For the Gracious Salvation in Christ Jesus!

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” – Matthew 24:42-44 NIV

Like these verses state, we should keep watch ourselves and must be ready spiritually for the gracious salvation that will come to us at the end of age, when Jesus Christ will be revealed. Hence, we have to be holy in everything that we do even though it is hard, for we are God’s children (1 John 3:1) and our actual citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1)

Prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Then he [Jesus] called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)

Since Mark 8:35 includes that we have to lose our life for the Gospel as well, let’s keep firm to it while we are living our lives according to the Spirit and the will of God. (John 14:15-17,26) This is because the Gospel is the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), which is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and the righteousness of God is shown through it. (Romans 1:17)

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:27-29)

However, we need to have godly desires, instead of worldly desires as well to endure our life as followers of Jesus Christ, for “we know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) This is because if we don’t have any godly desires, then it becomes legalistic and eventually we will give up.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:3-9)

Therefore, let’s REALLY abide in the Spirit and the word of God with having godly desires within our hearts and minds, as we wait for the gracious salvation to be revealed with Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus has said: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.’ (Matthew 22:37-38)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (Colossians 3:1-4, 1 Corinthians 10:31)