Daily Devotional for Monday, October 12
The Resolution
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” 2 Corinthians 7:1.
There is a quote I have heard and have said often myself: “Put your money where your mouth is.” It is one that we instantly get and understand. If we are going to make strong verbal statements about how we feel or what we believe, then our actions ought to match our words. For instance, if we say we support a particular cause, our commitment to it can be demonstrated by our willingness to contribute financially. It is not just a financial meaning though; if all we bring to a cause is empty words, others may question our commitment. We must walk the walk and not just talk the talk.
Unfortunately, many claim to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, yet their profession is nothing but words. Social media proves this; many constantly post “Christian” stuff on social media while the rest of their lives do not reflect their faith. Many listen to preaching for an hour every Sunday morning; yet, that is the only affirmation that we see that Jesus has changed them in any way. This list could continue.
We know, or should know, that our works do not contribute a thing to our salvation. Jesus does all the work there, and only His perfect sacrifice can make us perfect as we need to be in the eyes of God the Father. But even a casual reading of Scripture teaches us that once saved, we are to be busy working and changing. We call that sanctification. Note that Paul said, “Let us cleanse ourselves.” We may have no role in our salvation, but we have a huge role in what we do with that salvation. If Jesus has saved you, are you now doing your part?
Just a Thought
Becoming more like Jesus is not a passive thing;
it requires action and intentionality on our part.
Wally Fry