Savior

It was something that the Pastor had said on Wednesday night that led me in my study this morning.  Matthew 27:62-66 started me thinking about the problems associated with taking actions based on incorrect information and then this morning, I read from Ephesians 4:1 where Paul tells us that “I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you.” (God’s Word ©)  As I thought about this second verse, I began to see how people can actually take actions based on two kinds of wrong information.

First, as we saw in Matthew 27, we witnessed the Roman leadership taking action solely based on the intelligence report that was fed to them by the Pharisees.  In Ephesians 4:1 and further defined in the next verse, I discovered another potential action based on a foundational misconception.  Here we are being told to live the kind of life that demonstrates that we are Christians.  A life that is marked by a pattern of humbleness, gentleness and patience toward others.  It is a life that is sold out or taken captive as Paul suggests, to Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

That is the part that went hand in hand with the Pastor’s comment about ministering to others who need a breakthrough and not trying to play the part of savior to them in the process.   That is the definitive role that was unmistakably given by the Father to His son Jesus Christ!  According to Scofield’s Reference Notes the term “savior” is defined as “the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes.”  It takes in the ideas of safety, preservation, healing, redemption and provision.  Scofield goes on to describe its function in three tenses: “saved from the guilt and penalty of sin, being saved from the habit and dominion (and effects) of sin (where we live today!), and to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ (in the hereafter).”

Whether knowingly or unknowingly, there are some folks out there who somehow have come to the incorrect conclusion that they need to act as other people’s savior when hard times come.  This false preface isn’t too difficult to see either.  Simply compare the way they react and the words they speak and compare it to Paul’s definition of a person who has become captive to Christ.  Are they humble, gentle and patient toward you or are they attempting to be authoritative, pushy with their own agenda and exemplify little to no patience with you?  I can tell you a few clear examples of this kind of behavior with a few who took it upon themselves to “help us!”  How about you?

So what is the best defense when this happens?  Well, that’s easy!  Simply act as Paul encourages us to act.  Hold your ground by responding with the humble heart of one whose trust is fully founded in Christ’s salvation for your situation, with gentle and loving words and corresponding actions (kind sounds like the definition of faith doesn’t it?) and with an extraordinary helping of patience toward them.  I can’t say that I initially excelled in the later of this three part defense, but I am learning and hopefully doing better at it!

So before you take any action in the course of dealing with the various situations that arise in your daily life, make sure that your information is correct and that your stand of faith is based on God’s unfailing love and solidly founded on Him and His Word.  Then you can joyfully endure as you watch Him displays His Academy Award winning skills as “Christ, the savior of the world.” (John 4:42 KJV)  Have a terrific weekend!  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What (or who) am I expecting (to be) today?”