ABIDING IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: (Part 3)

I AM saved...I AM BEING saved...I WILL BE saved.

John 15:1-2 ESV  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  (2)  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

The teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles focused on three things: (1) Justification: How do we gain eternal life, which requires receiving Christ. I AM SAVED in my spirit-man; (2) Sanctification: Continually walking in righteous behavior with a life of faith and growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I AM BEING SAVED in my soulish man, (how I think, how I feel, and how I choose). (3) Glorification: The final act of salvation and rewards in the Day of the Lord, in the day when our Lord Jesus returns to earth. I WILL BE SAVED in my physical man as I put off the mortal and put on the new immortal body. I put off that which is corrupted and put on that which is incorruptible.

Although there are some Scriptures giving limited revelation on the subject about what happens to us when we die, most Scriptures are about how we should live here now. There are ample Scriptures with the emphasis on what happens to us when the Lord Jesus returns and the world as we know it ends and the new heaven and earth is established.

However, the majority of both the Old and New Testaments cover the subject of us living a life of righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God in this present world. This is learning to abide in God's Word and to abide in Christ. When the Apostles of the Lamb preached salvation they were speaking of not being destroyed in the Day of the Lord. The message of salvation was not meant to be a "feel-good" message. The reason that the gospel is "good-news" is because if we receive it we miss the "bad news" which is the judgment of God.

Acts 24:24-25 ESV  After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.  (25)  And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”

The reason for Felix trembling was due to the conviction of the Holy Spirit about judgment. Felix would not have trembled at the salvation message preached in many places today which is only about the love of God. The salvation message must also include the judgment of God for those who reject God's grace.

Romans 2:4-5 ESV  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  (5)  But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

We would not stress this point except that it has a direct, practical bearing on how we live in the world. If we think of the Christian redemption as just being a plan for escaping Hell and having admission into Heaven when we die we do not understand the absolute necessity for abiding in Christ in our present life.