Sealed for God
A loved one wrote me this deeply encouraging email this week that I had to share:In the past, I thought about Calvinism in terms of coming to salvation. But lately, it has comforted me to think of how it also relates to how we "grow up" in Christ. We did not will ourselves into accepting Christ's salvation. If we believe that we were so depraved that it took the Holy Spirit to awaken us & enable us to become a Christian, then what makes us think that He expects us to "will" ourselves through sanctification? Who we BECOME, as Christians, is also in the hands of God!! Who we BECOME has been in His plans as long as who is to be called. Now, some may take this as a reason to worry "what if God hasn't planned on me being all that sanctified for Him on earth?" The Bible says that He CALLS us (salvation) for His glory. What would give that calling the most glory, but for us to grow nearer & more like Christ where the world could see?
So I am starting to believe that the mere fact that we gained salvation in the first place is proof that God will change & shape us.
Here are some verses about God's KEEPING power on our salvation, & His COMPLETING power.
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 1:8)
Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen. (Jude 24 & 25)
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:4-6)
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:10)
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:13-14)
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Phil 2:12-13)
