16 of 22 from Psalm 119
Psalm 119:121-128 AIN. I have done judgment and
justice: leave me not to mine oppressors. 122 Be
surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. 123
Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124
Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy
statutes. 125 I am thy servant; give me
understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. 126 It
is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy
law. 127
Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things
to be right; and I hate every false way.
Our
Psalmist begins by begging God that he fears failing “to
mine oppressors.” He admits he
has failed God and he begs for God’s Mercy.
Christian,
you and I are “in the same boat” as our Psalmist. We each fear failing: failing financially; failing morally; failing
in our job; and failing God and His Son Jesus.
(I might have carried that rant a bit too far.) “Do you fear failing God?” If you already have eternal salvation, (which
is also everlasting and forevermore,) “do you feel there is no need to bother?”
One
problem we have in our understanding “Faith” is the believer’s eternal
security. Eternal salvation is not a lie.
(It is a Biblical truth in our scripture.) However, once a person accepts Jesus as his
personal Saviour, (and then learns he cannot lose his salvation,) he may go on
his way, (as before,) with no repentant heart. “I was baptized, now I am saved.” (Some even believe that the baptism was the
mode of Salvation.)
(If
you have NOT become a “new creature” and your old life style has NOT “passed
away,”
you may not have what you have been led to believe.)
2 Corinthians_5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
A person, who has accepted Jesus with a repentant
heart, (with God’s Mercy) will change. A
person changes because of The Holy Spirit’s conviction. (The “new creature” will want
to “become new.”)
If you responded to the conviction of The Holy Spirit, salvation is
yours to keep. I have heard some who have
stated, “You Baptist, knowing your Salvation is complete, you can do anything
you want.” To this I have answered, “Yes,
that is right. However, my “want to’s”
have changed. I don’t want to do what I
used to want to do.” My salvation is
complete in that I am secure eternally, yet I must grow within that salvation.
King
David tells us that all he really wants is to be given “thy
mercy.” Isn’t that what all of us want?
Paul
teaches us that “the mercies of God” are real and present. To receive God’s Mercy, we must begin by
accepting Jesus The Christ as our personal Saviour. Once we have accepted Jesus, our task is to live
a life of sacrifice, by God’s standards, (not the worlds,) being deemed as
acceptably Holy. This is called our “reasonable
service.”
Paul
continues to teach us that we must make a decision “in our new walk.” That decision is we must be “transformed
by the renewing of your [our] mind.” Therefore, with God’s power through The Holy
Ghost, (and our decision,) we are changed.
“Seek
God’s mercy. Call on Jesus’ name. Beg for the forgiveness you do not
deserve. Repent of your sins. Do purpose in your heart to be a changed, “transformed” person of
God. What are you waiting for? Get to it!”
Bro John R. E Chastain
Retired Pastor
No comments:
Post a Comment