Faith That Saves (part 2)

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

This, I believe, is also testimony to the spiritual rebirth that Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John, chapter 3. Nicodemus asked, "What do I have to do to be saved?"  And Jesus replied, "You must be born again (of the spirit)."  My personal testimony is that I received the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit (moving in, and living inside me) at the exact moment that I decided to believe in Jesus Christ.  It's interesting, to me, that I wasn't baptized (in water) until a month later.  On top of that, I didn't actually "decide" to repent before I was saved.  It was almost like repentance happened in the same moment that I first stood up to say, "I believe."  It was part of my heart's response to Jesus.

You can't come face to face with the LORD, believing He is who He says He is, without recognizing your need to repent - to turn away from the way you've always done things.  (Check out Isaiah 6.)  Peter made it clear in his sermon, and sometimes we need that, too, but I don't think it's a condition of salvation, as much as it being a result or a response.

Sometimes people limit the Holy Spirit to what we do or don't do, and in some ways that might be true. I think we have to be careful about that, though. We can't put conditions on the gift of grace that God gives us when He saves us. It is what it is. Salvation happens (is given to us) when we believe in (put our faith/trust) in God... And, according to James, the disciple, that kind of faith proves itself in "action" (James 2:14-16). The kind of faith that *saves* also *changes* us.

Now what?...
Yesterday, you answered whether you have seen changes in your life, since believing in Jesus. Today, think about whether you are cooperating with the Lord as He continues to grow you up in your faith.  Are you in charge, or is He?  Thank Him for keeping His promise to finish the work that He started. (Phil. 1:6)  Ask Him to help you to work with Him, and not against Him.