came together for me as he spoke. The question people ask about that passage is, "Can you lose your salvation?". He concluded that the writer was saying, "You aren't there yet." That is, salvation comes at the end of the road, not at the beginning. So if you "walked the aisle," "prayed the sinner's prayer," or whatever other terms you want to use, you aren't saved yet. You may be justified, regenerated, or sanctified, but not saved. Maybe you've heard that salvation is a three-step process: saved from the penalty of sin (in the past), saved from the power (and practice, I might add) of sin day-by-day, and saved from the presence of sin when you die. Last week's speaker said you can "get off the road" before you reach the final destination. But salvation is an end-of-the-road experience. So, no you can't lose your salvation, because you're dead then. In the evening service we were told that the real question is, "Can you lose your justification, or your regeneration?". But they never answered that question. In a way, I'm glad for this teaching. Too many approaches to evangelism turn salvation into a formula (which it it not), and try to base salvation on unbiblical practices (walking the aisle, or praying some kind of prayer). Those things might be part of the process. However, to say that a person is saved just because he or she did those things is wrong. The Bible never says those things have to occur for a person to be saved. Using them as "evidence" can lead people astray, making them think that they are saved just because of some action they took, when in fact, they may not be saved at all. Salvation is all about what Jesus did, and what He does in our hearts. The morning speaker says the evidence of salvation is fruit. But of course, there can be false fruit. After the evening service, I talked to the morning speaker. One question I asked him was, "At what point can a person say he/she is saved?". He replied, "When you die." He went on to say that you can never be 100% sure of your salvation until death. It's too late then, of course. But this is the Calvinistic (or Reformed) interpretation. My gut reaction was, "What kind of father would leave his children guessing as to whether or not they belong to him?". This story is getting longer than I intended. So, to cut it short, I started studying passages such as Romans 8:16 and I John 5:1-13 (and their contexts), as well as 2 Peter 1:3 and following, and I remain convinced that you can know for certain that you are saved before you die. I am at a juncture regarding Vocational Rehab. A summer ministry idea occurred to me last night. May the Lord help me make the right decisions, and provide support.

Weather or Not

I have a theory, that when man struts his stuff a little too much, God sends some major inclement weather and reduces us to helplessness. I am ok being cooped up one day, but more than that is problematic. Two days inside, and I'd had more than enough. Without going into detail, the Lord provided me with a way out on Thursday, at the last possible moment to make an appointment. Praise His Name! I'm making slow progress regarding Vocational Rehab. Another praise. I'm becoming more and more aware that God's blessing on me doesn't rely in ANY way on my ability to DO anything. Such is the essence of the Gospel. Praise the Lord!

Basic Challenge

It's becoming obvious that I need to focus my job search on ministry. It is also obvious, in light of that, that I need to find out if my church will support me in such a venture. So I asked why there was hesitation to do that on their part. The person in charge said I'm not involved enough in ministry in church. I let that sink in. It didn't take me long to come up with a long list of instances in which I requested specific ministry opportunities, and nothing was done about it, even if there seemed to be interest initially. I also pointed out that since I hadn't received encouragement at church, I ventured out on my own, and am now busy enough to be hesitant about taking on more. I specified what I am doing, and reminded him that I am a regular fixture at missions events at church. I then let him know that I am not interested in doing anything just to be noticed. I concluded with an invitation to help me build on what I am doing. As of this writing, I am still awaiting his reply. In my 37 years of being a Christian, I have been a part of churches of a variety of sizes. Generally, the amount of busy-ness required of ministers directly corresponds to the size of the church. So, maybe the church I'm in is a bit large for my capabilities. I've thought more and more about whether or not the Lord may be leading me to another church home. Yuki continues to be a joy and a delight. She is also very honest, not telling me what I want to hear. I appreciate that about her. I can deal with her honesty better than I can someone who is always nice to me, but I'm left guessing what they think.