What moved me to ask this question were some recent comments I read by Oswald Chambers on the verse, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17. Chambers asks, “What idea do you have of the salvation of your soul?
The experience of salvation means that in your actual life things are really altered, you no longer look at things as you used to.” (My Utmost for His Highest)
“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (Romans 6:8-12)
Apart from the grace of God we are all lost sinners. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” but “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Romans 3:23; John 3:16)
The faith that really matters is not that now we cannot sin but that through His Holy Spirit who has come to dwell in us we can will not to sin! All glory be to Him who died for us and rose again that we might walk in newness of life.
Is that the way you and I are living?
Bert Warden, a regular contributor to this column, is a former missionary and retired C&MA pastor. He is a member of Sevenoaks Alliance Church in Abbotsford.