Daily Bread

Thursday, July 04, 2013

"God Mend Thine Every Flaw"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

In our 237 years since declaring our "independence," the United States has attained the power and prestige of a world empire. A former President openly said that we are the Roman Empire redivivus. While we bask in our political and military glory, we need to reflect on what led to the "decline and fall of the Roman Empire."

Our beginnings lay in the oppressed people of God searching for a land where they could worship God in purity and in freedom of conscience. Massachusetts offered free welcome at the public cost to Christians of any nationality who wanted to escape from wars or famine or the oppression of persecutors. The historian George Bancroft recorded that "one might be for years a dweller in the Puritan settlement, and not see a drunkard, or hear an oath, or meet a beggar." There was a serious purpose to live the principles of Bible righteousness. The feeble and isolated colonies grew to a confederation of powerful states; now the nation has become the marvel of world history. It has become the land of opportunity; the ambition of millions is to "come to America" and start life anew.

Those principles of uprightness, of Christian liberty of conscience as well as of civil liberty led to immense economic prosperity. "O beautiful for pilgrim feet / Whose stern impassioned stress / A thoroughfare of freedom beat / Across the wilderness! / America! America! God mend thine every flaw, / Confirm thy soul in self-control, / Thy liberty in law!"

Now everybody knows that America has bitter enemies. But if we faithfully adhere to the universally honored principles of our own Constitution, we can attract and hold the grudging respect of those enemies. The recognition of human sinfulness is universal in humanity; the poet's prayer is right--"God mend thine every flaw." As a nation, we should seek for and welcome that "mending." National arrogance has been wrong for America throughout these two centuries. A decent moral modesty will be a more effective defense against the horrors of terrorism than any military might.

"America! America! God shed His grace on thee / And crown thy good with brotherhood / From sea to shining sea!"

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 4, 2004.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

The "Truth of the Gospel"--Frozen in the 16th Century?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century was the greatest spiritual blessing since the apostles--an unfolding of justification by faith that can never be overthrown until the end of time; it was what Paul said is "the truth of the gospel" (Gal. 2:5). Truth is utterly essential. Jesus said He is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6); He has always been the "Lord God of truth" (Psalm 31:5). "Truth in love" is vitally important because it's "the power of God unto salvation" (Eph. 4:15; Rom. 1:16). It's the revelation of the very character of God.

But does that mean that our understanding of the "truth of the gospel" was frozen in the 16th century so that no later generation can ever perceive a clearer grasp of it? One thing we know for sure--sin has "abounded" since the time of Luther and the Reformers; has the grace of God been restricted so that sin has developed more than our understanding of the gospel can develop? The gospel is "everlasting," but our understanding of it is finite.

To freeze it would be tragedy. The Bible unfolds a greater development in the great controversy between Christ and Satan, for "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20). In the 16th century, God was on top of the situation; He still is in this 21st. "The everlasting gospel" will yet "lighten the earth with glory"--a still clearer grasp of saving truth in these last days (Rev. 14:6; 18:1-4). God assures us that He will not permit Satan to out-think the Holy Spirit, for He has more truth to reveal: "The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18).

The great Protestant Reformation of justification by faith has prepared untold numbers of precious souls to die prepared to come up in the "first resurrection" (see Rev. 20:6). They can be happy in the kingdom of God forever. Now we've come to the time when the Holy Spirit will reveal a clearer understanding of truth that prepares people for translation at the second coming of Jesus (see 1 Thess. 4:16, 17)--something to do with the "Elijah message."

This means even deeper, clearer understandings of justification and righteousness by faith.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 26, 2005.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

The Repentance of the Ages--A Lesson From Jonah

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Does the ancient book of Jonah, and his strange story say anything to us in our modern world? Millions of Christians have long ago dismissed the book as a hopeless myth telling impossible tales: how could a fish swallow a man and he survive?

However, Jesus Christ believed the story of Jonah and referred to the book as straightforward historical fact (Matt. 12:40, 41). In the process, He told of a second miracle in the book of Jonah that eclipses the fish story in wonder: when the prophet preached his most precious message (all of God's messages are that!), the people of this very wicked pagan city actually believed his message and repented! Moreover, the highly sophisticated "king and his nobles" led out in the work of repentance, "all of them, from the greatest to the least"--a most unusual twist of human history.

Usually, it has been assumed by Christian people everywhere that any genuine revival or reformation must begin at the grass-roots level and then with the blessing of the Lord spread upwards to the leadership. But this time, it was backwards. "When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, ... and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation" calling upon the city as a whole, as a corporate body, to repent and be reconciled to God (Jonah 3:5-9, NIV). It worked! The "city" responded! They repented!

The Father "sent" Jesus Christ, His Son, to the wicked city of Jerusalem, calling upon them to repent. But the leadership rose up in rebellion against Him, and murdered Him. And by and large, the people followed their leaders into national ruin. Imagine what a blessing it would have been to the nation (and the world) if Caiaphas, their spiritual leader, had followed the example of "the king of Nineveh," and had risen from his seat of leadership and led the nation into repentance! In that Matthew passage, Jesus appealed to the story of Jonah as an example of the kind of repentance He was calling for, from the Jewish people. But tragically, they refused.

Is there some lesson here for us? God's people can learn from the book of Jonah about the repentance of the ages, the miraculous repentance yet to come. Jonah's God still lives, still works.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 25, 2013.

Monday, July 01, 2013

Two Heavenly Commodities

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Have you ever walked along the west side of a river, or lake, or the ocean, and watched the moon rise? I have often, in Kenya, at Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast. Between where you stand and the moon is a shimmering path of light. Then if you walk along the beach, that path of light moves with you, so that always from whatever spot where you stand there is a path of light leading direct to the moon.

From where you stand at this moment there is a path that leads direct to Jesus, the Savior. He is our Son of man but He is also the Son of God, and God is infinite. He has billions of people on earth to care for, but being infinite He cares for you as if you were the only one on earth. The sun, the moon, rises for YOUR benefit; the Father of our Lord Jesus is YOUR Father. No matter what mistakes or sins you are guilty of, there is your Savior meeting you right where you are. "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out," is His assurance (John 6:37).

Not one person who reads this is sinless; all have fallen. But His business is receiving sinners. Our job is to believe it. And that believing is for sure the most difficult task we have; we have all been born and nurtured in unbelief. Israel could not enter the Promised Land because of unbelief. Nothing but unbelief will keep any soul out of heaven at last (read Heb. 3:7-19, and 6:1-6, etc.). And Jesus says the same thing in John 3:14-19. This is why we are always to pray the prayer of that distraught father, "Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief" (Mark 9:23, 24).

You don't want to be proud and arrogant, for that is the lethal sin of "the angel of the church of the Laodiceans" (Rev. 3:14-17). Come to Jesus but remember there is no path that leads to Him but repentance and humbleness of heart. Two heavenly commodities not seen much in society or even the church, but available in Heaven's Supermarket, and they are yours for free for the receiving.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 9, 1999.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

"Revival and Reformation"--Walk Softly Before the Lord

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

A great world church is experiencing a "revival and reformation" in seeking a preparation of heart for the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Sincere people are pressing their petitions upon God's "throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16). It is increasingly being recognized that the last-days' developments are taking place before our eyes.

For example, Revelation 13 is unraveling before us. The great two-horned beast of vss. 11-18 is progressing from its character of having "two horns like a lamb" to a new stance of "speaking as a dragon" (vs. 11). That new stance is national purpose. Issues of vast global import are to be settled by overwhelming military might. The nation's "voice" resounds throughout the globe. Luke 21:26 is here.

It is time for those who cherish "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" to awaken. It's impossible for a world church to pray for "revival and reformation" without Heaven responding in some way. The insistent inroads of worldliness must be counteracted by an unprecedented infilling of the Holy Spirit, a "standard [being] lifted up against the enemy" (cf. Isa. 59:19).

Prophets and apostles of past ages longed to see our age when (a) the New Covenant will at last come into its own (Jer. 31:31-34), when (b) Joel's prophecy of the Holy Spirit being "poured out" on youth will be realized (2:28-30), when (c) the "earth [will be] lightened with glory" in a final message of righteousness by faith, (d) a message will "lift up Christ and Him crucified" in clarity and power never before so realized (John 12:31, 32; 1 Cor. 2:1, 2; Rev. 18:1-4).

And side by side will come the Enemy's deceptively designed counterfeits of "revival and reformation" (Matt. 24:24; Rev. 13:13, 14). Let us walk softly before the Lord just now and not reject His "eyesalve" (3:18).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 10, 2004.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Friday, June 28, 2013

The Elusive "Relationship" With Jesus

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

We hear and read at length about the need for us to develop and maintain a "relationship" with Jesus. The problem is that many people don't know how to do that. They feel frustrated that their (a) reading the Bible, (b) their prayers, and (c) their "witnessing" don't get anywhere. They wonder frankly, HOW do you build or maintain a "relationship" that's one-sided? "Jesus doesn't say anything to us!" And their Bible study turns out to be boring. Some get discouraged and stop trying.

What they need is Good News that is better than they have thought it is. Here are three brief points of how good that Good News is: (1) Jesus isn't waiting for you to initiate or even "maintain" a "relationship" with him. He Himself has taken the initiative to build it: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," He says ever so plainly in John 15:16. What He is wondering about is how He can build a one-sided relationship with YOU! He has made all the advances; your job is to respond--which is what it means "to believe." He did all the loving and the giving FIRST (take another look at John 3:16).

(2) He seeks to maintain the relationship through the daily, even hourly prompting of the Holy Spirit: "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isa. 30:21). "The Father ... will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God" (John 14:16, 17, GNB). Yes, that's true; believe it. He WILL stay with you unless YOU take the initiative to drive Him off. Yes, the ball is in your court.

(3) Please read Isaiah 50:4, 5. Get it? The elusive "relationship" is on, unless YOU choose to be "rebellious."

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 15, 1997.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

The "Pre-advent Judgment"--A Reasonable Idea

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

A little thought demonstrates how reasonable is the idea of a "pre-advent judgment." Jesus says that the people who are privileged to be resurrected in glory when He returns of course will have been "accounted worthy" of that reward in a judgment beforehand (Luke 20:35). Otherwise, how could the angels know whom to call forth in the first resurrection ("blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection," Rev. 20:6), and whom to allow to sleep through until the dreadful second resurrection (vs. 5)?

Further, there will be two classes still living on earth when Jesus returns--those who are to be translated without tasting death, and those who will be unable to endure the sight of seeing Jesus come in glory. How will these two groups be distinguished unless there is a pre-advent judgment?

Jesus speaks of it in Luke 21:36: "Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man." Those solemn words were spoken of today--this very day now dawning. The "accounting" is today's agenda.

Actually, no one can judge us against our will. This pre-advent judgment is determined by ourselves. God can never force anyone into heaven or hell against his or her own will. He gives us each a new 24-hour day that we may demonstrate to the world and to the universe exactly where we want to be. Your first conscious moments after waking indicate your free choice.

It's wisdom to remember what the Bible says--each day begins with "evening" (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Spend your last hour of each day in prayer and contemplation of heavenly reality; then your waking hour will also be "blessed and holy."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 15, 2004.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Time for Some "Eyesalve"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

A grand drama is to be played out on the stage just before the return of Jesus. It'll be Elijah-on-Mount Carmel redivivus, complete with the prophets-of-Baal-at-Kidron--the whole 450. The very last words of the Old Testament spell it out: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5).

The scribes and Pharisees therefore naturally expected that this stern old man with a white robe and flowing beard must come before the Messiah could show up. Thus when Jesus appeared on the scene He couldn't possibly be the Messiah. There had been no "Elijah" first. Case closed.

Here's where God seems to have an enormous sense of humor. I say "seems to have," because of course it's not a joke that He played on the Jews. Our heavenly Father doesn't like to fool anyone, especially His own covenant people. But think of that wonderful Messiah being born in a stable with the cows and the goats and the chickens, in Bethlehem! The Jews slept through the grandest Birth of all time. For sure, God took them by surprise.

Likewise, the grand appearance of "Elijah the prophet" went right over their heads. It was all done before they knew what was going on. The message of John the Baptist had been "Elijah"! Malachi's prophecy had been fulfilled before their eyes while they were looking the other way. How dumb can God's people be? Even Jesus' disciples "asked Him, saying, 'Why .. do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?'" His answer caught them napping: "'I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him.' … Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist." It was his message! (Matt. 17:10-13).

Could something great happen while wonderful-wise "we" don't know what goes on? Time to be humble! Time for blurry eyes to get some "eyesalve." "Elijah must come"!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 18, 2002.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The New "Elijah's" Message

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

God's solemn promise to "send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" intrigues the people of God worldwide (Mal. 4:4, 5). What will "Elijah" specialize in? Beheading "prophets of Baal"? (We have some, even many, says a widely respected author.)

Undoubtedly, yes; but Malachi says no, "Elijah" will specialize in "turning" hearts that have been alienated from one another and from God. This is clearly stated in the original Elijah's prayer before all the people gathered at Mt. Carmel: "Hear me, O LORD [Jehovah, clearly distinguished from Baal], hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again" (1 Kings 18:37).

"Turning hearts" is reconciliation, and nothing but the proclamation of the love [agape] of Christ can "constrain" a modern alienated, worldly heart that is infatuated with the world's pleasures and cars and houses and dress and entertainment, yet wants to get ready for the second coming of Christ. All the dire warnings of beheadings to come cannot "turn the heart."

The new "Elijah's" message must therefore be "Christ and Him crucified" (1 Çor. 2:1, 2). Unthinkable as it may be, this will anger the new "Ahab and Jezebel." But "Elijah" will again demand that everyone come out of the closet; the good news is now that those "7000" hiding in the closet will this time have the courage to take their stand with him (on Mt. Carmel not one dared say a word of support). And all together, God's numerous "Elijahs" will proclaim a message that will "lighten the earth with glory."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 7, 2006.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Disaster Survivors--What Can We Tell Them?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

If there is a God of love, of compassion, of mercy, why does He permit natural disasters? The TV images are etched in our memory as vividly as if the horror were next door. The atheist simply says, "There is no God! Forget him." The Muslim says quite likely, "It's the will of Allah that this happen! Somehow it pleases him. Submit." The Calvinist will say: "God predestined this to happen. It was his will," much the same as the Muslim's view. The sensual-minded materialist will shrug his shoulders, and say, "I'm glad I don't have to suffer like that!" and go on seeking selfish pleasure. The Bible transcribes his thoughts, "Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die" (1 Cor. 15:32).

One flood survivor was reported to say, "It's like the gods have abandoned us." What can the Christian say? It's not so much saying something as doing something. He will give generously to help send relief. He will also give, and go if possible, to tell the people the truth of God's character of love, in other words, the gospel.

But what can one tell them? There is both good and evil in this world of sin; God created a perfect world, but sin has ruined it. Therefore, plagues have come and will come. But God has shared the sorrow that sin has brought to our once-perfect world, became One with us, and suffered the most intense agony that sin could bring about to anyone--crucifixion. He is Lord of lords and King of kings, but not yet has the time come for Him to re-create this earth into the new earth because "the course of this world" is still in rebellion against God, and Satan is still "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2).

Tell the suffering people that we can cherish a "blessed hope" in the second coming of Christ, that he will wipe away all tears, and that if any of us have survived floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, plane or car crashes, crime, cancer, etc., that we should remember that what life we have left and what little we may have such as "food and raiment, let us therewith be content" (1 Tim. 6:8) and do what we can to lessen the suffering of someone else.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus ..." (Phil. 2:5).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 8, 2000.

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Thank God He Gives Us a New Day

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Have you ever wished you had had the courage to speak up for truth when you didn't? What's written in the Bible is there "for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor. 10:11). Can we learn from those who in the past failed?

Do you repent for letting Eve cajole you into eating the forbidden fruit when you knew better (she didn't!)? (Gen. 3:6; are you better than Adam?)

... for not standing up alone and publicly defending Noah when he was persecuted while he was building the ark alone? We're being tested today! (7:1; Matt. 24:37-39).

... for not believing and defending the inspired Joseph when his ten brothers hated him? (Joseph did have some real faults, hooks on which to hang doubts; Gen. 37:5-8).

... for not standing with Caleb and Joshua when "all the congregation bade stone them with stones"? Were you ready to be stoned with the two? (cf. Num. 14:10).

... for not standing up for David, telling King Saul "you're wrong for hunting David like you do. He's a prophet!"? (1 Sam. 23:9-15; the court were loyal to Saul).

... for not supporting Jeremiah in his dungeon when Kings Jehoiakim and Zedekiah "shut him up" and the national leaders wanted to kill him? (38:1-13).

... for not confessing publicly you too believe in Jesus of Nazareth when the Jewish national leaders "took up stones to cast at Him"? (John 8:59).

... for being a believing "chief ruler" too cowardly to confess Jesus publicly when "the Pharisees" said anybody who does "should be put out of the synagogue"? (John 12:42).

... for not speaking up for Jesus when you wanted to warm yourself by the fire, and this girl was taunting you; it's so hard to take ridicule from her, isn't it? (Matt. 26:69-75).

Thank God He gives us a new day today, a new opportunity to repent and overcome!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 29, 2003.

Friday, June 21, 2013

"Closer Than a Brother"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The Book of Hebrews is the most heavily theological of any book in the New Testament. It takes you up into the stratosphere of the theological knowledge of God.

The theologians write their ponderous tomes about this great book and its lofty themes.

But the essence of the message of this great book is summed up near the end of the book. You can understand Hebrews! Its vast outreaches of theology are made so clear that your little child can grasp it easily: Speaking for the Lord, it assures us: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (13:5). Happy is your child if he or she can grasp that assurance while he is young! All of Hebrews' lofty theological acumen is in that one promise!

The ministry of Christ in His Most Holy Apartment in the heavenly sanctuary reveals Him as being close to us; as a true High Priest in ancient Israel who was always "for the people," always concerned for them, always revealing to them his nearness and his love. So Christ, in His second apartment in the heavenly sanctuary, the Most Holy Apartment, is ministering His presence and His blessing to us as one who is described in Proverbs 18:24--He is "closer than a brother."

He took on Himself the fallen, sinful nature of our father Adam so that He might reach us where we are; therefore He was "in all points tempted like as we are [tempted], yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15).

This is a revelation of Christ that millions don't as yet perceive: to be tempted is not sin: before temptation can be sin you must yield to it, give in to it, let the temptation become the sinful act. Christ has conquered sin, has trampled on it, defeated it, condemned sin in our fallen sinful flesh. "Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made likeunto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God" (2:17).

Sing Hallelujah, and rejoice forever more!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 16, 2008.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

God Has Promised to "Send Him"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

It's not pretty, but there it is--the last word of the OLD Testament is "a curse" (Mal. 4:6), not so much a threat as it is the inevitable Bad News of disaster as the unavoidable consequence of sin. It's the "curse" that came in the flood of Noah when the earth was destroyed, only this one is to be "fire" (vs. 1). It's something God Himself cannot avoid, for "the wages of [our] sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). The human race brought it upon themselves "in the days of Noah," and will do so again, unless somehow help can come.

The "help" that God promises is a totally impossible miracle for humans: God will "send ... Elijah before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Mal. 4:5, 6). That domestic "turning-of-heart" is the only thing that can avert a global "curse." It concerns marital fidelity and families.

Malachi's context is the "curse" of marital infidelity, for God says "I hate divorce" (2:11-16, New English Bible). The only remedy for heart alienation is a "turning-of-heart." Marital infidelity was a prime factor in the wickedness before the flood ("they took them wives of all they chose," Gen. 6:2). No one can "turn" his or her own "heart." Jesus predicted that "the love [yes, marital] of many shall wax cold" and "iniquity shall abound" (Matt. 24:12). When love turns cold and the fire in the coals has gone out and hearts are estranged, only "Elijah's message" can reconcile the desolated hearts and cleanse the pollution.

But it can! God has promised to "send him" BEFORE the "seven last plagues" shall be poured out. The story of sinful humanity in the last book of the New Testament tells how the curse will come (Rev. 15, 16). But the Elijah message must come FIRST, perhaps has come to you already. It's more than old covenant resolutions and works; it's a heart-turning "faith-which-works" proclamation of the cross of Jesus, of grace which abounds more than sin.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 26, 1999.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Assurance of Salvation--Who Can You Trust?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

How can we have a secure "assurance of salvation"? The apostle John likes to nail things down, to "know" this or that for sure. Some two dozen times in his First Letter he says we can "know" that we "know" the truth. Half of those times he uses the word ginosko, which means to be informed, to gain the knowledge of. The other half he uses the word eido which means to know by perception of truth, or shall we say, by common sense. He has "written unto you ... that ye may know (eido) that ye have eternal life" (5:13).

How can spiritual common sense give us this "assurance"? The answer is in verse 11: "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16), not merely offered to give Him. Some five or six times in Romans 5 Paul emphasizes that God has given us the "free gift" that has reversed the "condemnation" that came upon the human race "in Adam," and as John says, that gift is "in Christ." The Father gave Christ to the world, that He might already be "the Saviour of the world," "the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe" (John 4:42; 1 Tim. 4:10).

What it boils down to is this: salvation is due to God's initiative; damnation can be due only to our own initiative in choosing not to "believe" the truth. As surely as Esau had the birthright, so surely you have eternal life in Christ. He gave Himself for you and to you. He not only offered to give you the gift of eternal life so that your salvation would depend on your own initiative; He actually gave you the gift so that in eternity you would never have any reason to "boast" that you took the initiative. It's 100% "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God [there's that word again!]: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9).

Although Esau had the birthright, he chose to "despise" it and "sold" it for a trifle of worldly pleasure (Gen. 25:34: Heb. 12:16). "He that believeth not" takes the initiative in his being lost at last (John 3:18, 19), "despises" what God has given him "in Christ." Cherish your assurance in Christ, but don't be cocksure in yourself. You can trust Him but you can't trust yourself. You can very easily do something stupid. Look both ways before you cross the street!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 8, 2001.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Assurance of Salvation--How Can One Have It?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

"Assurance of salvation" is a topic widely discussed. HOW can one have it? Or, CAN one really have it? What's the difference between a sober "assurance of salvation" and a "cocksureness of salvation"? (Webster's New World College Dictionary defines the latter as "self-confident in a stubborn or overbearing way.")

Matthew reports Jesus at least twice warning us against "cocksureness of salvation": "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not … done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me." Those on His "left hand" will protest at last, "Lord, when ... did [we] not minister unto thee? ... These shall go away into everlasting punishment" (Matt. 7:22, 23; 25:41-46). They were self-confident, self-deceived up until the tragic last moment! So, should we forever be worrying about our personal eternal destiny?

On the other hand, John says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life. ... We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:13, 19). On the surface, this seems contradictory, doesn't it? If you are a student in school constantly getting D's or F's, you don't have much enthusiasm for doing better, do you? Many tell us that you can't be a happy Christian unless you have the "assurance of salvation." Yet Jesus Himself warns us, Don't be stubbornly self-confident, "cocksure." The stakes are high; Jesus is right. "Many," even multitudes, who profess to be His followers will end up bitterly disappointed when it's too late to change their self-confident "cocksureness" into a rock-solid, genuine "assurance of salvation."

Simple common sense would suggest that while we must have a sober confidence without which happiness is impossible, we must also "give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure" (see 2 Peter 1:10). To look both ways before you cross a busy city street is not being fear-ridden; it's healthy. Can we have a "healthy" assurance? Is Bible teaching self-consistent? Where is sanctified spiritual common sense? Let's search for it tomorrow.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 6, 2009.