Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Summary: Paul addresses a question that often haunts the believer’s mind.
I was in a Bible class the other day, and one of the people there asked if people can lose their salvation.
The discussion leader paused for a moment and then turned to the whiteboard behind him. Among all the notes scribbled on the board was a simple diagram. A single line represented the life of a person who believes in Jesus. It looked something like this:
The key point in anyone’s lifetime is Jesus. Everything changes when we encounter the risen Lord. Which brings us back to the question asked in the Bible study: “Can people lose their salvation?”
Without a word, the man at the whiteboard drew a small box with a checkmark inside. His diagram looked like this:
Then, turning back to the person who asked the question, he asked, “If someone says they believe in Jesus, and checks the box marked ‘Salvation,’ does that mean they are saved, even if nothing changes in their life?
There was a stunned silence for a moment, and then the person who had asked the question said, “No, of course not.”
The implication seemed to be that we can’t lose what we don’t have. As James points out, faith is more than words (James 2:17).
This is where Paul’s statement becomes very interesting.
“Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
For people who want assurance of salvation, there is no better source than God’s promises (1 John 5:13) and a full commitment to living for Jesus.
When Paul says, “Those who have served well…” he is not only referring to overseers and deacons. Every believer is called to do the same (John 14:15).
People who serve the Lord well gain standing with believers and unbelievers alike. Unbelievers recognize integrity and hard work when they see it. Believers recognize the fruit of the Spirit when they see God’s faithful believers in action (Galatians 5:22-23).
There is, perhaps, no greater treasure for a believer than “great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” The path to assurance is clear, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).
Application: Build your faith on the rock (Matthew 7:24).
Food for Thought: What does it gain us if we argue about who is saved and who isn’t? Who really knows?
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