B
bibleberean
Guest
bibleberean said:
Amen! :D
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Desire to be a vessel of honor unto the Lord Jesus Christ?
Join For His Glory for a discussion on how
https://christianforums.net/threads/a-vessel-of-honor.110278/
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Taking the time to pray? Christ is the answer in times of need
https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
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Depending upon the Holy Spirit for all you do?
Read through the following study by Tenchi for more on this topic
https://christianforums.net/threads/without-the-holy-spirit-we-can-do-nothing.109419/
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How are famous preachers sometimes effected by sin?
Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject
https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042
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Amen! :D
B
bibleberean
Guest
Preaching the gospel costs nothing.
Give it away.
2 Corinthians 11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
Preaching the gospel is very pleasing to God. He is pleased when His children proclaim salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
As Christians we need to spend time preaching the gospel.
First we need to know what the gospel of salvation consists of.
We are all sinners.
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Christ died for our sins! That is important. He did what no man could do.
We need to believe we are sinners and need a saviour.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1 Kings 8:46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
We need to preach that salvation cannot be merited by any work we do nor by any law we keep.
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
We must believe that Christ died and was buried.
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Those who teach that the body or our Lord was not really dead cannot be saved.
We must preach and believe that Christ rose again from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Believing and understanding the resurrection is a requirement for salvation.
If Jesus was not raised then we shall not be raised from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Beware of those who preach that there is no resurrection of the body.
Preach the gospel!
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Prayerfully study the bible. Then go and preach!
The sad thing is that most Christians will not obey this mandate.
The rewards for preaching are unfathomable.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Give it away.
2 Corinthians 11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
Preaching the gospel is very pleasing to God. He is pleased when His children proclaim salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
As Christians we need to spend time preaching the gospel.
First we need to know what the gospel of salvation consists of.
We are all sinners.
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Christ died for our sins! That is important. He did what no man could do.
We need to believe we are sinners and need a saviour.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1 Kings 8:46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
We need to preach that salvation cannot be merited by any work we do nor by any law we keep.
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
We must believe that Christ died and was buried.
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Those who teach that the body or our Lord was not really dead cannot be saved.
We must preach and believe that Christ rose again from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Believing and understanding the resurrection is a requirement for salvation.
If Jesus was not raised then we shall not be raised from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Beware of those who preach that there is no resurrection of the body.
Preach the gospel!
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Prayerfully study the bible. Then go and preach!
The sad thing is that most Christians will not obey this mandate.
The rewards for preaching are unfathomable.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
B
bibleberean
Guest
When I See The Blood
by C.H. Spurgeon
GOD'S PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SAFE. But God's people are only safe through the blood of Christ. They are bought with the precious blood of Christ. Nothing can hurt them because "the blood" is upon them. It was so that night in Egypt; God spared because He saw the blood-mark on the lintel and on the two side-posts. And so it is with us.
In the case of the Israelites, it was the blood of the paschal lamb. In our case, it is the blood of a divinely appointed victim. Jesus Christ did not come into this world unappointed. He was sent by His Father.
Sinner! The blood of Christ is well pleasing to God; for God Himself did send Christ to be the Redeemer and He Himself did lay upon Him the iniquity of us all. It was God's will that the blood of Jesus should be shed. Jesus is God's chosen Saviour for men. Sinner! He is able to save you.
Christ Jesus, like the lamb, was not only a divinely appointed victim, but he was spotless. Had there been one sin in Christ, He had not been capable of being our Saviour-but He was without sin. Turn, then, your eye to the cross and see Jesus bleeding there and dying for you. Remember, "For sins not His own, He died to atone." The blood of Jesus; is able to save thee because "He died, the Just for the unjust."
But some will say, "Whence has the blood of Christ such power to save?" Not only because God appointed that blood and because it was the blood of a spotless being, but because Christ Himself was God. If Christ were man only, there would be no efficacy in His blood to save.
The blood is once shed for the remission of sin. The paschal lamb was slain every year. But Christ, once for all, hath put away sin by the offering of Himself. He has said, "It is finished." Let that ring in thine ears.
For a moment, try to picture to yourself Christ on the cross. Lift now your eyes and see the three crosses upon that rising knoll. See in the center the thorn-crowned brow of Christ. See the hands nailed fast to the accursed tree! See His face, more marred than that of any other man. See it now as His head bows upon His bosom in the agonies of death! He was a real man, remember. It was a real cross. Do not think of these things as fancies and romance. There was such a being and He died as I describe it. Sit still a moment and think: "The blood of that Man, whom now I behold dying, must be my redemption. And if I would be saved, I must put my only trust in what He suffered for me." God says, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you. "
The blood of Christ-nothing but it can ever save the soul. If some foolish Israelite had despised the command of God and had said, "I will sprinkle something else upon the door posts," or, "I will adorn the lintel with jewels of gold and silver," he must have perished. Nothing could save his household but the sprinkled blood. And, now, let us all remember that "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." My works, my prayers, my tears cannot save me. The blood, the blood alone, has power to redeem. Sacraments cannot save me. Nothing but the blood of Jesus has the slightest saving power. O you that are trusting in baptism, confirmation or the Lord's Supper-nothing but the blood can save. I care not how right the ordinance, how true the form, how scriptural the practice: it is all vanity to you if you rely on it to save. God forbid that I should say a word against ordinances or against holy things-but keep them in their places. If you make them the basis of your soul's salvation, they are lighter than a shadow. There is not-I repeat it again-the slightest atom of saving power anywhere but in the blood of Jesus. That blood only has the power to save. The blood stands out the only rock of our salvation.
So jealous is God about this that anything you put with Christ, however good it is, becomes, from the fact of your putting it with Him, an accursed thing. And what is it that thou wouldst put with Christ? Thy good works? What! Wilt thou yoke a reptile with an angel-yoke thyself to the chariot of salvation with Christ? What are thy good works? Thy righteousnesses are "as filthy rags"-and shall filthy rags be joined to the spotless Christ? It must not be. Rely on Jesus only, and thou canst not perish. But, rely on anything with Him and thou are as surely condemned as if thou shouldst rely on thy sins. Jesus only-this is the rock of our salvation.
"Oh," says one, "I could trust in Christ if I felt my sins more." Sir, is thy repentance to be a part-Saviour? The blood is to save thee, not thy tears; Christ's death, not thy repentance. Thou art bidden this day to trust in Christ, not in thy feelings on account of sin. Many a man has been brought into great soul-distress because he has looked more at his repentance than at Christ:
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone,
Thou must save and Thou alone.
"Nay" says another, "But I feel that I do not value the blood of Christ as I ought, and, therefore, I am afraid to believe." My friend, that is another insidious form of the same error. God does not say, "When I see your estimate of the blood of Christ I will pass over you." No, but, "When I see the blood. " It is not your estimate of that blood-it is the blood that saves you. As I said before, that magnificent, solitary blood must be alone.
"Nay" says another, "but if I had more faith then I should have hope." That, too, is a very deadly shape of the same evil. You are not saved by the efficacy of your faith but by the efficacy of the blood of Christ. I bid you believe, but I bid you not to look to your believing as the ground of your salvation. No man will go to heaven if he trusts to his own faith. You may as well trust to your own good works as trust to your own faith. Your faith cannot hang upon itself-it must hang on Christ. You must not think of your faith, but of Christ. Faith comes from meditation upon Christ. Turn, then, your eye, not upon faith but upon Jesus. It is not the efficacy of your believing in Him; it is the efficacy of His blood applied to you through the Spirit.
I do not know how sufficiently to follow Satan in all his windings into the human heart. But this I know-he is always trying to keep back this great truth: The blood, and the blood alone, has power to save.
"Oh," yet says another, "If I had such-and such an experience, then I could trust." Friend, it is not thine experience-it is the blood. God did not say, "When I see your experience," but, "When I see the blood of Christ." Acquire experience, cultivate the Christian graces. But, oh, do not put them where Christ's blood ought to be.
I hear Thy welcome voice
That calls me, Lord, to Thee
For cleansing in Thy precious Blood
That flowed on Calvary.
All hail, Atoning Blood!
All hail, Redeeming Grace!
All hail, the Gift of Christ, our Lord,
Our Strength and Righteousness.
-C. H. SPURGEON
by C.H. Spurgeon
GOD'S PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SAFE. But God's people are only safe through the blood of Christ. They are bought with the precious blood of Christ. Nothing can hurt them because "the blood" is upon them. It was so that night in Egypt; God spared because He saw the blood-mark on the lintel and on the two side-posts. And so it is with us.
In the case of the Israelites, it was the blood of the paschal lamb. In our case, it is the blood of a divinely appointed victim. Jesus Christ did not come into this world unappointed. He was sent by His Father.
Sinner! The blood of Christ is well pleasing to God; for God Himself did send Christ to be the Redeemer and He Himself did lay upon Him the iniquity of us all. It was God's will that the blood of Jesus should be shed. Jesus is God's chosen Saviour for men. Sinner! He is able to save you.
Christ Jesus, like the lamb, was not only a divinely appointed victim, but he was spotless. Had there been one sin in Christ, He had not been capable of being our Saviour-but He was without sin. Turn, then, your eye to the cross and see Jesus bleeding there and dying for you. Remember, "For sins not His own, He died to atone." The blood of Jesus; is able to save thee because "He died, the Just for the unjust."
But some will say, "Whence has the blood of Christ such power to save?" Not only because God appointed that blood and because it was the blood of a spotless being, but because Christ Himself was God. If Christ were man only, there would be no efficacy in His blood to save.
The blood is once shed for the remission of sin. The paschal lamb was slain every year. But Christ, once for all, hath put away sin by the offering of Himself. He has said, "It is finished." Let that ring in thine ears.
For a moment, try to picture to yourself Christ on the cross. Lift now your eyes and see the three crosses upon that rising knoll. See in the center the thorn-crowned brow of Christ. See the hands nailed fast to the accursed tree! See His face, more marred than that of any other man. See it now as His head bows upon His bosom in the agonies of death! He was a real man, remember. It was a real cross. Do not think of these things as fancies and romance. There was such a being and He died as I describe it. Sit still a moment and think: "The blood of that Man, whom now I behold dying, must be my redemption. And if I would be saved, I must put my only trust in what He suffered for me." God says, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you. "
The blood of Christ-nothing but it can ever save the soul. If some foolish Israelite had despised the command of God and had said, "I will sprinkle something else upon the door posts," or, "I will adorn the lintel with jewels of gold and silver," he must have perished. Nothing could save his household but the sprinkled blood. And, now, let us all remember that "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." My works, my prayers, my tears cannot save me. The blood, the blood alone, has power to redeem. Sacraments cannot save me. Nothing but the blood of Jesus has the slightest saving power. O you that are trusting in baptism, confirmation or the Lord's Supper-nothing but the blood can save. I care not how right the ordinance, how true the form, how scriptural the practice: it is all vanity to you if you rely on it to save. God forbid that I should say a word against ordinances or against holy things-but keep them in their places. If you make them the basis of your soul's salvation, they are lighter than a shadow. There is not-I repeat it again-the slightest atom of saving power anywhere but in the blood of Jesus. That blood only has the power to save. The blood stands out the only rock of our salvation.
So jealous is God about this that anything you put with Christ, however good it is, becomes, from the fact of your putting it with Him, an accursed thing. And what is it that thou wouldst put with Christ? Thy good works? What! Wilt thou yoke a reptile with an angel-yoke thyself to the chariot of salvation with Christ? What are thy good works? Thy righteousnesses are "as filthy rags"-and shall filthy rags be joined to the spotless Christ? It must not be. Rely on Jesus only, and thou canst not perish. But, rely on anything with Him and thou are as surely condemned as if thou shouldst rely on thy sins. Jesus only-this is the rock of our salvation.
"Oh," says one, "I could trust in Christ if I felt my sins more." Sir, is thy repentance to be a part-Saviour? The blood is to save thee, not thy tears; Christ's death, not thy repentance. Thou art bidden this day to trust in Christ, not in thy feelings on account of sin. Many a man has been brought into great soul-distress because he has looked more at his repentance than at Christ:
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone,
Thou must save and Thou alone.
"Nay" says another, "But I feel that I do not value the blood of Christ as I ought, and, therefore, I am afraid to believe." My friend, that is another insidious form of the same error. God does not say, "When I see your estimate of the blood of Christ I will pass over you." No, but, "When I see the blood. " It is not your estimate of that blood-it is the blood that saves you. As I said before, that magnificent, solitary blood must be alone.
"Nay" says another, "but if I had more faith then I should have hope." That, too, is a very deadly shape of the same evil. You are not saved by the efficacy of your faith but by the efficacy of the blood of Christ. I bid you believe, but I bid you not to look to your believing as the ground of your salvation. No man will go to heaven if he trusts to his own faith. You may as well trust to your own good works as trust to your own faith. Your faith cannot hang upon itself-it must hang on Christ. You must not think of your faith, but of Christ. Faith comes from meditation upon Christ. Turn, then, your eye, not upon faith but upon Jesus. It is not the efficacy of your believing in Him; it is the efficacy of His blood applied to you through the Spirit.
I do not know how sufficiently to follow Satan in all his windings into the human heart. But this I know-he is always trying to keep back this great truth: The blood, and the blood alone, has power to save.
"Oh," yet says another, "If I had such-and such an experience, then I could trust." Friend, it is not thine experience-it is the blood. God did not say, "When I see your experience," but, "When I see the blood of Christ." Acquire experience, cultivate the Christian graces. But, oh, do not put them where Christ's blood ought to be.
I hear Thy welcome voice
That calls me, Lord, to Thee
For cleansing in Thy precious Blood
That flowed on Calvary.
All hail, Atoning Blood!
All hail, Redeeming Grace!
All hail, the Gift of Christ, our Lord,
Our Strength and Righteousness.
-C. H. SPURGEON
B
bibleberean
Guest
The Gospel
From the Website of Thomas and Sandra Hooper
http://www.baptistlink.com/dividingword/
What you are about to read may change your life forever.
I have a question for you. How perfect do you think you must be to get into heaven? What if I told you that you had to be perfect like God? Believe it or not, that is what the Bible teaches. God is completely holy. Since God is completely holy, how could God accept us into His presence unless we are holy as He is?
Here is our problem. We know we are not perfect, but rather, sinners. The Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
I would like to bring up the struggles a certain man had in his day. We would have to admire the struggles this gentleman had to attain salvation. His name was Martin Luther.
Martin Luther entered the Catholic Priesthood for one reason, and that was to save his soul. We must understand that in Martin's time, the doctrine of salvation was confusing on many points. They taught in those days that a person had to be perfect if he wanted to go to heaven. Although it was confusing, the fact is, they were correct that one must be perfect to enter into heaven.
Martin entered the monastery with the hopes that he could make himself perfect. He would do things like sleep in his cold cell without blankets. He would spend time begging, and there were times he went many days without food, just to mortify the flesh. But Martin found no comfort for his struggles.
Another thing Martin did was go to confession. He found little hope there too. He would spend as much as six hours a day in confession, going over all the things he did. One day his confessor got so exasperated with Martin. He told Martin that the next time he came to confession, that it not be over these little sins, but for things like murder or idolatry, but not for little sins. But Martin, being a better theologian in his day, knew the issue was not whether the sin was big or little, but whether or not it had been confessed, because he knew that just one small sin could banish us from God forever! He reached an impasse because he knew that in order for sins to be forgiven, they had to be confessed, and for them to be confessed, they had to be remembered, and if they could not be remembered, they could not be confessed and therefore they could not be forgiven! He was in despair. But think about this for a moment. Even if Martin confessed all his sins, he still had tomorrow to face and more sins!
One day Martin's confessor said to him, "Why don't you teach the Bible?" So Martin began to lecture on the Psalms and came to 22:1 where it says, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Martin contemplated on that verse and wondered why Jesus experienced the despair of soul, the kind of agony Martin was experiencing. It began to dawn on Martin that Jesus experienced that because He died on the cross for sinners.
Then Martin began to lecture on the book of Romans, and came to Romans 1:6 where it states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" and another, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17 ). Martin hated the phrase the righteousness of God. He said what gave him terror was because he was such a great sinner and God was righteous, that was the problem. But as he studied the text, he began to see the connection between the phrase "the righteous of God" as revealed in the Gospel, and the phrase "the just shall live by faith." Then Martin realized there are two ways to look at the righteousness of God.
The righteousness that God has as an attribute as being God.
The righteousness which God gives to those who believe in Christ.
As Martin continued his lectures on the book of Romans, he came to chapter 3. "That all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." He also pondered Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
And then as Martin began to look at the life of Abraham in Romans chapter 4, he began to discover that justified is not God making us righteous day by day so that we can enter into heaven, but justification means that God declares us to be as righteous as Christ Himself is. It's a legal declaration that God makes about us.
Now, before we put this all in perspective, let's look at what 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
What that verse actually means is that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, our sins were credited to Him. He took our sins, and in exchange He gives us His righteousness. Look at the picture just below and you will see how the transfer works.
Righteousness refers to the perfections of God, and He gives that to us, and He gives that to us as a FREE GIFT. What it actually boils down to is that Jesus got what He did not deserve, our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, His righteousness.
The Bible says, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24,25).
So justification doesn't simply mean, "Just as if I never sinned," it means more than that. It means just as if I lived a complete life of obedience and holiness. This is only because Jesus Christ is my substitute, and He meets all the requirements of God's requirements for me.
So please understand, we are not saved on the basis of our merit, that is, anything good we have done, but the basis of Christ's perfect merit, accepted by God the Father.
We can say several things about the righteousness of God, which is a theme in the Scriptures. It is a righteousness that is entirely different from ours.
1) Paul said he wanted to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. It's a righteousness which we have none. We make no contribution, all we can do is receive the gift. So when you think about it, righteousness has to be a free gift. We can't attain it ourselves.
There are people who have sinned greatly, so much so, that they have ruined the lives of strangers and loved ones, and they ask, "Is there any way I can be forgiven?" Yes, there is.
Remember that picture above? When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, a transaction takes place. God is crediting to you what you don't deserve, and therefore it is a "free gift." Remember, Jesus got what He didn't deserve, our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, His righteousness.
So, can God really forgive you? You just need to know that the righteousness that God gives is a gift of righteousness. That righteousness covers me and that same righteousness can cover you. It can be credited to your account even though you have sinned greatly, because the issue is not the greatness of the sin, it's the beauty and the completion of the righteousness.
2) This righteousness is unchangeable. The same righteousness that the apostle Paul received, is the same righteousness that I received, and it's the same righteousness you can receive.
3). The righteousness of God is also a permanent righteousness. Remember how we mentioned earlier about Martin Luther confessing his sins everyday? Although a person may confess his sins everyday, it doesn't mean that person is saved. Confessing sins does not save anyone. Going to church does not save anyone. When you accept Jesus Christ as your "sin bearer," that gift of righteousness is strong enough and powerful enough and permanent enough to take you all the way to heaven. There's no need for a Catholic to believe in purgatory (a place that doesn't exist anyway), a place where it is believed that a person is made perfect enough to enter into heaven. There's no need to think you can mortify your body, no need to do good works in order to make you perfect so you can enter into heaven. No my friends, these things will not work. The Good News of the Gospel is that when you place your trust in Jesus Christ, God credits you with His righteousness, and you are made perfect enough to right NOW enter into heaven.
Look at it this way. Imagine two trails. One is beautiful because great care has been taken to keep it beautiful. The other is full of ruts and very rough. When a blanket of snow falls on those trails, you cannot tell the difference between the two. That is the same way with us. We are clothed in His righteousness. In the Bible God says, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
The minute you die, as a believer, you are immediately escorted right into the presence of God because legally you are as perfect as Christ, because you are now clothed in His righteousness, that wonderful gift God gives us.
Paul speaks over a hundred times in the New Testament about the believer being "in Christ." This means that Jesus Christ covers us. We are covered because we are "in Him." We are joined to Christ and we even need not fear death because our confidence is in Him alone. He supplies the righteousness which God demands.
Your entrance into heaven and standing before God will have nothing to do with the good works you have done in the past, but God is going to be looking for the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Isn't this cause for rejoicing and thankfulness knowing there is nothing we can earn or that we owe God? Yes, we know God wants us to be obedient, for that is part of the Christian life, but as far as our standing before God is concerned, Jesus Christ met all the requirements for us. God made "...him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The Bible also says, "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25). That my friend, is the good news of the Gospel!
Can you be forgiven? Yes. The Bible says if you want to be saved, you simply "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
If you believe what you have read and want to be saved from your sins and have eternal life in the presence of God, I ask you now to bow your head and take a moment to just simply ask Jesus Christ to be your Saviour. Don't worry about fancy prayers, because saying the sinner's prayer will not save you. Don't worry about having to go forward in a church service, because going to the altar will not save you. Don't worry that you have to confess your sins, or turn away from your sins, because confessing and turning from your sins will not save you. Simply place your trust in what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross. When you accept the fact of what He did, you have accepted Jesus.
Once you are saved, you will find that your desires will change. You will have a desire to turn from your sins and do what is right, you will have a desire to read God's word, you will have a desire to have fellowship with other believers. It will be Christ IN YOU Who will give you a new life and new desires.
From the Website of Thomas and Sandra Hooper
http://www.baptistlink.com/dividingword/
What you are about to read may change your life forever.
I have a question for you. How perfect do you think you must be to get into heaven? What if I told you that you had to be perfect like God? Believe it or not, that is what the Bible teaches. God is completely holy. Since God is completely holy, how could God accept us into His presence unless we are holy as He is?
Here is our problem. We know we are not perfect, but rather, sinners. The Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
I would like to bring up the struggles a certain man had in his day. We would have to admire the struggles this gentleman had to attain salvation. His name was Martin Luther.
Martin Luther entered the Catholic Priesthood for one reason, and that was to save his soul. We must understand that in Martin's time, the doctrine of salvation was confusing on many points. They taught in those days that a person had to be perfect if he wanted to go to heaven. Although it was confusing, the fact is, they were correct that one must be perfect to enter into heaven.
Martin entered the monastery with the hopes that he could make himself perfect. He would do things like sleep in his cold cell without blankets. He would spend time begging, and there were times he went many days without food, just to mortify the flesh. But Martin found no comfort for his struggles.
Another thing Martin did was go to confession. He found little hope there too. He would spend as much as six hours a day in confession, going over all the things he did. One day his confessor got so exasperated with Martin. He told Martin that the next time he came to confession, that it not be over these little sins, but for things like murder or idolatry, but not for little sins. But Martin, being a better theologian in his day, knew the issue was not whether the sin was big or little, but whether or not it had been confessed, because he knew that just one small sin could banish us from God forever! He reached an impasse because he knew that in order for sins to be forgiven, they had to be confessed, and for them to be confessed, they had to be remembered, and if they could not be remembered, they could not be confessed and therefore they could not be forgiven! He was in despair. But think about this for a moment. Even if Martin confessed all his sins, he still had tomorrow to face and more sins!
One day Martin's confessor said to him, "Why don't you teach the Bible?" So Martin began to lecture on the Psalms and came to 22:1 where it says, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Martin contemplated on that verse and wondered why Jesus experienced the despair of soul, the kind of agony Martin was experiencing. It began to dawn on Martin that Jesus experienced that because He died on the cross for sinners.
Then Martin began to lecture on the book of Romans, and came to Romans 1:6 where it states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" and another, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17 ). Martin hated the phrase the righteousness of God. He said what gave him terror was because he was such a great sinner and God was righteous, that was the problem. But as he studied the text, he began to see the connection between the phrase "the righteous of God" as revealed in the Gospel, and the phrase "the just shall live by faith." Then Martin realized there are two ways to look at the righteousness of God.
The righteousness that God has as an attribute as being God.
The righteousness which God gives to those who believe in Christ.
As Martin continued his lectures on the book of Romans, he came to chapter 3. "That all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." He also pondered Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
And then as Martin began to look at the life of Abraham in Romans chapter 4, he began to discover that justified is not God making us righteous day by day so that we can enter into heaven, but justification means that God declares us to be as righteous as Christ Himself is. It's a legal declaration that God makes about us.
Now, before we put this all in perspective, let's look at what 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
What that verse actually means is that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, our sins were credited to Him. He took our sins, and in exchange He gives us His righteousness. Look at the picture just below and you will see how the transfer works.
Righteousness refers to the perfections of God, and He gives that to us, and He gives that to us as a FREE GIFT. What it actually boils down to is that Jesus got what He did not deserve, our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, His righteousness.
The Bible says, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24,25).
So justification doesn't simply mean, "Just as if I never sinned," it means more than that. It means just as if I lived a complete life of obedience and holiness. This is only because Jesus Christ is my substitute, and He meets all the requirements of God's requirements for me.
So please understand, we are not saved on the basis of our merit, that is, anything good we have done, but the basis of Christ's perfect merit, accepted by God the Father.
We can say several things about the righteousness of God, which is a theme in the Scriptures. It is a righteousness that is entirely different from ours.
1) Paul said he wanted to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. It's a righteousness which we have none. We make no contribution, all we can do is receive the gift. So when you think about it, righteousness has to be a free gift. We can't attain it ourselves.
There are people who have sinned greatly, so much so, that they have ruined the lives of strangers and loved ones, and they ask, "Is there any way I can be forgiven?" Yes, there is.
Remember that picture above? When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, a transaction takes place. God is crediting to you what you don't deserve, and therefore it is a "free gift." Remember, Jesus got what He didn't deserve, our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, His righteousness.
So, can God really forgive you? You just need to know that the righteousness that God gives is a gift of righteousness. That righteousness covers me and that same righteousness can cover you. It can be credited to your account even though you have sinned greatly, because the issue is not the greatness of the sin, it's the beauty and the completion of the righteousness.
2) This righteousness is unchangeable. The same righteousness that the apostle Paul received, is the same righteousness that I received, and it's the same righteousness you can receive.
3). The righteousness of God is also a permanent righteousness. Remember how we mentioned earlier about Martin Luther confessing his sins everyday? Although a person may confess his sins everyday, it doesn't mean that person is saved. Confessing sins does not save anyone. Going to church does not save anyone. When you accept Jesus Christ as your "sin bearer," that gift of righteousness is strong enough and powerful enough and permanent enough to take you all the way to heaven. There's no need for a Catholic to believe in purgatory (a place that doesn't exist anyway), a place where it is believed that a person is made perfect enough to enter into heaven. There's no need to think you can mortify your body, no need to do good works in order to make you perfect so you can enter into heaven. No my friends, these things will not work. The Good News of the Gospel is that when you place your trust in Jesus Christ, God credits you with His righteousness, and you are made perfect enough to right NOW enter into heaven.
Look at it this way. Imagine two trails. One is beautiful because great care has been taken to keep it beautiful. The other is full of ruts and very rough. When a blanket of snow falls on those trails, you cannot tell the difference between the two. That is the same way with us. We are clothed in His righteousness. In the Bible God says, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
The minute you die, as a believer, you are immediately escorted right into the presence of God because legally you are as perfect as Christ, because you are now clothed in His righteousness, that wonderful gift God gives us.
Paul speaks over a hundred times in the New Testament about the believer being "in Christ." This means that Jesus Christ covers us. We are covered because we are "in Him." We are joined to Christ and we even need not fear death because our confidence is in Him alone. He supplies the righteousness which God demands.
Your entrance into heaven and standing before God will have nothing to do with the good works you have done in the past, but God is going to be looking for the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Isn't this cause for rejoicing and thankfulness knowing there is nothing we can earn or that we owe God? Yes, we know God wants us to be obedient, for that is part of the Christian life, but as far as our standing before God is concerned, Jesus Christ met all the requirements for us. God made "...him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The Bible also says, "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25). That my friend, is the good news of the Gospel!
Can you be forgiven? Yes. The Bible says if you want to be saved, you simply "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
If you believe what you have read and want to be saved from your sins and have eternal life in the presence of God, I ask you now to bow your head and take a moment to just simply ask Jesus Christ to be your Saviour. Don't worry about fancy prayers, because saying the sinner's prayer will not save you. Don't worry about having to go forward in a church service, because going to the altar will not save you. Don't worry that you have to confess your sins, or turn away from your sins, because confessing and turning from your sins will not save you. Simply place your trust in what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross. When you accept the fact of what He did, you have accepted Jesus.
Once you are saved, you will find that your desires will change. You will have a desire to turn from your sins and do what is right, you will have a desire to read God's word, you will have a desire to have fellowship with other believers. It will be Christ IN YOU Who will give you a new life and new desires.
B
bibleberean
Guest
This is the most important thread on this forum.
Many people who believe they are saved and born again that frequent these forums are not saved at all.
If a person believes they are saved by any merit or work they do in addition to believing the gospel they are lost for all eternity.
This is serious business.
The salvation of your soul. What could possibly be more important than that?
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Have you considered this?
http://www.fundamentalbiblechurch.org/T ... consdr.htm
Many people who believe they are saved and born again that frequent these forums are not saved at all.
If a person believes they are saved by any merit or work they do in addition to believing the gospel they are lost for all eternity.
This is serious business.
The salvation of your soul. What could possibly be more important than that?
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Have you considered this?
http://www.fundamentalbiblechurch.org/T ... consdr.htm
N
Nicolaj
Guest
bibleberean said: I know I'm going to Heaven because God has PROMISED eternal security to all who BELIEVE on His Son
You know, bleberean you are the only Christian I have heard ever... say they are going to heaven...
I don't know of any other Christian who knows what is going to happen to them on Judgement day...they can hope and they can pray...
But Judgement comes from Jesus not ourselves....
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I understood Christians... should be trying to live their life according to Jesus' teachings, and trying our hardest to stay on that path, though it is impossible for us...we are born of flesh...(sin)...That is why Jesus died for us... that we may be saved....I I don't believe it is just believing in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit....Which you seem to be saying...
Correct me if I'm wrong please.
You know, bleberean you are the only Christian I have heard ever... say they are going to heaven...
I don't know of any other Christian who knows what is going to happen to them on Judgement day...they can hope and they can pray...
But Judgement comes from Jesus not ourselves....
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I understood Christians... should be trying to live their life according to Jesus' teachings, and trying our hardest to stay on that path, though it is impossible for us...we are born of flesh...(sin)...That is why Jesus died for us... that we may be saved....I I don't believe it is just believing in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit....Which you seem to be saying...
Correct me if I'm wrong please.
B
bibleberean
Guest
Nicolaj,
You Wrote
"You know, bleberean you are the only Christian I have heard ever... say they are going to heaven...
I don't know of any other Christian who knows what is going to happen to them on Judgement day...they can hope and they can pray...
But Judgement comes from Jesus not ourselves....
Bibleberean answers:
Judgement does come from Jesus.
I have His assurance that I am going to heaven...
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
I have eternal life. I have the assurance from Christ that I am saved and will spend eternity in His hand.
Paul puts it this way...
Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation,
or distress,
or persecution,
or famine,
or nakedness,
or peril,
or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I know for sure I am saved. :D
John makes it clear...
1 John 5:12-13 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I know I have eternal life...
You Wrote
"You know, bleberean you are the only Christian I have heard ever... say they are going to heaven...
I don't know of any other Christian who knows what is going to happen to them on Judgement day...they can hope and they can pray...
But Judgement comes from Jesus not ourselves....
Bibleberean answers:
Judgement does come from Jesus.
I have His assurance that I am going to heaven...
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
I have eternal life. I have the assurance from Christ that I am saved and will spend eternity in His hand.
Paul puts it this way...
Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation,
or distress,
or persecution,
or famine,
or nakedness,
or peril,
or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I know for sure I am saved. :D
John makes it clear...
1 John 5:12-13 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I know I have eternal life...
B
bibleberean
Guest
bibleberean said:The Gospel
From the Website of Thomas and Sandra Hooper
http://www.baptistlink.com/dividingword/
What you are about to read may change your life forever.
I have a question for you. How perfect do you think you must be to get into heaven? What if I told you that you had to be perfect like God? Believe it or not, that is what the Bible teaches. God is completely holy. Since God is completely holy, how could God accept us into His presence unless we are holy as He is?
Here is our problem. We know we are not perfect, but rather, sinners. The Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
I would like to bring up the struggles a certain man had in his day. We would have to admire the struggles this gentleman had to attain salvation. His name was Martin Luther.
Martin Luther entered the Catholic Priesthood for one reason, and that was to save his soul. We must understand that in Martin's time, the doctrine of salvation was confusing on many points. They taught in those days that a person had to be perfect if he wanted to go to heaven. Although it was confusing, the fact is, they were correct that one must be perfect to enter into heaven.
Martin entered the monastery with the hopes that he could make himself perfect. He would do things like sleep in his cold cell without blankets. He would spend time begging, and there were times he went many days without food, just to mortify the flesh. But Martin found no comfort for his struggles.
Another thing Martin did was go to confession. He found little hope there too. He would spend as much as six hours a day in confession, going over all the things he did. One day his confessor got so exasperated with Martin. He told Martin that the next time he came to confession, that it not be over these little sins, but for things like murder or idolatry, but not for little sins. But Martin, being a better theologian in his day, knew the issue was not whether the sin was big or little, but whether or not it had been confessed, because he knew that just one small sin could banish us from God forever! He reached an impasse because he knew that in order for sins to be forgiven, they had to be confessed, and for them to be confessed, they had to be remembered, and if they could not be remembered, they could not be confessed and therefore they could not be forgiven! He was in despair. But think about this for a moment. Even if Martin confessed all his sins, he still had tomorrow to face and more sins!
One day Martin's confessor said to him, "Why don't you teach the Bible?" So Martin began to lecture on the Psalms and came to 22:1 where it says, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Martin contemplated on that verse and wondered why Jesus experienced the despair of soul, the kind of agony Martin was experiencing. It began to dawn on Martin that Jesus experienced that because He died on the cross for sinners.
Then Martin began to lecture on the book of Romans, and came to Romans 1:6 where it states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" and another, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17 ). Martin hated the phrase the righteousness of God. He said what gave him terror was because he was such a great sinner and God was righteous, that was the problem. But as he studied the text, he began to see the connection between the phrase "the righteous of God" as revealed in the Gospel, and the phrase "the just shall live by faith." Then Martin realized there are two ways to look at the righteousness of God.
The righteousness that God has as an attribute as being God.
The righteousness which God gives to those who believe in Christ.
As Martin continued his lectures on the book of Romans, he came to chapter 3. "That all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." He also pondered Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
And then as Martin began to look at the life of Abraham in Romans chapter 4, he began to discover that justified is not God making us righteous day by day so that we can enter into heaven, but justification means that God declares us to be as righteous as Christ Himself is. It's a legal declaration that God makes about us.
Now, before we put this all in perspective, let's look at what 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
What that verse actually means is that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, our sins were credited to Him. He took our sins, and in exchange He gives us His righteousness. Look at the picture just below and you will see how the transfer works.
Righteousness refers to the perfections of God, and He gives that to us, and He gives that to us as a FREE GIFT. What it actually boils down to is that Jesus got what He did not deserve, our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, His righteousness.
The Bible says, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24,25).
So justification doesn't simply mean, "Just as if I never sinned," it means more than that. It means just as if I lived a complete life of obedience and holiness. This is only because Jesus Christ is my substitute, and He meets all the requirements of God's requirements for me.
So please understand, we are not saved on the basis of our merit, that is, anything good we have done, but the basis of Christ's perfect merit, accepted by God the Father.
We can say several things about the righteousness of God, which is a theme in the Scriptures. It is a righteousness that is entirely different from ours.
1) Paul said he wanted to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. It's a righteousness which we have none. We make no contribution, all we can do is receive the gift. So when you think about it, righteousness has to be a free gift. We can't attain it ourselves.
There are people who have sinned greatly, so much so, that they have ruined the lives of strangers and loved ones, and they ask, "Is there any way I can be forgiven?" Yes, there is.
Remember that picture above? When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, a transaction takes place. God is crediting to you what you don't deserve, and therefore it is a "free gift." Remember, Jesus got what He didn't deserve, our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, His righteousness.
So, can God really forgive you? You just need to know that the righteousness that God gives is a gift of righteousness. That righteousness covers me and that same righteousness can cover you. It can be credited to your account even though you have sinned greatly, because the issue is not the greatness of the sin, it's the beauty and the completion of the righteousness.
2) This righteousness is unchangeable. The same righteousness that the apostle Paul received, is the same righteousness that I received, and it's the same righteousness you can receive.
3). The righteousness of God is also a permanent righteousness. Remember how we mentioned earlier about Martin Luther confessing his sins everyday? Although a person may confess his sins everyday, it doesn't mean that person is saved. Confessing sins does not save anyone. Going to church does not save anyone. When you accept Jesus Christ as your "sin bearer," that gift of righteousness is strong enough and powerful enough and permanent enough to take you all the way to heaven. There's no need for a Catholic to believe in purgatory (a place that doesn't exist anyway), a place where it is believed that a person is made perfect enough to enter into heaven. There's no need to think you can mortify your body, no need to do good works in order to make you perfect so you can enter into heaven. No my friends, these things will not work. The Good News of the Gospel is that when you place your trust in Jesus Christ, God credits you with His righteousness, and you are made perfect enough to right NOW enter into heaven.
Look at it this way. Imagine two trails. One is beautiful because great care has been taken to keep it beautiful. The other is full of ruts and very rough. When a blanket of snow falls on those trails, you cannot tell the difference between the two. That is the same way with us. We are clothed in His righteousness. In the Bible God says, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
The minute you die, as a believer, you are immediately escorted right into the presence of God because legally you are as perfect as Christ, because you are now clothed in His righteousness, that wonderful gift God gives us.
Paul speaks over a hundred times in the New Testament about the believer being "in Christ." This means that Jesus Christ covers us. We are covered because we are "in Him." We are joined to Christ and we even need not fear death because our confidence is in Him alone. He supplies the righteousness which God demands.
Your entrance into heaven and standing before God will have nothing to do with the good works you have done in the past, but God is going to be looking for the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Isn't this cause for rejoicing and thankfulness knowing there is nothing we can earn or that we owe God? Yes, we know God wants us to be obedient, for that is part of the Christian life, but as far as our standing before God is concerned, Jesus Christ met all the requirements for us. God made "...him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The Bible also says, "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25). That my friend, is the good news of the Gospel!
Can you be forgiven? Yes. The Bible says if you want to be saved, you simply "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
If you believe what you have read and want to be saved from your sins and have eternal life in the presence of God, I ask you now to bow your head and take a moment to just simply ask Jesus Christ to be your Saviour. Don't worry about fancy prayers, because saying the sinner's prayer will not save you. Don't worry about having to go forward in a church service, because going to the altar will not save you. Don't worry that you have to confess your sins, or turn away from your sins, because confessing and turning from your sins will not save you. Simply place your trust in what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross. When you accept the fact of what He did, you have accepted Jesus.
Once you are saved, you will find that your desires will change. You will have a desire to turn from your sins and do what is right, you will have a desire to read God's word, you will have a desire to have fellowship with other believers. It will be Christ IN YOU Who will give you a new life and new desires.
K
Khristeeanos
Guest
BB, I moved the bold to where the emphasis should be in the passage. John wrote the entire epistle, not just verses 12 and 13 of chapter 5. Here is irrefutable proof that OSAS is false:bibleberean said:
Unless the word "IF" doesn't mean "IF," than I must say that John was teaching a conditional security.
(If you abide in Christ you will receive eternal life)
B
bibleberean
Guest
The word abides in me. I am saved and have eternal life and whats more I know it... :D
The word may not abide in others but IF it abides in you then you are saved.
Belief and hope in the gospel is what true Chrisitians base their salvation on.
I cannot lose what God has given to me forever...
People who can lose their salvation never had it to begin with... They are unsaved.
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
I truly feel sorry for those who believe they are saved one minute and lost the next.
The hymn "Blessed Assurance" must sound quite morbid to these lost and deceived folks.
The word may not abide in others but IF it abides in you then you are saved.
Belief and hope in the gospel is what true Chrisitians base their salvation on.
I cannot lose what God has given to me forever...
People who can lose their salvation never had it to begin with... They are unsaved.
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
I truly feel sorry for those who believe they are saved one minute and lost the next.
The hymn "Blessed Assurance" must sound quite morbid to these lost and deceived folks.
K
Khristeeanos
Guest
My assurance is strong and living. Much stronger than when I believed in OSAS.
My assurance comes from Jesus, not from a doctrine that didn't exist until a few hundred years ago.
My assurance comes from Jesus, not from a doctrine that didn't exist until a few hundred years ago.
B
bibleberean
Guest
My assurance is grounded in the gospel of grace which is over 2,000 years old.
I am born again. Just as man cannot return to his mother's womb neither can I become unborn.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus didn't understand and neither do the save one minute lost the next crowd.
You can't earn not keep your own salvation. If you could you wouldn't need a saviour.
I have past from death to life.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Born again.
I have eternal life based on the words of Jesus Christ.
I was a child of wrath. I am now a child of light.
Ephesians 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
No longer a child of wrath but a child of light.
Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
The good news isn't "good news" if a person has to keep himself saved.
Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Amen!!!!!
I am born again. Just as man cannot return to his mother's womb neither can I become unborn.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus didn't understand and neither do the save one minute lost the next crowd.
You can't earn not keep your own salvation. If you could you wouldn't need a saviour.
I have past from death to life.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Born again.
I have eternal life based on the words of Jesus Christ.
I was a child of wrath. I am now a child of light.
Ephesians 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
No longer a child of wrath but a child of light.
Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
The good news isn't "good news" if a person has to keep himself saved.
Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Amen!!!!!
B
bibleberean
Guest
If the one sacrifice Christ made of Himself for sin was not enough to pay
the full debt owed to God's justice -- and take us to heaven -- then what
is? The Bible tells us clearly and repeatedly that Christ's death, burial,
and resurrection were obtained for those who believe eternal salvation.
--TBC The Berean Call "Apples of Gold"
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat
down on the right hand of God . . ."
--Hebrews 10:12
the full debt owed to God's justice -- and take us to heaven -- then what
is? The Bible tells us clearly and repeatedly that Christ's death, burial,
and resurrection were obtained for those who believe eternal salvation.
--TBC The Berean Call "Apples of Gold"
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat
down on the right hand of God . . ."
--Hebrews 10:12
K
Khristeeanos
Guest
I am not suggesting that the sacrifice was insufficient. I am saying what happens to those people who trod on the sacrifice of Christ and treat it like an unholy thing by refusing to surrender to Christ and take up their cross DAILY and follow Christ DAILY.bibleberean said:
B
bibleberean
Guest
DIME Ministries said:
Hello, Dime Ministries,
I really wasn't addressing this to you. It was a general statement supposed to get people to understand the gospel and the fact that Christ's sacrifice was totally sufficient to save those who believe...
Thanks,
Robert
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
I think repentance is a process that one chooses nor doesn't choose each and every day. Now salvation on the other hand?
I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, but if I do not choose to follow him on a daily basis (ie:sin) then what happens to my salvation?
This thread has given me some things to think on... any thoughts?
I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, but if I do not choose to follow him on a daily basis (ie:sin) then what happens to my salvation?
This thread has given me some things to think on... any thoughts?
B
bibleberean
Guest
Blessed said:
A person is either saved or they are not saved. You can't become born and then become unborn...
A woman isn't sort of pregnant or kind of married.
Jesus said...
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus also told those who profess that they knew Him when they did not something interesting...
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus doesn't tell those who profess to know Him that He knew them once and now He knows them no more. Jesus tells them He never knew them.
It would be impossible to know you have eternal life if you could become unsaved.
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I know I have eternal life.
Jesus has given me a free gift. I did not earn it nor deserve it.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
I used to be a child of wrath but not any longer...
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
It is required that we believe the gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
We are saved for good works not by good works.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
I question the salvation of those who believe they are saved one minute and lost the next...
Works are evidence of salvation not a requirement for it...
If you have to work to keep your salvation then you are participating in your salvation and the work of Christ on the cross was not sufficient to save you.
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
How can you lose eternal redemption? You either have it or you don't.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Remember Jesus Never Knew False Professors...
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
I will never perish and I have eternal life... End of Story... :D
That is why the gospel is called the "good news"!
K
Khristeeanos
Guest
What about Matthew 25:1-13 where Jesus doesn't say "I never knew you" but says "I don't know you" to the 5 virgins who let their lamps run out of oil?
B
bibleberean
Guest
DIME Ministries said:
The parable refers back to Chapter 24 during the time of the "Great Tribulation" period. It puts the time back to the time preceeding and during Christs return.
One possibility:
The five wise virgins represent the true disciples of Christ during this period. The five foolish represent those who profess they hope in the return of the Messiah but have never been converted and do not have the Holy Spirit which is represented by the Oil in the lamps.
Christ says He doesn't know them when they knock on the door. It could also be said that He never knew them.
The difference is between those who profess to be believers and those who are truly believers during the time of the Tribulation and the King's return.
Christ is God so He knows all things. He means that He has not "known them intimately... Indwelt them...
There is a marked difference between the Tribulation saints and the church.
These parables must be understood Dispensationally.
Which is a separate subject...
K
Khristeeanos
Guest
This is yet another reason why I can't believe in OSAS. There have to be so many passages "explained away" or hidden behind some theological wall.
Why not just read and accept all of Scripture for what it says?
Why not just read and accept all of Scripture for what it says?