August 26, 2018

Are You Truly Changed?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

– Ephesians 2:8-9

He surrendered his life to Christ just a few years ago. He’d lived a life of church participation but in his 80s he finally realized that attending church and actually being saved really aren’t the same thing.

He had good intentions. After his baptism, he planned to attend church regularly. He was going to read his Bible. He was going to live right. Well, it’s easy to backslide into old ways. It’s easy to put off what you should do until another day, then another, until years have passed. Until you lose the one person you loved above all others.

His wife died today. He is lost. He is determined to live up to her standards. He vows to live for Jesus. I know he sincerely believes his own words. I hope he does live differently in the days to come. I also know that the numbness will end before he’s ready. A deep soul-shattering grief will grip his heart tightly. He will either turn to Jesus in the darkness or he will turn back to the self he knows.

One thing that bothers me is how insistent he is that he must live right so he can get to where we all know she has gone. We keep telling him that his salvation, Jesus’ promise of eternity in heaven, isn’t dependent on what he does or doesn’t do. He says he understands. Sometimes I wonder if he does.

James tells us that we aren’t saved by works but that there should be some evidence in our lives that we are saved. We should live right because of what Jesus has done for us. We should make wise choices, extend compassion and mercy, and do good to others because we are the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth. But none of that alters our status as children of God.

Death brings an emptiness that causes us to reevaluate everything. We realize we can’t wait for another day. We understand that we might not have another opportunity to get right with Jesus. We know that the only real promise in life is that death will one day come. Are you ready?

There is one way to heaven and that is through the blood of Christ. You can’t earn your way there. You can’t buy a ticket. Jesus paid your fare if you’ll only accept His gift. Have you?

Look around and take stock of your life. Do a self-exam on your heart. Are you different because of Jesus or are you just the same as you always were? While works won’t get you anywhere near the Kingdom of God, truly saved people want to do good because of Him.

When the day is done, we won’t have a chance to do things differently. Don’t wait. Accept Jesus’ gift of salvation and live a life of gratitude and service for all He has done.