“When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”
Memory Verse: “The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.” Matthew 25:45
In the past few months, several controversial issues are arising and being discussed amongst Christians, so much that I began to get confused not on purpose, but because the world around me has turned things upside now. Of the many issues is one which I began to ask God for understanding about like the jailer who asked Paul and Silas “What must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30b
Salvation in Christianity means to be “SAVED”. The human race as a result of the early sin committed by Adam & Eve was born and are being birthed into sin, automatically inheriting the condemnation that comes with sin. The ending of the story differs for those who accept Jesus. Christ believers firstly Enjoy salvation and secondly Have the opportunity to make heaven.
The day an individual dies to sin and is rebirthed in Christ, they change direction and start working towards the end goal, Heaven. This is because salvation means change of position, direction and focus. “Jesus replied, “I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God’s kingdom!” John 3:3. There is therefore a direct link between being saved and obeying God.
We can however be saved and lose our salvation because salvation is by confession and any one can be saved. “So you will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death.” Romans 10:9.
Salvation gives understanding and access to the laws of God which needs to be obeyed. The bible tells us that many knew Jesus and had expectations that knowing Him was sufficient enough, so they asked “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”” Matthew 25:44.
These people asked because they had expected to be selected amongst the sheep but because they could not obey God’s commandments of love, they did not qualify to make Heaven.
Obedience or act of kindness is not a replacement for salvation and is not enough to get us into heaven.
Salvation + Obedience positions us as candidates of Heaven.
Failure to obey God’s commandments in Matthew 25:40 means we risk our place in the kingdom of God. The Shepherd knows His Sheep by how they treat others.
First salvation is through confession, then obedience to his commandments and responding to his love by extending it to others, Matthew 25:40 is important in our journey to eternity.
Prayers:
· Father, thank You for your wonderful works and the undeserving gift of salvation
· Thank you for setting me free from the shakles of eternal death and for access to eternal life
· I receive the grace to follow you diligently till the end and to live a life expressing your love and your word to the uttermost part of the earth
· Help me to live for you and run the race till the end.
· At the End, Father let me reign with you in Heaven.
· Thank you, Lord for answers to prayers, in Jesus Name I pray. Amen,
Have a great evening and remain blessed.
