day no. 13,043: the two common threads of saving faith and faithfulness

B.B Warfield points out that Saul of Tarsus’ conversion may have included many unique details (personal appearance and audible voice of Jesus, Jesus’ strong hand knocking Saul down, blindness, etc…), but the basic outline of what occurred is the same as any person’s typical conversion experience.

Warfield points out that there are 2 phenomena common to each and every story of salvation.  He calls them surrender and consecration.

SURRENDER:

Acts 22:8

“I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’

CONSECRATION:

Acts 22:10

“Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’

Warfield’s point is this: everyone that God saves first acknowledges who Jesus (Lord, God, Christ, Savior) is in also recognizing for the first time who they are (sinner, unholy, unworthy, needy, at His mercy).  Next, they immediately employ themselves to His service in submitting themselves to whatever He might ask of them to remedy their newly discovered situation.

Warfield points out that it is the Spirit that graces the person with the first knowledge and recognition of who they are and who Jesus is.  It is the same Spirit that then grants mercy to the person by provoking them to pursue a resolution with this newly discovered almighty and uplifted Savior.

Lastly, the person discovers in this moment of terror that the work of bridging the gap they have recently been made aware is already accomplished.  The vast distance between you and God that previously was unrealized is in the moment after acknowledgement breached by the One who graced you with the despairing knowledge.

That’s why we sing

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace, my fears relieved

It is right to inquire, what should I do?  The knowledge of His exalted place and our devastating failure should produce a desire to bridge the gap. 

The Good News is that the gap is already bridged by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our LORD and SAVIOR.

He provided what He required.

The rest of the Christian life lived in trust and dependence upon that Good News still often inquires of its Lord, “What should I do?”

The doing now not being sought to save the sinner, but to sanctify, set apart and consecrate the life that was purchased by the Saving One.