II Corinthians 1:10
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver:
in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
In the beginning of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, he tells them of a desperate situation he faced in Asia in which he feared for his life. The only thing he could do was to trust God for his deliverance. God answered his prayers and rescued His faithful servant. Although Paul is giving an account of a literal personal experience, you and I can see from this verse a broader spiritual deliverance being illustrated.
- Past – delivered
I hope you can go back to a time and a place where you asked God to save you and you trusted Christ for your salvation. Christ paid for our sins on the cross of Calvary. By trusting Him, we are free from having to pay that debt to God. He has delivered us from the penalty of sin. - Present – doth deliver
Everyday as a child of God, I have a choice. I can do right and glorify Him, or I can do wrong and pacify my flesh. Temptation can be very strong, but Christ is my strength. Through Him I can be victorious. He will deliver me from the power of sin. - Future – will yet deliver
I love my life that God has given me, but it is still full of ups and downs, victories and defeats, and moments of selfishness and service. What makes our lives so volatile? We are not perfect. We have a weak carnal nature that constantly fights against the will of God. We have not yet been glorified and made perfect. One day we will. When we get to heaven, there will be only perfection and beauty. We will be forever holy. He will, one day soon, deliver us from the presence of sin.
Paul described his deliverance as past, present, and future. So is our salvation. It is eternal. He saved us once from sin’s penalty. He saves us every day from sin’s power. One day, He will save us from from sin’s presence.
photo credit: Tristan Morton
Bell Creek Baptist Church 