A Heavenly Inheritance and Indestructible Life

For the past 2-3 weeks, I have been reading through Hebrews and 1 Peter to gain further clarity on this new life in Christ that is available to every believer and this study has blessed me a great deal so I thought I would share it. Hebrews 7-10 gives a description of the fundamentals of the New Covenant, while contrasting it with the Old Covenant life. In particular, Hebrews 7:11-16 state:

Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also... and this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

This is the wonderful nature of living in the fullness of Christ and the covenant that He instituted. It's not built on the strength of the human will, nor is it based on external physical requirements, but it's based on the One who has proven with His death and resurrection that His life is indestructible. In like manner, the life that the Holy Spirit gives to believers is based on His indestructible nature; moreover, the fruit that He produces from our lives submitted to Him, such as love, joy, peace, humility, and etc. (Galatians 5:22-23), are likewise indestructible. The apostles lived this type of life and described it in several different ways. Peter described this as "greatly rejoicing with joy inexpressible and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8) and Paul described this as "peace which surpasses all comprehension" (Philippians 4:7). In regards to Paul, he had an inner life that could not be destroyed, despite the circumstances that encompassed him. Paul describes his life in 2 Corinthians 11 as being filled with various dangers and trials that most people today could not imagine, yet he could still rejoice in all things, be content with all things, and still have undisturbed peace. When I was confronted with such a victorious life, I asked myself two questions: (1) are the apostles exaggerating and speaking in hyperbole? and (2) did God show partiality to the apostles? Can Paul really advise others to rejoice in all things if he didn't rejoice in his circumstances? Can Paul tell others to pray always if he didn't practice it? However, the most important question is: is this life possible? Can a person living in this world truly have joy in their heart that is undisturbed at all times? Can a person sincerely love a person that despises them and harms them on a continuous basis? Can a person patiently endure all of life's trials without being disturbed inwardly? The answer to all of these questions are yes because there is no partiality with God. If one person in the whole world can be found to live this life, then it is available for everyone to live.

This is the great mystery of godliness in scripture: living in a corrupt world that constantly tempt us, how does one live an overcoming life? Through the examples of the New Testament, there are 2 main prerequisites for entering into this life: desperation and faith. The key of desperation is understanding the cost required and going well beyond the cost to obtain it. When a person understands the value of having this inner life, they will calculate the cost and go over and above that which is necessary to obtain it. Consider the example of Zaccheus in Luke 19. Here was a man who came to Jesus, not in a position of mere desire, but out of a position of need. He understood that he defrauded multiple people in his profession as a tax-collector and so before Jesus would step into his home, he made the following statement:

Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.

Consider the cost he paid! The Law only required 1/5 as restitution for money acquired by fraud (Leviticus 6:5) and Zaccheus was willing to pay well above that because he realized that Jesus is more valuable than anything that he gained legitimately and illegitimately. I asked myself the same question here: do I value Christ and the life that He gives as more valuable than any of the good works and deeds that I've done? Do I need this life or is this just an accessory to a good life? When Jesus saw his heart, He declared that salvation has come to his home. Jesus made several parables concerning how valuable this life is. Jesus describes this kingdom and life that He gives to believers as a hidden treasure and a costly pearl in Matthew 14:44-45:

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Once again, I had to ask myself the same question- is this just a life that is an accessory to what I already have or is this something I desperately need? In the context of the above parables, will I be counted among those who saw this pearl and disregarded its value? Will I be counted among the many who saw Christ and regarded him as worthless or will I be among the few who saw the surpassing value of Christ and pay whatever cost to obtain His fullness? In a metaphorical manner, am I willing to hand God a blank check and have Him full out the cost for living this life? How much and how long am I willing to dig to find the treasure? Hebrews 11:6 says that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seeks Him... this also implies that He is not a rewarder of those who seeks Him half-heartedly. 

After the desperation is there, faith is the next step, for without faith it's impossible to please Him. The reality of our Christian life is that the New Covenant is a will and testament. Because Christ has already died, everything in this will is available to the believer and it is completely independent of our merit. There was a time where I believed that I had to earn the fullness of the Holy Spirit, but this was until I realized that the Holy Spirit is a gift- even more, the Holy Spirit is the pledge, or down payment, of our future inheritance (Ephesians 1:14)- meaning that He is our rightful possession. The Holy Spirit is available to every believer on the same basis by which we received justification- by grace through faith alone. It has taken a long time for me to truly understand this, but faith does not involve sinless perfection- it involves helplessness. If I believe that I have to earn it, then I'm no longer in a position of helplessness. In that case, the Holy Spirit is like a wage given to me based on my work. This statement brought strong conviction to me because it nullifies the entire sacrifice of Christ. I'll ask the same question to those who are reading: are you trying to earn the Holy Spirit like a paycheck for good works? The Lamb of God was slain entirely because of us and He should receive the reward of His suffering, not the reward of our works. Furthermore, when Jesus uttered "It is finished", He meant more than simply forgiveness of sins- His desire was that believers in Him would not be slaves to sin and their flesh, but would crush Satan and his power under their feet and His death and resurrection finished this. Therefore, we have confidence in Him that if we come to Him with a sincere heart and full assurance of faith, we will receive the fullness of His Spirit so that we can live this life.

When I realized this, I stopped trying to impress my Father with my works, but I came to Him in full confidence of His work and a more enlightened view of my helplessness. When we come to Him with this hope and sense of desperation, we begin to enter into this glorious life promised in the scripture. This is part of the inheritance that we have as believers:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-4

The inheritance that He gives us is completely imperishable, incorruptable, and reserved for me. Can you imagine a life that is imperishable in quality- a love for others without hypocrisy and guile and joy and peace in the midst of distressing trials? This is the life that is reserved for us if we are diligent and desperate enough to have it. We can have this life where we are "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5), just as Christ; our inner life and godliness will not decay or erode over time because of circumstances because His life is in us, causing us to live a life pleasing towards God. Our spiritual houses do not have to become dilapidated because of the trials of life, but we can be a strong spiritual house for Christ if we diligently pursue this heavenly inheritance and indestructible life. 

My Early Christian Days

On my last blog, I discussed how I came to Christ after going through stages of rebellion against God. While going through my journey to Christ, I experienced the sovereignty of God in all of my affairs, as He redeemed my life and purchased me by His own blood. After I made this decision, I had a "honeymoon" period with God as He continued to reassure me concerning my justification before Him and how the depth of His love for me. This period lasted for about 3 months and then I began to experience a fundamental truth concerning the Christian life: all who live godly will suffer persecution. At the time that I read this scripture, I thought that this referred solely to unbelievers, but while in high school, I learned that this also applies equally well to unbelievers.

My conversion to Christ occurred during the summer of my sophomore year in high school so by the time that I came back to school, I was a completely different person. When I came back to school, the indifference that characterized my life was transformed into an unquenchable fire for the things of God. So as most young Christians do, I decided to share my faith with my classmates. They were quite baffled by the fact that I have changed so quickly over such a small period of time, and I learned that my stand for Christ isolated me more and more from my peers. I lost the small amount of friends that I had and then I learned that I was being openly mocked while in high school. At the time, I couldn't understand why more people disliked me now than when I was a depressed atheist and as a young Christian, this was a huge struggle for me. It never made me question my faith, but I battled endlessly on why God was allowing this to happen. I figured that if I took a stand for God, then He would not cause any of the these things to happen in my life. It was at the time that I learned about the cost that it takes to be a disciple. Unfortunately, when I became Christian, I did not sit down and count the cost necessary to be a disciple and because I didn't, I spent a lot of my early Christians days perpetually frustrated. In my experience, I have noticed that many others never count the cost necessary to call oneself a disciple and so they had the testimony of the seed that fell on rocky soil: they receive it with joy until the necessary affliction caused by the testimony of Christ causes them to fall away. In other cases, the trials that inevitably come into their life do not produce fruit from their life, but produces bitterness and frustration. In my case, the trials that I went through illustrated that there was deep pride within myself that Jesus needed to get rid of. They also illustrated that if I don't put to death my self-life completely, then I could never follow him (Matthew 16:25). So in a very systematic way, God removed these things from me, and what I discovered is that as God began to remove these elements of pride and selfishness, it caused me to become isolated. I didn't have any legitimate friends while in high school so as all Christians do, I sought fellowship at my local church. 

It was fitting that the first local fellowship that I went to as a Christian was by and far, the most difficult time for me personally because it demonstrates that fellowship is more than Christians meeting with mutual interests. In my case, it involved edifying, exhorting, and loving individuals that God has connected me with that perpetually irritated me and frustrated me. In every believer's life, our Father asks us to accept His will in difficult situations and as a believer, we can choose to be a disciple by embracing the cup that the Lord has given us to drink or we can choose to be an immature, carnal believer by rejecting the cup that He has given us. This church was the cup for me to drink; at this church, the Lord asked me this question: am I truly submitted to Him or am I just a "fair-weather" fan? If I desire to live for Christ and to reign in victory with Him, am I willing to die to myself (2 Timothy 2:10)? Am I willing to endure hardship with Him or do I want everything handed to me for free? How much do I want the life of Christ within me?

These questions were presented to me as I had to submit to a pastor who I didn't agree with regarding much of anything. In this church, there were many arbitrary rules placed over teens in general (such as not going to the prom) and then specific rules placed only on me (such as not playing jazz on my saxophone or being in marching band). I was ridiculed openly by my peers at church because of my ambitions of going to college, scolded by elders in the church because I didn't speak in tongues (which made me spiritually inferior to everyone else in the church), and rebuked by the pastor constantly for not being a better example to my peers. Even though the teens around me were openly fornicating and openly admitting their carnality, I was the one being rebuked openly and the one whose spirituality was constantly in question. When I was asked to play my saxophone for this church, the church musicians decided that they didn't want any part of this so they purposely muted my mic when I would play. Furthermore, it became more apparent over time that the leadership of the church were slaves to sin, particularly sexual immorality and the love of money. However, in all of these things that I saw, God continued to repeat the phrase: humble yourself. Once again, the question was posed to me again: am I truly submitted to Him or am I a "fair-weather" believer? For many individuals, this is the question that is posed time and time again. God places us in multiple situations that are both confusing and difficult. However, are you humble enough to admit that you do not know how to plan your life better than how God can plan or are you so arrogant to believe that you can instruct God on what's most beneficial to you? Isaiah stated as follows:

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, and informed Him of the way of understanding. Isaiah 40:13-14

Are you humble enough to admit that God sees further in the future than you? Are you humble enough to acknowledge that God knows more about your needs than you do? Jeremiah knew the answer to these questions:

I know, O Lord, that a man's way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct His steps. Jeremiah 10:23

These were questions that I asked myself, but in my pride, it grew more and more difficult to obey God under these situations because I saw no point. Eventually, resentment grew in my heart because I was in the worst of positions- going to a church with no fellowship and going to a school where most of my peers avoided me or despised me. As I've met more and more Christians over time, I've heard a similar story. Many believers find themselves in the situation where they feel isolated because they do not have fellowship with others around them. In particular, as a person becomes real with God and walks as a disciple, they will find that they will have fewer and fewer people to walk with. However, because God ordained fellowship for believers, He will always supply that need. In my life, as I finally accepted God's will in this matter, He led me to various people in school who became a source of encouragement for me. They never became close friends, but whenever I needed encouragement, edification, or correction, He sent someone along my path. By my senior year in high school, I finally understood why God placed me in those various situations. I was sent there to be a witness, just as Noah was a witness in the world around him. Hebrews 11:7 states:

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

What is wonderful about our Father is that He only needs one person to be a witness for Him. As I went through this, I realized that it wasn't my responsibility to call out various elders in the church for being hypocritical, nor did I have to call out various teens for living a compromised my life. I was called to live a victorious life in Christ and be a faithful witness for him while living in the midst of people who choose to live a compromised life. My life had the effect of condemning some and attracting others to Christ. What I learned was that as I humbled myself under the circumstances that He placed me in, He provides grace for me to overcome the frustration and resentment that I had until the entire root was removed in my heart. So as they continued to mock me in public, their reproof had no effect on me because I was no freed from their opinions; I no longer sought their honor or respect because their opinion was fit for the garbage. I then learned that it's impossible to be a servant of Christ if I seek to please men in any way (Galatians 1:10). All of the strivings that I had within me about being accepted and about having friends in school and in church quickly dissipated as I found out that He has something much better for me: His life. I have experienced that many believers still seek to please men in some respects either by gaining their honor or by keeping a good reputation and this may be the chief reason why the life in Christ in them is so dim. Their life is subject to the whim of the word of a person so they could never come to a life that is complete and established in Christ. Through my experience with this church, I learned that even the opinions of believers- their praise or criticism- are irrelevant if it's contrary to how God views me.

To those who are reading this, being free from the fear of men is one of the greatest liberations that a person can have and it's a promise of the New Testament. It was totally liberating as a teen to realize that I can be myself totally without worrying about how others viewed me at all. I didn't have to disguise my personality or my personal interests out of fear of what others might say, but I can rejoice in how God made me. When I was in high school, I began to enjoy the fact that God made me no mistakes in making me at all, even if few people willingly accepted me. Therefore, I was completely unashamed to speak openly about my faith to others and how this life in God is so glorious and in like manner, you can be completely unashamed to be an ambassador of Christ as well. They will call you a number of names, and at times, some will completely curse you because of the stance that you take. However, when you have this freedom, those words will not disturb you one bit since you live your life seeking to please God.

The example that I lived for this church proved to be very needed because in the near future, the church suffered a tragic ending. It became known that the pastor of my church was guilty of sexual molestation of young boys in the church. Once everyone accepted that these accusations were true, it completely shattered the faith that many young men had in Christ. In their eyes, if God couldn't keep their pastor free from such an egregious sin, then what hope do they have? However, most importantly, if the pastor couldn't keep himself free from sin, then how can we believe anything that he taught? I asked the more important question: why is one person's faith in Christ tied so deeply into their pastor? Since we are instructed to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12), why does a person fall from Christ if their pastor fell into sin? The answer to this question was that many in the church were following a man, and had never met Christ. Unfortunately, there are too many individuals that base their relationship with Christ on their pastor or respected elder and it takes a dramatic event in order reveal this to some people. It was at the time where I realized that God had been preparing me slowly for this moment. If I didn't demonstrate a life of consistent faith to them previously, then everything that I would tell them now would be invalid. So for me, all of the frustrating moments that I had at the church was used for this moment... so I can comfort and build up those who need to be comforted. I have been convinced that every seemingly arbitrary position that God places me in has a very distinct purpose for those who will walk a similar path as mine. Furthermore, none of the struggles and temptations that I face are unique to me. The book of Hebrews offers great comfort for all believers:

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus went through much worse situations that I have been. He was called a prince of devils, a glutton, and a blasphemer, while being forsaken by his closest companions. Yet He completely overcome the temptation to become frustrated or vengeful... He simply forgave them. When I saw this, I repented of my attitude during this time, knowing that God was building me up to be a true disciple and witness for Him. For those going through a somewhat arbitrary situation where God has placed you in a confusing and difficult position, know that our Father never does anything that doesn't work out for your good (Romans 8:28). This does not mean that it won't inconvenience you (it usually will remove you from your comfortable life), but it does mean that all of these situations will make become more and more like Jesus (Romans 8:29), which is the ultimate treasure for every believer. In every situation, God will find a way to obtain maximum glory out of my life, starting from my early Christian days, and I'm confident that He will do the same for any genuine believer.

My Personal Journey

For the past 3 or 4 weeks, I have been attending a new church that spends a lot of time emphasizing fellowship and discipleship among the members, which has been a much needed change in my life. On this Sunday in particular, a verse of scripture was brought to my remembrance from 2 Corinthians:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort... or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort. 2 Cor 1:3-6

This passage came to my mind as I began to ask God what has been the purpose for my seemingly circuitous route in my Christian development. I wondered why I've never had a pastor who I could trust or a body of believers to fellowship with who did not have questionable motives. It was this passage that came to my mind several times in the past and it came to my mind today as I was recollecting the events of my life. As I have gotten more and more revelation and light about my life, there are two things that stand out for me: the absolute sovereignty of God in my affairs and the unsearchable, inscrutable ways and wisdom of God in His dealings with me. As I meditated on this, I began to realize that there is nothing that can happen to me that is out of God's control and furthermore, God does His work in such a way that it will be a testimony for another believer and give Him glory. Therefore, instead of questioning God's methods (which is a form of pride), I've decided to rejoice in these things, knowing that He is absolutely in control and that He absolutely loves me. For this reason, every event of my life has a greater purpose than just teaching myself a lesson; these testimonies encourage and exhort others that God has drawn to me. So in this blog, I wanted to describe a portion of my personal journey in hopes that it will be an encouragement and comfort to someone.

As I look at my childhood as an adult, there are two words that come to my mind: grace and protection. Both grace and divine protection define my childhood very well. Like many African-Americans, I was raised in a Christian home and as a whole, my extended family were devout Christians because my maternal grandfather was a minister of the gospel. He was a man who was very respected in his community and his life was a witness to the rest of my family to live for God. However, at the same time, as a young child, we lived in Brooklyn, NY during a time where there was much crime and drug abuse that otherwise would have a strong impact on a child. Even though my mother and father were divorced, they both agreed on raising their children so I had the privilege of having the impact of a mother and father in my life to counteract the influences of the environment around me. I see this as the grace of God because so many Americans grow up in a home where either the mother and father left the home or their parents had an abusive, loveless relationship with each other. Despite how badly any family situation appears, God is still absolutely sovereign and presented you with a situation that He knew that you can handle. For many individuals who feel like an orphan due to how their parents treated them (or neglected them), God declares to them that He is their Father and that the family of God is your true family. There is no person on this earth that can compete with the goodness of our God; He doesn't just save a person from their sins and give them eternal life... He embraces you with a love strong enough to heal the most shattered hearts and treats you as His most beloved possession.

As I grew older, my family moved to the metro Atlanta area and it was during this time that I became a cold, indifferent adolescent. Because of the way that my peers were treating me at the time, my anger progressed to a point where I became indifferent (Contrary to popular belief, the opposite of love is not hate, but it's indifference... this is why God prefers a person to be totally for Him or totally against Him). I felt like an outcast as soon as I moved to the South and because I was ostracized from my peers, I decided to shut down completely and become an introvert. During this time, my anger towards men shifted towards an anger towards God because I felt that He should work according to my wishes. I made the most drastic turn when I turned 12 and I renounced God completely by becoming an atheist. I felt like many people do today... God was a superstition and all of the Christians I know (including my family) were worshipping superstitions. I began to laugh at Christians derisively and it came to a point where I proactively attempted to cause others teens to denounce God. I tried to use logic to show them how their view of God was a contradiction. Also, seeing the hypocrisy and lack of power over sin among church members gave me more ammunition on attacking the fundamental premise of God, particularly in Christianity. At the time, I thought I had found enlightment, but I was a desperately wicked man and an instrument of satan. As much as I tried to assert my own will, I soon learned that God was absolutely sovereign over my affairs and He can humble any person in a second.

By the time I turned 15, I had developed a reputation as being a cold and heartless individual and very few people would talk to me. However, one of the students in my class was a legitimate born again believer who was born of the Spirit and to this day, I do not know why she decided to spend time with me, apart from the fact that God sent her to me. She was a spirit-filled lady who had words of knowledge over my life about intimate things that I never disclosed to anyone. When this started to happen, I was in disbelief because she is actually demonstrating some validity to the scriptures. This would mean that I would have to renounce my former beliefs and accept that God exists. Because I was unwilling to do this, I decided to become prideful and to ignore what I have heard. It was at this time that I began to realize the omnipotence and absolute sovereignty of God. As I began to ignore this young woman more and to become more prideful, I began to deal with long stints of depression that only grew worse and worse each day. This depression got to the point where I seriously contemplated committing suicide on several occasions and once again, this young woman would have words of knowledge about this situation. After dealing with depression, fear and anxiety began to grip me and I was left with one conclusion: God is listening. For all of you that happens to read this, God is listening and watching. Nothing escapes His sight or His ear. Psalm 139 says quite eloquently: He knows your thoughts from afar and is intimately knows all of your ways. Even before a word can leave your tongue, He knows it. There is no where you can go to run from God; running away from Him is like running on a hamster wheel... it's only a matter of time before you realize that you are running towards inevitability. The question is are you going to submit to Him as conviction has hit your heart willingly or will you bow to Him by force as He breaks you after this transient life ends?

Shortly after these things happened, my brother invited me to a church and I decided to go (I kept my attitude towards God secret from my family) and as soon as I came into the place, strong conviction hit my soul. I began to see how God orchestrated the various events of my life piece by piece; when I was diagnosed as being mentally challenged by several doctors, He had mercy on me and healed me; when I stole video games from a store, His mercy kept me; He protected me from 2 near-death experiences and at this moment, He said "I have led you and protected you this far. Come to me and repent." At this point, I could no longer hide from God; His grace is so incredible. How could a God this holy accept a person like me who laughed derisively at Him and caused His children to stumbled? It was at this time that the preacher began to preach about heaven and how grace has enabled us to "enter the joy of the master". I gave my life to Christ completely at the point and never turned around since then. As I've reminisced on this recently, I couldn't help but to relate to the apostle Paul. According to Paul, he was admittedly a blasphemor, a persecutor, and violent aggressor, but he makes such a profound statement in 1 Timothy:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthen me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:12-16

Today, hearing these words come from the apostle Paul completely humbles me because I can relate it. I spent so many years blaspheming Christ and persecuting Christians just for fun. I spent so many years as a teenager denying God's existence and at other times, becoming quite angry with Him. Yet mercy found me because He loved me. He didn't save me just for myself, but He saved me so that this testimony would demonstrate the awesome character of God. God doesn't just have patiences with us; His patience is perfect. While He is being patience, He is not frustrated with us and lash out in anger, but His patience coupled with wisdom makes everything that He does purposeful and deliberate. This is the type of salvation and deliverance that makes a person celebrate and praise as Paul did as he began to meditate on His wisdom:

Now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

Everytime that I sit down to reminisce about the first part of my journey, I find myself praising God for it. His purposes will be established forever and ever; the plans of His heart has stood from eternity past and will continue to stand as eternity goes forward. With a God so glorious and with a salvation that is so precious to me, I ask myself what is the conclusion of the matter? Paul describes the solution in Colossians:

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7

In the same gratitude, passion, and desperation that I received Christ, I should walk in Him. Reminiscing about my personal journey always serves as a personal check to me to see if my passion for Christ has wavered over time. I must always ask myself whether or not I have forgotten the purification from my former sins; have I forgotten how much God has delivered me from my past? Have I lost the simplicity of devotion to Christ that I had when I initially came to Him or have the cares and desires of this present world choked out the life of God in me. I would urge every person who has experienced redemption to remember how they came to Him and ask themselves the same question. If we live our Christian lives in the same manner by which we initially received Him, we would experience the victory that scripture promises us. However, a believer who forgets these things will soon discover that their passion for Christ has greatly gone and perhaps one day, they will find themselves useless and unfruitful for Christ's purposes.