The Ways of God – The Process of Salvation (Epilogue)
A reader suggested we publish this series of articles in booklet form – for sharing with friends, family and fellowships. In preparation, we made a couple of significant additions to the “hearing” and “obedience” sections of Part 2 which can be found below. For the convenience of those who desire to read these in full context (as well as the minor additions), here are links to each of the updated articles:
Introduction – The Way of God for Our Salvation
Part 2 – The Hearing of Faith and Obedience to the Faith for Our Salvation
Part 3 – The Work of Faith for Our Salvation
The Hearing of Faith for Salvation (Supplement)
So, how do we continuously hear the word of faith for our salvation? How does the gospel of the kingdom become a constant word from God in our life?
The first and most obvious answer is: We pray… continuously.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
We discipline ourselves to come before the King, beginning with the first-fruits of our day. All anyone really needs for motivation to get up early and spend time with God is an appreciation of His nature, His character, and His intention to make something of each and every day. Who in his right mind would choose otherwise?
There is simply no better thing to do first thing in the morning than to meet with God. Absolutely none of the best excuses stand up against this reality.
Secondly, once we are there, we should ask our King to command us. That’s right; we ask our King to tell us what He would have us do – in the moment and throughout the day. This may sound strange to you, but it is the most natural thing a citizen of the kingdom of God does each and every morning.
A dear friend of mine, the man God has used to disciple me for almost twenty years, put me on to this truth: Jesus’ commands activate our faith. Peter’s walk on the water provides the best example.
And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Matthew 14:28
Peter desired to walk on the water to Jesus, but he knew (as we know now) that “anything done without faith is sin (reference).” Jesus’ command, “Come.”, activated Peter’s faith to step out of the boat and walk on water. God has placed a life-long desire (i.e., to hear His word for faith unto salvation) in our hearts, as well. And He waits for us to ask for His command.
Did you know there are nearly two-hundred commands of Jesus recorded in the New Testament? More than fifty can be found in the Sermon on the Mount. We do not lack for faith activating words from God. Those who study the Holy Bible prayerfully (i.e., in conversation with God), will continuously discover the rhema (right now, spoken) word of God for faith unto salvation.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 2:29
Lastly, Christians who desire to hear the word of faith for their salvation must overcome a deception that has plagued the Western church since the beginning of the Enlightenment (a humanism movement of the 17th and 18th centuries). Instigated by our carnal minds (collectively), and perpetuated by well-meaning but deceived teachers, most Christians now accept one of the most debilitating lies about our new nature in Christ:
We have come to believe that our hearts are still corrupt.
Thankfully, the Scriptures do not support such a belief.
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10
Let me ask you: How does one believe unto righteousness with a corrupt heart? Thankfully, God has not left us in such an impossible state.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:26-27
Why would God give the children He loves a corrupt heart? Yes, until we are born again our hearts are wicked, evil, corrupt, and proud. But (and this is a big but), God trusts the heart of flesh He has placed in every born-again Christian to hold and express the faith He has given in the good news of His kingdom: He now reigns over our heart.
Now get this: Our carnal mind has been blame-shifting onto our hearts to avoid being discovered and defeated (we write about this extensively in An Enemy Lies Within (link)). It is time we joined the Holy Spirit in His battle against our #1 enemy.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:17
Obedience to the Faith for Salvation (Supplement)
If the hearing of faith is a matter of the heart, then obedience to the faith is very much a matter of the mind. As we learned previously, faith which comes from hearing the word of God finds residence in our hearts (Romans 10:10). From there, to be perfected, heart-resident faith must manifest in the work of faith (James 2:22).
We know from James 2:14-17, Matthew 7:24-25, and Matthew 25:37-40 (just to name a few) that the work of faith is real work; it involves the use of our body. To get from heart to body, faith must pass through our mind. This is where the process of faith for salvation often breaks down, because we have been trained, by the world, for much of our lives, to trust the reasoning of our carnal mind.
Mankind was not created to live by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In fact, God has forbidden it (Genesis 2:17). God intends for us to eat from the Tree of Life, that life being Christ. Our attempts to live from the wrong tree inhibits our ability to live the life for which we have been created and saved. Let that sink in for a moment and then marvel at the mystery:
But we have the mind of Christ. 1Corinthians 2:16b
In my humble opinion, every born-again believer has at least two minds: the carnal mind they were born with and the mind of Christ they received when they were born of God (1John 3:9). Throughout our existence, we choose which mind we will turn to for counsel and response to the word of God. The mind of Christ leads us, from the hearing of faith, through obedience to the faith, to the work of faith.
“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (and) bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2Corinthians 10:5)” is the critical discipline for this phase of the process. Those who practice in their quiet times with God, will find themselves better prepared during the busy-ness of their day.
Finally, it is important to point out that, as free-willed individuals, we are personally responsible for choosing which mind we turn to. And we must remember: While there are particular faith events that force this choice, obedience to the faith for salvation is a life-long endeavor, requiring continuous renewing of our minds.
A Closing Encouragement
It occurs to me that some readers may be thinking, “I am just not a process thinker. This process stuff does not apply to me.” If that describes you, please consider the following encouragement.
- While God is a process-oriented problem solver, He is not only process-oriented. He is other than any one of us, and we are all created in His image. He knows our frame (He created it), and He communes and communicates with us individually as He knows best.
- Thinking that is not bound by process is not bad thinking. God made us different to encourage us to be dependent on Him and each other. Those of us who are process-oriented are here to help when necessary (and we desperately need the help of others). We are the body of Christ, collectively.
- Understanding His ways is critically important. They are foundational to the normal Christian life, and they can be learned. Every one of us follows processes every day of our lives (e.g., cooking, shaving, getting dressed for work or workout, learning a new language).
- The structure provided by God’s ways provides order to His creation. His order supports the dynamic work He accomplishes through the vast variety of personalities that make up humankind and the choices we make individually and in community.
So, remember: God’s way for salvation simply requires that we hear His word, obey the faith His word plants in our heart, and walk in the good work He created to perfect our faith. Endure to the end, and you shall be saved. I pray this study has helped you to that end.
God bless you with grace and courage for the continuous and expanding salvation He offers.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob
#iamjustthepen