Sunday, December 4, 2011

You were saved to serve God


The Bible says, “It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was his plan.”…2 Timothy 1:9.

God redeemed you so you could do his “holy work”. You’re not saved by service, but you are saved for service. In God’s kingdom, you have a place, a purpose, and role, and a function to fulfill. This gives your life great significance and value.

It cost Jesus his own life to purchase your salvation. The Bible reminds us, “God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.” 1 Corinthians 6:20. We don’t serve God out of guilt or fear or even duty, but out of joy, and deep gratitude for what he’s done for us. We owe him our lives. Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured.

In light of these incredible benefits Paul concluded, “Because of God’s great mercy…Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service.”. Romans 12:1. The apostle John taught that our loving service to others shows that we are truly saved. He said, “Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life.”1 John 3:14. If I have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and I’m only concerned about my needs. I should question whether Christ is really in my life. A saved heart is one that wants to serve.

You minister and serve even as Christ ministered and served:

Christ gave and sacrificed Himself to the ultimate degree to reach out to men. He bore the sins of men. You of course, cannot bear the sins of men, but you can bear the burdens of men, you can: Be compassionate, encourage, pray, forgive, be warm and better, share the promises of God, sympathize, meet needs, visit and encourage and strengthen, share the hope of eternal life, heal the brokenhearted and share the hope of the gospel.

     




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