But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
Welcome to the 32nd weekly devotional recap of the year. This week’s articles equipped us to better understand and answer questions about our faith.
We began the week with a reminder that no matter how fulfilling it is, life on earth is temporary, so we must not live as if this world is all there is (James 4:14). The Bible makes it clear that there are only two eternal destinations: heaven and hell. Every soul will face judgment, and our choices now determine where we spend forever (Hebrews 9:27, Matthew 25:46). As believers, we hold the answer the world is searching for. Through Jesus Christ, God provided a way to escape eternal death and receive eternal life (Romans 6:23). Let this give you hope and encourage you to share it with others.
Tuesday’s article taught us that the paradox of purpose is that your reason for living must also be worth dying for (Philippians 1:21). A person’s purpose is the one thing for which they were created and must succeed at, because without it, nothing else will truly matter. For the believer, the knowledge that Jesus came as a man and gave His life for humanity should point not only to salvation but also to purpose. Living for Jesus means He becomes the centre of your life, and even sacrifice becomes gain. If you are living for something other than Christ, it is worthless.
Wednesday’s devotional reminded us that without the gospel, there is no hope for eternal life (Acts 4:12). God’s desire is for all people to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:2-4). If you don’t preach, men will be damned eternally, and if your heart is aligned with His, you will long to see souls saved. The only thing that can save is the gospel, the only way anyone can be saved is by believing, and they can only believe if they hear the message (Romans 10:14). God is counting on you to carry His message of hope to those who have never heard it. Rise to your calling.
On Thursday, we addressed the issue of whether salvation is by faith or works. Salvation is a gift from God; it is not earned (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are not the requirement for salvation, but the evidence of it (Ephesians 2:10, James 2:17). Some insist that a person must obey specific laws or reach a moral standard to be saved, and others believe that their conduct does not matter once they profess faith, but both distort the truth. Beware of the falsehood of relying on works for salvation, but know that there is no true profession of faith that does not produce a change. There is no contradiction.
We ended the week with a charge to live for the cause of Christ. This requires a shift in perspective to see the things of this world for what they are: fleeting, fragile, and ultimately worthless compared to the eternal glory that is in God (Philippians 3:7-8). For the cause of Christ, you may be called to lay down ambitions, endure misunderstandings, or make sacrifices (Luke 9:23), but like Paul, count it all joy because your reward is eternal (Matthew 5:11-12). Be ready to stand firm and endure whatever comes your way, knowing that your labour is never for nothing (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Dear believer, let the articles of this week stir you to evaluate your approach to life and eternity. From today, intentionally live every day with eternity in view, and do everything you can to ensure that everyone around you does too.
Have a blessed weekend.