Wisdom For Salvation

2009-08-08 22:57

"and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15).

In the Bible, the process of salvation is written in various ways, and consequently it makes us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Firstly, a process to seek what was lost.

It is written, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10). What was lost means what stayed with God and left Him.

It is as if Jonah stayed with God and ran away from Him and headed for Tarshish. The Bible says, "But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD." (Jonah 1:3).

Secondly, a process to wake up a sleeper.

It is written, "...This is why it is said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'" (Ephesians 5:14). It is like this: While for fear of death everyone in the ship strived to survive, Jonah lay down below deck and fell into a deep sleep. The Bible says, "All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, 'How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish.'" (Jonah 1:5-6).

Thirdly, a process to give life to the dead.

It is written, "I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live." (John 5:25). It is because in Adam all die. It is written, "But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights." (Jonah 1:17). And also the Lord said, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40).

Fourthly, a process to call those who are not as though they were.

It is written, "...He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." (Romans 4:17). And also, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18). And also, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3).

The Bible said, "Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing." (Genesis 18:11). And also, "By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise." (Hebrews 11:11). Jonah called for help from the grave with no hope of life. "He said: 'In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.'" (Jonah 2:2).

This fourth process is the process of accomplishing salvation and becoming one with God. If a man would become one with God, he himself must not exist. This is salvation: When I does not exist, He calls me and lets me exist. The Bible says about it, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." (1 Corinthians 15:10). The wisdom of knowing this meaning is the wisdom for salvation.

Therefore, it is said from the beginning of salvation, "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" (Mark 8:34). And also, "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." (Hebrews 3:14).

Therefore, it is written about salvation, "...'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6). And also, "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." (Romans 9:16). This is salvation: Only when I does not exist, God calls me as though I were, and makes me what I am.

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33). Amen. Amen. Thank you, Lord.