I want you all to understand that I do not condone a later or "second"
(baptism with the Spirit) salvation experience which then causes one
to be "soundly" converted because of it.
Bear with me because this needs a clear explanation, as I try to
explain the "spiritual" meaning of "GRACE", hopefully to everyone's
personal satisfaction!
"The moment one receives the Holy Spirit...or as in the parable of the
sower: the moment the seed/the word becomes sown in the heart by
"HEARING THE WORD" and thus begins to take root and grow...is the
moment one is made capable of knowing, personally for themselves, that
there is indeed a God and He is real (has revealed Himself). Without
this "initial" faith that comes from hearing (believing) the word we
would remain lost.
Now, from God's end the work of saving us is "done"..."His Grace is
sufficient"!
What's that leave on our end???
All God can do is "SHOW YOU" the Love He has for you as seen in
Christ! "IF" that initial vision - that initial hearing - that
initial Grace isn't enough for you (or me), because we refuse to walk
in it and abide by His words, then we're going to fall away, pure and
simple!
So then. "HOW" can we make our calling SURE? How can we KNOW beyond
doubt (blessed assurance!) and keep on knowing that we are doing and
in His will?
God knows hearts! He KNOWS! For those of us who have seen just how
beautiful and precious Jesus truly is (unable to compare Him to
anything else) know that - HE WANTS OUR HEARTS, AND OUR SOULS, AND OUR
MINDS, AND OUR WILLS, AND EVERY SPECK WE ARE to fulfill the first
commandment: "LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH THY WHOLE HEART AND MIND AND
SOUL AND STRENGTH..."
Therefore, the "Grace" I speak of, is one given to us by God freely
through HIS LOVE! And if His having to go to the cross to save the
likes of us isn't enough to spur us on to gladly and willingly lay
down our lives for Him as well, then let's pack it up and go and
play tiddly winks for a living instead...until, "But Lord, Lord..."
LOVE is what it's all about, folks! FAITH, HOPE, LOVE...AND THE
GREATEST OF THESE IS "LOVE"!
Peter says it clearly: "Add to your faith, love!" Jesus says it just
as clearly: "IF" you continue in my words you will know the truth and
the truth will make you free!! The man who loves Me is the man who
keeps My words!!"
There is NOTHING that can match having a personal relationship with
God through Christ, one full of understanding, full of love and
thankfulness, and full of 'yes Lord, wherever you lead I will
follow!!!"
"Grace" was a work begun in us by God - operating only "IF" we
believe!
Once one decides to "come and see" with the Spirit to that place He
desires to bring us where everything is clear and the knowledge of God
and the knowledge of self in the Light of God can be clearly seen,
distinguished, weighed and judged in the crucible of Love and Truth
for exactly what it is (Jn.16:8-14)...
Then the rest (our part) is up to us!!!! What does LOVE mean to
you??? What does salvation??? What does commitment??? What does
Truth??? Is He Love, Salvation, Commitment, Truth??? Is He worth
it??? Worth it all??? Every day??? All day??? These are non
retractable marriage vows!!! Having eyes of love melted upon the
source of all of our love.
THEN and ONLY Then (in our abiding in Him and treasure
His words abiding in us) will we gladly and with all the love and
humility in us, take and "WORK OUT" our Salvation from within in the way
of obedience, knowing full well we are not worthy of any of it!!!
THIS is what Grace is all about! THIS is what Love is all about!
This is what Truth is all about! This is what the Kingdom of God is
all about! This is what Christ is all about!
It is written: "Ye search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not
come to me, that ye might have life." John 5:39-40
For in "THEM" you THINK you have eternal life!!!???
Nay - In "CHRIST" alone you'll KNOW you have eternal life!!!
What am I saying??? "The Scriptures testify of Jesus!"
Therefore, WHAT IS THE "ONE" THING (after our initially hearing with
faith) THAT WE MUST DO TO BE SAVED: "This is My Son - Hear Him!" (John 6:29)
And yet something does and
must occur if one is to be "soundly" converted, recognizing Christ as He
really is: In Spirit and in Truth!
This is the "Holy Spirit" at work. It is His
initial work of Grace within that reveals the convincing truth about
exactly who as well as "how" God is (holy and almighty) and who as well as "exactly how"
we are apart from Him (decrepid sinners worthy of death).
"Keep on hearing - keep on believing - keep on following - keep on
abiding in what you hear!"
KEEP ON! Don't stop! Don't turn around again! KEEP ON!
There are two dozen "IF" Scriptures that PROVE it beyond one
shadow of a doubt!
By giving Him and continuing to go on giving Him our
ALL! Lay it all down! Let Him have it all! ALL that matters is
"HIM" - Loving Him - Serving Him - Obeying Him - Coming wholly to
Him! Until He becomes everything and we nothing!
(And "IF" we
continue to follow the leading of the Spirit we'll need None to teach
us these things, for we'll already have "SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD" them for
ourselves!!!)
THEN you'll have a "Solid" Testimony and Conversion, and know
beyond doubt that He has you every bit as much as you have Him.
Returning our "LOVE" is the greatest and most powerful gift of all on
our side! Our Love intertwines with His to form an unbreakable bond,
stronger than death itself!
And until one does (and keeps doing) these things one is in danger of falling away,
because the 'glue', the 'knot', the 'binding' that connects it all and makes Him real
and alive to our heart and spirit is "LOVE"!
"Grace" is an ongoing work in us by God - operating only "IF" we
continue to believe and follow!
"Grace" will be a final work in us by God - operating only "IF" we
abide in Him until our death or - until His appearing!
THEN - through producing the fruit
of our Labor of Love for Him in the same fire that brought His own love for us
- can one be "Fully Assured" of their salvation, growing up in Christ
in every way.
Let none of us fall
short of this outward working of Grace I speak of - of hearing and understanding the
utter self-sacrificing Love of Christ and of God towards us and worked
in us when we first believed...worked in us by the Holy Spirit...fully
intended by the Godhead to be worked out from our bellies and hearts
as it has been given...by His grace, for His glory in Spirit and in Truth!
(and in order to do that we must come with open arms, forsaking all we own, coming to Him lock, stock and barrel... forever... just as we are!)
In His Love,
Biff