I know what you’re thinking: salvation is simple! After all, just look at John 3:16 “God loved the world so much He sent his Son so that whoever believes in Him will be saved.” Surely that is simple, right? It might seem so, but the closer you look, the more we see a bit more of complexity.
Let’s start with this question: what does it mean to believe in Jesus? At first a look, Paul appears to provide a simple answer to that question in Romans 10:9 “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So believe Jesus is Lord and God raised Him back to life: that’s what you need to believe to be saved? Paul also says, “…it is by GRACE you have been saved, through FAITH—and this is not from YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT OF GOD— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) These are steps to get saved but how does one stay saved? “Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, abusers, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, nor extortioners, SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. And such WERE some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) God wants Amy to be saved!!! That’s why I have been inspired to write 660 devotions and will continue to write them…
-Bill Stockham