Dirty Butterflies, Salvation Part 3, John 10:10

Buddy about to get bathed.

I bathe Buddy every week, unless he gets groomed, in which case his groomer will bathe him for me. I like a clean, and sweet smelling, pup sharing my home.

It seems to me that too many Christians believe that we get cleansed at baptism or when we come to faith in Christ, but then we have to keep ourselves clean. Jesus grants us faith and then it’s up to the Christian to keep themself in the faith.

But what did the Book of Hebrews say on this topic?

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”—Hebrews 12:2

“For by one offering He has perfected for ALL TIME those who are sanctified.”—Hebrews 10:14 (emphasis mine)

And: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them.”—Hebrews 10:16

It’s very sad that the Christian Church largely ignores most of the Book of Hebrews, usually focusing on the first and eleven chapters only. This critical book explains to the Jewish people why the New Covenant initiated with the blood sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is far superior to the Old Covenant under the Mosaic Law. Christians were being persecuted, so the writer was trying to convince them to leave the safety of their slavery to the Law and works righteousness and become slaves of righteousness by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

When you become a Christian, you become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) with a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27) that is enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:18). And you are sealed by “the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14),” ie. we’re stamped with God’s seal on our spiritual heart as His promise that we have eternal life with Him.

We’re promised eternal life, not temporary life till we die and prove we are still in the faith when we suck in our last earthly breath.

Christians believe that they can lose their salvation because they don’t understand what salvation is. It isn’t JUST getting your sins forgiven, which is part of the gospel for sure. But, also, being given new life through Christ’s life transforming our own spirit.

“The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”—John 10:10

The abundant life Jesus promised is not the “name it, claim it” prosperity gospel. Jesus asked the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and follow Him (Matthew 19:21) and for his listeners to “sell their possessions and give to charity (Luke 12:33),” because He would take care of their needs. So, obviously, earthly wealth and abundant life are not synonymous in God’s kingdom.

As God promised Ezekiel: “I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life (Ezekiel 37:14).”

Now what’s this got to do with dirty butterflies?

Before Christ you were that “dirty worm,” groveling around in the mud and garbage of sin. You couldn’t stop sinning because you were a worm stuck living in mud. But after coming to faith in Christ, you are “born again not of seed that is perishable, but is imperishable (1 Peter 1:23).” You became a new creation; no longer a worm but a butterfly. If you are born again (John 3:3, 3:7), you have a new Spirit within you, Who promises never to leave nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

When we become slaves of righteousness, we want to please God. But, as a result of our zeal to be obedient, we take our eyes off of Jesus and focus on ourselves and our obedience. Like the disciples in the boat with Jesus during the horrendous storm, they thought they would perish as they looked at their own efforts to save their sinking ship, and not at the Lord’s ability to keep them safe (Luke 8:22-25). They looked at their ability to save themselves.

If a butterfly falls from the sky and starts playing around in the muck and mud of sin, it’s still a butterfly. But with dirt caked on its wings, it can no longer soar and fly freely. It stays stuck earthbound or flitters erratically in the air, till it can get that mud cleaned off its wings. When we confess our sin and repent (change course), it’s like getting our wings cleaned off. We’re no longer coated with guilt and shame and sin. We can begin to fly again like the butterfly we truly are.

Yes, you can roll around in the mud with the worms, but you’re still a butterfly. You don’t belong sinning with the worms anymore. It doesn’t feel good like it used to; the Holy Spirit will keep convicting you of your bad behavior till you repent.

And not only will you eventually pay the consequences of your bad behavior if you refuse to repent (Galatians 6:7), but you also invite God’s correction (Revelation 3:19). He promises to keep His sheep “in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3).”

If you refuse to repent and don’t feel convicted, then you’re not saved (Hebrews 12:7-11). You’re deceiving yourself.

But if you’re a butterfly, a Saint transformed by the love of Jesus Christ, God will be sure to clean off your wings so that you can fly free again in your new abundant spiritual life.

Flying free feels much better than wallowing around in the mud!

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and follow me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will NEVER PERISH; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”—Jesus, John 10:27-30

I’m not being self righteous here. When I was a fairly new Christian, I didn’t heed God’s warnings to repent and was disciplined. I’m speaking from foolish experience that it’s better to fly.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

PS. I plan a Part Four about Galatians 3:3, one of my all time favorite verses and books of the Bible.

***

You might realize that you’re tired of rolling around in the muck of this worldly life and would like to be reborn, start a new life by following our Great Shepherd. He loves everyone and wants to invite you to join Him at His banquet table (Luke 13:29). He’s not promising you worldly riches or material goods or no suffering, but the true abundant life: joy, peace, and eternal life in His kingdom.

Do you want to be reborn as a butterfly, flying freely in God’s love and grace? If so, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive my sins. I acknowledge that Jesus died on the Cross to pay the penalty for my sins and was raised from the dead to prove that He was “God in the flesh*” to give me His resurrection life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please transform my heart by Your power. Reveal Your love to me. In the name of Jesus, amen. (*Matthew 1:23)

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. As your body needs daily nourishment, so does your soul, and the Bible is your soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

And join a Bible believing church or Bible study and get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled or bound by legalism until you know the Bible’s teachings fairly well.

God bless you. I’m excited that you’re beginning your new life in Christ. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Feeling Insignificant, Ephesians 2:10

I have to be careful sometimes that I don’t trip and fall over Buddy. He often hangs around my feet, either observing what I’m doing or keeping guard. Last year a lady at the local hardware store told me that my dog was in his guardian stance to protect me. I thanked her as I wondered what that particular posture meant.

Maybe you’re like me in this way—or maybe not. But it seems like a lot of the Christian literature I read talks about super Christians who do great exploits through faith in the Lord. It makes me feel like I’m failing God, because I’m not digging water wells in Africa or adopting five foster kids or leading a Bible study in the local prison, for instance.

I’m just this average gal with a blog who helps out her parents every week, goes to Bible study and church, and helps with some church activities. I’m far from being the “super Christian” that gets books or stories written about her.

I often feel like a little dog who gets in his master’s way.

But then, some days, I’ll look at the goofy cow painting hanging in my kitchen and smile. After some wrestling about whether to spend twelve dollars on something I didn’t need, I picked it up in an antique store in Indiana. I was pleased to discover that it fit in my carry-on suitcase and then survived the trip back home without getting crunched or scratched.

The painting isn’t signed, so I don’t know who to thank for creating it. But every time I look at that goofy cow’s face smiling down at me, I smile and feel a little bit happier than I was a moment before.

(Though the creator is unknown, I’m not posting a photo of it to respect their artistic rights.)

And though it’s a very little unimportant thing in relation to nearly every other event in this world, that one goofy, unsigned painting is important to me.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whomsoever should believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life.”—Jesus, John 3:16

Most of us are not super Christians. But every single one of us is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). And God loves every single one of us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to live with frail humans and die to take the punishment for all of our sins so we don’t have to suffer that punishment.

In fact, He pays such tender and close attention to every one of us, that He has numbered every hair on our heads (Luke 12:7). And is so humble, that He lovingly washed the dirt off of His disciples feet at the dinner table, although humans vastly, and incomprehensibly, inferior to God in every aspect.

Every single Christian is a lamb in His pasture whom He carries close to His heart (Isaiah 40:11).

And when you think about it, only a handful of people are profiled in the Bible, in relation to the multitudes that lived during, and before, the age of the Apostles. Yet, surely there were many unnamed faithful believers who not only followed Joshua into the Promised Land, were faithful during the Babylonian Captivity, and followed Jesus and the apostles.

And thank goodness that is so, because the Bible would be too enormous to read in one lifetime, yet alone study carefully.

God created each one of us to be unique and to serve His purposes in this world in a distinct way.

Even if that purpose is just to make one person smile and lift their spirits when they’re feeling down or tired.

You are made in God’s image. And He loves us more than we can comprehend.

Even us little “unknowns”.

We are His creation.

We all have His signature on us.

“For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”—Apostle Paul, Ephesians 2:10

His workmanship.

Created for His purposes.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God; and such we are.”—Apostle John, the letter of 1 John 3:1

Hope this post made you smile inside.

God bless.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

You’ve probably heard that “We’re all the children of God,” but that’s not what the Bible teaches. God loves every single person, despite their flaws, and wants “none to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).” Every individual is a creation of God, but not a child of God. A child has a relationship with the Father.

“But as many received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”—John 1:12

You don’t have to be a super good person. In fact, no one is good enough to earn God’s love and mercy. He’s perfect and nobody can meet that standard of holiness to enter into His presence.

“For ‘Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:13

Whoever means whoever. Not just the good guys and gals, but also the ones who’ve horribly mucked up their lives. And those who’ve screwed up the most are often the ones who acknowledge they’re sinful and need God’s help to turn their life around.

Is that “Whoever” you? Are you sorry for your sins and want to become a child of God?

If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible. (I’ve copied a prayer from the book, The Search For Significance” by Robert S. McGee. The second paragraph is my addition.)

Lord Jesus, I need You. I want You to be my Savior and my Lord. I accept Your death on the Cross as the complete payment for my sins. Thank you for forgiving my sins and for giving me new life. Help me to grow in my understanding of Your love and power so that my life will bring honor to You.

Please grant me the gift of the Holy Spirit. And thank You, Holy Father, for accepting me into your kingdom and family as Your child. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Please, also, start attending a Bible based church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get confused by legalism or bad teaching till you know the Bible fairly well and can make a better informed decision who to listen to.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.