This Part 2 of an article, now a blog, taken from the ezine I started in 2010 called "The Reviver." Part 3 tomorrow...
Death to Gain Life
Colossians 3:3, “For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” This Scripture tells us clearly that when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour that our old life died with Christ and now we have a life in Christ that is hidden, or kept safe in Him. And then Paul continues about this hidden life: Colossians 3:4, “And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” This is the promise: If our old life stays dead at the cross and we remain hidden in Him in salvation, with the evidence of a life of holiness and prayer in the secret place of Christ, then we will share in His glory, when He is revealed to the whole world in the coming days.
Put to Death
Colossians 3:5, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.” Now here is the point of this article: If we just vicariously and without effort on our part, become holy just by accepting Christ as Lord, and from then on have no need to watch over our lives and conduct or the need for daily repentance, then why did Paul remind us and warn us to not partake in sin any longer? You know why? Because, from experience, Paul saw Christians departing from the holy life in Christ and returning to their former ways of living. That is why his stern warning comes in the next verse, Colossians 3:6-7, “God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.”
Disqualification is Possible
How clear is that! This modern Christian philosophy of “Once saved, always saved” has been the curse of Christianity and has caused modern Christians to not strive with all their heart to live holy lives in Christ. Listen to how hard Paul strived and also why Paul strived for it. 1 Corinthians 9:27, “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Paul beat his body into a submissive slave to holiness, he worked hard on himself, he punished himself severely to become ‘The Apostle Paul,’ and why? It was so that after he preached to others, he himself would not be disqualified and lose his place in Heaven. Saints, I must tell you, disqualification from heaven is possible, read Matthew 7:21-23.
Press On Towards the Goal
With this in mind, the Scripture in Philippians 3:13-14 makes more sense, when Paul says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” Paul did not consider himself to have yet taken hold of his salvation, and because of this he strained and pressed on towards Heaven, without letting go of Jesus. This is a secret to the effective ministry of Paul: Paul never assumed anything about his salvation, but rather he resided himself to living each day as if every word, action and deed was being judged by a Holy God and in knowing this, he lived a holiness that very few in history have ever achieved.
In Christ
Robert Cartledge
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