My husband seems to worry about if he's saved or not. Which I think is just him being humble. In a way it is presumptuous and arrogant to say for sure I know I am saved. Because according to my findings, we won't really know for sure until we get to heaven. But we can have a general idea of where we stand with God.
His concern is with his fruit. He says maybe he doesn't have enough fruit. I of course reminded him that it is not our fruit or works that save us but faith in Jesus alone, which I know he has so in my eyes he's good to go. lol
But the Bible is a bit confusing on this. James says faith without works is dead etc. But Galatians says basically if we try to work then Christ will be of no value to us. If we are working to save ourselves then that is not faith right? Because we then think that WE have something to do with our salvation. We don't. Well we do but we don't. Ah it really is confusing lol.
What is interesting is that when the Bible was being formed James was the most debated book about whether they should include it or not because it is so focused on works. hm....
I remember on one Don Rags it was called, or end of semester grilling session with two professors at Biola, I said how we need to have works. And Dr. Shubert was like, "But we are saved by faith alone." I will never forget the look on her face like, "Lisa I hope you understand this." And I was like, "Yes I know, but James says faith without works is dead."
It's a balance. Definitely. Like I wrote yesterday, we can't just expect to float down the lazy of river of faith and think we're fine just based on that. We can't just pray the prayer and expect that "Ok I'm good to go now. I don't have to do anything else. I got my ticket into heaven." No it doesn't work that way. We need show that we are saved. And we prove it by our character.
That was another distinction I pointed out to my husband. Works or fruit are not necessarily things we do like feeding the homeless, though that is great, it is about our character. I said, "How you treat me every day is your fruit. And you have more fruit than anyone I've known." And he does. :) He's not perfect, but he's closer than anyone I've met. lol And no that's not just me being in love talking. :) I said, "I think you score 100 points every day with God just based on how you treat me." :)
I feel somewhat better about my level of fruit or works thanks to writing these blogs. It is my ministry I suppose. I always wanted to be a missionary of some sort, and I suppose I am an online missionary, supported by my husband lol.
Our works or fruit do not save us but "you shall know them by their fruits."
My grandma said it's none of our business if others are saved or not. She said this in response to me asking if she thinks my dad is or ever was saved. It may have just been to avoid the question lol. Cause if she says he wasn't then why did my mom marry him right? But if she says he was then why would he do that to me? So yes, quite a conundrum needless to say. Also why I think salvation can be lost, from what I have seen in my dad. He certainly seemed saved at the beginning of their marriage, and then he slowly deteriorated and now you probably would not think he was saved at all. Odd how that worked for sure.
So our fruit is how we treat people. There is a big emphasis on works in the Catholic church, everyone knows that. But there also in Pentecostal and "spirit filled" circles. Which is probably why they do so much good. But we can't take our focus off of Jesus that much and put it on ourselves, and that is the tendency of more spirit filled people sadly. Jesus is what it's all about, not us at all. We are just vessels that he somehow can use, somehow lol.
I said once to a friend that hopefully I can save people and my friend was like, "Well YOU won't save anyone, God will." That was a humble reminder. But I said, "Yes but God uses us to save people."
God changes hearts but he chooses to use us to reach others. What an awesome privilege! One that I greatly value and treasure which I why I feel inclined to write/blog so much.
I hope my writing gives you eyes to see more how wonderful and glorious God is! And I hope it is gaining treasures for me in heaven yay! If there is such a thing as extra rewards in heaven. lol Even if there isn't, it is still securing my faith in a sense. Paul says we are to "run in a way to win the prize." We have to give effort in our Christian walk. But don't get so focused on your efforts that you forget that it's all about Jesus.
May God increase your, mine and my husband's wisdom on this!
It is a confusing topic for sure but God can give us eyes to see the light and the truth more clearly.
Amen! :) God be with you!
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