“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”—John 15:8

I have had many conversations with Christian friends over the years wherein they let me know that they are concerned about predestination and/or whether it is possible for a Christian to “lose” their salvation.  Invariably, in the middle of the conversation the Holy Spirit reminds me to suggest that those two things are not the most important questions to ask of Him.  While the former question comes under the “unsearchable mysteries of God” category, the latter is a “red herring”, or distraction of the enemy, to lead the saint away from the real question which is… now that I have received such a great salvation, and I have been liberated from the power of sin and the fear of death, how do I walk in a way most pleasing to you O Lord and use the time I have remaining to bring You Glory?

Scripture tells us “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9  Since only God knows the heart of a man, it is only God who can discern, let alone judge another man’s salvation.  That said, if you tell me that you love Jesus and believe that He sacrificed Himself on the Cross for your sins, believe Him to be the Christ (Messiah) and have asked Him to be Lord of your life, then I have no other desire, let alone option, but to believe you.  Now it is simply a matter of allowing Jesus, through the Holy Spirit to lead you, as your Shepherd, into “paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake”.  This is a simple matter of obedience to the Spirit’s leading because “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works prepared BEFOREHAND that we should walk in them” – Ephesians 2:10

Now… if you still say to me, “yes, but can I lose my salvation?”, then what I am hearing is that you are more concerned with what happens after you die than in living the rest of your life for God’s Glory.  So… I would have to ask you “are you trying to find out what you can get away with and still “enter the Kingdom of Heaven”?  Again, I would have to say, “God is the only judge”.  What I CAN tell you is that God is not glorified by your riding the line in that way.  We who strive to trust and obey the Spirit know that good works are not only our “reasonable service” -Romans 12:1, but He Himself is our portion, our “exceedingly great reward” – Genesis 15:1, and His Glory is the only true source of our joy, which is our strength.

While we need not, and indeed cannot, earn our salvation (it is by Grace alone that we are saved) – Ephesians. 2:5, we must be vigilant, in our walk, to take up our cross daily and truly follow Him.  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” – Matt.7:21.  These words of Jesus, should put to rest the question of whether works are important to the health of a Christian’s walk with the Lord, fears of losing salvation entirely to the side.

 

If you are a Believer in Jesus Christ then you:

1. Know that you are a sinner saved by Grace, through faith and that you cannot earn your way into Heaven.
2. Love Him and are grateful for what He did for you on the Cross by dying for your sins.
3. Love those who also love Jesus and are willing to go out of your way to bless them with the things God gave you (talents, time and resources).
4. Love those who God puts in your life, even if they don’t identify themselves as Believers, and even if they actively dislike, hate or even seek to harm you.
5. Use every opportunity to know God better, be more sensitive to His spirit’s leading and desire to be ever more obedient to and trusting of Him.

 

While this list opens with the certainty that our works cannot save us, it finishes with the conviction that we must DO something with this great salvation, so that we are able to honor God.  In other words, our joy at receiving the blessing of John 3:16 must find completion in our response to fulfill our side of the new covenant found in 1John 3:16

 

It is through diligent prayer and supplication, with Thanksgiving, that we must make known to God our request to redeem the time we have been graciously given and gain a heart of His wisdom by numbering our days rightly.

 

In His Love, with joy and thanksgiving for all the saints,

 

John Henry Raskin

The Roadhouse Rabbi