"Speak That Which Will Save Others"

I Thessalonians 2:14-20

14. For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17. But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

18. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20. For ye are our glory and joy.

W

e suffer in salvation, today, because of bad teaching. We would like to believe that there is something that we must do concerning salvation. That way, we would not feel as if we “owe” the Lord so much. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing that we can do to gain for ourselves salvation. If we have it, it is because of the grace of God. There is nothing that we could ever do to merit anything that the Lord had done for us.

Scripture tells us that we are not fighting a “natural war” and therefore, we must use “un-natural” weapons. In other words, we must get used to operating in the spiritual. The problem with this, of course, is that spirituality is not “natural” to us. This fact puts us in a “vulnerable” position, for without that with which we are “familiar,” we find ourselves feeling “unprotected.”

The purpose of our salvation is to win souls. Obviously, this is an undertaking in which no human being could ever hope to be successful. It will take supernatural means, effort, situations and circumstances. This is one of the primary reasons that we are tested. The greatest, of course, is that we might know where we “stand” in the Lord. Once we identify our “shortcomings,” we are to “fix” that which is wrong that we might be in the best “position” to affect others. Usually, our response to “disruptions” is to attempt to dictate our circumstances and situations. In other words, we either try to “fix” or “change” things. The outcome of all these efforts is to prove to us, time and again, that our human efforts are useless. What we have failed to grasp is that the presentation of any situation is not what is important. What we are to learn from each presentation is that no matter what is presented, nor how often, that situation is to be left to the Lord.

We can have complete confidence in the Lord because that which He has done is complete. Since He is the only One Who could have accomplished what He has accomplished, He deserves to be trusted by and through Himself—and no one else.

Every example that we need for conduct or anything else is met in the person of Jesus Christ. Just as He never trusted in the flesh, so, through His example, we are to realize that we need never revert to the flesh. Once we are “in” the Spirit, all is to be handled through Him.

Often, people mistakenly believe that what they do or what is done for them will be able to keep them safe. That is how the devil is “running people ragged” through the threat of terrorism. When you have no God to protect you, or you do not trust the God that you have, you will be fearful and attempt to devise ways to protect yourself. All of these efforts are fruitless, for only Jesus can keep us. Therefore, those outside of salvation have neither hope, nor help.

If we care for anyone but ourselves, we are going to have to be redirected away from ourselves. Salvation was not given to us that we might live “in a bubble” so to speak. Salvation is very much a “state of living,” designed to be a blessing to all those who come in contact with one who has had the experience. We are Man’s only hope and help.

That which will save Man is to know that there exists an Answer to all of life’s questions and a Solution to all of its problems. Like it or not, that Answer and Solution is Jesus. He was before anthrax and terrorist attacks and will remain. For what He does, we are to bless His name! For Who He is, we are to bless His name! For having everything under control, we are to bless His name! No matter if we are well or sick, God is still good!