Based on a book, the 1971 movie, “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” has aspects that remind me of three salvation concepts. Something is happening in the story that makes me think about what the Bible teaches, showing the value and atmosphere of God’s relationship with you and me.
Willy Wonka’s golden ticket, having it, made the recipient an instant winner! The winner still had to go to the gate of the chocolate factory to redeem the ticket. He still had to go on the tour before he could receive his lifetime supply of chocolate. But as soon as Charlie got the ticket he was a winner!
In the word of God is covered three aspects of Salvation: We are saved (guaranteed entrance – the ticket). We are being saved (because of the ticket we take the tour fleeing temptation and developing the mind of Christ). We will be saved (Charlie was promised a lifetime supply of chocolate, and our promise is everlasting life).
I want to focus, today, on the first aspect of salvation that we are saved, mainly because of the false doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” We can run the risk of rejecting God’s promises and assurances simply because other people pervert their meaning. So, for this message, let’s focus on the first step in salvation, guaranteed entrance.
After receiving the ticket, Charlie could have lost it (not possible with salvation), or he could have thrown it away (a way to become a loser), but he knew the value of the ticket, so, for him, winning the ticket was a guarantee.
What do I mean by, “Guaranteed Entrance?”
The short version would be, We cannot fail if we have the ticket, we take the tour, enduring temptations, developing the agape love of God, to receive eternal life in God’s Kingdom. All matters relating to salvation are in this short statement, but none of it works if any of its aspects are not believed, or, if in our minds, any are inferior to the others.
Let’s turn, today, to Ephesians 2 to highlight the first and most important step that defines salvation for the people of Ephesus, and, therefore, us.
Eph 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
Immediately notice, you are alive NOW, though you were dead.
Eph 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Eph 2:3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Everybody IS under the penalty of death because of sin – but Paul is declaring that this is NO LONGER true of the converted Ephesians.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
He loved us even while we were still sinners. (Rom 5:8)
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Is second person plural present indicative an ongoing action verb?
No, the second person plural present indicative tense is not used for ongoing actions
It expresses general truths, habitual actions, or present states of being.
Ongoing actions are typically expressed using the present continuous (or present progressive) tense, formed with the present tense of the verb "to be" plus the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb (e.g., "you are walking," "you are eating”).
The present indicative tense (e.g., "you walk," "you eat") describes actions as simple facts or occurrences rather than actions that are currently in progress.
Eph 2:6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (NOTE: Rev 3:21)
Eph 2:7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (?Once saved?)
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Let’s look at an aspect of our physical growth by considering fetal development, what we know about it. A once saved always saved philosophy doesn’t even believe we are conceived. They go right to being a born sons of God. God accepts me as I am, therefore, I don’t need to change.
My concern for you and me, if we are so diligent to condemn the once saved always saved doctrine, is that we don’t properly regard the initial nature of our calling.
When the haploid sperm impregnates the haploid egg, immediately a diploid cell is created THAT HAS ALL OF THE GENETICS OF THE BORN CHILD. Therefore, the make-up, the life, of the single diploid cell has every bit of the genetic make-up of the born child – and is ALIVE!
The modern world perverts this value when they say it’s just a lump of cells. They pervert it when they use those cells for experimentation, never having allowed the child to experience birth. Anti- isn’t really anti-. They ignore the miracle and value of conception. Meanwhile, our Father in Heaven calls you and me His children RIGHT NOW. We aren’t His pseudo-children. We aren’t part of some sort of half-alive half-dead zombie land. We aren’t in some sort of purgatory. We. Are. God’s. Living children.Do we believe this in its fullness, or are we affected by man’s idea of human value? How is that any better than the simplistic approach of acting like we don’t get conceived into the family of God, being the end-product already with no need to develop?
Paul is not discussing our state/stage of being. Our value to God is not based on our state of being. It is true that we are still flesh. It is true that we are not perfect. It is true that the fulfillment of salvation will make us spirit and perfect. But in all of that our value to God, being alive in Christ, does not change.
Don’t be tricked into devaluing who you are to God right now. You and I were at one time DEAD in our sins, but we are now ALIVE in Christ, saved from death through faith, a product of having that golden ticket. We are not so foolish as to forget that, though our entry into the family of God is instant when receiving the Holy Spirit, we are called to overcome and grow, to show in the remainder of our lives the hope that lies within us (1Pe 3:15-16).
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
1Pe 3:16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
It's is imperative you and I understand how we are currently saved from death, presently alive in Christ. If we don’t understand the value of that life we run the risk of doing good works to gain God’s favor, because we will see ourselves as lesser than God sees us. We are currently empowered by that salvation to fulfill what we read in Ephesians 2:10, and I will repeat it here, in ending the presentation, and not to garner God’s favor, but because we simply love the way of God.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
