John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

Yesterday I laid out your first gear demand of saving faith. If you are going to get engaged in Christ you needed to hear the truth. Ask yourself this, if you are going to enter into a covenant contract with a sovereign God who can and will execute the demand of the contract, don’t you think you should know what is expected of you?

Matthew 13:23a But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it;

Pain can be avoided in the execution of a contract if you have read all the fine print first before signing. Legally binding contracts only require your signature. If you have not read the fine print, that is not the fault of the offering party. It is not that Jesus did not make Himself clear on these matters. It is just your lawyer who read the contract for you didn’t bring up all the finer points because he was eager for you to sign the contract.

A pastor, evangelist, missionary, elder, friend, mentor or even a complete stranger who is telling you about this free will offer of salvation just might leave out words that would make you think twice. An offer of salvation without understanding is not a saving faith. Saving faith is truth in condition and intent. You have to face the harsh truth about your condition before you are willing to seek a way out. The second part, intent, has to do with accepting an offer for the way out. Not all offers are alike.

John 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Yesterday I placed saving faith in first gear as a requirement of engagement. Please understand that we, the church are engaged to the bridegroom. In this we have entered into a covenant relationship with the God of the universe. If you have not committed yourself by saving faith to this covenant contract, it is in your best interest to understand the terms and conditions of the contract.

God takes this contract with the utmost seriousness. Christ died on the cross to obtain His bride. It is expected of you who enter into this contract to take it as seriously as your covenant partner, the bridegroom, Jesus Christ. You should understand what is expected of you.

Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

His first contract demand is that He will have all of you. You will love him will all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and with all your strength. You will not be allowed to deny Him any part of yourself.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.