The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 1:28b,
"This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God."
The gospel is called the "good news" in that it tells us how to be "saved". Saved from what, exactly?
Here Paul tells his readers that living their lives "in a manner worthy of the gospel", standing firm, striving for the faith of the gospel and not being frightened in any way is a sign to those who are not saved that they will be destroyed and while the believers will be saved. Philippians 1:27-28. Paul points out it is by God himself that this happens.
In a sense we speak of being "saved" from sin and its consequences, as Paul tells us in Romans 6. Believers gain a freedom to overcome sin in their lives. Believers become freed from their slavery to sin. Often folks speak of being saved from the evil intentions of Satan, as he "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8.
However, here in Philippians 1:28 it is clear that it is God who destroys and it is God who saves.
God has told us he will judge all who are guilty of sin by casting them into an eternal fiery lake of burning sulfur, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15.
Hell is described as a "fiery lake of burning sulfur" into which all who remain guilty of their sins at judgment time are consigned by God, Revelation 21:8. It is first and foremost God's own judgement we are saved from when we embrace him in faith. It is God's righteous decree of eternal death for all who are guilty of their sin on that horrible day of judgment that believers are saved from. Through Jesus Christ, Christians are saved from God's wrath.
The good news is that out of God's tremendous love for us, he has made a way for all of us sinners (and we are all sinners!). If we would but place our faith in him, the sacrifice Jesus made of himself will be applied in our account with God. We will be saved, spared, set apart for life eternal! "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.
God is the one we need to fear, and it is God himself we are saved from if we would but embrace Jesus Christ in faith.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
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