We read in Deuteronomy 30 that we have a choice between life and death. We read, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in His ways, and by keeping His commandments and His statutes and His rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them. I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess” (v. 15-18 ESV). What we read here is that we have a choice between life and death, and that even now these are life-giving truths, as today’s verse says, “The very truths that give us life.”
The issue we see in today’s verse is that people were despising the truths that give us life. People were ignoring salvation, neglecting salvation. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:12 that we should “work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling” (ESV). We are to “discover what it really means to be saved” (CEV) “with awe and reverence” (NET), “[that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]” (AMP).
Too many people misunderstand salvation, focusing on the starting point. It’s like a marriage that only focuses on the wedding ceremony. But as married people understand, the wedding day is only day one of the rest of the marriage covenant. Each day thereafter is a time to work out and discover what it means to love and honor a spouse. The wedding day is a great day, but only one day. Just the same, the day you are saved, the day you first believe in and surrender to Jesus Christ, is a great day to be celebrated. However, your life with Jesus only begins then. There is still a lifetime to engage with His Word and pursue Him wholeheartedly. Working out your salvation means we focus on the life-giving truths, offering gratitude and thanksgiving to God, living a life of faithful obedience in Christ. Working out your salvation means “actively (pursuing) spiritual maturity” which involves “critical self-evaluation” done hand-in-hand with the Holy Spirt revealing God’s Life-Giving Truths. Not only are we given the choice of life and death; we are given the choice of life and life in abundance. This isn’t a prosperity Gospel message. Most Christ followers aren’t having money rain down and everything go perfect in life. The life in abundance is life filled with His blessings — life filled with His presence, His wisdom, His love, His peace and power. Why wait until heaven to get closer to God, when He’s offering you the opportunity to experience life with Him now? Today, consider this: are you despising the very truths that give us life? Are you neglecting what God is offering you right this moment?
“Then how would we expect to escape punishment if we despise the very truths that give us life? The Lord Himself was the first to announce these things, and those who heard Him firsthand confirmed their accuracy.” – Hebrews 2:3 [TPT]
Tania Gutekunst 