WE ARE NOT IN HEAVEN YET

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-13)

Devotion 3 of 37

THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE, #2

When we are born again, or are put into Christ (1 Cor 1:30), we are brought out of one domain to occupy another. In the words of Scripture, God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col 1:13). Satan thus loses his control of us, and we come under the beneficent reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both the guilt of and enslavement to sin are removed in regeneration, and the child of God is liberated to live unto God.

Through the circumcision of Christ, the "body of the sins of the flesh" is cut away from our essential persons by "the circumcision of Christ" (Col 2:11). That is, we are no longer "debtors" to the flesh, "to live after the flesh" (Rom 8:12). In Christ Jesus, grace effectively teaches us "to say ‘No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age," all the while anxiously anticipating "for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Tit 2:11-12, NIV).

These very real circumstances are not to be held in a crystallized dogma. They are matters to be appropriated by faith. Throughout the Epistles, written to those in Christ, we are apprized of the things we have in Christ, and urged to avail ourselves of them. All of them, including the new birth itself, are held by faith. That is why it is written, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:26). This does not remove the necessity of obedience, but declares what makes obedience acceptable.

There is no salvation, or realization of the grace of God, apart from faith. "For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH" (Eph 2:8). Hearts are "purified BY FAITH" (Acts 15:9). Men are "sanctified BY FAITH" (Acts 26:18). God gives men His very own righteousness "BY FAITH" (Rom 3:22; Phil:3:9). The peace we have with God is "BY FAITH" (Rom 5:1). Christ dwells in our hearts "BY FAITH" (Eph 3:17). We receive ‘the promise of the Spirit THROUGH FAITH" (Gal 3:14). We are even "kept by the power of God THROUGH FAITH" (1 Pet 1:5). None of these indispensable realities can be possessed apart from faith.

Faith "substantitzes" salvation in all of its aspects–i.e., it makes it real to the soul, giving it the sure possession of them. That is precisely why salvation is declared to be "the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1). The word from which "substance" is translated means "the objective aspect and underlying reality behind anything." We would say it this way: Faith is what brings the reality to the individual. It is what places the foundation of eternal verity within the person. To put it another way, no person without faith has these things, and no person with faith is deprived of them.

Right here we are brought to consider the complexity of spiritual life. Those who are justified live by their faith–i.e., they maintain their status by their faith. Repeatedly, the Spirit makes a point of this. "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall LIVE BY FAITH" (Rom 1:17). ‘But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall LIVE BY FAITH" (Gal 3:11). "Now the just shall LIVE BY FAITH: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him" (Heb 10:38).

The person who is NOT living by faith cannot maintain a grasp upon the benefits that are realized by faith. In fact, God has declared He has no pleasure in the individual who "draws back," ceasing to live by faith (Heb 10:38-39). At the point the glorious realities of salvation cease to be preferred by the person, the grasp of them begins to weaken, for they are held by faith.

The truth of this is declared with power in the sixth chapter of Romans. There the Spirit affirms the reality of the new birth, urging us to enter fully into the work. Here is His appeal. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 6:11). Reckoning is an aspect of faith. It is reasoning upon the basis of the realities affirmed in the Gospel and grasped by faith. The sixth chapter of Romans assures the believer of his ability to continue in the faith, but solemnly warns him of competing influences that require hearty and sustained effort on his part.

The very language of this verse makes clear we have not yet reached the goal – we are not in heaven yet. If we are to "reckon," or "consider" ourselves "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord," there are mitigating circumstances. These circumstances do not neutralize the truth itself, but they can have an impact upon our realization of it. That is precisely why we are urged, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" (Rom 6:12). Such an admonition would be absurd if it were impossible for sin to reign over us again. Further, to develop a theology that teaches people to think such a resurfacing of sin is NOT possible betrays an ungodly mind. This does not mean we are to live in fear that sin may subvert us against our wills. God forbid such a foolish notion. However, it does mean faith will move us to think and live in a spiritually aggressive manner.

Faith is never taken for granted in Christ. The fact that we "have believed in Christ Jesus" (Gal 2:6) is not a guarantee that we always will–and remember, everything we now have from God is held by faith. I know of no word of God that remotely suggests such a faith continues in us without effort on our part. In fact, we are admonished "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim 6:12). We are not in heaven yet! Followers of Jesus are urged to "continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22). Those who profess faith are even exhorted, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor 13:5). No person is to take faith for granted!

It is gloriously true that Christ will "present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." But that will ONLY occur "IF YE CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel" (Col 1:23). Is there some soul who imagines it is impossible NOT to continue "in the faith." Is there anyone who will dare to affirm no danger exists for the person who is NOT "grounded and settled?" Or will one step forward to declare it is impossible to be moved away from the hope of the Gospel? Let such souls lay their hands upon their mouths! God has spoken, and will not honor the words of any one who dares to speak to the contrary.

Jesus spoke of those who "believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away" (Lk 8:13). Such did not maintain their faith, and thus fell away from what faith alone can hold. Do not imagine that His words were not precise, or that they hold no relevance for us.

Spiritual life is sustained by faith: "the just shall live by faith." That faith must be maintained. It will thrive by the Word of God, through which it "comes" in the first place (Rom 10:17). The believer must fight against the things that compete with his faith, refusing to allow them to have a place in his heart. Rest assured, no person who continues in the faith will be lost. God will not abandon the one who lives by faith. But God has made no commitment for good to anyone else. It will do no good to boast of security for people who are not believing–who are not presently living by faith. God has not promised one good thing to the person who is not NOW living by faith–not one! None of the benefits provided in Christ Jesus can be kept apart from faith–not one! Conversely, faith can possess them all!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus name, I thank you for the precious gift of faith. I want to keep it until I finish the race You have set before me, and ask for grace to do so to Your glory.

-- Tomorrow: THE NECESSITY OF VIGILANCE --