Save The Date

Wedding announcements have taken on a new face with the latest creative "Save the Date" cards. These cards have taken the photo industry to a new level and added spunk to the idea of sharing ones upcoming wedding date announcement with their loved ones.


The emphasis of a Save the Date card is on the date. It's intent is to give the receiver a focal point, a future date to anticipate and plan for. The hope is that the recipient will reserve that date on their personal calendar and plan any and all events in respect to that date (should that wed couple maintain any significant value to the receiver).

I'd like to submit that there is a special day every Believer should be looking forward to. As the Bride of Christ (AKA "The Church"...AKA a body of believers) we eagerly anticipate the day our Groom returns for us. We live in expectation of it! It's the day we meet our Maker, our Savior...our Lord, face to face. What I struggle with, however, is the miseducation of our 'people' in respect to this day. My heart is saddened by this tragic disparity between ones belief and hope.

What do I mean? We believe in the salvation of our souls. We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins. We believe that He rose from the grave to redeem us to God. We believe that we are SAVED! But we lack the hope that we will "make it in". There's a problem with this mentality because with it comes a couple of inferred statements:

1. A strike against God's character:

 

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see."

~1 Peter 1:3-5

 

To say one is 'saved' but unsure if they will "make it to heaven" or be raptured up is to really say that God is unable to completely save.

 

"But Jesus lives forever and continues to be a Priest so that no one else is needed.  He is able to save completely all who come to God through him. Since he will live forever, he will always be there to remind God that he has paid for their sins with his blood."

~Hebrews 7:20-25

 

 

2. One might be saying they aren't truly saved to begin with. The purpose of salvation is NOT merely to go to Heaven; although, that is a benefit of salvation. Originally, God desires to redeem His own children/creation to Himself. But the immediate implications of salvation are to help us live whole and healthy/prosperous lives through faith here on earth. Once someone is saved, no one and nothing (acts you can do) can change that status. Fellowship with God may be broken, but relationship doesn't change.

 

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand."

~John 10:27-30

 

3. When one makes the statement "I'm just trying to make it in..." they are implying that a promise God made is really contingent on their own works. If this were the case, again, Gods power isn't strong enough to complete what He started out doing. God never intended salvation to depend on us. There needed to be a perfect sacrifice made for us. God doesn't want us to "try" to get there...He wants us to understand that He has prepared that promise for us. Therefore we can't take any credit for arriving.

 

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

~Ephesians 2:8-9

 

Ultimately realize that the idea of salvation both begins and ends with God. He set up the plan and He fully intends to follow through (for those who really are saved). Which is why it's important to be sure of your salvation.

 

But if you are, then understand that you can be 100% sure that you will have eternal life.

 

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life."

~1 John 5:12-13

 

SAVE THE DATE of your eternal life! Its truly something to look forward to with great expectation!