“Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation [is] near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.” (Isa 56:1 AV)
There are good motivations to live right before the LORD. Above is just one of them. Knowing the appearance of our LORD Jesus Christ is eminent, the body of Christ should seek to live and do right. Salvation spoken of above is not eternal salvation. It is salvation from Israel’s captors. Babylon and Assyria, and by extension Persia, held Israel captive for over two hundred years. Was about to give his prophecy of the times preceding the coming of the Messiah. There was every hope that the physical duress under which the nation of Israel suffered would soon come to an end with the appearance of the Messiah. He would save them from Gentile oppression. He would establish righteousness once and for all in a nation called to be the righteousness of God. This is the promise of God. The N.T. saint can also assume the same promise. At least in principle. By life or by death, our salvation is near. Either Jesus will come back in our lifetime, or we will pass as all others have passed. Either way, our eternal salvation and never-ending righteousness are nearer than when we first believed. If so, it makes perfect sense to prepare for that eventuality.
Most of us can identify with this one. When we approached the end of a school year and our finals were looming before us, how many of us did not study to get the best possible grade? I think there were those who tried to ace everything they attempted because it would factor into future decisions. The college they would attend, the ability to advance in their studies. That sort of thing. Then there were those who didn’t care if they passed. All they wanted to do was to get through the years before them before they dropped out. They didn’t care if they had to repeat a grade because when they turned the appropriate age, they were getting out anyway. These two groups were the minority. The rest of us studied to pass. We learned more so get a good grade that we could live with. We did not study to get the highest grade possible. The closer we got to graduation, the less and less we tried. We knew we would pass. We knew we would graduate. We knew that last test of our scholastic career would have almost no impact on what our future held. So, we did the best we could do without stressing out about it.
This is not so with meeting our LORD. We will meet Him face to face and, although we will be transformed into His image, our goal should be to do as best we can until that becomes our state. Knowing that the finish line is at hand, then why not change? Part of the salvation experience is repentance from sin. Our attitude regarding sin changes. We are convicted regarding it and we realize it is our sin that separates us from the LORD. We understand that our sin is the cause for pending eternal damnation. Guilt and shame are more than we can bear. So, we cry out for mercy. He forgives and restores. If that is the case, why wouldn’t we continue the process of cleansing from sin? If righteousness and judgment are within sight, why wouldn’t we strive to experience both as soon as we can? That is the missing ingredient in our presentation of the gospel. Sin is a minor issue while heaven is the major one. We have it backwards. Sin is the major issue. Heaven is the minor one. Who we dwell with is far more important that where we dwell. Knowing God intimately and deeply because our sins are washed by the blood of Christ is the most important factor of salvation. If we have this relationship, the closer we got to its consummation, the more we should desire His righteousness.