Elementary teachings and salvation.
Posted: July 20, 2009 Filed under: Scripture Lessons | Tags: Christ, Christianity, faith, Jesus, salvation, scripture, Theology 3 Comments »
I was aimlessly flipping through my Bible this afternoon and came across this verse:
Hebrews 6:1 – Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death.
How often is it that we disregard the Word of God and act like little babies in our faith? How often do we cling to that first “spiritual” experience or that last revival of the soul to carry us through life when God so plainly wants us to grow towards Him continually?
The total depravity of man causes us to want things other than God and His will for our lives. This grace is God’s extension of His loving hand to enable us to begin to seek Him. This is what I would consider being “saved” because you are given an opportunity to know something other than your own sinful desires. However, this is just the beginning.
Salvation is not a one time event; it is a continual process of transformation. We are taught (in a very elementary way) that simple belief in Jesus Christ is what it means to be a Christian. Wrong:
Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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 perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
James 2:18-19 - But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
These are just a few examples that faith or belief is only the first step. A transformed, or rather a transforming, heart towards the will of God is the sign of maturity in Christ. It is easy to know information about God without knowing anything about Him.
Dead on once again. One of the biggest travesties of salvific history is the insistence by evangelicalism that “being saved” is an event … something that happens to us in an invitation or moment in time.
How many times have we asked people, “Do you know Jesus?” In your quotation regarding those who say “Lord Lord…” and yet are lost, the key is not even that they know Him, but that HE knows THEM!
However, if we make it something, one thing, one moment, that happens to us, then we get to track it … to post it. In most of our evengelical associations, we track baptisms, not conversions. Why? Because baptisms = memberships into the organized, formal “institution” that we call the church. Apparently it isn’t important that someone comes to knowledge in Christ, but that they align with the organization.
Transformation takes time. It takes heart and it takes effort, it takes pain and suffering. It takes a lifetime. I am excited to see people in our culture embracing the idea that transorming into the countenance of Christ is something we become, not something we turn into in an instant.
Good stuff. I agree with both of you on this one. Brandon – be sure & check with your supervisor re: the trip to Red River.
TW
Great wisdom Brandon!
I’ve known atheists with great intellectual understanding of the scriptures.
A Christian must die daily and live anew in Christ.
A transformation of the heart is a great explanation. It’s ongoing growth – not a one time event.