This month, Christian Students attended a weekend conference in Latham Springs, Texas. The conference is held twice a year and is attended by college students all over the south central United States. The topic for the weekend was twofold: Salvation from God’s Side and Life Practices Needed to be Normal and Healthy in the Church Life.

Here are some highlights from both parts of the conference:

Salvation from God’s Side

1. Salvation from God’s side comes through the all-inclusive Christ as the mystery of God, as the expressed love of God, as the Lamb of God, and as the life of God.

2. God is a mystery. And yet He has progressively revealed Himself in various ways. He was first made known through creation, then through the law, but finally and especially through Christ! Christ shattered the veil of vagueness. Christ solves the mystery of God (Colossians 2:2).

3. There are two important becomings in the Bible. First, God became flesh (John 1:14), so men could contact Him directly. However, He was still limited by time and space. Then, Christ became the life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45) so that anyone could contact and receive Him at any time.

4. The target of God’s love is weak, ungodly sinners (Romans 5:6-8) – in other words, us.

5. God’s full salvation takes us from this hopeless condition to becoming children of God (John 1:12), sons of God (Romans 8:14), and heirs of God (Romans 8:17).

6. Eventually, everything God does in His salvation is to produce the church, which is the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13), the habitation of God, and the masterpiece of God (Ephesians 2:10).

Life Practices Needed to be Normal and Healthy in the Church Life

1. We must yearn for spiritual growth. It is against God’s nature to ignore our yearning for Him. If you ask, you will receive (Matthew 7:7).

2. We should not be discouraged if we don’t see immediate spiritual growth. Higher forms of life grow more slowly. While a fungus may grow overnight, the eternal life of God in us, the highest life, takes a lifetime to reach maturity.

3. We learn by practicing. To become a bodybuilder, one must exercise by lifting weights regularly. To become a normal and healthy member of the church, one must exercise himself unto godliness (1 Timothy 4:7).

4. As sons of God, we must learn to follow the leading of the Spirit within us (Romans 8:14). The answers we receive won’t always satisfy our souls, but will always produce life and peace (Romans 8:6).

5. Having companions in the Lord can strengthen us to labor for the Lord, to rise when we fall, and to withstand the enemy’s attacks (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

6. Seek the Lord, run after Him, and gain Him now, because in eternity the only thing that will matter is how much Christ was wrought into your being.

Kyle Barton
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