God In Men

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"God will not abandon anyone His Spirit lives in."

THE THIEF on the cross did nothing to earn his salvation and yet, having been given it by the Messiah, was better off than many watching him die. Understanding, of course, that salvation was Paradise until Jesus was resurrected.

We have this idea those who accept Christ must learn how to seek Him or they will never hear Him speak. Though there is spiritual maturity in understanding of godly things, and waiting on God brings intimacy with Him, the fact they are saved means they are no longer alone, and no longer on their own. In so many ways, He is speaking.

The thief had no time to mature first and then die. I'm convinced his death was far easier, to use a word, than it would have been.

Minister Jesse Duplantis in his visit to heaven describes a man who arrived and couldn't believe he made it. It's amusing, and yet, there is something to be said for it. Because many get saved then never live for Christ. That's Christianese for reading the Word of God, praying, and hearing teaching of the Word. In short, though their confession of salvation is sincere, they never advance beyond it.

Yet, their lives are still better than those without God. For God lives in them.

God is at work in the heart when He is not seen or heard by the individual. He protects and gives wisdom in ways we aren't aware. I heard a Minister say one day we'll all get to heaven and see how much God did unnoticed by us. There is so much truth to that remark.

God wants men to know Him. He delights in the seeking heart. But He will not abandon anyone His Spirit lives in.

I heard a story about a family healed miraculously at a church service who then never returned to attend there. What do we read into this? Maybe instead of tsk-tsking them, we rejoice that they were healed, and God is with them.

There are so many parts of salvation which can only be done by God, and we need to leave them in His gentle hands and not take on us what isn't ours to do. Only He can cleanse the heart. Only He can rebirth the spirit of man. Only He can renew the mind, except renewing one's thinking does require us to do some thinking. Or rethinking as the case actually is.

Things must be in the right order. We cannot work to earn our salvation. But once we are saved, because of God’s graciousness, we do work to learn, to love others, and obey the gospel. We work to deny our flesh what it wants and choose to obey the Spirit. We aren't inanimate now that Jesus is our Savior. But no amount of self-achievement will save us absent of accepting the work of Jesus and confessing it.

Once saved always saved has some value. Now, there is an exception, and that involves being like Judas, who knew Jesus was the Messiah and had advanced in revelation of spiritual things, even laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, but then chose to turn his back on Jesus and crucify Him anyway. But few ever do like him, and when they do, they don't care that they have. Having a heart of repentance means you are not in his shoes. God never takes away salvation, even if one becomes confused by things in the world. He never "moves out" when one of His children sins. Instead, He seeks a change of thinking in them and forgiveness.

That is why Jesus lives in man. We cannot "go it alone." He is never leaving. Which does not make an excuse for ungodly behavior but brings comfort to those who realize they've messed up and to those who have family members who do not follow God closely as they should.

Our faith must be in God who is able to do what we cannot believe is possible. He has longsuffering and faithfulness 100% and to spare. We can pray to Him for people and know that. Because He is the Greater One living in all who choose salvation.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Image from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com