TRUSTING GOD FOR MORE THAN SALVATION

For those who have never given it much thought, becoming a born again believer is the easiest thing in the world!  God draws our attention to His Son (Jn. 6:44).  The Holy Spirit convinces us that we are sinners in need of a Savior; that Jesus was telling the truth as evidenced by His ascending to His Father following His death, burial, and resurrection; and that all of mankind will stand before God to be judged by Him (Jn. 16:7-15; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Heb. 9:27).  If we truly believe the Gospel, we will turn to follow the One who offers us the gift of salvation (Lk. 24:47; Acts 26:20; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9).  It's that simple!  We hear - we believe - we call upon the Lord Jesus - and we are saved!

It is what follows salvation that is where the difficulty lies.  When we are born again, God begins the long, often painful process of changing us into the image of His dear Son.  Philippians 1:6 says, "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  The transforming of a born again believer into the image of Jesus is WORK, even for God! 

The Apostle Paul, followed up his statement about salvation being a gift (grace), with a description of what God does next.  He wrote:  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).  Again, God has WORK to do in order for us to become like Jesus.

One familiar passage that believers often quote to someone else when they are facing difficulty (we seldom remember it when the difficulty is ours), is Romans 8:28, which says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."  But what we usually fail to mention is WHY the believer is put through the ordeal.  The next verse tells us:  "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  Again, we see God is at WORK, using circumstances to transform us!  God uses our difficulties to accomplish the WORK He intends to complete in us:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:1-5).

Notice that faith, peace, grace, and hope, in Jesus Christ, results in God WORKING on us through tribulations, which yield patience, which yields experience, which yields hope; hope that one day, we will be like Jesus Christ Himself (1 Jn. 3:2)!

 

Works won't save us, but salvation is the beginning of God's WORK in us!