Saved
Matthew 19
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
From this passage, we get a definition from Jesus of what it means to be "saved". It means to enter the kingdom of God. Being saved or becoming saved is not defined as one who is (now) going to heaven, but as one who has become subjected to God's kingdom, and those who have willingly subjected themselves into God's kingdom will inherit eternal life. Those who walk in and under God's kingdom and his reign will continue to do so after they die.
Also from this passage, we recieve the insight that it's harder, almost impossible, for rich people to become saved; although with God, this is very possible. Jesus is saying that the difficulty is on the human side, that wealth makes it harder for people to become in need of being saved.
I also believe that most Americans and first world people fall into the wealthy category. I think that we make it too easy for people to get saved. When you give your life to God, and that's what it means to be saved; it's not like joining a club, or putting a new credit card in your wallet, or building a room addition on to your house. It's surrender. To recieve Him, you have to give all of you. When you enter the kingdom of God, you come under God's total rule in your life and become recipents of God's blessings. This is salvation.
So salvation is an event and a lifestyle. Saved people behave a certain way, they love a certain way, they are generous, they're on their master's mission.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
From this passage, we get a definition from Jesus of what it means to be "saved". It means to enter the kingdom of God. Being saved or becoming saved is not defined as one who is (now) going to heaven, but as one who has become subjected to God's kingdom, and those who have willingly subjected themselves into God's kingdom will inherit eternal life. Those who walk in and under God's kingdom and his reign will continue to do so after they die.
Also from this passage, we recieve the insight that it's harder, almost impossible, for rich people to become saved; although with God, this is very possible. Jesus is saying that the difficulty is on the human side, that wealth makes it harder for people to become in need of being saved.
I also believe that most Americans and first world people fall into the wealthy category. I think that we make it too easy for people to get saved. When you give your life to God, and that's what it means to be saved; it's not like joining a club, or putting a new credit card in your wallet, or building a room addition on to your house. It's surrender. To recieve Him, you have to give all of you. When you enter the kingdom of God, you come under God's total rule in your life and become recipents of God's blessings. This is salvation.
So salvation is an event and a lifestyle. Saved people behave a certain way, they love a certain way, they are generous, they're on their master's mission.
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