Avizandam In Scots law, this term describes the careful consideration given by the judge before an important decision. Join me each week as we explore various topics from a spiritual perspective and take matters Avise endum I've recently been asked by a number of people concerning a loved one. who profess faith in Jesus Christ as a child or student. but now in their forties or fifties show no interest in spiritual things. While they say they still believe in Jesus, that is not apparent.
in the way they live.
Well, are they saved? The loved one professes their faith in Jesus Christ. and did that many years ago, and they continue to say they believe. What about them?
Well, we don't know their hearts, and God is their judge. But what we can say is that is that we would never give them the assurance of salvation. The fact that someone at a point in time said that they believed does not mean. there was saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, By their fruits you shall know them.
I recently preached on the parable of the fig tree. which showed no fruit for three years. Then the tree was to be cut down, But the gardener asks for another year, so that he could till the ground around it and fertilize it. Then he said, if there was no fruit he would cut it down. We praise God for His mercy and kindness.
But Paul writes in Romans two verse four Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. God is kind. God is patient with us. But the question still remains whether whether this individual was an authentic follower of Jesus Christ.
This question also raises the relationship. Between faith and works. There are many people who believe that if we are good people, do kind things, and try to live a good life. we will enter heaven when we die. God is loving, they say, and it's difficult to see a loving God sending anyone into everlasting judgment.
But this is a tragic error. Perhaps the clearest Scriptures are Ephesians two, verses eight and nine. Paul writes 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.
The basis of our salvation is not our works, but is entirely on the mercy and grace of God. Paul writes of the great love with which he loved us. Grace by definition is what we do not deserve. We do not work for it. It is unmerited.
It is totally undeserved. This His grace.
Now, that's good news for all of us. Left to ourselves, we would never be good enough to get right with God, and enter the kingdom of God. How many good things would we have to do? How would we quantify our good deeds? But Paul is making it clear That salvation is a gift of God entirely.
of His Grace. Salvation, then, is based on the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. were saved by grace through faith, And that is not of our own doing. The good news of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures. Salvation is entirely of the grace of God.
and that without works. We are saved not by faith plus works, That's a common error, but by faith Alone. But do works have any place in our salvation What is often left out in this discussion is Ephesians two, verse ten. Paul, after saying that we are saved not the result of works, so that no one may boast, writes for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. which God prepared beforehand.
that we should walk in them.
So While good works are not the condition of our salvation, they are the consequence of our salvation. God in his great love and wisdom. not only plans our salvation, but has prepared beforehand these good works that we should walk in them. We are his workmanship. created in Christ Jesus for good works.
So while our works are not the foundation of our salvation, That's purely by the free grace of God. Our works are the result of our salvation.
So Paul can say, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old has passed away. and the new has come. Jesus said, Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you? We demonstrate our love for Jesus Christ by keeping His commandments.
The reformers thought That we are saved by grace alone. But the faith which saves is not alone. The Apostle James writes that faith without works is dead. That is, there's a kind of faith which will not save. While good works, then, are not the root of our salvation, they are the fruit of our salvation.
How does this work out with the individual who made a profession of faith many years ago but whose life shows no evidence of it?
Well, as I said before, God is their judge. but according to Scripture, that person is in a dangerous position. He may not truly Be saved. Jesus warned of those who on the day of judgment says, Lord, Lord, But he will say Depart from me, you workers of evil.
So make sure you're truly saved. If you are saved, you are God's workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that you should walk in them. Abyssando. You're listening to the weekly Avizandam podcast from The Verdict featuring Pastor John Monroe.
John is Senior Pastor at Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Listen to John's daily program, The Verdict, on broadcast radio or major podcast platforms. For more information about the Verdict Ministry, visit us online at calvarychurch.com/slash the verdict.
