Re:Verse reading—Luke 6:17-45 (day five)
It’s a hard lesson to learn, children and teens experience it too- the rejection and tension that living like Christ in the world causes. We often times believe that living with purity, integrity, and holiness will guarantee a life that is stress free, applauded, and encouraged. Scripture says that God will reward these, but not necessarily man. Jesus teaches/warns that this kind of life on earth is often painful and filled with hardship. “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.” As parents we must encourage our children to “keep the faith”, because we know that the real reward, the greater reward is an eternal one. As adults, we too desire the approval and applause of people. We must tell the truth and live and share the gospel, no matter what the consequences. We must keep an eternal perspective. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Good topic to tackle. The promise of “eternal life” is appreciated when we realize that the word of God is the instrument used by God to teach us and others about eternal life and to communicate to us and others the means of attaining eternal life.
Eternal life is a future state! Only through faith that we can have hope and can continue to pursue that future promise where God will be present, where sufferings, tears, pain, sickness and death will be nonexistent.
Earthly life is of the current state. The requirements for an abundant and productive life on earth (current) as defined by the world and in Heaven (future) might be in contradict to one another! For example, can you be humbled in competing for a job which will help you bring food to the table to feed your family? Can you disobey someone with an economic power because you believe his or her decisions are unjust and ungodly?For survival on earth, your heart may tell you not to go along but disobeying an authority can result in losing your job which could affect your ability to bring food to the table to feed your loved ones. In this scenario, you are not glorifying God but men!! We must admit that meeting God’s requirements in this self-glorifying world can be very challenging. In my view, God created this sinful world and challenges us to make choices. Following God and denying the world we live in are not always easy but require a trade-off decision: give up and take!
People maybe confused and may not know what to do to satisfy both requirements in order to survive on this earth now and will be able to pursue an eternal life. Have you been in a situation where God’s guide is a No but human’s guide is a Yes?
In this world, there are people who are saved and there are people who are not yet saved. Am I right on this assumption? Can people who have been saved will be saved forever? Is salvation a God’s entitlement or something we must earn. Can we make Godly and informed choices by denying everything this sinful world offers that we believe in contradict to God’s will and standards to pursue an abundant and productive life in Heaven (eternity)? From my perspective, I can say “YES”! The choice is in us! We cannot have both! We must choose one, God or men/the world.
The path to eternity is in the Bible. The Bible, words of God, provides us and others how to meet the requirements for a life that only the Heaven (eternal) can provide. The question for us and others is how we can go from where we are (current, earthly) to where we want to be (future, Heaven)!
Obeying God and following God’s guidance that the Bible provides definitely will help minimize confusion, pain and sufferings that this earthly life presents while fulfilling God’s requirements of His will and plan for us. We may need to give up something of earthy values now in exchange for eternal values, something better in the future that God promised to those who trust and follow Him.
Life is about choices and consequences! God gives us choices and gives us the guidance and directions for us to move toward His will for us. It is our decision! We all know what to do! I have faith in God’s promises and will walk by faith.
Faith is the key for hope and for patience in my view. I totally agree that we must keep the faith and encourage everyone, especially to our loved ones and our children, to keep the faith.
Faith is defined by Merriam Webster as a) allegiance to duty or a person; b) fidelity to one’s promises, sincerity in intention, act in good faith; c) belief and trust in and loyalty to God, belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion, firm belief in something for which there is no proof, something that is believed especially with strong conviction.
Based on the definition of faith, I don’t know how we can live and work with a high level of satisfaction without faith! To have a high level of satisfaction for spiritual life, we must trust God’s word and believe in Him. Keep our faith in God! He is faithful to His children and to His promises! Eternal life is so attractive, no more tears, no more sickness, no more pain, no more sufferings, no more pain, no more confusion, no more devils. We all want to get to Heaven. I am convinced!
What are your thoughts of getting to eternal life from where you are currently? Do you think salvation is an entitlement or one must earn and must continue to earn until Jesus returns?
Preach on, Preacher, Preach on!
I was in search to my question whether one must earn salvation and must continue to earn until Jesus returns. I was curious and here was what I found!
Can You Earn Salvation? | United Church of God
https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/can-you-earn-salvation
Hope you all find this article helpful!