Am I Going to Heaven?
This morning I was listening to part B of "I Want to Know Christ", a message taken from Philippians 3 on TFL's website. Alistair brings up something interesting. He described it this way:
If you were to ask Saul that if he were to die today would God receive him in heaven, he would say "Yes". And if you asked him why would God would receive him, he would say something like, "I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless." (Phil 3:5,6) Saul was convinced he was on his way to heaven. But it was by the wrong reasons.
The Lord showed him differently. Jesus said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 26:14)
After his conversion Paul realized all of this zeal for doing right was not helpful on his way to heaven at all. Instead, as he says in Philippians 3, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
Then the wheels of my mind were thinking. Notice how Paul came to the Lord. He was zealous for God but going about it the wrong way. Alistair speculated that Saul that night, after affirming the persecution and stoning and death of Stephen he couldn't get the horrible image out from his mind, and mixed in the background is his own voice saying, "you can check your coats here, leave your coats here, leave your coats here..." (so that those who were throwing stones would be able to move more freely to throw). It stirred in his mind and heart.
I don't believe there is a way to proclaim Christ to someone without making a personal sacrifice or risk being persecuted. We should not be surprised if our testimony would be responded to by anger or hate. We should be utilized in this way to help stir the mind and hearts of people to consider Jesus as the way, the only way of salvation.
Personally, let's ask ourselves, "Am I convinced I'm going to heaven?", if so, "What am I basing my faith on?"
Can we truely make a statement like this? "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
We can desire righteosness. Even if we are not part of the Jewish heritage we could also become "Born Again Pharisees". If there is a change in our lives towards righteousness let it be a response to faith in Christ for our eternal salvation.
If you were to ask Saul that if he were to die today would God receive him in heaven, he would say "Yes". And if you asked him why would God would receive him, he would say something like, "I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless." (Phil 3:5,6) Saul was convinced he was on his way to heaven. But it was by the wrong reasons.
The Lord showed him differently. Jesus said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 26:14)
After his conversion Paul realized all of this zeal for doing right was not helpful on his way to heaven at all. Instead, as he says in Philippians 3, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
Then the wheels of my mind were thinking. Notice how Paul came to the Lord. He was zealous for God but going about it the wrong way. Alistair speculated that Saul that night, after affirming the persecution and stoning and death of Stephen he couldn't get the horrible image out from his mind, and mixed in the background is his own voice saying, "you can check your coats here, leave your coats here, leave your coats here..." (so that those who were throwing stones would be able to move more freely to throw). It stirred in his mind and heart.
I don't believe there is a way to proclaim Christ to someone without making a personal sacrifice or risk being persecuted. We should not be surprised if our testimony would be responded to by anger or hate. We should be utilized in this way to help stir the mind and hearts of people to consider Jesus as the way, the only way of salvation.
Personally, let's ask ourselves, "Am I convinced I'm going to heaven?", if so, "What am I basing my faith on?"
Can we truely make a statement like this? "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
We can desire righteosness. Even if we are not part of the Jewish heritage we could also become "Born Again Pharisees". If there is a change in our lives towards righteousness let it be a response to faith in Christ for our eternal salvation.
posted by Gary at 5:51 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home