Several years ago, a young minister had recently finished his work on his Doctor of Theology, a requirement set by his pastor that had to be fulfilled before he would ordain him. As this young minister was going through his ordination, which would make him more of a serious candidate for pastoral vacancies, a panel made up of senior pastors who were held in the highest esteem in the city of Indianapolis, the state, and nationally posed a multitude of questions, many inquiries requiring that the young minister was prepared. One of the esteemed panel’s questions included, “How do you know that you are saved.?
As his wife sat beside him, in the presence of a full gathering of congregants in the sanctuary, she was sure, confident that he knew this answer. The young minister thought so too. Yet every scripture he presented was not the one they wanted. He quoted John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.” The panel, stared at him, looked at each other, shook their heads in a synchronized disapproving movement. The lead person on the panel said, “That’s not what we are looking for, try again.” The young minister then quoted Romans 10: 9-10, probably thinking this has to be what they want: “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Once again, the panel shook their heads back and forth and said, “That’s not what we are looking for, try again.” So, the young minister quoted one more scripture, as the entire church body looked on as he sat in the front of the church by his wife, still confident and poised. Her presence probably kept him from showing any signs of frustration. So, not surrendering, not stopping what seemed like an interrogation, the young minister quoted a portion of Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” The panel said, “No. That’s not what we were looking for as a response.”
The young minister kept quoting scripture after scripture and each was not the response required by the panel. The sweat on his brow started to reveal some frustration. Yet, he gave one last scripture, but it was in vain. Is was still not the answer the panel was looking to hear.
Finally, the ordination council shared the response; it was I John 3:14. “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. The one who does not love remains in death (NASB).”
The young minister passed the ordination with a score of 90. I think the reasoning behind that was to make sure he stayed humble and that he didn’t go away thinking he knew it all. Listen! Who does! We are all still learning.
Here is what the panel was trying to impress upon the ordination candidate, something that is applicable to all Christians, including you and me. The true test of knowing you have been saved is not based on academic achievement. It is not determined by being able to accurately quote Jesus’ words found in John 13: 34-35, “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
For you see, when you pass from death to life, when you transition from letting the world and the devil govern your behavior, you migrate to a place where not world opinion does not govern your thoughts, desires, and actions. You migrate to a place where the old sinful life, which is death, because the wages is sin is death, does not set you standard. You migrate to a better place where all the blatant noise of the ungodly has no reign over you. You pass from death to life, where you now live different and all that you do shows your love for others. It is a love that comes from a changed heart.
This is timely meditation. Listen up, now! We who are saved have migrated to a place where our heart is healed, opened, and expanded by love. Yes! We migrated from death to life, from lost to found, from being blind spiritually, to gaining new sight.
Let me close with these words: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I was lost and now I’m found, was blind, but now I see!”
Today, let’s go out into the world and let people know that we have migrated, we are no longer the same, we are in the world, but not of the world. Raise your hand right now, wherever you are and declare, “I’m changed! I’m changed! I’ve been washed in the blood of the crucified One! I’ve been redeemed!!”
He that loveth not, one whose heart is not healed, opened and expanded by love is still abiding in the old life which is death. Church, for us, love is the foundation for our interaction, our interest, and all our inclinations. Think on these things. Be blessed!
“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. The one who does not love remains in death. ” (I John 3:14. NASB)
Committed to the climb,
Dr. Gloria Berlanga King
This was so amazing. It also shows how much preparation is involved when going into the ministry and going on to becoming a candidate for a pastoral position. Good experience.
And you were there! Reported well! Yes, it should show that prep work is necessary throughout ministry. Thanks for your contribution to Mark Writes and for your input. Be blessed!