Can I ever really know that I am saved?
The very best part of my day is when I walk through the door after work. Something I love to do is sneak in quietly so the kids who are playing don’t notice me and then I creep up right behind them and watch for a second. When I have seen enough I tap Nathan on the shoulder and say hi, and he jumps into my arms and Keilah yells DADDY and goes eh eh eh wanting me to pick her up. For me there is nothing better than that. It is the best feeling in the world. This past offseason I was gone for a couple days promoting camp and away from my kids for several days I got home late and the kids were wasted. My wife had tried to keep them awake but they were just too exhausted. I missed them so much and I was so excited to walk through that door but when I got in they were passed out and there was no DADDY or big hugs, it was very disappointing to me because I love the simple sound of my little girl calling my name and knowing that she loves me and is obsessed with being with me. It is the best feeling in the world and in those moments I find myself wondering does God feel the same way with me? Does he want my best and want my love, but I give him exhausted seconds? Am I doing all that I can to reflect the love of Christ and to show just how in love with him I am? I think a lot of days I just live kind of a lukewarm life for Christ, I’m not really hot, I’m not really cold, just kind of warm thinking that I am doing pretty good. I don’t drink like those other people. I don’t sleep around and have sex like those other people. I don’t do any number of sins that these other people do, so I am doing pretty good. But is that what God really wants for my life, does he just want pretty good?
Maybe you’ve found yourself in that place too where you know that you are not really on fire for God, but you feel like you’re doing pretty good, you’re at least better than the person beside you or in front of you. But you wonder is that what God really wants for my life, just a lukewarm pretty good life. The truth is God wants all or nothing. Revelation 3 says “15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Literally the Greek says I will violently vomit you out of my mouth. Just the taste of a lukewarm person makes him violently vomit or spew them out of his mouth. This passage does not refer to saved people it refers to people who believe they are saved but there is no living Christ in their relationship. If living out your faith is not a part of your life and you find yourself always lukewarm then you have examine whether Christ is a part of your life. Before you have second thoughts about your salvation let me clarify with 2 things: first works do not save you. Ephesians 2:8-9 says they we are saved by grace and not works it is the free gift of God. Works do not save you, grace is God’s free gift to us. Second having a bad day or making an occasional bad decision does not mean that you are not saved. What this means is that it is only through God’s grace that we are saved but when we are in love with Christ our desire is to do his will. Will it happen every day? No, but the desire to do His will is the norm and not the exception. If it is the other way around then you need to reevaluate your relationship with Christ. John 14:15 says if you love me you will obey my commands. In other words if you know me and have a relationship with me the desire of your heart will be to do the will of God and follow His commands. If you love Christ you will live Christ. Imagine how different the world would be if Christians lived like they were madly in love with Christ? Imagine how different your school would be if you lived like you were madly in love with Christ. Imagine how different your workplace would be or your family would be if you lived like you were madly in love with Christ. Imagine what God would do if that were true…
