Salvation Revelation

The Day of Salvation

God says his salvation shall last forever. There are some who equate forever with a hair permanent: it’s permanent until it falls apart. Too much humidity, and there goes that perm. Then you’re off to the salon to get a new permanent. It’s really not a perm but a temporary. Is God’s salvation permanent or temporary? Does it fall apart like someone’s hairdo?

Eternal life is as immutable as God is for it is of him and in him. He chose to give us new life, not an extension of the old one. There is no connection between the old and the new. One is carnal and one is spiritual; one is dead and the other alive. One is from the first Adam and the other from the second Adam, who is Jesus. One was created in dirt, and the other in life, the Spirit. Adam was created while Jesus did the creating.

Eternal life in Christ cannot be lost, misplaced, loaned, given up, walked away from, or traded for religion. One may even lose one’s mind.

Never the less, God’s “solid” foundation “stands firm sealed with with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his”, and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

Someone may ask the question, “Well when does my salvation really kick in for keeps?”

It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you here his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:6–7)

So the time for salvation is now—right now. This is the day. It is time to call on the name of the Lord, and God says my salvation will last forever. Well, it is eternal from the moment we receive Jesus.

When did your life kick in? Was it when you turned twenty-one or when you were conceived? So when does one’s eternal life kick in? At some magical time, or when we are born again?

There are scriptures that when twisted or used with limited understanding or investigation in conjunction with other scriptures can sound as is if a believer, one born of the Spirit, can lose what Christ Jesus died to give us—salvation. Through salvation, we are rescued from the wrath of God through the forgiveness of sins and renewal of the Holy Spirit, all of which came through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Ever heard this one, “Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers” (Matthew 7:22–24)?

This Word preached negatively and without understanding can and does produce fear and dread in the hearts of many Christians. However, this passage is actually speaking of religious nonbelievers, not the saints of God.

Let’s look at the Matthew 7:21: “Not every one who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

So let’s put it together and investigate what’s being left out. This passage is about salvation. According to verse 22, we must do the will of God to be saved. And what is that exactly? To be nice, to do good, and to go to church on Sunday? Sure, but those actions alone don’t save anyone.

In John 6:37–40, the will of God for salvation is laid out plainly and concisely:

All that the Father gives to me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ”I will never drive away.” For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. “And this is the will of him who sent me,” that I shall loose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up on the last day. “I shall loose none.” “For my Father’s will is” that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. I will raise them up. (emphasis added)

Notice that he does not ask your opinion or mine.

“And by that will,” we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)

This is the will of God for salvation, “to look to the Son and believe in him.” Jesus spoke the words to the religious folks attempting to justify themselves by their works. They were saying, “Look at what we did,” not, “Look at what you did for me on the cross.” So he told them to depart because “I never knew you.” Let’s compare that statement to John 10:14–15: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and they know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay my life down for the sheep.” Jesus said, “I know my sheep.” And we’re told in Matthew 7:22–24 they were not his for they had never put their faith in Jesus but did their own thing.

“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). And the will of God is what? Looking to Jesus!

I have spoken to some who say, “Well, you can walk away.” Exactly where are they going to go since God lives in us by his Spirit and fills all space and time? And he has told us, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” God did not say that you would not try and leave him. But he did say he will never leave you: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19b, 20), and that price was his life. And if he bought you, he owns you. King David said in Psalm 139:8, “If I go to the heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” The Lord said, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me.” (John 6:39) And Jesus also said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you what ever you ask in my name” (John 15:16). He chose us to be saved through belief in the truth. Remember, we are not talking about this rebellious dirt that we live in but the new creation, the born-again believer created to be like God in true righteousness. The alien that lives within.