A Christian’s walk doesn’t stop at the ‘Salvation Station’

In all the years I’ve been writing for “The Pulpit,” I do not know if I have ever given credit to the “person” who really writes them. It is the “person” of the Holy Spirit. He is not an “it.” He’s a he.

Without him, I would still be back at “Look at Dick and Jane Play”; “Run Spot Run”; or “See Sally Run After Spot.” We all remember Dick, Jane, Sally and Spot, right? Readers, if you get offended by this article, you can blame the Holy Spirit, not the one penning it.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard someone say, “Too many Christians stop at the salvation station.” The spirit in me latched right on to that and confirmed what that person said. There are too many Christians who do, indeed, stop and remain at the salvation station. They get off and check into the nearest Comfort Inn, where they spend a lot of time sleeping. They believe that they are covered by the “fire insurance” of the Comfort Inn. Think about that.

Dear Christians, the salvation station is NOT your final stop. Heaven is. The salvation station is called your justification, where the penalty for your sin has been paid for by the blood of Jesus. From there you go straight into your sanctification, where you will be set apart for him, to work out your salvation.

Philippians 2:12: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

It is in this process that you will be brought into his glorification, and your final destination. Let me summarize that into one sentence. You go from justification, to sanctification, to glorification, and then to your final destination, which is Heaven. The sanctifying part of this is a lifetime journey.

I mentioned that the blood of Jesus paid for your sin and my sin. Do you realize with that blood he also bought us? 1 Corinthians 6:20: “For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

God owns us! I don’t know how it could be any clearer. How could one possibly know that but choose to stop at the salvation station and check into the Comfort Inn? I am not asking that question to offend or judge anyone. I am asking it to wake us up. I believe Jesus is saying, “Wake up.” I believe Jesus is saying that to the Laodicean Church in Revelation 3:14-19. Read it at your convenience.

If we stay at the salvation station we will be of no use to the Kingdom of God. We are called to take up our cross and follow him, to be his ambassadors, his ministers of reconciliation, his soldiers, his priests and his witnesses. Punch any of those words into your concordance and you will find a scripture detailing each of them.

Christians, we possess the key to salvation and his name is Jesus. Acts 4:12: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Of course, the name Luke is speaking of is Jesus. How can we know that, and not want to go out and lead as many lost and hopeless people to the salvation station as we can? We have been redeemed. Let’s tell the world. Psalm 107:2: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so.”

I must get a little more of my Lord in here. When Jesus was in the garden, he told the disciples to pray with him. We know they all fell asleep three times. Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t say to them, “Hey let’s all lie over here and go to sleep. Let’s just sleep this whole thing off. There is nothing more to do.” No, no, no, he went to the cross and took on the sin of the world, your sin, and my sin!

How dare us to stop at the salvation station and go to sleep!

Hasselstrom is an evangelist with Cross Tied Ministries.