How to respond to GOD's salvation

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How to Respond to God's Salvation

Isaiah 12:1-6 In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

God is angry at all because of their sinful behavior. And "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved." Eph 2:3-5

Through faith and repentance we put our trust in the salvation God has provided through the atoning work of Christ, which frees us from fears. For "there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1John 4:18

Notice that the primary response to God's salvation is verbal.

• Give thanks to the Lord
  
• Call on his name
  
• Make known among the nations what he has done (Evangelism)
  
• proclaim that his name is exalted
  
• Sing to the Lord
  
• Shout aloud and sing for joy
  

Of course such praise should be free from hypocrisy so that what we say is consistent with what we do. But speaking to God and of God to men is primarily what God is looking for as a response to his salvation.

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise— the fruit of lips that confess his name." Hebrews 13:15

And notice also the Psalm 107:19-22 "they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy."

But unthankfulness leads to a corrupt mind and corrupt desires as it says in Romans 1:21 that "although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."

In Ephesians Paul instructs the Christians, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." Eph 5:19

Music is a form of worship. What is your song? For those who reckon God as their salvation it says "the LORD is my song".

And what subjects dominate our conversations? For the Law says, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deut 11:18-20 The Link.