I’d like to begin a series which I’ve entitled, “Things That Accompany Salvation,” based on the Scripture in Hebrews 6:9 which reads, “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” We know, from reading God’s good Word, that there are many right and honorable things which come into our lives, yea, our very personalities, as a result of salvation.
Though we are sinners by nature, we have brand new desires and designs entirely different from when we walked after the flesh. For example, we know that true converts put away lying and that no corrupt communication is to proceed from our mouths. Where once we may have been know as liars, and took the Lord’s name in vain day and night—we have not so learned Christ, have we?
So consider with me, over this series of articles, our actions, our words, and our motives in light of the Scriptures.
Lesson One
“Curt Christians”
Recently, we received a phone call from someone I have not personally spoken to in years. The older gentleman, a Christian, surprised me at his curtness—not so much as a warm, kindly, “How are you?” or “How nice to hear your voice!” But rather, I could have thought I was talking to our local car mechanic!
Me: Hello?Him: John around? (As if he was talking to a complete stranger!)
Me: Ummm… Excuse me?
Him: Where’s John… out? (Very abrupt!)
After I collected my thoughts and in shock realized who it was speaking to me, I said, “Oh, hello _______! How nice to hear your voice…” and so on.
I don’t get it. I always thought that as Christians age, they should become sweeter, more gracious, ever so much more like Jesus. I read an article recently about our brains and how, as we age, there’s this sort of “filter” thing that begins to lose the “quality” of its filtering ability. That’s why, the article stated, it is common for elderly people to ummm… “slip” or say things that, peradventure, they would not have said maybe five years earlier. But am I naïve to think that, as Christians age, we should grow, as an old song suggests, “Sweeter as the days go by”? I would just think that kindness, patience, dearness, loveliness, and yes, courtesy, would be characteristic of someone who has walked with Christ his whole life long. Curt Christians? Like day and night, old and new, saved and lost—the words are completely opposite in nature. Just some things to consider one of these frosty winter evenings as you re surrounded by the warmth of God’s great love.
