Salvation By Association

"Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? He said to them, An enemy has done this. So the servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them? But he said, No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn." - Matthew 13:27-30

Often times the difference between the religious and those who have been born again is hard to distinguish. This past Sunday, the pastor shared a story about Colonel Sanders - yes the Kentucky Fired Chicken guy. It seems that he was not born again until late in life. He was from the South where going to church on Sunday is part of the culture - or at least it seemed that way to me.  He was a Sunday school teacher, tithed, held leadership positions in the church. The only thing was that he was lost - spiritually. 

Col. Sanders (an honorary title granted by the Governor of Kentucky - not the military) said that half of his vocabulary was profanity (you may have known some people - particularly men - like that) and when he was born again - he said he lost half of his vocabulary! I can identify with that. BTW - my kids have a hard time believing that since they have only known me as a Christian.

My point to all of that is that there are many people sitting in a church service that are not Christians - just religious. While it is good that they are hopefully hearing the Gospel - it is not good if they believe in salvation by association. 

The pastor said that for people who are merely religious the key word is "DO". You must do good things to be good - acceptable to God. They are getting works cart before the faith horse. For Christians the key word is "BE". You have to be good through faith in Jesus to do good things. The faith horse pulling the works cart. I often recall what a friend of mine would say every time I would ask, "George what do you think?" and he would answer every time "Jesus saves!" 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-10

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Confess it - Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone