From the "Air of Heaven", "Regarding Salvation", "A Desire to Obey"

Thy word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against Thee. – Psa 119:11

When I first accepted Christ, I walked the aisle, repented from my sins, and was assured by the pastor that I was eternally and irrevocably saved. He believed that one could not fall out of God’s hand; therefore, once saved always saved. Years later, while my first husband was at seminary, he took on the same attitude. It became one of our primary points of dispute.

I have read the New Testament, from Matthew to Revelation, more times than I can count. I spent every spare moment of every day for months reading it and seeking Him. I read and prayed and read and prayed some more. I began to see connecting factors throughout the entire set of books. The constant devotion to knowing and growing closer to Him also led to the Lord speaking quite clearly.

I was pondering the way we can learn so much by studying His word; how He teaches us without regard to who we are and the Lord said something that really gave me pause. I don’t remember His actual words. It’s been many years ago now, but it was something along the lines of, “Yes, Betty, but it is only true if one actually practices it. Talking about it isn’t enough.”

That prompted a search through the Scriptures on the need for the evidence of Salvation in our lives. What I found surprised me and thoroughly annoyed my husband. While God is certainly capable of keeping us, He will not force us to stay. The sad reality is that people walk away from Him all the time. The Pastor was right. He doesn’t drop us. What he failed to factor in is free will, which has caused many to just walk away.

And He spoke many things to them in parables saying, “Behold the sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears let him hear.”  – Mat 13:3-9

Most Christians know this teaching, but not so many grasp its application to us.

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” – Mat 13:18-23

Now, here’s the thing: many who are represented here by the seed sown on the path, the rocky place or amongst the thorns made a profession of faith. They walked the aisle, were baptized, and communed with the brethren. By some denominational definitions, they were completely and irrevocably saved. Not by God’s word, but by man’s.

“He who has My commands and keeps them, He it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” -- Joh 14:21

If we are truly saved, we will love Him; therefore, we will obey Him. If your life is full of unrepentant sin, if you plan to sin then repent, if you love sin or accept your sin, if you continue in the same sins year after year, if your own sin isn’t repulsive to you – all these things should set off alarms in your heart. This doesn’t mean we won’t sin, but it does mean that sin will not rule our lives.

It is critical for us that we realize that the holiness of God does not play favorites. So many think that because they once made a profession of faith, it does not matter what they do. But it absolutely does. We are saved by grace, but not to continue in sin. Christ died for those sins. His holy blood was shed that we might be redeemed. So sin is a tremendous issue for God. Acting like it isn't is a serious disrespect of the cross and not one He will long tolerate. Consider this:

"So, because you are lukewarm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of My mouth." -- Rev 3:16

He does not say they are lost, but just that their love is mediocre. If a weak love is enough to make Him sick to His stomach, how much more must He be sickened by a lack of regard for His sacrifice? Is not the decision to be willfully sinful more offensive?

No, those who are truly His seek to obey Him. We do not consider sin acceptable. We see it as the instrument of His suffering and are deeply humbled by our involvement. So, we submit ourselves to Him and strive to live in the Spirit, abstaining from sin as much as possible.