"For richer, for poorer, for better or worse.....till death do us part."
So the marriage between two humans goes. In this commitment there is the notion of circumstances never separating the partners - only death.
That is a beautiful concept that unfortunately so many people value early on but come to despise it as a result of selfish desires.
As beautiful as human marriage is in concept and in practice for so many people it is fragile because of the inability or unwillingness of one or more of the partners to stay committed.
And so there is separation and divorce.
Jesus told the people of His day that it was NEVER His will for a couple to separate and divorce.
So, what about Spiritual Marriage or the New Birth? I know many of you have been taught that the New Birth is something that that the Holy Spirit does TO you.
But the reality is that the New Birth is something that the Holy Spirit Of Christ Jesus does WITH you. He marries you spiritually when He senses that you are fully committed.
Unlike human marriage where the partners do not and can not know what is really in the heart of the other person, the Holy Spirit is not so constrained.
The Holy Spirit KNOWS your heart and so, though YOU may say all the right words and do all the expected rituals, He does not commit to you unless you really commit to Him.
In the case where the person coming to Christ is 100% sincere in their hearts about submitting to Him and becoming One with Him, He does the miracle of Spiritual Marriage with them so that they are Born Again and become One with Him.
Such a person is Eternally Secure as the Holy Spirit will never leave or forsake such a committed believer.
However, if a person just has an emotional, superficial experience with the Love Of God and does not in their deepest heart commit to Him, neither does Christ commit to them so no Spiritual Marriage takes place.
Such a person may court the Lord for many years in various ways without ever truly committing to Him only to one day recant what they said from their minds for Christ and turn and deny Him.
For other believers and non-believers as well, this is confusing. Many explanations are posed about the scenario without understanding who they are dealing with - the omniscient Holy Spirit who knows the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts.
Understand that our responsibility as Christians is to preach the Gospel to every creature. We are NOT responsible for the ground that the seed falls on. We are not responsible for the fruit that comes of preaching. We are not responsible for the harvest. Christ is the Lord Of The Harvest.
So, Once Saved Is Always Saved. Both the Holy Spirit and the believer are committed.
While Never Saved Is Forever Lost. Christ never commited because the one who drew back never committed.
Christ Jesus has made all the provision necessary for Grace.
We must appropriate that Grace through Faith Unfeigned.
As Paul put it, "believe in your heart" and so commit with your heart.
Never question Christ's commitment. He is perfectly faithful.
When you see a person fall away, as John said "They went out from us, but they were not of us" .
Be aware that Christ desires us to be One with Him. This is what He looks for in every human - Spiritual Marriage.
Because some people do not reciprocate His love, no Spiritual Marriage takes place in their lives. As occurred during Christ's ministry some just follow Him (date Him?) for loaves and fishes and healings and deliverances and all His many benefits.
This people draws near unto me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.  The Lord is interested only in our heart because it is our true selves. |