MOVING DAY
II Corinthians 6:14-16 …for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
*Wherefore - for that cause or reason*
Have you ever wondered about the responsibility we have in our relationship with God? It is a simple belief and very little faith which brings us into the family of God. In the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ we receive salvation. In our awe of salvation and the immediacy of our entrance into God’s graces we fall under the false notion that it is only God who carries the ball in the relationship. The receiving of Christ into our heart does not immediately create a right relationship on our part.
True, we are secure in our salvation; Christ is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day
and nothing, not even God, has the power to separate us from the gift of eternal life. Our son-ship is a permanent adoption into the family of God. Just as we cannot deny our physical father we cannot deny God the Father. Regardless of the spiritual relationship between a father and son, sons cannot deny fathers nor can fathers deny sons. The proof is in the blood, so to speak. With God the proof is in the blood of Jesus. Once atoned, once and forever saved.
Many acquire a complete understanding of their part in their relationship with God early and often immediately. Others find it less intuitive and require more discipleship and maturity before they come to an understanding. Perhaps, for some it is a matter of holding on to things which seem important at the time but will lose their luster over time with imparted wisdom.
It is very clear in scripture that the moment of salvation is a pivotal moment in our lives. It is a miracle wrought through the Holy Ghost by the plan of God and accomplishment of Christ. A phrase comes to mind that says it all, “It’s not what we’ve done but what Jesus has done.” There is no greater moment in any life than the moment in which the spirit is quickened and we learn what it means to finally live!
The wonder is why it takes born-again believers so long to move into God’s home. The Bible states unequivocally, “come out from among them…and I will receive you…” The home of God is not Heaven, but a full and complete relationship. Imagine a man who adopts a son and the son continues to live in the house down the street. That’s the way of many believers. They receive Christ and then don’t move out of the Devil’s house, or they get as far as the street and campout in the world for a while. We cannot deny our Father, and God cannot deny us. But, absence of denial does not mean reception. We have received God’s love and gift. When will God receive us? The prodigal son made up his mind to go home, but how long did it take? He was “saved” when he decided to go home, but being home didn’t happen right then, he had to get there. When will we make up our mind to finally turn the last corner in this world and see God running to us? When will we make the adoption complete not only by obligation, contract, and promise, but by love, rapport, closeness, and embrace? Some of us take the time to visit awhile, but never make it a permanent abode. God simply asks, “When are you coming home to stay?”
When are you going home to stay?
