God's ready, are you?

God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness. (Titus 2:11-14 MSG)

This passage has so much in it, but here are just a few nuggets of truth we should really latch onto:

1) God stands ready to give salvation to all who ask, as well as extending forgiveness as it is sought with a sincere heart. The offered gift is for everyone, but one must reach out to accept a gift - it doesn't just happen without engagement on our part. When a seeking heart is open to receiving the gospel message and leans into the truth that their sins can be forgiven by saying yes to Jesus, their forgiveness is total (complete, lacking nothing, all criteria has been met).

2) Salvation isn't just a one-time deal. There is an active 'turning of one's back' on this godless, self-indulgent life we once lived. The 'work' of turning one's back on sin isn't going to be easy all the time, but we are enabled to do so through the grace of God. So many would prefer an 'instant' salvation - skipping the part of salvation known as 'sanctification' in which we engage with God to overcome the pull to return to our former way of living. We won't grow in Christ until we engage WITH Christ!

3) We have but a glimpse of what life shall be like when we see Jesus face-to-face. Salvation cleanses us of our sin, sets us right with God, and puts us on a new path. We are 'made right' and are 'being made right' with each day we live and breathe on this earth, but there is so much more we shall enjoy and participate in when Jesus returns for his Bride, the Body of Christ made up of all believers who have accepted his gift of salvation. 

4) Life apart from the one we live IN Christ Jesus is dark and rebellious. If you have ever had a rebellious streak in you (like me), you know how 'dark' those decisions can become. The consequences of our rebellion are not going to move us INTO the light but will move us AWAY from the light. God calls his children INTO the light - to live good, pure, and upright lives marked by better choices and submissive hearts. Some say submission is giving up one's rights, but if we look at this another way, it is putting HIS best in our sights and trusting him to always bring those things into our lives that will be the BEST.

We don't need formulas to follow Jesus, but we do need to know that he has made a way, provides all we need to both find and walk in that way, and will be with us as we renewed along that way. Just sayin!