I’m always amazed at the flippancy with which Christians talk about salvation.
“Oh yeah, well he’s saved.”
“I know she’s in heaven.”
“I can’t wait to be with Jesus.”
I can’t wait either, but maybe you should examine if that’s actually a real expectation for you.
Whenever I bring up such things I’m always accused of being judgmental. “Who are you, God is the judge.” I know. I understand that.
Here’s the thing though: I’ve read the Judge’s book quite a few times now and He does a lot of explaining about who is saved. One of the points the Judge makes several times is that not many people are.
You wouldn’t know that by how Christians talk. Everyone they know is saved.
I’m fine if a person can’t wait to see Jesus, but I’ve heard this from people who have no desire to listen to Jesus.
If you don’t want to do what He says here, what makes you think you’ll enjoy being with Him there?
Paul says some amazing things in Philippians 3. Several verses in Philippians 3 are said frequently and flippantly by lots of Christians.
Have you ever noticed the phrases in this chapter about Paul seeming a little concerned about his eternity? Have you ever noticed his determination to make sure he is good? No? I’m not surprised.
We all know Paul is saved, he’s an apostle, wrote half the New Testament, of course he’s in, what does he have to worry about?
I don’t know, but he seems a little concerned about it, way more than most of us are concerned about our salvation.
We’re familiar with Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Do you remember the next verse?
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Huh, what a verse. If you look this up in commentaries they will very quickly tell you Paul isn’t worried about missing the resurrection. Ok, maybe not. But even if he’s not, he’s still saying something. He’s doing everything he can to be part of the resurrection.
He’s not flippant about it like we are. There’s no, “I know I’ll be resurrected because that whole Damascus Road thing. Just gonna coast in now.”
Yet most Christians I’ve met say they aren’t worried about their salvation because of something they did in the past once. Hm. Weird how Paul is concerned but we aren’t.
Verse 12 says he is following hard after Christ so that he might apprehend what he’s so far been unable to apprehend.
Verse 14 he says he’s pressing toward the mark, stretching out with energy to attain the final goal.
Verse 17 we are told to follow Paul’s example.
Why are we so assured of everything so easily and flippantly? I wonder if we’re missing something. I wonder if on Judgment Day many will be shocked.
If only there were some verses about lots of people being shocked on Judgment Day that they really aren’t saved even though they thought they were.
I’m not here to make people doubt their salvation; I’m here to get people to listen to the Bible that seems way more concerned about our salvation than we are. I imagine that means something.
The Judge awaits you. Will you be ready?