Wednesday, April 2, 2014

They Being Blind Leaders of the Blind - Part 870

"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ..." (James 2:8)

Salvation is not of our own doing. Indeed, there is nothing we can do to be saved. Neither can we be assured of salvation simply because we fill our spare time with required church responsibilities for the religious culture. The only way to obtain salvation is to turn our hearts to Jesus -- as the first 3,000 believers did on the day of Pentecost. 

That is, upon hearing the good news gospel message from Peter, (standing in unison with the eleven apostles), these 3,000 believers repented and were immediately baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sin .. so that each and every one of them could receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:37-42) 

Salvation then is a gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) 

Paul writes: "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another ... but after that, the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared -- 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; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)

But once saved, does this mean that we are to turn our back on what the scriptures state, and blindly follow the teachings that exist within the religious culture of this day? Of course not. In fact, the apostles encourage us to study the scriptures to show ourselves approved like a workman who is worthy. To remain steadfast in the apostle's doctrine.

But we can't do this if we never open our Bibles to find out His teachings. This is why Paul wrote that we are to "adorn" the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. If we consider what the word adorn means, then we as believers in Jesus should have an inward desire to decorate and embellish and enhance and beautify the doctrine of God our Saviour. 

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men ... [therefore] look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:10-15) 

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law: for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16)

Paul wrote: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him ..  God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will?" (Hebrews 2:3-4)

Yes, God Almighty has declared His name to His chosen people. His name is Jesus. Trust Him today with all your heart, soul, mind and strength because He was "made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man -- for it became Him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things ..." (Hebrews 2:9-10) 

Thank you Jesus. Stand in the offering plate. 

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