How to Be Saved...Part 3

So far we have discussed the Holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. So we pause here for a moment of introspection.

There is a grave difference between the aknkoledgement of sin in general and the abhorrence of it. The first is a mental exercise which finds agreement. The second becomes a motivation of the heart which transforms one's entire life.

Yesterday a man was speaking to me of a famous person whom he personally knew. Said this man was a good and moral man. Said he went to Catholic mass every week and lived a good life. I then brought up the fact that this famous person is now living with his girlfriend, not a first for him, and had cheated on his first wife and then got divorced....not to mention that they had a child together before marriage. Do you see the HUGE disconnect between Godly living and the world's standards? It is plain to see.

So take a hard look at your life. If you say you agree with scripture, and yet couldn't quote the verses you live by, it's because you just have a mental agreement with the Bible. A cordial arrangement by which will carry you as far from Christ as any evil.

If your life is a constant struggle against the things of this world, and you readily show the fruit of the spirit born of repentance, constant time in the word (for ALL Christians love to spend time in God's word) and time in prayer, then you are on the right path. If not, then please read 1 John in preparation for my next post. "How then must a person be saved?"

How to Be Saved...Part 2

The sinfulness of Man.

from...The Word of the Lord. God's word, the Bible, shows man cannot get to heaven by himself, no matter how "good" he thinks he is.

Man...

Has broken God's law.

Romans 3:10,23 - "There is non righteous, not even one...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Will pay the eternal penalty for sin.

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Cannot save himself by his good works.

Titus 3:5 - "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

How to Be Saved...

Last night my son Cameron had many questions about how to become a Christian. At the age of 6, even he is aware of being a sinful person. Here are some of the passages we shared with him, and now I share with you.

First, one must know who God is and what he requires.

The Bible is God's revelation (revealing of truth) to man. The passages below are quoting scriptures from The Holy Bible.

God

1. Created and owns everything.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 24:1 - The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.

2. Is perfectly holy.

Matthew 5:48 - Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

3. Requires perfect obedience to His law.

James 2:10 - For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

My next post will cover the condition of man's sin. Is man Holy and perfect and able to be saved apart from Jesus?

Play Set

As I collected wood from the disposable pile at our construction site (the stuff they didn't want) I wondered how I would be able to collect enough to build something for my kids. After stacking it at home, there's only enough to build a small platform (2x2) and maybe a railing around it.

Today when I got home from work, there were many pieces to a kids play set. My wife informed me that someone from church was getting rid of it as their kids were too old for it, and wondered if we wanted it. Of course! It has two little slides, two tiny tunnels, and it just the right size for all three of our children to enjoy it.

Trusting in the Lord, and being content with what we have, doesn't mean God will then provide those things for us. Though He did in this case. It means that He will provide us the grace and patience to be content in whatever the circumstance. Even if it's a little thing like wanting a play set for your children.

May God be praised!

Are you going to Heaven?

The Gospel

God is Holy

Leviticus 19:2 Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Problem! No one is Holy!

Sin

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Sin brings death

Romans 6:23a The wages of sin is death,

Jesus brings life

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Cor 15:3-4 Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the third day

How we are saved

Eph 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.”

John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Our response?

Is 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

Rom 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God commands all men to repent

Acts 17:30 “now He commands all people everywhere to repent.”

If I do not repent (turn from my sin) God's wrath abides on me and I will spend eternity apart from Him in Hell.

What happens when I become a Christian?

I am changed!

1 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Shepherd's Conference

Over 3000 Men from 40+ countries

3 days of food, fellowship, and in depth sermons

Much time with my Dad.

It was a great time! Another blessing from the Lord.

People from the "Institute for Creation Research" were there. If you want to learn more about a young earth (things like fossilized trees that traverse multiple rock layers, tropical forests under the arctic and other things an old earth can't explain) visit their web site. www.icr.org

Men like Alex Montoya, John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, Al Mohler and others were there. These men have been heard by hundreds of millions of people and we were blessed to hear them all in the same place during the same week. Go here to hear their messages. http://www.shepherdsfellowship.org/media/

...and the music was beautiful. Philip Webb, who sings at the Metropolitan Opera in NY, brough the house down. To hear the hymns I sing each week at my church sung by Mr. Webb was a pleasant worshipful experience to be sure. I am so looking forward to singing with millions of followers of Christ in heaven....all with thier new bodies and voices praising the Lord together.

But to end where I started, the best part of the whole week was worshipping the Lord with my Dad.

dave