Sometimes, it may look like God doesn’t want us to be saved. There are all these rules we have to follow — that we think we can’t. They are written out in the Bible, but what we personally are to do isn’t. This daily devotional looks at whether God is trying to make it so we can’t be saved.
Nuggets
- God wants everyone to be saved, but He knows that isn’t going to happen.
- The path does not have obstacles in it to deter us from choosing salvation.
- Obeying the laws and commandments comes after the salvation.
- After salvation, we choose obedience.
God wants everyone to be saved, but He knows that isn’t going to happen.
First off, “God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is, There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us. God showed us this at the right time” (I Tim. 2: 4-5 CEV). Everyone, as in all.
But God knows that salvation for all isn’t going to happen. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mt. 7: 13-14 ESV). That tells us two things: hard and few.
Glossary
But think about this. The paths leading to the gates are the same. Really, I should have just said path — singular.
We think we are on different paths, but we really aren’t. On judgment day there will be one question. Do we know Jesus as our personal Savior or not?
God doesn’t choose some people to walk the path of salvation and the rest to walk the path of hell. We walk a path until we are ready to decide if we are going to accept the gift of salvation.
Isn’t There Obstacles in the Way of Salvation?
The path does not have obstacles in it to deter us from choosing salvation.
Instead, God gives us grace. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2: 8 ESV).
To read devotions in the Foundations of Salvation series, click the appropriate button below.
Our salvation does not depend on what we do or don’t do in regard to God’s laws and commandments. Our salvation is based on whether we accept the gift of salvation or not.
How Can We Obey God’s Commandments?
“Look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse: there will be a blessing, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you today, and a curse, if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God and you turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods you have not known” (Deut. 11: 26-28 CSB).
Obeying the laws and commandments comes after the salvation. On the day we say, “Lord, I admit I am a sinner, I believe on Jesus as my Redeemer, and I confess God as Sovereign Lord,” we have to say “I want to demonstrate that commitment by following the disciple’s job description.” That means obeying all that God has told us to do.
The Disciple’s Job Description
Right away a problem comes up. No, it isn’t because we are new at this. It is we are still in this sinful body, and now Satan is going to be gunning for us.
We can’t obey on our own. “It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God” (II Cor. 3: 5-6 CSB).
Look at the next verse. “He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (II Cor. 3: 6 CSB).
We are only worthy because of God. It isn’t something we can or cannot do on our own. It is all about God and what He has done for us.
We Have to Choose Obedience
“If you love me, obey my commandments” (Jn. 14: 15 NLT)
After salvation, we choose obedience.
Obedience is submitting ourselves to the will of God as it is presented to us and living our lives accordingly. The choice to submit — not willfully sin — is ours. We have to choose to obey.
While we initially choose to obey when we accept the gift of salvation, this is also a daily choice. Satan will try to derail us in our walk.
Walking is the term used to describe how we live our lives. Walking with God means we are humble, reverent, teachable servants of God.
Don’t read that as we choose to earn our way into heaven. Salvation is the free gift of God’s grace.
Look at it this way. When we get married, we commit to being faithful to our partner. We didn’t decide to get married to be faithful. We got married because we love the person.
We choose to obey God because we love Him. Because we love Him, we have to choose to follow Him. If we do not choose to follow Him, we really don’t love Him.
Making the Connections
The problem is we are flawed. We are in these human bodies entrenched in human nature that shows itself in the worldview.
Christianity is counterculture to the views of this world. Choosing against what everyone else believes can be difficult.
Often, we do not make a conscious, big decision to follow the worldview. It is something we slide into most of the time.
The worldview rejects God and His teachings. It says that if something brings you pleasure — especially physical pleasure — it is to be embraced.
Also championed by the worldview is the accumulation of material possessions. The worldview of success advocates that we work hard — at the potential expense of relationships — using any means needed to fulfill our goals.
That success is defined by the job that we have, the clothes that we wear, and the car that we drive. Our purpose and goal in life should be, according to the worldview, to make more money, have nicer possessions, and continue to be promoted in our chosen professions.
Unfortunately, people following the worldview today don’t see the gospel as relevant. In the worldview, people have evolved and no longer need to be limited by the rules that God instituted.
People today think the Bible needs to change. The worldview says we are just supposed to tolerate others committing sin. It demands believers not talk about their beliefs because they are seen as intolerant.
The worldview would like to strip God of His ability to enforce the commandments. It would like to undermine His authority and power because they feel the laws and commandments are stifling.
The worldview tells us we don’t need God — we can rely on ourselves. The worldview wants us to be our own gods. Satan doesn’t want us to look any farther than ourselves and this world for Someone to worship. That way we are worshiping him.
The worldview tells us we are boss; we make our own decisions. And a lot of us are more comfortable that way. We feel we should look at things only from our understanding.
Even though sin can be appealing when we look at it through a worldview lens, ultimately, it isn’t. We’ve got to look at it from God’s view.
Paul told us to resemble God, not to try to be our own God. That is one way we get sideways of the worldview.
Glossary
To read a related devotion, click the appropriate button below.
How Do We Apply This?
“He said, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it/’” (Lk. 11: 28 CSB.
“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (II Cor. 7: 1 NIV).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov. 3: 5-6 ESV).
Recap:
- We have to hear the words in order to obey them. Hearing (or reading) takes action on our part. We have to choose to put in that time.
- We have to decontaminate ourselves. We have to get rid of all the impure things in our lives. We have to choose to give things up and to remove them from our lives. We have to turn away from the worldview.
- We have to make it all about God. It is about Him, not us. He gives; we accept. He sets the rules; we follow.
The salvation part is easy — we accept the gift. The obedience part is easier when we say we are going to choose to do whatever God says to do.
Loving Father. We choose to follow You. We choose Jesus as our Redeemer and You as our Sovereign Lord. Help us to break away from the pull of the worldview. Help us to be strong to stand up to opposition. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email daily or weekly providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.