Page 69 - Ephesians

Both of these things are true. Romans 10:10 says,

“With the heart man believes resulting in righteousness and
with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.”

That’s true; when I trusted Jesus in 1958 I had salvation. But
Romans 13:11 is also true,

“Salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed.”

What a tremendous thing! There is a sense in which I don’t have
it yet. Salvation is forty four years nearer to me than when I first
believed. If any of you have trouble believing there is a future
aspect of salvation, I’ll give you a little test. Take a pin, and stick
it in your finger. That’s the proof! If you bleed, or if it hurts. You
don’t have your new body yet. You’re not finished. You don’t
have salvation future. Just look in the mirror, and look at your life.
Look at the uncrucified filth in your heart and thank God you aren’t
on display yet. In the world yet to come, you will be showcased.
He’s not going to unveil His masterpiece prematurely. He’ll wait.
We’re impatient, but God is not. He’s not finished, so hang on.

Let me say one other word about this, and then clinch it in
another way. Romans 13:11,

“Salvation is nearer than when I first believed”.

This also gives me the Bible method of facing old age. There are
two ways to look at old age. The first is, “I’ve got forty four less
years to live than when I first believed.” In other words. Life is
going fast, and I’m losing ground. Or I can look at it this way,
“I’m forty four years closer to my salvation, than when I first
believed.” That’s how the Bible looks at it. So, does it depend
upon what kind of day you’ve had? No, it doesn’t. God says, you
are getting closer and moving on. We don’t have to look at old