Salvation… And Faithfulness

SUN., JUNE 27, 1993, 5:59 AM
FARM, STUDY

A chiding is what you expected on this morning, so I shall not disappoint you. The opportunity was there for you to sing some songs for old friends, and you let it slip by. You know this contribution would have added a nice “spice” to the evening’s celebration. You just finished a Ruminations on ministries, and this was an opportunity to use a minor talent for Me, as well as for the gathered throng. Humbleness about the talent and about not focusing attention on yourself are the only pluses I can mention. Let this make you more aware of “the next time.”

The two words in this morning’s title will come up in the sermon and in the video discussion in forum time. Each is a good and important word to Me, for each stands for a fundamental concept in relation to spiritual-religious life. Salvation is My “free” gift to you and to anyone who will accept it. My death, as Jesus, is the symbol, but it could have been other. You actually use the Last Supper as the oft-repeated sacrament(!) which reminds you of the death, but also of the salvation I offer. It actually should remind you of continuing life rather than of death. There was merit in My dying, and I was faithful to that plan, but I could have survived in some miraculous way. I guess you could say I had that opportunity and I let it pass. Hmmm.

Salvation is from sin and separation. Salvation is to sinlessness and close relationship with Me. It is both positive and negative. Each complements the other. Some, because of their life practices before salvation focus more on what they are saved from. Your orientation is more positive, so your appreciation is more of the salvation to.

Remember that I indicated that salvation is “free,” which implies that you don’t have to earn it. But once you accept it there is a cost, and that’s faithfulness. Oh, you’ll have slips and times when your faith is insufficient for the circumstance, but do you always come back? Do you always admit your weakness and accept that what happens is somehow My will for you?

Sometimes misfortune is My actual testing of your faith, as in the Job story. Other apparent misfortunes just happen in the course of a “natural” earth life, which I allow rather than cause. Your son Bob is having more tests of his faith than you had at his age. But suppose that at the time Stanford would no longer renew your contract there was no job available for you… or that the job was in an undesirable place… or the working conditions were terrible. That would have been a test of your faith that I didn’t think was necessary. You prayed, and I responded. Your faith was allowed to grow in a positive, rewarding setting.

You are slow in your response to Me this morning, so finish this after the experience of the morning. (6:57 AM / 2:35 PM ) There seemed to be more in the video and discussion during the forum time about these two concepts than you got from the sermon. Now you need another page of My comments to help you internalize them.

There are several acceptable ways of defining and describing sin, sins, and sinfulness. Basic, of course, is individual sin, but for some this will focus on motivations, thoughts, and purposes, while for others the sin is more in the act or the behaviors. But then there also is group or corporate sin, and this is certainly emphasized in the Old Testament. All of My people were punished for the sins of a few. In your culture there is profligate use and waste of resources, and eventually many will suffer for this, including many who have tried to be frugal.