Not What You Think You are Worth

Not What You Think You are Worth 

by David Brenneman 

In Christ, those who have indeed been saved, and the opportunity for all is found our true identity.  Not in worldly titles, not in occupations, not in social status, not in even any aspect of credit scores or social media. In the only way that matters, either a person is saved or they are not.  Those who are, are considered washed of their sins. Cleansed of all unrighteousness. Purified as no launderer can ever make clean of any and all sins. 

But you must be saved to have those sins erased.  

"As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12. 

"This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 

But all that begins our identity is found in coming to Christ as He said to. 

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13 NASB 

Our worth is entirely wrapped up in what Jesus says.  Jesus showed time and time again in the Old Testament of the extreme dangers of doing what you want.  A cursory search on Google and you find all kinds of so-called music telling you to do what you want. From the not-so-subtle to the profanity laced, Satan's message to you is to live for self.  Fulfill your own desires, don't give a care what anyone else thinks or believes.  

The children of Israel are the chosen people of God.  This will never change.  But even they have time and time again turned from serving their Lord Jesus.  In reading the book of Judges, we find many examples of them repeatedly crying out to God to save them.   The most obvious way would be to quit straying from God's Word...but they didn't.  Satan began with "Did God really say..." and that one line has been used billions of times A DAY since.

Satan or his minions will use that with you.

It's guaranteed.  It might be some subtle variation but it will be those words. 

This one thought is so detrimental to humans that when Jesus separates those who are saved from those who are not, many of those who aren't will question Him.  Didn't we do this in your name or that in your name?  These lived for self and never came to the place of fully trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation alone.   

Be sure of your salvation in Christ Jesus. 

Don't just guess you are, know that you are.  Eternity is an extremely long time to be spent in torment paying for your own sins.  

Something significant to note in that passage of Jesus separating those who are saved from those who aren't is that there's no third category.  There is no camp of people who simply deny the validity of what Jesus did to separate people.  If a person's name is not written in the Lamb's book of Life...Hell is the first destination, after the Great White Throne Judgment...the Lake of Fire is next.

"so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11.

Everyone single person and every angel and every fallen angel will confess Jesus Christ is Lord.  Even Satan is going to have to. 

You, my Dear Reader, have a life granted unto you to live.  

Your choice is not so difficult. Come to Christ and be saved, living in obedience to Jesus, immediately entering Heaven when you die. Or die in your own sins and face the eternal consequences, first in Hell, then later that Lake of Fire. 

Jesus had every single person who has ever lived on His mind when He was on the cross.  When He was beaten almost to the point of being unrecognizable, to that point even He needed help in bearing His cross to where He was crucified...He was thinking of you. He did that for you and I. 

But you must be the one who asks Him to save you...and then you need to give way to His ways in your life.  Not going it alone.  Living a life of gratitude for all He's done for you. 

Our world will always find ever increasing ever more interesting ways to get you to be self seeking.  Come to Christ as you are and see Him change your life for the best.  Not the better, for the best.  God has only the best in mind for you...it's just not going to look like your ideas of it.  

Been saved in Christ...living like it?

Not yet saved?  Time is running out. 

Once Jesus returns for His Church...life will literally feel like Hell on Earth in the judgments to come. 

‭"Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; Surely it is near,"

Joel 2:1

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.