PUTTING ON CHRIST "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:11-14, NKJV) Devotion 17 of 33 A LINE OF DEMARCATION The time "when we first believed" is the line of demarcation between condemnation and justification. It is when we passed from darkness to light, death to life, and the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. This is the language of the Spirit, and we should not be ashamed to use it. Churchmen are fond of asking when we were "saved," or "born again," or become a "member of the church." It is certainly not that any of these are unlawful. However, there remains an unfortunate suspicion among institutionalized Christians that "believing" somehow falls short of what is required to save a person. Some have even viewed believing as a step in a salvational procedure that consists of several activities of equal value. Others see "believing" as a response that excludes the necessity of any further obedience. Both views are wrong. "Believing" is never placed on an equal basis with other responses to the Gospel. Rather, it is viewed as the fountain from which all other valid responses flow. PRIMARILY WHOM WE BELIEVE Further, when we "first believed" does not accentuate WHAT we believed, but WHOM we believed. As it is written, "I know WHOM I have believed" (2 Tim 1:12). Believing the Gospel is thus described in these words. "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who BELIEVE" (1 Thess 2:13, NKJV). The Word of God, which is the "Seed of the kingdom" (Luke 8:11), begins to work in men WHEN they believe it is, in truth, God's own Word! A MODERN DAY MISCONCEPTION Often, those who wear the name of Christ associate fervency, sincerity, and progress, with when men "first believe." It is not unusual to find zealous believers to be the youngest, or most recent, ones. It is generally thought that spiritual zeal abates with age. But this is a total misconception. From the perspective of our text, this would mean the new believer would be more keenly aware of the fast-approaching salvation than others. They would tend to live with more of an awareness of Divine appointments than others. And, indeed, this does appear to be the norm in the average church. – Tomorrow:
" . . . than when we first believed."
Other versions read, "than when we believed" (KJV, NASB), "than when we became believers" (NRSV), and "than when we first began to believe" (NJB).
The point at which we believed was the point when Jesus gave us "power to become the sons of God." As it is written, "But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on His name" (John 1:12). That "believing" is what compelled us to obey the Lord. What is more, the Holy Spirit enabled us to follow through by obeying the truth we believed. Again it is written, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in OBEYING the truth THROUGH THE SPIRIT unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently" (1 Peter 1:22).
The Spirit's unqualified affirmations concerning believing confirm it involves infinitely more than intellectual assent. A few of these Divine commitments will suffice to illustrate this point.
01. "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference" (Romans 3:22).
02. "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also" (Romans 4:11).
03. "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, IF WE BELIEVE ON HIM that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead" (Romans 4:24).
04. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save THEM THAT BELIEVE" (1 Corinthians 1:21).
05. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even ED HAVE BELIEVED in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16).
06. "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to THEM THAT BELIEVE" (Galatians 3:22).
07. "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13).
08. "For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of THOSE THAT BELIEVE" (1 Timothy 4:10).
Believing is not a one time response – a step in a sequence of responses. When our text says "when we believed" it is referring to when we initially believed. The things that occurred "after" we "believed" (Eph 1:13), whether our obedience, or gifts received, were initiated because we believed. In the beginning believing moves the hearer to be baptized. It was Jesus Himself who said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). Believing did not end at that point, but continues. As it is written, Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace IN BELIEVING, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, NKJV). And again, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, YET BELIEVING, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8).
This is, however, a fleshly "norm," not a spiritual one. It is a total misrepresentation of the case. Faith causes the individual to increase in a longing for, and anticipation of, the fulness of salvation and the fruition of hope. There is nothing about salvation itself, or the effects of it, that diminishes, lessens, or erodes – including believing. The "glory" into which we are being "changed" only increases. It never fades. A fading glory and a diminishing persuasion, at the very best, belong to the Old Covenant order (2 Cor 3:10-14). Such has no place in "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim 2:10).
A backward posture causes "our salvation" to seem further, not "nearer." In such a case, the glorious appearing of Christ will bring a time of condemnation, not salvation. Should this sleepy posture be upon any soul, the word of our text is sharp and to the point. "The moment is here for you to stop sleeping and wake up, because by now our salvation is nearer than when we first began to believe" (NJB). This is NOT the time to "sleep." It is NOT the time to be unaware of what is ahead, or the time to be caught up in the transitory things of this world.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ for the recollection of when I first believed. I also am grateful to You for the grace that causes faith to grow and increase to Your glory and the praise of Your Son.