What is a reason you took the job you have? Nowadays, benefits are important. There is a benefit to being saved and that’s an understatement by a longshot. This world is not the kingdom of God. Being a believer means an about face with a turn toward heaven. You swim against the current. Everything in the world tries to keep you from going the right way. What keeps you going as you should? The benefits! What God does for you when he saves you is more than you realize.
Romans 4: 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.5: 1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Because He lives, He can save. Because He can save, you can have the benefit of belonging to God. How could you turn a position like that down?
Remember the interviews from the jobs you’ve had. You were sent home without the promise of a job most times. Right before being hired, the interviewer goes into the benefits; it could be a long list or a short one. Jesus wants you to know right up front that He wants you in his kingdom. He wants to give you all the benefits. Everyone who gets saved gets the same benefits. Here is a clear description of what you get through salvation. Every believer has this whether he realizes it or not.
Shame on us if we complain about the hardship of being a child of God. The benefits outweigh any hardship. As you commit and trust Jesus Christ these can be yours. He did everything for your justification to clear you from the guilt of sin. It’s through the blood of Jesus and his resurrection on the third day. He’s alive to save! When you pray, He’s there to answer. Justification and reconciliation with God happened when you got saved. You are not condemned to hell any longer.
It’s wonderful to know that we don’t have to go to hell, but from that comes a fountain of benefits with salvation. It is a battle to swim upstream. The responsibility of being a Christian is there, but the benefits make them doable. You cannot live a Christian life until you become one. Until the Lord lives inside you, you can’t do it. You don’t have it in you on your own. There is a responsibility to God and each other when we get saved. The reproach of the world and the conflicts with evil are worth it. There is one enemy we don’t have—God. Being saved means He is our Father. Heaven is our home. There is victory in this life through God. As real as the battle is, the blessings and benefits are just as real. The reason many don’t enjoy their Christian life is not because God cut the water off; it’s because they don’t drink it. It’s time to take a good drink and draw water from the well of salvation.
It’s not what you will have; it’s what you already have. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus put your hand in the hand of the holy God and you were reconciled to him. A three-way cord is not easily broken. Because we have peace we can live in this world of struggles.
We have access to the grace wherein we stand. We can’t stand on our own. When we got saved, the Lord didn’t leave us to do this on our own. He doesn’t let go of our hand. God won’t forsake us. Jesus won’t forsake us. Don’t pull your hand from theirs. You have access, an open door to heaven. He loves us. We don’t deserve a bit of this, but because we accepted Jesus as Savior, we became children of God and have access to the grace of God. The union with the Lord is the only way we can stand. We can be happy and rejoice. We are partakers of the glory instead of the rottenness of sin. We are saved and forgiven!
We have hope for eternity because Jesus has provided something better. It will get “badder” here, but it gets better for the child of God.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 