Why Are You Saved? ..

There are probably millions upon millions of “Christians” in the earth today, undoubtedly of all different sects, denominations, creeds, etc, some good, some not-so-good, but all hopefully growing and maturing. I want to draw your attention to the very crux of Christendom, that is, the WHY behind it all.

"Why are you saved?" Have you ever really sat and thought about this question?

The cliché “church” answer is, “well, because I want to go to heaven when I die, duh!” Of course, heaven is far better than what many have described “hell” as. I would much rather stroll up and down streets made of gold (isn’t that a hymn?) than be afflicted eternally in an un-dying flame of fire! That seems pretty common sense to me. It would appear that one would not even have to be drawn by the Holy Ghost to make that sort of decision. It seems to be a natural human response to flee that which torments. I fear that the threatened torment of hell has led much of humanity to a shallow dedication to our Lord (John 6:44; 2 Timothy 1:7). It has been witnessed in church history how hell has been used and abused simply to fill the offering plates. What an absurd thing!

There are many more speculations as to the WHY of salvation. Are we saved to be blessed? Are blessings and goose-bumps the PURPOSE of the Cross? I sure hope not. Is God that shallow? Surely not. The psalmist records such things, and labels them rightly as BENEFITS: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's” (Psalms 103:2-5).

Perhaps we are saved to serve? It has been said, “the first two letters in the Gospel are GO!” As if to say that service is the principle reason we are justified. How funny it is to us then that many times the word for “serve” is actually in the Greek “worship”. When Martha had the Lord Jesus in her home, she complained that she was the only one doing the “service”. Rather than a pat on the back for her works, she was rebuked! “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:40-42). So we see then that works and service are not principally what God is after either.

Apart from the threatened torturous doom of hell, the promised mansions and gold of heaven, the wondrous and bountiful blessings of God and the works and service for the kingdom, there is a far greater reason, in my humble opinion, WHY we are saved. There is a “high calling” (Philippians 3:14), or should I say, a “higher calling”. It seems that many have confused the PURPOSE of salvation with the BENEFITS of salvation. I want to declare that these things are not our eternal purpose, they are the benefits; they are the outflow; the result! Now, as you sit with jaw un-hinged, please allow me to explain. Heaven is the place for the justified in Christ, and they all shall be there to share in its splendor. Blessings are wonderful, and we are eternally grateful for the hand of God. Service is noble, and needed in order to reach the nations. However, we were not saved IN ORDER to go to heaven, be blessed, and do acts of service. God did not wake up from a nap one day and think to Himself, “ya know, I could really use some more people up here. What do ya say we create man, and then offer him salvation so that he can come, hang out, and play with our gold.” No, it wasn’t like that at all. Rather, the purpose of our salvation is to become someone (Eph 4:11-15; 2 Cor 3:18; Ps 92:12; 2 Pet 3:18, etc). From the foundation of the world, the Father has desired a bride for His Son (Rev 13:8; Eph 1:4; Matt 22:2; 25:1; Isa 54:5; Jn 3:29, etc). “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [my Husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [my Master]” (Hosea 2:16). And what better bride for Him than a company of people who have consciously and willingly neglected all other loves. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Rev 19:7). It is to this end that we indeed are saved (Heb 12:2).

Don't agree? Observe what Paul said:

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [IN ORDER] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, [IN ORDER] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:25-27). This passage of Scripture clearly outlines the entire salvation process, and the purpose thereof. We have been justified freely by the precious blood of Jesus, SO THAT we may be sanctified and thoroughly cleansed by the Word and glory of God (2 Cor 3:18), SO THAT we may be glorified and presented to our Lord as His holy and blameless bride. This is the very purpose behind our justification. Many get saved, and since they are blessed and heaven-bound they never press into anything more that God has for them. How this must grieve the heart of God! He doesn’t want us to remain idle and stagnant in the outer court; He doesn’t even want us to remain in the Holy Place. He has provision for our entrance within the veil into the holiest (Heb 6:19-20). We are justified for a purpose – that is, sanctification. We are sanctified for a purpose – that is, glorification. We are glorified for a purpose – that is, to be presented to the Lord Jesus as His bride. Paul reaffirms this truth in the book of Galatians: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: [IN ORDER] That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; [IN ORDER] that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:13-14). Once again, we see this truth proclaimed. Jesus was slain for our justification by faith (“the blessing of Abraham”), in order that we might receive the promise of the Spirit. We have been justified so that we can then receive the Holy Ghost and be sanctified (Isa 4:4, etc). And why are we to be sanctified? We have seen it is so we can be presented wholly and holy before our Bridegroom-God. This is the “expected end” of our salvation (Jer 29:11). Paul writes, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor 11:2). Again he writes, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph 5:31-32). The mystery that has been hid from the beginning is the coming union of the Lord Jesus and His bride: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27).

Let us not be ignorant of God’s purposes with man. He is surely not a shallow God. His dealings with us are substantial and deep. He is at work in us far more than we realize, and for a far greater purpose than we can see. Let us therefore press into this realization and allow Him to have His way in us.