For many of us who have been on this walk of faith with Jesus for an extended period of time, we can look back and see numerous ‘mile markers’ along the way, as I refer to them as. They are defining moments that altered, or influenced our faith and relationship with Jesus in an assortment of good ways. It’s almost like a place where in the OT, God’s people would stop to ‘build an altar’ or ‘leave a pile of stones’ as a memorial. (Josh. 4:9)

One of those defining moments, for me, took place on a plane years ago, as I was traveling alongside a SW pilot who was off duty flying back to his home. He happened to be a Mormon (LDS) and we struck up a rather civil discussion regarding our personal beliefs. As the flight was ending, he turned to me and asked: “So what to you believe a person must do to enter the eternal kingdom?’, as he put it. I looked at him and what came out of my mouth was this: “I believe the only people who are going to heaven are people who love Jesus.”

When I say it was a ‘defining moment’, I had the distinct impression it was a moment for the both of us, as he looked at me in wonder and said: “I believe the scriptures support that!”.

I still remember walking off that plane in a ‘spiritual daze’ …as I contemplated what I had just said. In the ensuing days, weeks, and months, I was then faced with this question: “What does it mean to love Jesus?” And every time that question would arise, the answer was always the same: “If you love Me…you’ll keep My commandments.” (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6; 5:2-3).

You don’t need me to remind you how it’s much easier for us to ‘say…we love or believe in Jesus’…than it is to actually ‘take up our cross and follow Him’. But faith is not about just ‘saying words’…if the words of Jesus count for anything – (Matt. 7:21; 15:8). Why bother calling Him ‘Lord, Lord’…if we are not going to do what He tells us to do? (Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:24)

So with these thoughts in mind, along with what we talked about yesterday… let’s circle back to a topic we touched on several days ago that had to do with this idea of ‘sanctification’ or being ‘sanctified’. That’s just a fancier word which means to be ‘set apart’ or ‘made holy and pure’. What kind of church, or ‘bride’ is Christ returning for, according to Eph. 5:26-27? And how did Peter describe what our ‘conduct’ should be like as we live out the remaining time of our lives here, as he wrote in 1 Pet. 1:14-17? (I sure hope you are looking those verses up to read for yourself, and just don’t take my word for it.)

There is a verse that I quote and share here regularly, found in Acts 26:18, as it reveals a significantly important truth that cannot be stressed enough. I say this because we need to be reminded often…that we are either serving God…or we are serving, or ‘slaves’ to… Satan. There really is no ‘in-between’, as we cannot ‘serve two masters’ (Matt. 6:24’;1 John 5:19; 2 Tim. 2:25-26).

Hence, the reason Jesus sent Paul to preach the gospel to the Gentiles…”to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan...to God…” But I usually tend to place emphasis on the first part of that statement to help us better understand the condition all of us humans were in prior to coming to Jesus with our whole heart (Eph. 2:1-3; John 3:36). Now, I am feeling compelled to shift the focus to the latter part of that verse as Jesus continued on…”so that they (we) may receive forgiveness of sins …and an inheritance… among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

Would you take a quick second and also look up, and mark Acts 20:32, where Paul echoes a similar statement, suggesting that those who are in line to receive this ‘inheritance’…are those who have been…’sanctified’. And what does that word mean, again? - to be set apart and made pure and holy.

Now I don’t want to dive off into looking at what all ‘inheritance’ entails, but I think we all have a general understanding that an inheritance is something children, or descendants are in line to receive, with the emphasis being placed on ‘descendants’, or ‘children’. With that being said, it is the ‘children of God’…who are due an ‘inheritance’; and among those things included to be ‘inherited’… would be the ‘kingdom of God’.

This next part is very important to read and understand, so let’s take our time with it. The Bible speaks often about ‘inheriting the kingdom of God’, even specifying who does…and who doesn’t …’inherit it’. Would you note 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5. (‘Note’… means look those up and mark them)

If you are not a child of God, you are not included in the ‘will’, or in line for the ‘inheritance’.

Let me say that again: If you are not a child of God, you are not included in the ‘will’, or in line for the ‘inheritance’.

Now this next part is also very important to consider: Who…does scripture teach are the ‘children of God’? Answer: “Those who receive Him…and are led by His Spirit.” (John 1:12; Romans 8:14). You can ‘claim’ to be whoever or whatever you want to believe, but if you are not being led by His Spirit…you do not belong to Him. I don’t know how else to say it, but this is right there in our Bibles to read for ourselves. (1 John 3:10). Jesus spent much time addressing how one could ‘know’…and how others would know as well…who belonged to Him…and who didn’t. (John 13:35; 8:34-35,44; Matt. 7:20) <-- (More verses to ‘note’)

So when we talk about ‘obeying Jesus’, or ‘doing whatsoever He says to us’ (John 2:5), along with answering the question from yesterday as to what role…do we have in this walk of faith regarding our ‘salvation experience’…let’s take a deeper dive into how exactly one is ‘sanctified’, or ‘made holy’. The reason this is so important is because scripture seems to indicate that without this holiness, or ‘sanctification’…”No one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14) And according to Jesus, the only ones who will ‘see God…are the pure in heart’ (Matt. 5:8).  And the quickest way to assess our own hearts is to observe what is 'coming out of their mouths'. (Luke 6:45)

Almost makes you wonder what John was thinking when he wrote: “Everyone who has this hope in Him (of seeing Him one day?)…purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:3)

Join me tomorrow?