Pastor John,
I very much enjoyed listening to you and others talk this morning in your basement about the things of the Lord.
You all spoke about the ever-growing resistance of man to the biblical fact that “salvation” is a future event, and not something that happens now, while you are living on this earth. As Jesus pointed out: “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mt. 24:13). And that salvation is also attributed to your actions on this earth, as James clearly stated: “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:4).
In the overwhelming resistance that is offered up against these two truths, there appears to be revealed a mentality of man toward God that is very akin to the the nature of man regarding other things.
It is, in a spiritual sense, a welfare mentality; men want it now, and they do not want to have to work for it.
When we, in this natural world, work hard everyday, do our best, and are proud of our work, there is a feeling that accompanies that which lets us enjoy our rest when it is time to rest, and to feel that we have earned it – and the freedom to enjoy our pay when payday comes, feeling that we have earned that as well.
It is truly the same in the spiritual realm. Anyone who gives their all to Jesus, everyday, will feel justified to receive the rest when it finally comes on “payday”; that is, whenssalvation is given to all of those who have obeyed. Those feelings are built into the spiritual, just as well as the natural. Only those dishonest in either, or both, try to skate around it.
Jerry