Sam's Saving Faith

My Church, Urban Hope, is between pastors these days…  Well, as far as officially appointed positions go, that's true but not real in reality.

Rob has been leading weekly Bible Studies since the beginning of Covid-19, first completely online and then in person in the social hall of our church once we could start gathering again.  

Rob's knowledge of our Christian Faith is an amazing and rare combination of heartfelt Faith and intellectual well-read knowledge.  And why wouldn't it be?  He met Jesus first hand as he read a Bible undisturbed while living in a hole in upstate Pennsylvania.  There are a couple 'code words' in that last sentence that some readers here will clearly understand.

Rob's approach to our Faith and found very clearly in his approach to Biblical interpretation and teaching is that we are saved by God's Grace.  If we, individually have accepted Christ, even if our behaviors have not yet caught up to the status of wholesome living, we're covered by God's Grace.

This past Sunday, Rob (Real Name) and Sam (Blog Name), and I were standing in the gym of our church where we had just watched the movie "I Still Believe." 

Sam was telling us of his Faith and how he wants to find total release from his opioid usage but isn't there yet.  Sam had found that moment and maintained it for a considerable time some time ago.  The call of the wild shouted loudly one day and Sam was back at it.  Sam wanted healing.

Rob assured Sam that even with his current drug usage, his eternal salvation was absolutely unequivocally guaranteed by God's Grace and Sam's commitment to Christ.  

"Keep coming to church, Bro." Rob told Sam.  Rob was clear to add:  "You'll find healing one day and you're covered by God's Grace."

48 hours later,[1] Sam's eternal healing unexpectedly arrived through God's Grace, his commitment to Christ, and a blue packet of five-dollar 'dope' that did him in.  Overdose overtook his body while God's Grace overtook his soul.

Sam's final conversation in a church from a pastoral person was that he is saved in the here and now and for all of eternity by God's Grace and his personal commitment to Christ. 

Little did the three of us standing there realize that two days later, Sam would enter the Presence of the Trinity for the remainder of time itself…

From Today's Reading in
Grace For the Moment
by Max Lucado

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[1] Tuesday, October 12, 2021