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The Saving Gospel From A To Z
by Donald Mehl It is a horrifying thought that anyone might be separated from God forever...a thought that brings tears to my eyes. However, God's love for us is far beyond our human understanding. Because of that great love, He has provided a way for all to spend eternity with Him...but only if they would choose to believe and surrender their life to Him. Old Testament saints and New Testament saints who died prior to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross became worthy in the eyes of God by having a believing faith in the future coming of the promised Messiah...by obedience with animal blood sacrifices...and by keeping the Law. In the New Testament when Messiah Jesus, the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God, willingly shed His blood to pay the ultimate price with His life for all the sins of the whole world on the Cross of Calvary, a new blood covenant for mankind's salvation was established. The age of grace began at that time. Then, His resurrection conquered death and the grave...making it possible for believing mankind to also have eternal life through Him. Because Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and fall into sin in the Garden of Eden, all of humanity was cursed with an inborn sin nature separating them from God. The result of that separation gap is eternal spiritual death. We are all guilty of sin, and there is absolutely nothing we can do within ourselves to close that separation. Romans 3:23 KJV For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; We are not worthy of God's grace, and we all must realize that we are lost sinners in need of a Savior and His forgiveness. Romans 5:8 NASB But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. In His infinite wisdom, God provided a way for us to be saved from our sins. God showed us His love by allowing us to choose eternal life through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 NASB For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Romans 6:23 NKJV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. If we remain throughout this life as un-forgiven sinners, we will die spiritually. However, if we choose to receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and repent of our sins, we will have eternal life as He has promised. It is not enough to simply believe in God, or believe that Jesus existed and was a great teacher. Many people believe those things, but without declaring Him as their personal Savior and Lord with a repentant faith, all hope will be lost for them. Romans 10:9-10 KJV That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:13 NKJV For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Just confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved. Jesus is the only bridge spanning the spiritual separation gap between God and man. He stated in John 14:6 that He is the only Way...the only Truth...and the only Life. Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. There are no religious formulas, work efforts, or rituals required to gain God's favor for granting our salvation. If a so called "good life" is lived using the understanding of man, but without the Lord as Savior, then, that life will count for nothing. It is all about faith and trust in Him. There is so much more than simply believing that Jesus lived among mankind, and that He was a brilliant man. He is Almighty God with all power, glory, and majesty...and there is none other. Jesus as the second Person of the Trinity has always existed as God from eternity past. During His brief thirty-three years here on earth, He was God manifest in human flesh...fully God and fully man. He came here to give up His life in our place as the perfect sin-sacrifice, thereby, fulfilling His plan of salvation freely offered to all who would believe by faith alone and receive Him into their life. Out of His love for us, Jesus willingly and fully paid our sin debt for us...a debt we could never pay. He purchased our redemption by sacrificing His life on the cross. Luke 19:10 NASB For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. It is not His will that any should perish, but that all would choose to follow Him. Jesus is reaching out for you to receive Him into your life. If you have been convicted of your spiritually lost condition and have a heartfelt desire to follow Him, then, you might pray something like this: "Oh God, help me! I need You in my life. I'm so sorry for the things I've done. I'm sorry I had turned my back on You for so long. I can't go on without You. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died for me, in my place, for all my sin. I believe that He rose from the dead and is in heaven today preparing a place for me. Oh God, forgive all my sins. By faith alone I now accept Jesus Christ as my Savior, and confess that He is Lord over all. Come into my heart and life now, today, and help me to live a life that's pleasing and honoring to You. Thank You in Jesus' Name - Amen!" If you sincerely pray a prayer like that from your heart, then, as He has promised, He will hear your prayer. Your salvation through Christ alone will happen instantly, and will be sealed forever by the Holy Spirit residing within you...providing the absolute assurance that you are a blood-bought, heaven-bound child of God and a rightful heir to His kingdom. Only those who have placed their trust in Him by faith alone can be called sons and daughters of the most-high Almighty God. John 1:12 NKJV But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: As a child of God, you will have a desire to share the Good News of the saving gospel with others at every opportunity while there is still time. You will tell them how they, too, might have a new life and eternal salvation in Him...found only by receiving Jesus into their heart as Savior, Lord, and Master. All of us have family and friends who we love dearly that will be eternally lost because they have never received Him into their life. Perhaps some have been misled, or have never understood the whole gospel Truth as the scriptures teach. Still others have simply cast it aside thinking that heaven is for all. They must realize that it is God's way, or no way. By sharing the saving gospel message with others as all believers are commanded to do, the saving gospel will have been heard for them to either accept or reject. If the Good News of the gospel should fall on deaf ears, and if they ignore the Holy Spirit's nudging within their heart, then, they will have no excuse on their upcoming day of judgment. Sadly, they will step into a godless eternity the moment after they draw their last breath here on earth. The Bible says it is appointed for men once to die and after that the judgment. The Bible also teaches there will be no second chance for salvation after death. Oh, how terrible that will be for the many that choose to not accept His free gift of salvation during this life. The day is also coming soon when all believers will meet Jesus face to face, and they will humbly fall on their knees before Him. Then, they will hear Jesus say, "My child, I have redeemed you, your sins once as scarlet are whiter than snow - you are Mine forever!" Oh, what wonderful words of life...eternal life for those who believe! During retirement, my prayer is that I might serve the Lord by sharing the Gospel through my writing. As the Lord leads, my work will inform, challenge and encourage. I also enjoy Biblical theme woodcarving, Bible studies and Christian music. Watch, pray and keep looking up! Donald Mehl Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |