Now That You Are Saved I: Open Heavens February 7, 2018

Theme: Now That You Are Saved I

Memorise: “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:” – Hebrews 6:11

Read: 2 Peter 1:5-8 (KJV) 

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Bible in One Year: Exodus 31-32, Romans 11:1-24 

MESSAGE 

After you have been saved by the grace that is in Jesus Christ our Lord, you need to understand the nature of the new life that is in you, so that you can begin to exhibit its character. If you do not understand the fundamentals of the Christian faith and get to know what God expects of you now that you are saved, you will end up becoming a caricature of what you should be in the sight of God. May that never be your portion in Jesus’ Name. 

The text of our Bible reading lays out in plain terms what God expects of you when you become saved. In this passage of scripture, after reminding us of our new life in Christ, Apostle Peter admonishes us to be diligent in going beyond the rudimentary salvation experience. According to him, we must add to our faith virtue. Now, what is virtue? Virtue, simply explained, is a kind of behavior that exhibits high moral standards. This is food for thought for all children of God, because there is a tendency to assume that once we profess to be born again, good behavior is no longer important. 

On the contrary, it is after we have experienced regeneration of the heart that a high moral standard is most expected of us. The new life that Christ gives is a life of virtue. It is a life that produces good character in those that possess it. If you claim to have received this new life, the resultant virtue it produces must be glaring for the whole world to see. The early Church did not lose sight of this spiritual obligation, and for this reason the leading apostle admonishes us to add virtue to our professed faith. 2 Peter 1:5 says, 

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;” 

In like manner, another apostle of the Lord, writing in James 2:18says, 

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” 

Although good works do not bring about redemption, redemption produces good works in us. As children of God, the Bible encourages us to be of good behavior so that our Father in heaven may be glorified (1Timothy 3:2, Titus 2:3). Unbelievers should not catch us with any vices; rather we should be virtuous enough to convince the world that only in Christ can a good and acceptable life be lived. We are born again to be law-abiding, even though we are not law-abiding to be born again. Yes, being born again is the work of grace, but the evidence of its genuineness should be substantial for all to see. 

Prayer Point: Father, please help me to be a true representative of the faith I profess to practice. 

Hymn 15: Nearer My God To Thee. 

Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer to Thee; 
E’ en though it be a cross 
That raiseth me, 
Still all my song shall be 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer to Thee. 

2. Though, like a wanderer 
The sun gone down, 
Darkness comes over me, 
My rest a stone; 
Yet in my dreams I’d be 
Nearer, my God, to Thee 
Nearer, my God, to Thee 
Nearer to Thee. 

3. There let me see the sight, 
An open heaven; 
All that thou sendest me, 
In mercy given; 
Angles to beckon me 
Nearer, my God, to Thee 
Nearer, my God, to Thee 
Nearer to Thee 

4. Then, with my walking thoughts 
Bright with Thy praise, 
Out of my stony griefs 
Bethel I’ll raise, 
So by my woes to be 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer to Thee