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What Does it Mean to be Saved? | Part II – How Do You Get Saved?

The following is the script used as part of the “Muscular Christianity Podcast,” which you can access by clicking here.

I) Intro

Hey guys, Bruce Gust with Muscular Christianity.

This is part two of a three-part series pertaining to Salvation.

Part One, we looked at what does it mean to be born again. This is part two where we’re talking about how do you actually become born again?

How do you get saved?

And as far as I’m concerned, this is gold right here. This is Holy Spirit, Word of God, bottom line kind of stuff. It’s the type of thing that you really want to be paying attention to because there are a number of people out there that believe that simply by verbally acknowledging that Christ died and came back to life they therefore qualify as a Christian.

You want to be careful with that kind of approach because Romans 10:9-10 makes it clear that there’s more to “believing” than simply saying the right words.

This is where we kick off Part Two.

Are you ready?

Here we go.

II) More Than Words

Romans 10:9-10:

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Rom 10:9-10)

You believe.

That’s it.

You can’t earn God’s favor and you don’t merit his grace with anything you do or abstain from. The Bible makes it clear that all you have to do is simply embrace the reality of Christ as being absolutely true.

And there you go.

Bear in mind though, that you can believe something to be true, yet it not be adopted as a matter of practice.

It’s like looking at a chair, believing that it can support you, but until you’re actually sitting in it, your belief is an intellectual exercise as opposed to a practical commitment.

Think of it this way, you can believe that the speed limit is 55 and still be going 80. You can believe that diet and exercise is important and yet never work out. You can believe that it’s time to get up and still stay in bed.

2:19 You believe that there is one God. A clear reference to the passage most familiar to his Jewish readers: the shema (Dt 6:4-5), the most basic doctrine of the OT. Demons believe. Even fallen angels affirm the oneness of God and tremble at its implications. Demons are essentially orthodox in their doctrine (cf. Matt 8:29-30; Mk 5:7; Lk 4:41; Acts 19:15). But orthodox doctrine by itself if no proof of saving faith. They know the truth about God, Christ and the Spirit, but hate it and them. (“MacArthur Bible Commentary”, John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2005, p1888 [commentary on James 2:19])

Believing that Jesus Christ died and came back to life as a historical fact doesn’t qualify you as being any different than the demons.

James 2:19:

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (Jas 2:19)

You can see something similar in Matthew 7 when Jesus says:

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matt 7:21-23)

However you want to envision that part of you that drives the way you think, act and feel – whether you want to think of it as your personality or your soul – the important thing that needs to be established is that it’s more than just a mindset or a mood.

It’s what makes you the person that you are.

The Bible calls that your heart. When you believe something in your heart, you’re not just conceding its accuracy from an academic standpoint. When you believe something in the context of your intellect, it will change your mind. But when you believe something in your heart, it will change your life.

Dr. John MacArthur elaborates on this in his commentary on Romans 1:16. He says:

Saving faith consists of three elements: (1) mental: the mind understands the gospel and the truth about Christ (10:14-17); (2) emotional: one embraces the truthfulness of those facts with sorrow over sin and joy over God’s mercy and grace (6:17; 15:13); and (3) volitional: the sinner submits his will to Christ and trusts in Him alone as the only of salvation (see note on 10:9). Genuine faith will always produce authentic obedience (see note on 4:3; cf. John 8:31; 14:21-24). (“MacArthur Bible Commentary”, John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2005, p11505 [commentary on Romans 1:16])

If you break that down, you’re looking at body, mind and soul like what it says in Luke 10:27. Again, like I said before, it’s the difference between a historical fact as opposed to a personal reality.

That’s the kind of belief being referenced in the book of Romans and that’s the kind of belief that gets you saved.

We’re getting ready to do “Part Three: How Do You Know That You’re Saved?” But listen, guys, again, this stuff is huge. And I want to make a point of mentioning that all of this that we’re talking about is something you want to validate for yourselves by reading and researching the Scriptures all this is based on.

Go out to muscularChristianityonline.com and click on the link that says “Podcast Notes.”

I’m Bruce Gust with Muscular Christianity. Let’s go make a difference.

What Does it Mean to be Saved? | Part III

I) Intro

Hey guys, Bruce Gust, Muscular Christianity.

This is Part Three of a three-part series pertaining to Salvation.

In Part One we looked at what does it mean to be saved. In Part Two we talked about how you get saved and listen, while all of this is important, Part Two is absolutely crucial because you want to base your identity in Christ on what it says in the Word of God.

Contenting yourself with the idea that you’re born again just because you’re comfortable repeating the same words a demon would say about the Resurrection of Christ is not in line with what Scripture says as far as, not just confessing with your mouth, but believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.

When you believe something in your heart, the death and resurrection of Christ is no longer just a historical fact. Rather, it’s a personal reality and that’s what you need to ensure is in place in order to qualify as someone who is truly born again.

So, be sure to out to MuscularChristianityOnline.com, click on Podcast Notes, find that particular episode and look at the Scriptures that are either being referred to specifically or what’s referred to in the Notes. You don’t want to overlook those things that define a saving faith as defined in the Bible and instead be placing your confidence in a meaningless sound bite.

Now let’s take a look at Part Three: How do You Know that You’re Saved?

II) The Wrong Side of the Road

Imagine you’re driving on the wrong side of the road, right?

A police officer comes up alongside you and tells you to pull over.

All right.

Now imagine that instead of pulling over, you just roll your window down, you yell out the window, “Hey, I’m sorry,” and then you continue driving just as you were before.

Ridiculous, right?

But this is the way some process sin. Their driving on the wrong side of the road isn’t a real problem, at least as far as it being something that needs to be forgiven.

And if they are willing to concede that they need to have a little talk with Jesus, they don’t really ask for forgiveness as much as they just go through the motions so they can feel better about themselves.

They’re not willing to confess that they’re doing anything wrong.

Just like that scenario where the police officer is saying, “Hey, you need to get back in your lane or you need to pull over,” they not see that as being something that they need to respond to.

It isn’t a problem.

They don’t recognize God as an Authority, they’re not changing their behavior – they’re not pulling over.

And you see all of this captured in 1 John 3:6

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 Jn 3:6)

In other words, if you’re not pulling over when the spirit of God motions you to the side of the road, you’re either a very immature Christian and discounting the reality of sin or you don’t have the Holy Spirit living in you, which means you’re not saved.

Bear in mind, John isn’t saying that unless you’re a morally perfect individual that you’re not born again (Rom 7:14-25). What he is saying is that if you ignore God’s Voice, whether it be something documented specifically in Scripture or that sense of hesitation, you feel that’s prompted by God’s spirit, which is called Conviction (Jn 16:8).

When you feel that, if you’re not stopping, if you’re not pulling over, well, then something’s off.

How do you know you’re saved?

Ask yourself if you pull over and if you’re willing to acknowledge your shortcomings when God points them out and then make the necessary changes to your behavior in the aftermath.

Do you pull over?

III) What About Those Situations Where You’re Not Really Doing Anything Wrong, But…

And listen, human beings are guilty of occasionally making conclusions based on a very subjective collection of criteria. There are times where you might be doing something that, to other people, looks positively wrong and suddenly you’re being criticized for something you don’t believe to be a problem.

How do you navigate that kind of situation?

A) Eating Meat

Here’s the thing: In First Corinthians (1 Cor 10:23-33), Paul addresses a situation where new believers were having a hard time with those who were eating a piece of meat that had been used as part of a pagan religious ceremony.

In their minds, to eat that meat was indirectly engaging in idolatry and it was a real problem for them. And it wasn’t because they were being overly particular. This was something that was a part of their culture and now, having been born again, they’re looking at everything through a new set of eyes and they’re seeing this as a sin.

Thing is, not everyone is seeing that way but for those who are hesitating, they’re now vulnerable to make some concessions that are sinful because of the way they’re processing this situation as permission to “bend the rules.”

Paul reinforces the idea that to view the meat as tainted is ridiculous for any one of a number of reasons, but…

If you know you’re in the presence of someone who’s struggling with this situation, Paul encourages those who are more mature in their thinking to simply abstain from eating the meat if they know it has the potential to be perceived as a problem.

The bottom line being that you want to promote the spiritual growth of those who are new to the faith, not just for their sake, but also for the sake of being able to make God’s glory and prominence all the more appealing.

First Corinthians 10:31 says:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)

It’s not that you can’t eat meat, you just want to be sensitive in the way you exercise your freedom so your behavior doesn’t embolden someone to adopt a mindset that makes them all the more vulnerable to do something foolish (Rom 14:13-23).

Your priority needs to be God’s Reputation, and not your personal take on the matter.

And just as quick aside, the Bible refers to those who choose to be obstacles to someone else’s relationship with Christ as a “stumbling block.” Jesus talks about how things that make people “stumble” are inevitable, but you don’t want to be the one responsible for damaging someone’s faith:

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! (Matt 18:6-7)

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your behavior is no one’s business but your own. You answer to your Heavenly Father and you want to be aware of how you’re coming across – not just for the sake of keeping a safe distance between you and the devil, but also to ensure you’re a compliment to what God would do in the lives of others and not a distraction from it.

B) Making Excuses

There are times, however, when we are falling short, although we don’t want to admit it.

We justify ourselves by saying that we’re not “really” doing anything wrong, and it can be fairly easy to convince those who might be concerned that their apprehension is totally ill-founded because of the way in which our true motives can be easily concealed with the right kind of verbiage.

Granted, this can get into some subjective territory, but you’re not playing to win when you’re doing things that make it easier to lose. And when you’re not just contemplating concessions but actually doing things that make those compromises more likely, then you have to ask, “Whose team am I playing for?”

You see that sentiment in Matthew 6:24:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt 6:24)

If you’re doing something that equates to intentionally walking every batter right up to the point where the bases are loaded, you’re not resisting the devil, you’re cooperating with him.

James 4:7 says:

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jas 4:7)

Romans 13:14 says:

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Rom 13:14)

There’s a timeline that James outlines in chapter one which traces how sin begins with a thought, then morphs to a plan and finally to an action:

but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (Jas 1:14-15)

Being tempted isn’t a sin, but once you start dwelling on it and maneuvering things around that better accommodate the possibility of the enemy putting some points on the board, even if you’ve yet to cross “the” line, according to Scripture you’ve nevertheless crossed “a” line by allowing a sinister concession to make it’s way past your mind and into your heart where you’re physically opening doors that should remain locked.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 that if you look at a woman lustfully, you’ve already committed adultery in your heart. On the surface that looks a little harsh and maybe even somewhat absurd. But when you contemplate what the “heart” is from a biblical perspective, it makes more sense in that you’re now at that point that James refers to when “desire has conceived.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Christ’s comment in the Sermon on the Mount elaborates on that by saying:

This command forbids not only the acts of fornication and adultery, but, (1.) All appetites to them, all lusting after the forbidden object; this is the beginning of the sin, lust conceiving (James 1 15); it is a bad step towards the sin; and where the lust is dwelt upon and approved, and the wanton desire is rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel, it is the commission of sin, as far as the heart can do it… (2.) All approaches toward them; feeding the eye with the sight of the forbidden fruit; not only looking for that end, that I may lust; but looking till I do lust, or looking to gratify the lust, where further satisfaction cannot be obtained. (“Bible Study Tools”, “Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible”, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/5.html, accessed October 7, 2023)

These aren’t just “impure thoughts,” this is you intentionally fumbling the ball and giving the other team a chance to score.

No, not everything is black and white. But, then again, God never has to speculate and since He sees the heart (1 Sam 16:7) and no man can serve two masters (Matt 6:24), you can rest assured that however you may be able to successfully convince another human being that things aren’t as they seem, God has full access to both your actions and your motives and you’re either promoting His Reputation or protecting your own.

Period.

In her article, “The Difference Between Guilt and Conviction,” Jeanne Harrison, a staff writer at Grace Church in Orlando, does a great job of shutting down all the white noise and allowing the  Truth that is central to this whole debate be heard in a way that’s easy to hear and understand…

Here’s the difference between guilt and conviction: guilt is not willing to pay the price of repentance. Guilt wants to make the problem go away as painlessly as possible because guilt’s primary focus is me. What will they think of me? How will the consequences impact me?

Conviction focuses on God. We begin to experience conviction when our hearts are grieved not solely because we might lose our job, or our spouse, or our standing, but because we have broken fellowship with God. In 2 Corinthians 7:10 Paul captures the difference between guilt and conviction by describing two different kinds of sorrow. He writes, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

The question is, why are you lamenting over your sin? Is it because you fear losing the things of the world—the respect of your boss, the esteem of performing perfectly, the pleasure of sin itself? If so, you are experiencing worldly sorrow. Or are you pained because you have personally grieved God’s heart? This kind of godly sorrow takes us straight to the cross—to repentance, restoration, and life.

In order for me to repent, I had to care more about my relationship with God than I did about my reputation.

Again, you’re hearing the question: “Do you pull over?”

If your primary concern is your relationship with Christ and the way you’re making Him look in the eyes of those who are on the outside looking in, then your priorities will be reflected in your actions and you’re either avoiding a bad situation altogether, or you’re reinforcing both your resolve to obey and  the Reputation of your King by establishing some accountability so everything can be seen for what it truly is and you can be successful where you might otherwise be prone to fail (Prov 27:17; Ecc 4:9-12; Gal 6:1-2; Heb 10:24; 13:17; 1 Pet 5:5).

IV) Conclusion

Listen, being born again translates to more than just the ability to avoid the otherwise inevitable punishment awaiting you in hell. It’s a Divine suite of perks, advantages and opportunities that can be categorized under four headings: Purpose, Perspective, Peace and Power.

Your sense of Purpose is improved because you know that it’s God working in and through you (Phil 2:13).

Your perspective is different because you’re now not viewing things exclusively according to your circumstances, but you’re seeing things in the context of how God is moving (Ps 139:16; Jn 5:17; Eph 2:10).

You’re not as apt to be anxious because you know that God is in charge and you have access to a Divine Source of Strength that allows you to endure and excel in ways that go beyond what you’re capable of on your own (Is 41:10; Jn 14:12; Col 1:29).

What does it mean to be saved?

The Holy Spirit is living in and through you.

How do you get it done?

You believe and you believe in a way where you’re not just changing your mind, rather you let God change you by believing in your heart.

And how do you know you’re saved?

You pull over when God motions you to stop and you change the way you’re driving.

Again, for more detail and Scripture, head out to muscularchristianityonline.com and look under the Podcast Show Notes.

I’m Bruce Gust. This is Muscular Christianity.

Let’s go make a difference.

What Does it Mean to be Saved | Part I

The following is the script used as part of the “Muscular Christianity Podcast,” which you can access by clicking here.

I) Intro

Hey guys, today we’re going to be talking about what it means to be born again.

This is going to be a three-part series. The first part we’re going to talk about what does it mean to be saved. In the second part we’ll look at how do you get saved and in the third part will examine how you can know that you’re saved.

Listen, this is important stuff because there’s some people who are walking around thinking that if they simply form the words on their lips, “Yes, I believe that Jesus died and came back to life,” somehow that translates to them being born again.

And that’s not necessarily the case. We’re going to talk more about that later in Part II, but when you consider the fact that the demons believe that Jesus Christ died and came back to life (Matt 7:21-23; Jas 2:19), you need to have more than just a verbal acknowledgement on your spiritual resume before you can accurately claim to be a believer.

But here’s the thing: You can’t base your convictions on another person’s opinion or a particular tradition or even a familiar denomination.

You have to go by what it says in God’s Word.

It’s because the subject matter is so important that you can’t afford to allow any type of human convention to substitute for the Truth as its defined in Scripture.

Now, if you’re listening to this broadcast and you’re among those that are just looking for some simple and easy to remember sound bites, let’s get you taken care of.

What does it mean to be saved? It means all the ways in which you’ve rebelled against God have been forgiven. Colossians 2:13-14 says:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (Col 2:13-14)

But the other piece of the salvation package is this: You have been fundamentally changed. It’s not that you’ve changed your mind as much as He’s changed you.

You can see that in Galatians 2:20 where it says:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)

Forgiven and transformed – that’s what it means to be saved.

There’s your Executive Summary! Let’s now take a closer look at how Scripture defines Salvation.

II) What Does it Mean to be Saved?

Bottom line, the Holy Spirit – and by the Holy Spirit, I’m talking about the Character (Gal 5:22-23) and the Mindset of God (1 Cor 2:16) –  that is now a part of who you are as a person (Eph 1:13-14; Titus 3:5).

You see that in Romans eight verse nine.

You however are not in the realm of the flesh, but are in the realm of the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Rom 8:9)

Let’s read that last part again because that is either the game changer or a deal breaker: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

Now, bear in mind that the Spirit of God isn’t a mere add on or a plug in.

Whereas before you were spiritual corpse, now you have a spiritual pulse. You have been made completely new:

2 Corinthians 5:17.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old is gone, the new is here. (2 Cor 5:17)

Everything that prevented you from obeying God rather than yourself, every inclination you had to go up to God as He was sitting on His Throne and telling Him to get out of your chair, has been replaced with the capacity to choose His Strength and His Perspective over your own.

The Bible says that prior to Christ breathing life into the spiritual part of your existence, you were a slave to sin (Prov 5:22; Jn 8:34; Rom 6:17; Eph 2:5). This doesn’t mean that you were giving in to every vulgar and heinous thought that crossed your mind, necessarily. What it does mean is that you measured everything according to the standard of yourself (Phil 3:19).

As a spiritual corpse (Eph 2:1), whether you’re imitating a Christlike demeanor or you’re operating as a criminal, you are your own bottom line and in that context you are never serving anyone other than yourself (Is 64:6; Matt 6:24-26). And however you want to pose as someone who is willing to subordinate themselves to a higher authority or a greater good, you submit only to those that meet with your approval. In that way, you are perpetually at war with your Creator which is the essence of sin (Rom 8:7).

But now, as someone who has a spiritual pulse, you are no longer hostile to God. And while you can still ignore Him and choose to rebel against His Authority, you now have a choice to use the Power and Perspective He offers to follow His Instructions and enjoy all the benefits of obedience  (Jn 10:10; 1 Cor 10:13).

And while the Holy Spirit is now making a huge difference in the way you live your life, it’s His Spirit that serves as His Signature, come the day you stand before him after you pass away (Heb 9:27).

21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor 1:21-22 [see also Lk 10:20])

Paul is talking about Heaven in this verse. When your body gives out, all that makes you the person that you are continues to exist in one of two environments – you’re either living in Heaven as someone who’s been redeemed, or you’re suffering in hell having chosen to reject the Gift that God made available to you in the context of His Son having bled, suffered and died on your behalf (1 Jn 2:2; Rev 20:15).

So what does it mean to be saved?

It means that you’re now a different person because of the way the Holy Spirit directs and empowers you. And it’s that same spirit that Scripture refers to as a seal of ownership that will validate your citizenship in heaven.

That’s what it means to be saved.

Christ living in and through you now and being able to call heaven your home after you breathe your last.

That’s part one, folks.

Buckle up now for Part Two of this Salvation Series.

I’m Bruce Gust with Muscular Christianity.

Let’s go make a difference.

What Does it Mean?

What does it mean to be saved and why do you believe in the death and resurrection of Christ? What makes you think it’s true and what difference does it make?

Saying that you were, “…brought up in a Christian home,” doesn’t really answer the question. Nor does it mean much when you say that you’re “Catholic.” You’re not explaining anything as much as you’re just labeling yourself with a generic sticker and perhaps hoping that no one asks you any more questions.

Maybe?

Here’s the thing… 1 Peter 3:15 says:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15)

In other words, be ready to sound intelligent if someone asks you what you believe and why you believe it.

So, what does it mean to be saved?

Executive Summary

In order to ensure we’ve got something we can easily remember when we’re done, let’s break this down into four segments:

What Does it Mean?

You’ve been changed. The thing that drives the way you think, act and feel has been fundamentally altered. A relationship with Christ is not an add-on or a plugin. It’s an entirely new Operating System. This is what Paul was referring to in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17)

How Do You Get it Done?

You believe.

That’s it.

It’s a gift (Rom 6:23). You don’t earn it (Eph 2:8-9). You simply accept the Reality of Christ’s death and resurrection and His Identity as the Son of God (Lk 23:41-43).

You see that in Romans 10:9-10:

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

It’s important to realize, though, that the “belief” the Bible is referring to is the kind that goes beyond just forming the words on your tongue. It’s the difference between saying you’re in love and actually being in love. When you believe something in your heart, it affects your behavior (Lk 6:43-45) and the way you think. So, in this instance, the kind of belief that’s being referred to here is that the empty tomb isn’t just a historical event, it’s a personal reality.

What Actually Happens?

When you cross that line and you believe that Christ’s tomb is empty, God takes all of the intangibles that constitute Who and What He is (the Holy Spirit) and integrates them into your character.

That’s what happens when you believe:

Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:13-14 [see also Ezekiel 36:26-27; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19])

And this is just a part of what it means to be redeemed! The long and short of it is, you have been made alive.

As a sinner, you are a spiritual corpse:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Eph 2:1-2)

You are dead, spiritually (Rom 8:8). When God forgives of your sin, at that point you become alive.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph 2:4-5)

You can’t hope to justify yourself by suggesting that “I’m not that bad. (Is 64:6)”

You’re dead.

This is so much more and at the same time so much simpler than what’s represented by your record of wrongs (Jas 2:10).

From a spiritual perspective, you’re not breathing.

What makes sin so heinous is that it’s not just the physical consquences of the sin as much as it’s Who you’re sinning against (2 Sam 12:13; Ps 51:4; Rom 3:23).

Every sin, regardless of how serious or incremental it may appear, requires you to go up to God as He’s sitting on His Throne and telling Him to get out of your chair (1 Sam 15:23 [all sin is a rebellion against God’s Authority]).

It’s belligerent, outrageously rebellious and, ultimately, lethal (Rom 6:23).

It’s not something you can offset by trying to be more noble (Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Every human being, apart from God’s grace, is a lifeless body from a spiritual standpoint (Ps 143:2; Ecc 7:20; Rom 3:9-20).

The only thing you contribute to your salvation is the sin that makes it necessary. By forgiving you of your sin, you’re now not only blameless , instead of being a spiritual corpse, you now have a spiritual pulse which is indicated by the Holy Spirit now residing within you (Eph 1:7; Acts 2:38).

And that’s what it means to saved.

What Does it Look Like?

From an eternal standpoint, being saved boils down to being confident. From a practical standpoint, being saved gives you access to a collection of Divine Resources that enable you to be excellent in everything you do, think and say (Ps 19:14).

Confidence and Excellence.

Now let’s do a little deep dive into all this!

Here we go…

I) What Does it Mean?

The bottom line is that you’ve been changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17)

Everything that drives the way you think, act and feel has been fundamentally and permanently changed by God having integrated His Character into yours. While there’s a lot of practical theology that can be unpacked in order to fully appreciate just how amazing and transformational God’s grace truly is, that’s the bottom line. You have been changed, you are not the same person. It’s not that you’ve changed your mind as much as Christ has changed you. Whereas before you processed yourself and the world around you according to your personal experiences and life lessons, now you have access to the same Perspective and Strength that raised Christ from the grave (Eph 1:17-21).

But how do you get there? How can you experience this change?

II) How Do You Get it Done?

A) The Best Place to Go

The best place to go looking for the answer is the Word of God. Otherwise, you risk being told something that may be in line with someone’s tradition, but not necessarily consistent with the Truth. So, let’s start with Romans 10:9-10:

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Rom 10:9-10)

The first part seems almost too easy. “If you declare with your mouth…” How many times have you heard someone claim to be a Christian by simply saying, “I was brought up in a Christian home,” or “I’m a member of the Baptist church down the road.” While being a part of a church is certainly a part of  an active relationship with Christ (Heb 10:24-25), simply forming an affirmative disposition when it comes to your regard for Christ’s death and resurrection is only a part of what’s involved.

Consider what it says in James:

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (Jas 2:19)

Now why is that important?

Because if the demons believe in the death and resurrection of Christ – and they’re obviously not going to heaven (Rev 20:7-10) – paying lip service to the first Easter morning as a historical event doesn’t qualify you as being a Christ follower in that the foot soldiers of Satan believe that Christ rose from the grave as well.

It has to show up in your actions and your mindset which is represented in the second part of Romans 10:9-10. You need to believe it in your heart.

B) Your Heart

However you want to envision that part of you that drives the way you think, act and feel – whether you want to think of it as your, “personality,” or your “soul” – the important thing that needs to be established is that it’s more than just a mindset or a mood. It’s what makes you the person that  you are. The Bible calls that your, “heart.”

When you believe something in your heart, you are not just agreeing with a particular truism. It impacts the way you spend your time and your resources. It’s kind of like being in love. Saying that you love someone and actually being in love with them illustrates the difference between merely forming the words on your tongue and being passionately committed to the welfare and happiness of the one you adore.

When you acknowledge the death and resurrection of Christ in that way, it’s no longer just a historical event as much as it’s a personal reality. He’s not just the “King of kings.” He’s your King. Nor is He just the Savior of the world as much as He’s your Savior. You’re not just seeing Him as a distant deity, you’re like Thomas when he took a knee and said, “My lord and my God.” At that point, God responds by installing His Character into your heart.

Remember this too: Satan believes in God. He was there to see Him die and the devil saw Christ rise from the grave. This is why believing in your heart is so crucial. Even thought it may sound a bit poetic, it’s an absolutely crucial aspect of your approach because Satan isn’t going to heaven. Believing something to be true doesn’t really mean anything unless you it manifests itself in your behavior.

I can believe that eating right and exercising is important, but it doesn’t really resonate as a “truth” if I never go to the gym or pay attention to my calories.

Your can’t “pose” as a Christian. You’re not going to put on a godly looking expression and drop something in the offering plate and qualify as a godly man if you’re thinking that appearances alone can merit God looking at you and seeing someone who truly believes.

It’s when you cross that line that separates what’s purely academic and it suddenly becomes “real.” At that point, you’re no longer posing in that you’ve got the Power and the Perspective of the Holy Spirit working as both fuel and a filter through which you’re now processing yourself and performing in ways that go beyond what you’re capable of on your own.

C) Just As I Am

Over the years, a number of traditions have surfaced that attempt to give form to the exchange between the repenting sinner and his Messiah that translates to being saved.

Whether it’s the idea of, “asking Jesus into your heart” (Rev 3:20) or being publicly baptized (Acts 19:1-7), the only thing the Bible specifies is a fully engaged belief in Who Jesus Christ truly is.

That’s not to suggest that the various evangelism techniques or the countless Billy Graham Crusades that played, “Just As I Am” as thousands of people came forward to give their life to Christ represents something fundamentally flawed.

Not at all.

But the thief on the cross did not ask Jesus to, “come into his heart,” nor was he baptized (Lk 23:38-43). When the jailer asked Paul how to be saved, Paul responded by saying, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved – you and your household.” (Acts 16:29-34) Again, no ceremony or scripted prayer – just a heartfelt belief in Christ and the rightful place He therefore occupies as Savior and King.

It’s not a specific phrase or a special ceremony. It’s just like Thomas where you take a knee, either literally or figuratively, and accept the Lordship of Christ as the magnificent, personal Reality that it is.

Once you flip the switch and embrace the empty tomb, not as a general piece of non-fiction, but as a defining moment where you embrace both the Substance of Who Christ is and your need for His Grace, the mindset and the Strength of God become what inspires your mind (1 Cor 2:16), your behavior (Ezra 1:5; 1 Cor 12:6) and your emotions (Gal 5:22-23)…

Your wrongs have been permanently forgiven, you are utterly transformed and the Purpose, Peace and Power of God is now working in and through you.

That’s what it means to be saved.

III) What Actually Happens?

A) The Holy Spirit

A moment ago, we talked about how God responds to someone who embraces the cross and the empty tomb as a personal reality by installing His Character into their heart (Eph 1:13-14). That “Character” is the Mind of Christ, the Joy of the Lord and the Power of God. Again, there’s a great deal of theological substance that needs to be unpacked in order to fully appreciate the Holy Spirit – what we’re calling the “Character of God” – but the bottom line is that it’s more than just an incremental coat of “godliness” applied to your personality.

The Holy Spirit is the intangible dimension of God Himself that gives you access to His Attitude and Ability.

  • It’s Power (Acts 1:8).
  • It’s Perspective (Rom 12:1-2).
  • It’s Purpose (Phil 2:13).

It’s awesome!

But it’s also the defining characteristic of someone who’s born again…

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Rom 8:9 [see also Eph 1:13-14])

“If anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ…”

That’s what James was getting at when he talked about how the demons believe “…and shudder.” The change that God accomplishes in you manifests itself in observable actions that are consistent with God’s Agenda and Preferences. In other words, a valid salvation experience shows up in what you do as well as what you say. If your belief is nothing more than a verbal exercise, your status before God is no different than that of a demon. If, on the other hand, it’s a true belief, you’ve got the True Muscle of Christ living in and through you and your faith will manifest itself in deeds and not just declarations (Jas 2:17).

  • you have a legitimate reason to be optimistic regardless of your circumstances (Ps 119:114; Rom 8:28)
  • your future is founded on more than just your abilities (Phil 2:13)
  • your will to excel is powered by more than just your resolve (Is 41:10; Phil 4:13)
  • you have the capacity to be wise and not just smart (Jas 1:5)
  • you needn’t be concerned about falling into temptation (1 Cor 10:13)
  • you have the Mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), the Power of God (Acts 1:8) and the Fruit of the Spirt (Gal 5:22-23)

In short, you’re enjoying and participating in the “kingdom of God.”

Jesus makes mention of this throughout His Ministry in ways that refer to the Second Coming as well as what’s happening presently. Bottom line: It’s God’s Activity and Authority.

Nelson’s, “Illustrated Bible Dictionary” defines it as:

God’s rule of grace in the world, a future period foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament and identified by Jesus as beginning with His ministry.1

The point, here, is that while spending eternity in Heaven with Christ is obviously a part of the Salvation package (Jn 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:50–54), your relationship with Christ is to be deployed here and now in every nuance of the human experience (Col 3:17). To process your Redemption as something that only comes to bear after your funeral ceremony is to ignore the way Christ presented the practical mechanics of a relationship with Him. It’s not merely a “pass” to get to Heaven as much as it’s the Government and the Moral Perfection that exists in Heaven personified in you right now.

It’s now, it’s here and it’s Real!

IV) What Does it Look Like?

A) Confidence

My father was being treated for Congestive Heart Disease when he had a heart attack that put him in the hospital where he would stay for the better part of a year.

His heart was so weak, that they had to install what was called an LVAD into his chest. It’s a mechanism that keeps your heart beating and requires what amounts to open heart surgery to put it in place.

The surgery didn’t go as well as they would’ve liked. They had to go in three times to get it right which meant three open heart surgeries in 36 hours. In the aftermath, my Dad was in a drug induced coma for a number of days before he finally regained consciousness.

The patients on my father’s floor were all dealing with life threatening scenarios. No one was at a point where they could relax, knowing that their situation was stable and they would be going home soon. Everyone was facing an formidable collection of physical obstacles that would have to be overcome in order to be healthy once again, and some would not make it.

When you’re looking at a group of people that are all falling asleep every night wondering if they’re going to see the sunrise the following morning, it’s amazing to see the difference between those who are confident that when they do close their eyes for the last time, they will be looking into the face of their Savior…

…and those that are intimidated by the thought of dying to the point where they are scared and resentful.

One evening my Dad’s surgeon came into the room and asked him if he would be willing to give up his place in line for a new heart. By this point, a heart transplant was the only way in which he would be able to survive and a heart had become available. But there was another gentleman down the hall whose situation was so precarious that it was doubtful he would last the night. My Mom was in the room when the doctor was explaining all this. After he finished, my Mom and Dad looked at one another and said, “Sure.”

The doctor teared up. He was amazed at how willing both my parents were in making that kind of a sacrifice. My Dad’s situation was by no means stable. He needed a machine to keep his heart beating. But both my Mom and Dad knew that death was a door and not a wall and they were willing to put their trust in something other than a scalpel.

My Dad would get a new heart, but he would pass away not too long afterwards. My Mom has since gone home as well. Both of them faced their trip home with a calm that cannot be achieved as a result of any kind of comfort or counseling that comes from a human dynamic.

You can’t quantify death. You can’t take pictures of what happens on the other side of the grave and educate yourself on what to expect. You’re looking at something that goes beyond a human being’s ability to measure or understand. Hence, when you encounter a disposition that is certain and at ease, you can’t dismiss that as irrational or ignorant simply because it makes more sense to be frightened.

But here’s where the reality of the “peace that passes understanding” becomes evident and not just proclaimed (Is 26:3; Phil 4:7).

The Bible makes it clear that when you die, you go to heaven. You see that Truth communicated when Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be in heaven that very day:

“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:43)

Paul reinforces that in the first chapter of Philippians:

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Phil 1:21-24)

According to Paul, he’s got one of two options which is to be alive here on earth or to be with Christ. Jesus taught the same thing when He told the story of Lazarus in Luke 16 and how when Lazarus died he was immediately taken to heaven  (Lk 16:23).

When we die, we go to heaven. While death is a mystery and and can be an intimidating conclusion, we can face it with confidence knowing that it is not the end, but the beginning of something far better (Jn 14:1-3).

Do the Math…
Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank. (Prov 22:29)

Pursuing a standard of excellence in everything you do, think and say will ultimately have a positive impact on your performance in the workplace as far as improving it to the point where it’s potentially worth more in the mind of your employer or customer.

Being able to earn and afford more only becomes a problem when it translates to greed. Greed, like pride, can only happen when you’re focused on yourself. Matthew 6:33 provides the perfect vaccine against the virus of selfishness by admonishing the believer to stay focused on God’s Activity and Authority (His Kingdom). By doing that your possessions are prevented from possessing you and you’re able to enjoy the benefits of obedience without losing sight of Who it is you serve and what it is that you’re ultimately trying to accomplish.

B) Excellence

Colossians 3:17 says:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:17)

When you’re born again, because you have the Holy Spirit living within you, you now have access to a collection of Resources that enable you to be and to do more than you would be capable of otherwise (Jn 14:12).

You have the Mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16; Jas 1:5), the Power of God (Acts 1:8; Col 1:29)  and the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) standing by at any given moment to be used in a manner where you’re able to make a difference and not just an appearance (Eph 2:10).

You see this in 1 Corinthians 10:31:

So whether you ear or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)

…as well as in 2 Corinthian 9:8:

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor 9:8)

Jesus Himself said as much in Matthew 5:16:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:16)

There’s a couple of things that need to be understood in order for these verses to be processed and applied correctly.

1) He’s the Filing Cabinet…

The first thing is to recognize the all-inclusive nature of what’s being addressed.

The word, “deed” as well as the word, “work” are both translations of the Greek word, “ergon” which means:

…any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind.

In other words, these verses are not referring to church related activities only. What God is saying, here, is that even if you’re just mowing your lawn, you want to be doing it in a way that makes Him look good.

Your relationship with Christ is not a mere file folder that you reach for in those moments where there’s a spike of spiritual activity in your mind. Rather, He’s the Filing Cabinet where everything you do, think and say is adjusted and enhanced so the final result is representative of what God can do in and through a person who’s fully committed to Him.

2) True Quality

While the word “good” can sometimes mean a level of quality that is genuinely noteworthy, it can also be interpreted to mean something that is more or less acceptable.

The word, “good,” as it’s used in Matthew 5:16 and 2 Corinthians 9:8 refers to something that is far more than a mediocre rating.

Matthew uses the word, “kalos,” which means:

beautiful, applied by the Greeks to everything so distinguished in form, excellence, goodness, usefulness, as to be pleasing; hence (according to the context) equivalent to “beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable”

The word, “good” in 2 Corinthians 9:8 is a translation of the word, “agathos” which means:

excelling in any respect, distinguished, good. It can be predicated of persons, things, conditions, qualities and affections of the soul, deeds, times and seasons. To this general significance can be traced back all those senses which the word gathers from the connection in which it stands;

So, it’s similar to “kalos,” but it takes things a step further by it’s being used to describe something as being morally excellent and not just admirable from a practical standpoint or aesthetically pleasing.

The Virtue of God is the moral perfection that is within you because of His Holy Spirit being a part of who you are (Eph 1:13-14; 1 Pet 2:9). The Power of God includes the Divine Ability He gives you to restrain those attitudes and actions that prevent you from being able to perform in a way that translates to the best possible outcome (Rom 6:18).

When you choose to deploy those Resources, not only do you benefit (Josh 1:8; Ps 1:1-3; Jn 15:5), but so do those who are impacted by your obedience (Gen 39:5; 1 Sam 18:12-16; Job 42:7-8; 2 Cor 1:3-4).

3) A Position of Strength

The bottom line is that God is saying that you now occupy a position of strength as far as being capable of doing everything in a way that resonates, not only as a job well done, but something that inspires those on the outside looking in to want to know more about how you think and who you are.

Mind you, your relationship with Christ does not equate to a magic pill where the moment you’re saved you suddenly become more talented than you were a moment ago. Rather, you’re approaching the challenges and opportunities that cross your path with a different kind of energy (Col 1:29) and purpose (Phil 2:13). You’re now allowing the Virtue and Power of God to affect a result through you that can be accurately labeled as “kalos” or “agathos” and it’s then that your referencing Christ as the Source of your Strength and Resolve comes across as both compelling and appealing (see sidebar).

i) The Words that You Say

You see it with Joseph in the book of Genesis. When he appeared before Pharaoh, he was in a great spot to bargain for his freedom in exchange for interpreting Pharaoh’s dream. Instead, he replied to Pharaoh by saying:

“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Gen 41:16)

Joseph’s words had to resonate with Pharaoh in ways that went beyond being impressed with Joseph’s confidence to discern his dreams. In verse 14, it says that Joseph had to shave and get cleaned up before he met with the leader of the most powerful empire in the world. Pharaoh had to know that his quandary gave Joseph an advantage. This is a man that was in a prison cell an hour ago. But rather than press his advantage by offering to interpret the dream in exchange for a commuted sentence, Joseph directs all the credit and attention to his heavenly Father.

Joseph’s words reflected a character that inspired Pharaoh to ask his officials in verse 37, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

It wasn’t just Joseph’s insight, it was his whole bearing. By resolving to funnel every aspect of his presentation to Pharaoh through the filter of God’s Spirit, in the context of one conversation, Joseph’s status goes from inmate to second in command over the entire land of Egypt.

Now, not every conversation you have carries with it those kinds of ramifications, but the power of your words is substantial and how you speak can make a very real difference.

A job interview. A heated conversation. An emotional appeal. A sales presentation…

A conversation about the death and resurrection of Christ.

Whether it’s Joseph or Nehemiah (Neh 2:4) or Peter before a crowd of several thousand people in the 2nd chapter of Acts, the evidence is conclusive that God can work through the words you say in a manner that can make a big difference in any and every situation (Ps 19:14; Prov 25:11; Matt 10:19).

And you can do it! You have a choice. You can fly solo and ignore God’s Counsel, or you can take your cue from His Spirit and be like Joseph who was able to speak in a manner that ultimately saved Egypt as well as his own family.

Neither Joseph nor David had a relationship with Christ, but they were nevertheless impacted and guided by God’s Spirit. Pharaoh notices it in Joseph when he says in Genesis 41:37-38, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” David refers to himself not as the one who will kill the giant, but as the one whom God will work through to get the job done (1 Samuel 17:45-47). In both cases, you have men who subordinate themselves to the Guidance and the Power of God and are able to accomplish great things. It’s His Spirit that makes the difference and we have access to the same Wisdom and Strength!
ii) The Things You Do

Not only do the words of your mouth When David stood before Goliath, he made it clear that the contest was more what might’ve appeared to be the case in that he was coming against Goliath in the name of the Lord (1 Sam 17:45). The moment the giant started towards him, the Scripture says that David ran to the battle line and while he was running, he launched a stone with his sling that struck Goliath in the forehead.

The sling was a common weapon in Israel and while David may not have been as skilled as some of his counterparts from the tribe of Benjamin (Jud 20:16), given the fact that he was able to hit a moving target while he was moving himself, David obviously has done this before.

How many times do you think David practiced with his sling? How many times did he miss before he became consistent enough to be combat ready?

The point here is that God was directing David’s daily routine that included several hundred failed attempts with the sling, not to mention numerous encounters with the Divine that shaped David into a dangerous and godly threat to a nation that thought a giant would be enough to intimidate the God of Israel.

It wasn’t just that moment that he let go of that stone, it was the countless hours that David spent at the feet of His King living his life seven days a week. It’s not that David was “in church” all the time, as much as he chose to recognize the Presence of God in every nuance of his existence (Ps 139:1-6) and he saw himself as being capable of great things, not because of what he could do, but because of what God could do in and through him (Ps 18:32-36).

It’s because of that approach that David was able to take a skillset that may have struck him as something that applied only to guarding sheep and found himself using it to guard the entire nation of Israel. And you see the same thing in several of the key figures in Scripture: Moses, Gideon, Peter, Paul – all were able to turn in some great performances because of the way in which they allowed the Power of God to effect their actions in a way that translated to an “excellent” result.

ii) The Way You Think

Romans 12:2 says:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2)

There’s a difference between “positive thinking” and “profound thinking.”

You can cheer yourself up sometimes by being selective in what circumstance you focus on. That’s “positive thinking.”

“Profound thinking,” however, is a different animal altogether because you’re focusing on the One Whom your circumstances answer to.

Sometimes, “positive thinking” doesn’t do the trick and you need a Substantial Truth to clarify the difference between fact and fiction.

Take for example Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Imagine your response when your bride to be tells you that she’s pregnant.

Back then, it wasn’t just an inconvenient circumstance nor was it viewed as a mere immoral accident. It would’ve been perceived as an adulterous act and therefore punishable by death, according to Old Testament Law (Lev 20:10; Dt 22:23-24).

And then there’s the issue of you being betrayed and humiliated in a way that’s difficult to put into words.

It says in Scripture that Joseph was a righteous man…

Because Joseph her husband  was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her t public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (Matt 1:19)

He’s going to do the right thing and do it in a way that gives Mary the opportunity to deal with her disgrace without being stoned.

He’s hurt, he’s angry and probably amazed that Mary was capable of doing such a thing. And anybody who’s close to Joseph probably feels sorry for him and views Mary as being utterly despicable. They may even question Joseph’s decision to not make things public and let Mary’s actions be known and publicly condemned.

Now, imagine the reaction of those same people when they find out that Joseph has decided to believe Mary’s story after all and go ahead and take her as his wife.

They’re probably thinking that he’s so in love, he’s not thinking straight if he’s thinking at all.

But he is thinking.

It’s just now he’s considering the situation in light of the angel having told him in a dream that Mary’s situation was legitimate – she was going to give birth to the Son of God and he should feel completely confident that he’s marrying an honorable woman.

However nonsensical it may have appeared on the surface, he was nevertheless processing his thoughts according to God’s Purpose and Perspective and as a result, he was able to be the earthly father to the Messiah.

Thing is, it probably wasn’t the last time he had to adjust his thoughts according to Something and Someone greater than himself. In addition to moving his new family to Egypt and then to Nazareth to keep them safe, Jesus was always referred to as the “son of Mary.” He was never called the “son of Joseph” which was probably due to the fact that most knew Jesus to have been born under some questionable circumstances which most likely manifested itself in the context of ugly comments and being made to feel like an outcast (Mark 6:3 [he’s referred to as the “carpenter’s son” in Matt 13:55, but nowhere in the Bible is Jesus addressed according to what would’ve been a normal naming convention).

But Joseph’s thought processes were subordinated to a Truth that allowed him to perform his role as Jesus’ father with excellence. However logical and understandable it would’ve been for Joseph to put some distance between himself and Mary, not only did he marry her, he stayed the course and raised his family which included at least two daughters and four sons in addition to Jesus – two of those boys would go on to write their own epistles (James and Jude).

Joseph did well and he was able to do so because of the manner in which he used the same Resource we have access to, which is a mindset that intentionally processes things according to the way in which God sees them (1 Cor 2:16; Eph 4:23).

V) Conclusion

Once you flip the switch and embrace the empty tomb, not as a general piece of non-fiction, but as a defining moment where you embrace both the Substance of Who Christ is and your need for His Grace, the mindset and the Strength of God become what inspires your mind (1 Cor 2:16), your behavior (Ezra 1:5; 1 Cor 12:6) and your emotions (Gal 5:22-23).

Your wrongs have been permanently forgiven, you are utterly transformed and the Purpose, Peace and Power of God is now working in and through you in a way that translates to a standard of excellence in the way you live and a confidence in the way you process death as the beginning and not as the end.

That’s what it means to be saved.

 

 

1. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1986, p616-617

You and Your Typical Demon

0061171069Being “saved” sometimes resonates as something illusive. You hear terms like “evangelical,” “born again,” “redeemed…”

But what does it mean and how does one make it happen?

First of all, let’s look at a couple of questions and scenarios that will help rule out some things that can be distracting otherwise.

You and Your Typical Demon

Imagine two individuals—one is a demon the other is a believer. Try to determine which one is which based on the way they might answer the following questions:

Question #1: Do you believe in God?  James 2:19 says: “ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Based on that passage, what do you think the demon would say?

Question #2: In Matthew 8:29, several demons see Jesus coming and they say: “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Our next question is: Do you believe that Jesus is God’s son? Obviously the believer would answer yes, but how do you think the demon will reply based on the verse we just read?

Last question: Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave? Again, the believer is going to answer yes. What’s the demon’s answer going to be?  Colossians 2:15 says: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them (Satan and demons), triumphing over them by the cross.” Based on those two verses, how do you think the demons would answer?

What do you think? Is there a difference in the way our two individuals answered the questions? Let’s take a minute and review what was asked:

  • Do you believe in God?
  • Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son?
  • Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave?

There’s no difference between these two individuals based on the questions that were asked. Both answered in exactly the same way.

James 2:19 indicates that demons believe in God. Matthew 8:29 quotes a demon as accurately referring to Jesus as God’s Son, and it’s evident from the other Scriptures we looked at that the devil and those who serve him are very aware of the defeat that was dealt them when Jesus rose from the grave.

Do you smell that?

That’s the aroma of reality. The fact is, demons “believe” that Jesus is God’s Son and that He rose from the grave. So, there’s got to be something else besides just a willingness to acknowledge Jesus as a historical figure with some theological substance attached to Him.

But what?

Believing With Your Heart

When you believe something in your mind, it changes the way you think. But when you believe something in your heart, it changes the way you live.

You see that idea expressed in Proverbs 4:23:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23)

It’s significant that Scripture references the heart as what constitutes the source of who you are rather than the mind.

Some maintain that if you can change a person’s mind, you can change who they are, but who someone is as a person is determined by more than mere facts. Two people can be confronted with the exact same scenario and be presented with the exact same set of information yet process it differently because who you are determines the way you think.

With that in mind, take a look at Romans 10:9-10:

“That is you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Rom. 10:9-10).

“It’s with your heart that you believe.”

It’s comparable to that situation where someone agrees that diet and exercise are healthy habits. But it’s the one who actually engages those habits that demonstrates a belief that resides in his heart.

So, Jesus isn’t just “the” Messiah, He’s “my” Messiah. He’s not just King of kings, He’s “my” King. He’s my Creator, He’s my Redeemer, He is my Lord.

A Complete Transformation

Your belief doesn’t merely qualify you as morally perfect before God – which is what happens when you accept God’s gift of grace.1 It also facilitates a complete transformation of who you are.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17)

When you make the Reality of Christ your reality – when you’re recognizing that what He did on the cross was for you in the most direct and personal way possible – at that point, you’re no longer respecting a Nativity scene or a crucifix, you’re now sitting down with the Son of God as your Savior and not just a lifeless idea.2 In that moment, you go from being a spiritual corpse to having a spiritual pulse.3 Your membership into the Kingdom of God is now guaranteed,4, but you’re also operating according to an entirely new internal paradigm in that God’s Spirit is living in you.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard that word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). [See also Jn. 14:17; Gal. 4:7.]

It’s His Spirit that’s now providing a Voice that, up to now, wasn’t even available (see Eph 2:1). This Voice is now guiding you and giving you a new kind of desire for doing the right thing at the right time in the right way for all the right reasons.5

Conclusion

Let’s go back to the Q/A session with two individuals we were envisioning at the beginning of our discussion. Let’s imagine that they have to answer one more question, and here it is:

Does the Spirit of Christ live in you?

Romans 8:9 says: “ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

What would the demon say, what would the believer say?

What would you say?

According to Romans 8:9, that is the determining factor. That is what distinguishes the believer from the demon in our scenario.

There are many who go through life having convinced themselves that they’re believers—thinking that a mental acknowledgment of Christ’s reality equates to the saving belief referenced in Scripture. It’s not an uncommon fallacy, but it is nevertheless a departure from God’s Word that is both tragic and lethal.

On the other hand, the belief that comes from the heart that manifests itself as a personal conviction and not just a mental acknowledgement opens the door to a relationship with the One Who put the stars in their place and gives you, not only a guarantee of an eternity spent with Him, but a life that’s truly worth living as long as you’re walking this earth.

That’s what it means to be saved!

 

 

 

The Billy Graham Association has a great piece that will walk you through the verses and the subsequent steps you need to take to make Christ your personal Savior and not just a mental picture. Click here to read more.

1. 1 Corinthians 15:22; Titus 3:5; Hebrew 10:15-18
2. Revelation 3:20
3. Ephesians 2:1; 2:3-5
4. John 1:12; 14:3
5. Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:12; ; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29; 1 Peter 1:15-16