Saved By Grace, But Are You Being Obedient?

 

Shaken Awake Podcast Ep:  69 – “Saved By Grace, But Are You Being Obedient?” 

 

Hello and welcome to Shaken Awake podcast, the non-sugar-coated Christian podcast on the net!  Sugar-coating causes truth decay, which is why we here rely on the very Word of God to dictate our direction and path in life that God has set before us, not what the world, man-made doctrine, or the necessarily what the pulpit dictates.   I’m not here to tickle your ears, I’m here to share the words from GOD’s Word, and provide you what He and the Holy Spirit have convicted me of and are pressing me to communicate out.  

If you’re a first time listener, welcome!!! If you're a long-time listener, welcome!!!!  Glad to have your ears for a few minutes to share what God has led me to share with you today. 

 

Without further ado, let’s move on with Episode 69 entitled, “Saved by Grace, But Are You Being Obedient?” 

 

So where today’s topic was really impressed upon me was just the other night as I was in my daily devotion and Bible reading with God, and it suddenly struck me in the chapters I was in.  I realized that Jesus and those the Holy Spirit spoke through to put into today’s Bible speak a lot about the poor, the widows, and the orphans.   I realized and was quickly convicted that there are actually two sides to this fact.  One side shows how much God loves the poor, the sick, the widow, and the orphan and how much He commands we help them during our lifetime.  The other side shows THEM – the actual poor, sick, widow, and orphan, how much He loves and protects them, and what is waiting for them on the other side of Heaven, once they die, if saved. 

 

It led me to be convicted not only to help serve and protect them and honor God in the process, and not only to help share with them God’s undivided attention and love to them in particular, but also that we have to stop SETTLING for salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, (which is the argument by all professing Christians as to why they’re so-called “safe” in this lifetime and the next)  but also understand that with salvation and grace, comes great responsibility and duty that I believe most are missing in this lifetime.  This life is no longer yours or mine the millisecond we are saved.  You do realize that right?  Perhaps it’s been some time since that realization hit, or maybe it’s never hit you – and that’s okay, I’m glad you’re tuned in today for a few minutes that I have with you.   

 

We are born into the world of sin, governed, and ruled by satan, which God gave him dominion of – don’t believe me?  Read your Bible.  It’s there, I promise.  We are sinners the second we’re born and we are OF the world and IN the world.  It is not until we surrender ourselves unto the Lord and ask His forgiveness and truly and fully repent of our sins, giving our lives to Him, FULLY, are we actually saved.  Again, it’s in your Bible….it’s more than just John 3:16….that’s just the beginning.  

 

You see, so the second we are washed by the blood of Christ, Who died on the cross at Calvary, we become one of God’s sons (and daughters), no longer OF the world, simply IN it.  We belong to Him and our lives are not our own anymore – we are to live a life that is pleasing to Him and our mission is to do the WILL OF THE FATHER. 

 

Matthew 7:21 -  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” God creates life, grants repentance, and gives faith. Man is totally unable by himself to do these things which are necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven. Ephesians 1:4-6: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Salvation is by God’s will and pleasure for His glory. John 6:37-39, 44-45: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day…No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.”
 
 So, all of God’s “chosen” will be saved without exception; they will hear and respond because they have spiritual ears to hear the truth. God’s power makes this certain. Romans 8:28-30: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew (loved) he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
 
 How do we know if we are among the few that have ears to hear? By responding to the call. Assurance of this certain call, this chosen call, is from the Holy Spirit. Consider Philippians 1:6, which says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13.) If we listen with our spiritual ears and respond to the invitation, there will be fear and trembling in our souls as we recognize that it was God’s work in us that caused our salvation. 

 

Ok, so with that now out of the way and in the forefront, we know we have a duty and responsibility and commandments from above that begins the moment we are saved – which is also a part of how we can be sure to hear the best 7-word sentence in the history, present, and/or future of mankind – “Well Done, My Good And Faithful Servant”. 

 

Jesus was asked this very question by a Pharisee who was considered to be “an expert in the law” (Matthew 22:34–36). Jesus answered by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37–40). 

 

 

So then, where we’re quickly headed to today is:  HOW do we Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and HOW do we love our neighbors as ourselves? 

 

I’m not going to tell you HOW, I’m going to tell you WHY and let you and God and the Holy Spirit come up with the HOW.  In my predictive nature, I predict that 1% is for God and the Holy Spirit to guide us, convict us, and speak to us…the other 99% is for us to listen and actually DO.  Anyone can be told what to do, but most will not do it.  And I fear, that is in large why Jesus says in Matthew 22:14, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” And He also says, 

 

Many people hear the call of God coming through His revelation of Himself through creation, the conscience, and the preaching of the Word. But only the “few” will respond because they are the ones who are truly hearing. Jesus said many times, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8, 14:35). The point is that everyone has ears, but only a few are listening and responding. Not everyone who hears the gospel receives it but only the “few” who have ears to hear. The “many” hear, but there is no interest or there is outright antagonism toward God. Many are called or invited into the kingdom, but none are able to come on their own. God must draw the hearts of those who come; otherwise, they will not (John 6:44). 

 

Many in the world are Christians. So why did Christ say that only few will find the truth? 

While a lot of people in the world are Christians, not all who claim to be Christians are true followers of Christ. In Matthew 7:13–14, Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Christians whose characters are sound will automatically display the Lord’s character in their words and deeds. 

God offers salvation to everyone who accepts His love. We cannot create our own paths to a holy God. And God cannot simply excuse or overlook our sin. He is merciful, but He is also just. Justice requires that sin be paid for. At great cost to Himself, God paid that price. So, while the Lord made all provision for our salvation, our part as Christians is to receive His love and follow Him, doing the will of the Father, as He did while He was on earth. 

As Christians, following Christ requires crucifying our flesh (Galatians 2:20; 5:24; Romans 6:2), living by faith (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 10:38), enduring trials with Christ like patience (James 1:2–3, 12; 1 Peter 1:6), and living a lifestyle separate from the world (James 1:27; Romans 12:1–2). However, all this is done by God’s grace. Christ gives sincere Christians all the power necessary to live victorious lives (Philippians 4:13). 

When faced with the choice between a narrow road and a wide highway, sadly, most choose the easier road. Most people would rather create their own religions and design their own gods. So, it was with deep sorrow that Jesus said that the road to eternal life is “narrow, and only a few find it.” 

So, to help end today’s podcast, I want to revisit what I started off with and show just how serious God is about doing His will, with respect to the poor, the sick, the widows, and the orphans, from His mouth and His Word (not mine).  This is but one example, but a perfect one nonetheless: 

 

What do you make of the following, and I don’t care if you’ve heard it or read it before – listen up.  I’m going to tie this into the end of today’s podcast in just another 2 minutes. 

 

There are hundreds and hundreds of verses on what the Bible says about the poor, the sick, the widows, and the orphans – here are just a few to help drive God’s point home: 

 

James 1:27 - Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 

Exodus 22:22 - You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 

 

1 John 3:17 - But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 

 

Psalm 68:5 - Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 

Deuteronomy 24:19 - “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 

Isaiah 1:17   - Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. 

Matthew 5:7 - “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 

Matthew 5:1-48 - Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ... 

Psalm 146:9   - The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 

Psalm 82:3   - Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 

 

And so, allow me to tie this into how this relates to you and I, and any and every other professing Christian in our lifetime and the next: 

 

The Final Judgment (from Matthew Chapter 25:31-46) 

31 “But when the Son of Mancomes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nationswill be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’ 

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” 

 

So to end today’s show, let me ask you this question, and believe me, the Holy Spirit had me ask myself the same – it’s called conviction.  And conviction is good. 

 

Are you simply saved by grace, or are you also being obedient to the One who saved you?  I hope both, but if not – don’t allow another minute to go by without prayer and a conversation between you and God to get back onto His path, for His path leads to the Kingdom, which few will find. 

 

 

Thank you all for listening in and I pray this touched you in some way today.  If so, please pass this forward.  Also, please take 10 seconds and leave a review somewhere to help attract others to the show.  Just search Google for “Shaken Awake podcast” and pick one that you like – this show is online everywhere from FB to YouTube, to the website, Instagram, etc.  I just want the word spread as far as God will allow.   Also, enter your email to subscribe and don’t miss another episode.  Also, please check out any past show you may have missed.  There is a lot to be heard and using the actual Bible for this show is the only way to produce the fruit of the Spirit, if applied. 

 

Thank you for listening and we’ll talk again soon! 

 

God bless you everyone!