As Christians, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)  As a result, we may have forgotten what it was like to not have these blessings.  Ephesians 2:1-3;12-13 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  We were dead in our sins and naturally children of wrath.  We were without Christ, without hope and without God in the world.

Romans 6:19b-21 “For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.  For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.”  We were slaves of unrighteousness and our lives led to ever increasing lawlessness.  We were ashamed of our own actions.

When we lived as one of the world, our consciences bothered us for the things we had done.  We had trouble in our relationships with those around us.  Problems of the world plagued us.  We were slaves to sin.  Our destination was the lake of fire!  Revelation 20:13-15 “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

We have enjoyed the spiritual blessings in Christ.  Why would we ever want to go back to the things of the world?  Hebrews 6:4-6; 9-12 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.  But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”  I think that states the case very clearly.  God will not forget our work and labor of love.  Let us not lose our faith but with patience continue in our service to God and inherit the promises.