If a person’s motivation for “believing in” Jesus is avoiding the punishment of hell or gaining the reward of heaven, it’s no wonder that, either way, he or she might need reassurance repeatedly after the big "decision". How many times will they need to be told, "Don't worry, your place in paradise is secure"?
A certain level of uncertainty is entirely understandable for those who conceive of salvation as belonging entirely to the future. After all, you have the rest of your life to sit and wonder and worry.
But, biblically speaking, salvation starts now. And that's good news because condemnation had started long, long ago - the moment Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
We have all been born outside the Garden of Eden, outside of the direct presence of God. We are sad creatures: made for a particular purpose - to be the image of our Creator - but unable to achieve that purpose because we're bent inward.
In this state, we are easily manipulated and deceived by the spiritual powers of this world, held in slavery to sin, and subject to death.
The good news is that our Creator sent his only Son in human flesh to redeem humanity and the entire creation. To rescue us. To put us back on course.
Ever since Jesus first started preaching the coming (re)establishment of God's Kingdom on earth, people have been challenged to leave behind their sad, but familiar, routine in the dominion of darkness in order to follow the new King into the light.
And even though each new wannabe citizen of the Kingdom comes with a criminal record, the King has made it possible to wipe every slate clean. If you want in, there's no baggage holding you back. Inside the Kingdom is Life, the way it was meant to be.
One day, when the King descends to earth with all of Heaven, it will be absolutely perfect - no sadness, no sin, no more death. Until then, the citizens carry on the process of redeeming all of earth, in the King's name and through the power of his Spirit. It is exciting, challenging, and dangerous work. The world pushes back.
In Luke 19, Jesus tells Zaccheus, “Today (Now!) salvation has come to this house ... for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the (Previously!) lost.”
This proclamation was prompted when Zaccheus called Jesus "Lord" and then declared his intention to give half his wealth to the poor and to make restitution to anyone he had wronged.
Nobody in that house - nor Zaccheus nor Jesus Himself - had any reason to doubt Zaccheus's salvation.
He had already begun living it.
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