Monday, 6 October 2014
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12
There is no reason at all to assume that Paul is speaking about a “loss of salvation” here. He has been using lessons from the exodus and the wilderness wanderings to show that the people lacked faith in God’s continued hand of support for them. They failed to trust that what He started He would also see to its completion.
They had Moses to lead them, and yet they failed to trust him. They had the cloud and the pillar of fire there as a display of God’s glory and they failed to acknowledge that He was there with them. When they became needful, they were given manna, water, and quail and yet they failed to trust that God would continue to meet their needs as time passed. They had seen the destruction of the armies of Egypt, and yet they feared going in to possess the land of Canaan. On and on it went, a lack of faith leading to times of judgment. Even Moses, because of His actions, was excluded from entering the land of promise.
These people, with the evidence right before their eyes, fell into disbelief time and time again. Paul admonishes us to be more stout and steadfast in our faith and practice. We have the truth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. We have the complete Bible given to us for our instruction and growth. We have promises in the word which show us that even death cannot separate us from the love of God which is found in Christ Jesus. And yet, we allow our faith to become weakened through temptation, through privation, and through neglect of meditating on His word.
At these times, we aren’t going to lose our salvation. We “have” been forgiven; past tense. We “have” been sealed with the Holy Spirit; past tense. We “are” seated with Christ in the heavenly places; done deal. These things are told to us to remind us of this and to keep us from falling. And yet, from time to time, we hear of a great preacher, teacher, or Christian professor falling into sin; maybe adultery. We see people neurotically worrying about whether they will be raptured along with the rest of the church because they failed to cross a “t” or dot an “i”.
Likewise, people come to Christ, but never grow in the knowledge of the word and they flounder about in a state of theological confusion. Others forget that they have been saved at all (see 2 Peter 1:9). We are asked to not only ensure our salvation by calling out to Christ for His unmerited favor, but to walk in our salvation, getting ever-closer to Him. If we do this, we will be firm and fixed upon the Rock and filled with the Water of life in those times when difficulties arise.
Life application: In the morning, read your Bible and think on Christ. During the day, meditate on the word and think on Christ. In the evening, pick up your Bible and read it again and think on Christ. Be firm, fast, and secure in your walk with Christ and you won’t fall.
Oh my precious Lord. Help me never to think of myself more confidently than I ought to, but rather, help me to rest in You and not in my own strength. Help me Lord to not be prideful of the things I own or the knowledge I possess. But rather, help me to remember that everything I have is temporary and can fly away in a moment and that all of my knowledge came from You. In all things, help me to walk humbly and with humility all my days, ever-thankful for Your kind hand of grace upon me. Amen.