To not balance instantaneous salvation with progressive salvation is to invite moral chaos into the life of the believers, and this is exactly what is taking place in our day.

If we are not to be destroyed, if we are to save our soul, then we must continue every day in the most diligent discipleship, the most fervent faith. The Book of Hebrews is one long exhortation to mature Christians to renew their zeal in the Lord, reminding them that to neglect their salvation, to allow their confidence to dwindle, will bring down Divine judgment upon them.

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:8)

There are numerous warnings in the New Testament, such as the above, that are addressed to the believers in Christ.

The righteous live by faith in God rather than by faith in themselves or in other people. They do not trust human wisdom. They do not rely on human strength, talent, or money. They walk humbly on the earth in the fear of God, always looking toward the city that has foundations, the heavenly Zion. They are pleasing to God. A restored earth shall be their possession for eternity.

To Live by Faith Is To Focus on the Invisible

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

The spiritually healthy, growing Christian desires many things. If we are willing to trust God for our desires, we are saved by our hope that some day our desires will be fulfilled.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24,25)

The Bible teaches us to be thankful to God at all times and to continually make known our requests to the Lord. This is acceptable to God.

We must never quit—never, never, never! Every day we are to hold our hopes high, being assured God has our treasures in Heaven above and we shall receive them in the Lord's time. This is true, scriptural faith. We do not see our rewards as yet but we will see them one day. Of this we are certain.

The Hebrew Prophets did not live to see Christ but they spoke of Him with absolute certainty. In the Spirit of God they "saw" the Kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem, established on the earth. They "saw" the nations beat their weapons of warfare into farming tools and they rejoiced. Because of their faith they were the friends and servants of God.

The testimony of the heroes of faith of the Bible makes it possible for us to overcome the world, Satan, and our own lusts and self-will. Now the patriarchs are watching us from Heaven and are being strengthened as we obey God and persevere through numerous afflictions and tribulations.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

Scientists hope to discover the ultimate mysteries of physics and other sciences.. But they are doomed to failure if they employ only material instruments and mental analysis. By faith we know that all energy and all matter came into being as God spoke the Word. The visible came from the invisible.

To be continued.