Text: Ephesians 1:13-14
Memory verse:
āIn Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,ā
āāEphesiansā¬ ā1ā¬:ā13ā¬ āNKJVā¬ā¬
One of the ways to understand something is to first know what it is not. There are many confusions in the church today about what salvation is. Now letās consider two things that do not portray salvation.
Firstly, salvation is not a change of form but a change of heart. One may have an outer reform like a change of outlook but have no inner reform. For example, changing your hairstyle from dreadlocks to low cuts, changing your skin-revealing clothings to modest dressing; and so forth wonāt save you. In fact, outer reform should be a result of the inner reform and not the cause of it. They are the fruits of repentance, that is, the signs that prove that you have been saved. āThis means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!ā (āā2 Corā¬ ā5ā¬:ā17ā¬ āNLTā¬ā¬). Salvation is not a rebranding or a refurbishing but a regeneration.
Secondly, activities donāt portray salvation. Someone can be very active in the church and not saved. Such activities are mere religion which have the form of godliness but deny its power, for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith (2 Tim 3:5). They truly have a resemblance, and one can be deceived to believe that they are saved. They have their names in their church register but unknown āto the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, ā¦ā (āāHebā¬ ā12ā¬:ā23ā¬). They wear the cloak of religion instead of the helmet of salvation. They are deceived by the recognition the church gives them and their leadership positions.
Unfortunately, you canāt please God with activities. Salvation comes through grace and not works. You donāt work to be saved, but you are saved to work. You donāt assume to be saved, but you take a decision to be saved, according to our text today.
Friends, donāt change your outlook to be saved, but let God change your heart, and your outlook will begin to change. Have you received the Lord Jesus, and can you remember when you received Him? These questions are critical in helping you to escape the deception that your activities in the church can cause.
Prayer points
1. If you canāt answer the questions above in the affirmative, pray like this : āFather, I confess that I am a sinner and that Jesus died for my sins. I believe and confess Jesus as Lord. Thank you for saving me now, in Jesus’ name.
2. Pray for the salvation of everyone not yet saved in your church and in your family.
Todayās declarations
1. I didnāt just grow into salvation, but I remember how and when I got saved.
2. I didnāt change my dressing to be saved, but my dressing began to change after I got saved; I donāt serve to be saved, but I got saved soĀ IĀ couldĀ serve.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng