Journal Ps 30-32 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover (make excuses) for my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found
(Surely in the rush of great waters, they (the prayers) shall not reach him…” Ps 32:5-6
Observation: Concerning a more recent proverb, “There are no atheists in a foxhole,” this scripture reference may just put that in the column of “futile gestures.”
Analysis: God has a personality. There are aspects of his Attributes and Character that are immutable, that is, unchanging. It is because He is God, that folks like us can trust in Him for the “Bible tells me so.” The Trinitarian God does not talk out of both sides of His mouth; he is straightforward in his communications.
I think it is Man that looks for an angle: How can I read the Bible to make sure I benefit?
Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:16) Many put their confidence in this statement, but it is also treated like a formula: Step One: Believe or confess a belief in Jesus’ saving Grace; Step Two: Get baptized. Even adding this scripture, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 24:13) continues a false narrative of continuing an initial or beginning confession will equate to everlasting salvation.
Facts are, I don’t know the mind of God that way—No one does. What anyone can know is that He is mysterious in His ways and a guy like me cannot box him in with his own statements that I read in one section while ignoring other of his statements in other sections of the Scriptures.
However, I can discern from the Scriptures that God shows an optimal way to persevere and persist to the End: Search for Him daily. Do not coast in progressive Christianity—progress in Knowing Him more and more.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near…” (Is 55:6). Searching for Him and His Face daily sure beats trying to stuff all my prayers in a foxhole of crisis (or the flood reference above of, “Surely in the rush of great waters, they (the prayers) shall not reach him…”)
Prayer: Father, I understand having confidence in your saving Grace. I also understand having a hope in my salvation. It seems like it is talking out of both sides of my mouth, but it is not. It is akin (if I can create a metaphor) to calling myself a Ballplayer on a team and having that confidence and then going out on the field and having a hope that I can be a ballplayer.
It is the difference between calling myself a disciple and being a disciple. I want to be a disciple, growing every day into being a disciple.
Amen
Ricky Two Shoes