The Bible very rarely speaks of tomorrow in terms of making life-changing and in fact eternity-changing decisions. It most usually speaks in terms of "today". Preachers in the Bible knew this well, especially Moses. Moses understood that saving faith is always the response of today, not tomorrow, or even yesterday. In the conclusion of his final sermon preached to the Hebrews, before he died and before this second generation entered the promised land under Joshua's leadership, Moses called the people to make the decision to "choose life" by believing and following God... not yesterday, not in the future, but today. And he did it four times! (Deuteronomy 30:15, 16, 18, 19) Moses' point was certainly not lost on Joshua, who in his last sermon to the Hebrews before he died, at least 25 years later, called upon them to "Choose for yourselves Today, the one you will worship . . ." (Joshua 24:15).
As one has said, "the thing about today is that it is always today". Psalm 95 makes the point in verses 7 and 8 that when God speaks, through His Word, into our lives that the proper response must be a response of today. God is not satisfied with our responses of yesterday or of our promises of tomorrow. He calls for a new response every new day. If you hear His voice today--you must respond today!
This is not to say our salvation in Christ must be renewed on a daily basis. It is to say that the proof of whether we have salvation in Christ is not based upon decisions, prayers, or commitments we made yesterday but rather upon what is happening in our lives today. In fact, one of the best tests of whether we did indeed choose Christ, and thus life yesterday, is whether we would make the same choice today. The best indicator that we trusted Christ for salvation yesterday is that we are still trusting Him for it today.
The Book of Hebrews is a Book emphasizing the importance of today. Over and over again, it reminds people of the importance--the eternal importance--of responding to God today. It also commands God's people to be always encouraging each other every day, while it is still called "Today", to not be taken in, fooled, and hardened by the deceitfulness of sin so that we will not "fall away from the Living God". (Hebrews 3:12-15). In other words, how you and I are responding today to God, as well as, to the temptation to disregard God, matters today, and thus has great consequence for tomorrow. Again, the point is not that it is possible for the truly converted to lose their salvation. The point is, that the truly converted will manifest the true fruit of their conversion to Christ by their responses to God's Word today.
And the fruit of true conversion is a heart that is receptive to God today, that desires to be obedient to His Word today, that fights, always imperfectly, to be obedient today, and that repents when the fight with temptation was not won, so as to get up and fight another day.....when it is called Today! Perfection is not the objective, not in this life, but trajectory and greater sensitivity toward God certainly are.
There are far too many in our churches today, who--believing they are truly converted because yesterday they walked an aisle, prayed a prayer, made a decision, filled out a card, joined a church or whatever--lack any kind of legitimate spiritual fruit in their lives today. This is a contradiction in terms because true conversion always results in true spiritual fruit--always! It may be small. In fact, the fruit may be only the tiny bud of brand new spiritual affections for Christ--the promise of larger more recognizable fruit to come--but, there will be some proof, some mark, some validation that points to a true saving work of God having been accomplished and the life of God implanted.
So, if there's no fruit and has been no fruit, perhaps it is time to let go of yesterday's religious experience and truly turn to Christ, in faith believing, today--while there is still time--while it is still Today! As the apostle Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 6:2.
"For He (God) says, 'At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation I helped you. Behold now is the acceptable time. Behold now is the Day of Salvation.'"
As one has said, "the thing about today is that it is always today". Psalm 95 makes the point in verses 7 and 8 that when God speaks, through His Word, into our lives that the proper response must be a response of today. God is not satisfied with our responses of yesterday or of our promises of tomorrow. He calls for a new response every new day. If you hear His voice today--you must respond today!
This is not to say our salvation in Christ must be renewed on a daily basis. It is to say that the proof of whether we have salvation in Christ is not based upon decisions, prayers, or commitments we made yesterday but rather upon what is happening in our lives today. In fact, one of the best tests of whether we did indeed choose Christ, and thus life yesterday, is whether we would make the same choice today. The best indicator that we trusted Christ for salvation yesterday is that we are still trusting Him for it today.
The Book of Hebrews is a Book emphasizing the importance of today. Over and over again, it reminds people of the importance--the eternal importance--of responding to God today. It also commands God's people to be always encouraging each other every day, while it is still called "Today", to not be taken in, fooled, and hardened by the deceitfulness of sin so that we will not "fall away from the Living God". (Hebrews 3:12-15). In other words, how you and I are responding today to God, as well as, to the temptation to disregard God, matters today, and thus has great consequence for tomorrow. Again, the point is not that it is possible for the truly converted to lose their salvation. The point is, that the truly converted will manifest the true fruit of their conversion to Christ by their responses to God's Word today.
And the fruit of true conversion is a heart that is receptive to God today, that desires to be obedient to His Word today, that fights, always imperfectly, to be obedient today, and that repents when the fight with temptation was not won, so as to get up and fight another day.....when it is called Today! Perfection is not the objective, not in this life, but trajectory and greater sensitivity toward God certainly are.
There are far too many in our churches today, who--believing they are truly converted because yesterday they walked an aisle, prayed a prayer, made a decision, filled out a card, joined a church or whatever--lack any kind of legitimate spiritual fruit in their lives today. This is a contradiction in terms because true conversion always results in true spiritual fruit--always! It may be small. In fact, the fruit may be only the tiny bud of brand new spiritual affections for Christ--the promise of larger more recognizable fruit to come--but, there will be some proof, some mark, some validation that points to a true saving work of God having been accomplished and the life of God implanted.
So, if there's no fruit and has been no fruit, perhaps it is time to let go of yesterday's religious experience and truly turn to Christ, in faith believing, today--while there is still time--while it is still Today! As the apostle Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 6:2.
"For He (God) says, 'At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation I helped you. Behold now is the acceptable time. Behold now is the Day of Salvation.'"
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