In Touch 02-16-05

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Wednesday February 16, 2005
Is Salvation Enough?
Romans 14:7-12

Many people who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior continue to live in rebellion against Him. Why is it that some who name the Lord as Savior refuse to serve Him? The simple answer is that salvation is only part of the picture. The fate of a person who receives Jesus Christ is sealed forever - he will go to heaven. But salvation does not guarantee that we will live a godly or fruitful life here on earth.

The will of the Father is that we live under the lordship of His Son Jesus Christ. That means we must submit to Him as the one in charge of our life. Daily decisions and leadership of those under our care ultimately belong in God's hands, not our own. Jesus Christ provides us with guidance and direction. We will sometimes fail and make mistakes, but God's grace is for imperfect people.

Salvation is a one-time experience, but lordship is not. There comes a time when every Christian must recognize that Jesus came to do more than save us. He came to be master of our life for our good and His glory. The problem is that we often want to choose just certain areas of our life over which He may have dominion. We want him out of our finances, out of our schedule, or out of our career. But when we are lying in a hospital bed, which of us will tell Jesus to stay out of our health? So ask yourself the question: Is Jesus the Lord of my life or not?

For resources related to this topic and many more, visit the "Exploring the Bible" section of intouch.org. www.intouch.org/exploring

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