Atonement

As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT

When did you first experience salvation?

Was it at baptism? The laying on of hands by a church elder? After you surrendered your kingdom to Jesus? When the truth became real to you?

Or was it ten years after you decided to become a Jesus-follower? When your life wasn’t working out the way you wanted? When you fell unto your knees and cried out to your heavenly Father for help?

Many times we forget that salvation is the work of Jesus Christ. HE is restoring creation back to its original intent. Life began in the garden of Eden. Humanity made a poor choice back then. But God’s plan took all that into account from the beginning of time.

The Book of Revelation reveals the endgame. The full restoration of the garden pictured in the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. There God’s throne room is surrounded by the tree and river of life. Included in this picture is God’s human children. The family HE wanted from the beginning of time. You and I and our brothers and sisters in the Lord are included.

But sometimes we forget. We mistakenly think that our acceptance of Jesus earns us a one-way ticket to heaven. Since we now own that ticket, we are on the correct path. When we arrive at heaven’s pearly gate, we only have to give the gatekeeper our ticket, and we are in. But are we?

Then again, there are those who are confused with the entire experience. The Bible reveals the Christian life includes an abundant life. But when we look around our world, we only see poverty. Where is the fruit of Christ-likeness?

The confusion many new Christ-followers make is understanding the work of Jesus in salvation. HE is our salvation. He is our atonement. HE owns salvation. This is one reason why you cannot lose your salvation. You don’t owned it.

We only get to experience salvation through a relationship with HIM. HE opens our eyes to the truth. HE in HIS pursuit of us instructs the Holy Spirit to share the Triune God’s way with you. What you experience is the fruit of a relationship with Father-Son-Spirit.

The more you focus on Father-Son-Spirit, the deeper your relationship becomes. When your aim is to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, you become more familiar with HIM. HE then reveals more of the workings of the Spirit in your life. The more you hang out with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the more you become familiar with Papa God. The more aware you become of the Triune God, the more you see and taste Kingdom living in your life.

Salvation is the byproduct of Jesus’ atonement. HIS life, death, and resurrection restored humanity’s relationship with God. You now have direct contact with our Heavenly Father. But to experience that relationship, you need to exercise faith. When you change your mental map and focus toward God, the Bible calls that repentance. As you surrender your personal kingdom to Lord Jesus, you find ways to support HIS. As you develop a deeper relationship with Jesus, you discover HIS abundant life.

For God wants to share HIS life with you. HE wants a relationship with you. He will pursue you until you catch HIM. For HE respects the personal agency HE created. HE will not force HIMSELF on you.

Yes there will be problems. The world is built around tribulation. But you will learn to navigate around the lies and cultural traps leaning on God’s Spirit living in you. The fruit of this relationship is a love adventure that movies can only scratch the surface. But when you begin to believe the truth and act on it, you become more aware of HIM. As you allow HIM to share HIS life with you, and you share your life with HIM, the commitment bond grows. The relationship becomes like an ideal covenantal marriage arrangement between two Christ-centered disciples.

The ESV translation of the Bible speaks about the salvation process in three terms.

“You have been saved” – The atonement work of Jesus.

“You are being saved” – The Holy Spirit regenerating you from the inside-out.

“You will be saved” – The entrance into eternity with Jesus.

The first step Jesus did. The second step is the result of our acceptance of HIS marriage proposal. The third step is God’s promise for us who continually believe and support HIM through our life. All three are HIS gift to us as we invest time and energy to deepen our relationship with HIM.

You cannot lose your salvation because it never was owned by you. But you can lose the relationship with HIM if you divorce yourself from HIM. HE will not divorce you. HE will pursue you unto your dying day. For all our blessings are including in HIM. HE is our salvation. We get to experience salvation via a relationship with HIM.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

^{Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler}

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“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)