This is our final message in our series Resolution Revolution. We’ve been looking at who Christ is and how he allows us as believers to have a stronger resolve. Because he has paid the price for our sin, we stand blameless before God - that’s what we looked at last week... Living as a free person is a lot different than living as one in chains... So this morning we look at one last verse. It’s a small verse, but one that is very important! READ COLOSSIANS 1:23
I accepted Christ as a little boy. I was 7 - almost 8 - years old. I know I’ve shared with you this story before, but allow me to tell it again. I grew up in a Christian home. In fact, I was best friends with our preacher’s son, Craig McCurley. Craig and I were almost inseparable. When we weren’t at church together, we were at each others houses - and one day, we were playing in his back yard. We were running around a pole and running into each other - now you know where my boys get it! - but anyway, on one of the times that we collided and we were stopped, he asked me, “Are you going to heaven?” I thought about that for a minute or two, and then I asked him - “Are you?” He said yes...so I answered yes too - then he said something. he said, “Well I made sure last night.” I think I replied, “Well if you are so am I, I don’t need to make sure...” But the more I thought about it the less sure I became... I also remembered a revival preacher that had finished a week’s worth of messages with one entitled, “How hot is heaven.” He said something at the end of that message - he said, if you aren’t one 100% certain, you could be 100% wrong... I thought about that all day and eventually I asked my mom if I was going to heaven and she shared with me how I could make sure...
Here it is - here’s what my mother shared with me almost 30 years ago. I was a sinner. I had done things that were wrong in God’s eyes. I had broken his laws, and because of my actions, I was separated from him - but God didn’t want that. God was willing to forgive me - God loved me, and so he sent his own son, Jesus, to die to pay for my sins. His death on the cross was for me. His blood covered my sins - if I would only ask for forgiveness... She also told me that Jesus rose from the grave proving that he wasn’t just any ordinary man, and proving that he could give new life. if I would trust Christ, I could be forgiven, be reunited with God - and spend forever with him...
All that happened in my life because my friend saying, “I made sure last night” ...so let me ask you, “How sure are you?” If something were to happen this morning, or on your way home from Church - are you ready to face God? Do you know for sure that you are saved?
There are some people that say that you can’t be certain... In fact, often when a decision is made as a child, there are doubts later on - but that only happened once for me. I was at a camp as a teenager, and all of my friends were making re-dedications and recommitments, and making decisions - I started thinking, well maybe what I did back there doesn’t count, maybe I needed to do it again - fortunately, I had a wise counselor. She told me two things... When I accepted Christ, did I mean it? Did I know that I was asking Jesus to forgive my sin and asking him to come into my life and forgive me? Yes... Then she asked me why I would doubt it - well it was a long time ago and I’ve learned so much since then... She reminded me that Jesus says all it takes is a child like faith.
Here’s what I want you to get... First make sure. That’s important. It’s possible to never really do something. It’s possible to miss it. You don’t get saved by osmosis - by sitting in a church, or even by walking an aisle. You get saved by asking Christ to save you.
But here’s the second thing... Certainty and assurance of your salvation are not dependent on you. Your salvation is not dependent on you. If you are unsure of your decision that’s one thing - but once you have made the decision and asked for salvation, you can be certain that you are saved! Why? Because your certainty doesn’t rest in you - it rests in the power of Christ!
In Scripture there is a three fold understanding of salvation. In Paul’s writings we hear him giving salvation three tenses - Here they are...
I once was saved - There was a time in my life were I gave up my way and I chose Gods way. Where I traded my sin for salvation and forgiveness.
READ Romans 10:9-13
I was saved, but I am also being saved... In Philippians 2:12, Paul says “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” - Salvation is also a process. It’s called sanctification. It’s the idea that you are being changed and formed into the image of Christ. -
Paul, though, also talks of one day I will be saved - One day I will stand before God and he will look for my name in the lambs book of life. I will be saved. I will be ushered into heaven to spend eternity with him...
Often, we get our tenses mixed up... We speak of losing our salvation, or wondering about our salvation. Often we are just not understanding that salvation is also a process. Because, I still sin - because I am not yet perfect, that must mean I am not saved and that I have lost my salvation... Nope.
You can’t lose something that’s not yours to lose. Salvation is not something that you do... Salvation is not something that you earn. Salvation is a gift from God. You ask and he gives. Once you reach out your hand in repentance and faith, Christ does the rest! It’s his blood that covers your sin. It’s by his power you are being saved. It’s the holy spirit that seals your salvation. It’s done... It’s complete.
Paul, here in this passage is saying - hey, remember who you are. Remember all that Christ has done for you. Stop living so defeated and stand firm. Don’t live your life as if you don’t know - be sure of what God has done in your life and begin to live as His! The word picture we have is of a boat and an anchor - he says, don’t drift too far from the assurance that you received when you heard the good news. That’s your anchor. I think for Paul, his salvation and calling experience was so great - so strong - that it served as his anchor. If your anchor is strong then you don’t drift very far...
We have a job... Our job to to help spread the good news. What’s the good news?? The good news is that God doesn’t want to judge us, but instead he wants to breathe life into us again. He wants to make us new. He wants to forgive our sin and save us and give us life ...and all we have to do is ask!!
