Based on Hebrews 2:1-4 (New King James Version)
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”
There is much confusion today when it comes to salvation and faith in Christ. There are many opinions, and the vast majority differ with the Truth that the Word of God teaches. Are there different versions of the Gospel? Is there more than one way to see God's salvation? Is faith in Christ multifaceted? If we understand very clearly what the Bible teaches in its entirety, I would have to say: No. I know that this thinking goes completely against what society wants to teach and those who are carried away by the world, where everyone wants to have an opinion, and that the opinion they have dictates reality in some way. The world wants to bring faith like what they do when they give every child a trophy just for participating in an event, or a game of something, without winning. But salvation and faith in Christ is not like that, but rather, it has only one purpose and why. There is no such thing as many truths or many perfections, or that everyone is correct. Yes, salvation can affect many things in our life and in the present world, but that is not what it is about. Salvation and faith in Christ goes much further.
Let's see to start that salvation is not necessarily about fixing our lives here, and turning it into a collection of human or temporary triumphs. This is what the Lord said: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. If the Lord said that we would suffer affliction, it does not mean then that He necessarily came to fix your problems in the present, as is widely preached, such as the gospel of healing and prosperity that promises people who do have enough faith, that everything will work out for them here and now, and that they will have much wealth, and that they will not have any health problems. As an example, the first one who failed in this sense was the Lord himself because He was a poor while here on earth, and to such an extent that He even said that He did not even have a place to lay his head. And this also says the Word: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:19. So, it is very clear that salvation and faith in Christ is not necessarily about fixing or improving our human life here. And I know that by saying this, possibly many have already diverted their attention to something else because this is one of the main reasons why the masses try to have some kind of faith in Christ, with the idea that God will help them with their problems and fulfill their whims. But I would have to challenge it this way: Do you want a life of lies, based on fables designed to take advantage of hearers, or do you want a Truth that goes beyond this temporary world?
We see through the Scriptures that there are people who did very well in this life with certain things, but there are others who did not do so well, humanly or carnally speaking. We read this, for example, in the book of Hebrews where it shows this abysmal contrast: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:30-40. So, did some have more faith than others and that's why they did better? To those who did not do very well, did they not believe properly? Absolutely not. Here it does not even give the idea that some were better than others, and that is why they did better in this world. We see that the passage says that both had the experiences and circumstances that they had because of their faith, some with successes here and now, and others with none.
So, what can we learn from this? That simply salvation and faith in Christ is not for our carnal good or for this temporary world, but for something beyond. What we have to understand is that this temporary world is a brief anteroom, a place where it is decided where we will spend eternity depending on what we do, to make us worthy of the original plan that God had with all humanity. God created man for himself, to do His will. And when we sinned, we voluntarily strayed away from that original design. But God, through His mercy, sent His Only Begotten Son so that through Him, our original purpose could be restored: to do God's will. Everything that happens here and now is to test and prepare the person who accepts Jesus as Lord for the eternal future, to see if they are worthy of going on to immortality. This says the Word: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12. If we resist the temptation to stop doing God's will, despite the circumstances, whether we are doing well or not carnally speaking, we will receive the crown of life. If a person does not do the will of the Father by being submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, they will not live, but rather, will be eternally destitute of the glory of God. As it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. This is what God says to those of us who persist in this faith to do the will of the Father, to fulfill the purpose for which we were created and saved through Christ: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” 1 Corinthians 2:9. And the Word says this also: “And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’” Revelation 21:6-7. So then, do you understand the true reason for why Christ died for you? Lord bless! John