Authentic Biblical Christians Have A Growing Interest In The Salvation Of Souls

Therefore we must give the

more earnest heed to the things

we have heard, lest we drift away.

For if the word spoken through

angels proved steadfast, and

every transgression and disobedience

received a just reward, how shall we

escape if we neglect so great a 

salvation, which at the first began

to be spoken by the Lord, and was

confirmed to us by those who heard Him...

Hebrews 2:1-3

     Are you hearing the word of God? Are you responding to the word of God? Jesus Christ paid a debt for sin, a debt we cannot pay as fallen creatures due to inherited sin.  This debt that was paid secured forever salvation to those who respond to the word of Jesus Christ, the life of Jesus Christ, and the words written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Growth in grace is marked by an increase in your zeal and diligence, not only for yourself, but also for the unsaved, those souls who when hearing the Gospel respond.  Who are they? I have no idea!  I am not required to know who will respond to the Gospel, our work is outlined in Scripture: 1. Live according to God's word.  2. Preach the Gospel. 3. Know this that God will save those who are elect. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Theologian, Doctor a great defender of Orthodox faith, (313A.D.), a fighter against the heresy of Arius who taught that Jesus was not God, rather a created being, wrote: "We also, by God's grace, briefly indicated that the Word of the Father is Himself divine, that all things that are owe their being to His will and power, and that it is through Him that the Father gives order to creation, by Him that all things are moved, and through Him that they receive their being" (On The Incarnation Of The Word; Creation and The Fall; chapter One, par. 1). It is God who saves, it we who preach the Gospel for God is pleased to use us humans to reach other humans, but this work is hindered when we do not have zeal and diligence in our efforts to reach lost souls.  How do we know that we are growing in grace in this area of our lives?  Our zeal is not some infatuated glorifying, and titillating emotional effort on our part, no, it is our zeal in accordance with such a great salvation that has been imparted freely to us by Jesus Christ and our understanding that God will bless our efforts in the fields of missions, sending missionaries to preach the Gospel, yes, to also aid physically those in need.  Our zeal is to remove the darkness that sin has spread over the minds of people, even God's people that He has chose from the foundation of the world.  We are diligent in this work, that is, we place this work high on our priority list; not just things that make us happy, rather our happiness is knowing that the Gospel is being preached in every place on this earth. We do not become weary, even in the face of failure, temporary failure, for it is God who is blessing our efforts, it is God who by His Providence is bringing His children home. We just work on, praying, speaking, preaching, living, visiting, etc.  If you are not increasing in this area of Authentic Biblical Faith then your are decreasing, this is not some static grace, it is either growing or not, and you know whether it is growing by your zeal and diligence in this area of ministry. You are an ambassador for Christ?  Are you not? (2Corinthians 5:20). Then your concern is for the salvation of souls.
     These marks of growing grace in our lives may seem hard, but that is the fact, it is hard, we are fallen and we do not like to do things that don't give us immediate reward, and for some Christians these hallmarks will not please them.  Do they please you?  For many high-flying religionists, whose only notion of Christianity is that of a state of perpetual joy and ecstasy, who tell you that they have got far beyond the region of conflict and soul-humiliation, such persons no doubt will regard the marks I have laid down as "legal", "carnal" and "gendering to bondage."  These hallmarks of Authentic Biblical Christian growth are not any of those things, these are the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we are to heed those words for it is He who came, God Himself, the very Wisdom of God, the Word of God, the creator of the universe and all things contained in the universe; let us not neglect so great a salvation and be able to answer: I am growing in grace!

For the LORD God is a sun
     and a shield;
The LORD will give grace 
    and glory;
No good thing will He
    withhold from those
who walk uprightly.
                     Psalm 84:11

Prepare Now For The Sabbath

Richard L. Crumb