Psalm 69:13 English Standard Version (ESV) But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.  At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

What is the acceptable time in our lives that activates God’s saving faithfulness?

If we look at the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it did not begin until the forerunner spirit of John the Baptist came and preached repentance. The fact that Jesus came to John to be baptized even though He had done nothing to repent of before He began His ministry sets the order of saving faith.

Repent of a life lived in sin and discover the acceptable timing of saving faith.

Repentance cannot be looked at as being sorry about the life we lived. Repentance is turning our backs on living a life of sin and starting to follow righteousness.

Is righteousness an idea or a man? Neither, He is God. God’s saving faithfulness was to send His Son into the world to show us what a righteous walk looked like.

Over and over again Jesus said “Follow me.” 

Where He led them was to the Cross.

The Cross is the transition point where God ended obedience to the law for righteousness sake and replaced it with faith in Christ’s sacrifice.

Galatians 2:20 English Standard Version (ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We “Cross over” from death to life because we place our faith in the work of the Cross. We do not get there without it.

Ephesians 2:8 English Standard Version (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

At the acceptable time, beginning with repentance. It is the beginning, not the end.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
      creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
  who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
  and born of the virgin Mary.
  He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
  was crucified, died, and was buried;
  he descended to hell.
  The third day he rose again from the dead.
  He ascended to heaven
  and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
  From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
  the holy catholic* church,
  the communion of saints,
  the forgiveness of sins,
  the resurrection of the body,
  and the life everlasting. Amen.

*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places

 This is a pretty good list. Do we hold each and every point in the Apostles Creed as inviolate? Foundational beliefs have a base to build upon. The issue at hand in this stack is salvation in its eternal sense. One issue leads to another and it builds to the crescendo, eternal life.

My point yesterday was directed at a life of faith in which truth is revealed by God and not by the agreement of others. We live this life of faith in the here and now. What this creed does not point out is the work of the Holy Spirit to exercise God’s will through us.

I believe faith is more important than understanding. I do not have to understand how God works toward everyone’s good to believe He does. That is not a matter of understanding, it is a matter of faith.

I do not have a problem with anyone who holds every line of the Apostles Creed as inviolate. I just ask for the latitude to hold faith above knowledge and understanding. We cannot be saved without faith. A logical, rational understanding of the works of the Cross are insufficient to active saving grace. Faith is required.