Easy Believism, i.e., just praying a prayer and God will do all the rest, works great until difficulties arise. What happens when we want something from God and He doesn’t deliver? Or when difficult or painful circumstances occur over which we have no control? The United States is facing crises that few thought would ever happen. We are about to go through some very dark times. How does this salvation thing work? What responsibilities has God given to us concerning our salvation?
Paul, a prisoner in Rome, wrote to the Philippian church to thank them for their support and steadfastness in the faith. Earlier, he expressed his confidence in them:
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6)
When the Jews, who were taught that salvation was by works, asked:
What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? (Jn 6:28)
Jesus responded:
This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent. (Jn 6:29)
What we believe and the ability to believe come from God. Our responsibility is to study what God has done and apply this to each moment of our lives, taking each step in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In his epistle from prison to the Ephesian church, Paul wrote:
(11) Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (13) Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Eph 6:11-13)
The command here is to the church. The armor requires a corporate response. The reality is that evil days will come unless the Lord comes for His Church first. This may be in the form of a health crisis, a financial downturn, a catastrophic disaster such as a storm or earthquake, or the downfall of a country. Waiting until it happens is not an option. It will be too late. Every believer needs to take each moment in life as an opportunity to do it God’s way. This requires knowing the correct responses to circumstances and being willing to make the right decisions so that we will be ready when they happen.
None of the talking heads and political pundits know what will happen tomorrow. They may make educated guesses. But only God knows. He is the blessed controller of all things. When Paul wrote to the Philippians, nothing was sure except that God was in control. He encouraged the church to be prepared for what was coming.
Are we prepared?