Sunday, May 7

The Common Salvation
Jud 1:3  "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it
was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for
the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."
 
       What kind of salvation is it? It is not common in the sense in which we sometimes use the word to speak of something with very low quality. Jude used the word here in the sense of that which they shared commonly. Notice that he was writing to those who were sanctified by the Father, preserved in Jesus, and called :1. Thus all the sanctified and preserved ones, who were also the called all shared the same salvatiion. It was a salvation by grace. It was positively God's work. It was a salvation in which the recipients persevered. That's why Jude called on them to contend earnestly.

        You need not worry about losing it. God planned it, even writing our names in the Lambs Book of Life before the foundation of the world. God chose us in Christ before the world was created.. Not only did God plan it, but He also bought it. Our salvation was obtained at a great price, Jesus had to suffer the terrible shame and suffering of the crucifixion in order to purchase our slvation, Also Jesus preserves our salvation.

       Your great concern must be do you have it? Whom do you love? In 1 John 3:14 we are told that we can know we have this salvation because we love the brethren or other saved people. You will also love the right home. Paul tells us jn Col. 3:2 to set our affections on things above. I 1 John 2:15 we are also told not to love the world. If you love the brethren or other Christians, and you long for Heven, it is a pretty good sign that you do have it. On the other hand if your friends are people of the world and you love the pleasures of the world instead of longing for Heaven, it is a pretty good sign that you don't have it.
 
       '''In 2 Pet.1:10 Peter tells us to make sure we have it.You cannot do anything to bring about your election. That is up to God. What Peter is saying is that we should give diligence to ascertain and make sure that we are in that number.

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