Messages-What's the Difference?
What Salvation means to a Christian
You may have heard the saying that "today is the first day of the rest of your life", well the day that you are born again really does become the first day of the rest of your life, your eternal life, a new beginning. Salvation is an all-encompassing word, given by God, to describe the instantaneous actions that occur in a person's life when a person truly repents and receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The actions that occur include the following:
a. We experience the new birth. Read Ephesians 2:1, and John 2:3.
b. We become a new creation. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17
c. In receiving Jesus we receive the authority, the right, to declare ourselves Children of God. Read John 1:12, and ! John 3: 1-2
d. We become a temple for the Spirit of God. Read 1 Corinthians 2:16, and 2 Corinthians 6:16
e. Whoever believes in Him has Eternal Life. Read John 3:16, and Romans 6:22-23
f. Our whole like changes. With true repentance there will be a witness of the change that has taken place in our lives. Read 1 Peter 3:15, and Galations 2:20
g. Our sins are not only forgiven but are completely removed and we are pardoned. Read Acts 10:43, Acts 2:38, Psalms 103:2-3, 12, and Isaiah 55:7
h. Our Names are added to the Lamb's Book of Life. Read Revelation 21:27
i. We now have fellowship, a personal relationship, with God, and we have the blood of Jesus for constant cleansing from all sin. Read John 3:1, and 1 John 1:7
j.All condemnation is lifted from our lives. Read Romans 8:1, and Romans 5:18.
Remember, the gift of salavation is an act of faith on our part, being made available to us by the grace of God as a free gift, for as Paul writes in his Epistle to the Romans in chapter 3 and verse 24, we are "being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus".
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The Origin of Faith
Faith is the sole instrumental cause of justification — the only way we may have the righteousness of Christ imputed to our accounts (2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:15–16) — so where does our faith come from?
First, we must look at the ultimate origin of our faith. Many modern evangelicals believe that human beings have an innate capacity for God glorifying faith — that even unregenerate sinners are able to work up trust in the gospel and that faith comes before a changed heart. Despite the popularity of this view, it is inconsistent with biblical revelation.
Romans 8:7–8 explains that it is impossible for minds set on the flesh to please God and obey Him. People who are not in Christ are in the flesh, so they lack the ability to do the Lord’s will. Since His will for us is that we trust in His promises, unbelievers are incapable in themselves of believing in Christ Jesus for salvation. Furthermore, John 3:3 says that we cannot even see the kingdom of God unless we are first born again by the Spirit. If we cannot see God’s kingdom, we can by no means enter it. In sum, faith can arise only from a new heart. To put it in theological categories: regeneration precedes faith.
A Bible passage which explains the source of one’s faith is Romans 10:17: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We must understand that hearing alone does not bring salvation, but faith in the message heard does… Salvation comes when the message of the gospel is preached, believed, and then confessed by men. That message must come from the Word of God [the Bible]. faith is the affirmative response to God’s will and Word. Man possesses faith when he takes God at His Word. One does not need to see something to believe it. Faith is the acceptance of something merely because God has said it. Faith is a gift of the Lord to undeserving people, the outworking of God’s electing grace and the atonement of Jesus for His own. Ephesians 2:8 confirms the truth that faith is ultimately a gift of God.
Kenneth Hagin says that “There is no faith without confession. Whenever the word ‘confession’ is used, we instinctively think of confession of sin. But that is the negative side of the word. There is a positive side, and the Bible has more to say about the positive than the negative. Confession is stating something we believe in our hearts. It is giving evidence to something we know to be true. It is testifying to a truth we have accepted. Confession is faith's way of expressing itself. Faith, like love, is of the heart,of the spirit. And we know there is no love without word or action. We cannot reason love into people, nor can we reason love out of them. It is of the heart. Since faith is also of the spirit or heart, we can safely say that there is no faith without confession. Faith grows with confession.”
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Christians are people who know
When it comes to issues of life and death, one of the things that distinguishes Christianity from other religions or human systems of belief is that Christianity deals with absolute certainties; true Christians are people who know. None but a fool who would attempt to cross a frozen river until he was sure that the ice was strong enough to support him; dare we then face crossing the river of death with nothing but a vague or uncertain hope to cling to? A professed Christian who does not know for sure in his heart as to whether he will ultimately arrive in heaven or hell is no Christian at all.
To the unsaved, the unregenerate, the Word of God is impossible to understand; it is only to true Christians that the truth of the scriptures is revealed by the Holy Spirit: “But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. “ (1 Corinthians 2:14) “All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true.” (1 John 5:10)
True Christians are people who know:
Yes, true Christians are people who know, they know because they have proven for themselves the trustworthiness of God’s Word, they have an experimental acquaintance with it. You see, because our God lives the promises of our God can be tested, their trustworthiness is capable of verification. Every individual who has read in the scriptures the invitations that are addressed to sinners, and has personally appropriated them to himself, can truly say: “I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad, I found in Him a resting place, and He
has made me glad.”
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What does the Word of God say about life after death
From a Christian perspective life after death is referred to in the Bible as Salvation. Salvation is the saving of an individual from having an eternity without God to having an eternity in the presence of God (heaven). I am quite certain the the latter option should be the preferred choice for every person, however there are actions an individual needs to take in order to secure a place in heaven.
Many people believe that they have secured a place in heaven because of traditional family practices, such as attending Church services, having been brought up in a christian home, doing good deeds, having been 'baptized' as a child, or/and even believing in God. These are all good, but none of these activities, deeds, or beliefs will secure one a place in heaven.
It has been said that many people will miss Salvation by 30 centimeteres - that is the approximate distance between the head and the heart. The mere mental acknowledgement or understanding about salvation will not suffice; thinking that one is a Christian is not enough.
Jesus makes it very clear in The Bible that for us to secure a place in heaven - the Kingdom of God, we need to be "born again"
The Gospel of John, chapter 3 verse 3, the Words of Jesus: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven".
In His discussion with Nicodemus Jesus stated that to be "born again" entails one experiencing a "spiritual re-birth". What does a spiritual re-birth entail : Romans chapter 10 versus 9 and 10: "that if you confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus (as Lord and Master of your life) and believe in your heart (that He died for your sins on the cross and) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Believing with the heart and publically confessing Jesus as Lord of your life are the only two actions required. These two actions bring together the two elements of true faith in a Christian - the heart and the mouth; what we believe in our heart should be what we confess with the mouth. "For by grace (God's riches at Christ's expense) you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God". (Ephesians 2v8)
Thank You Jesus for sacrificing Your precious life in order for us to be able to secure a place in heaven with You.
(I have a booklet - a study guide on Salvation which I would love to send you if you would send me your contact details)
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Living Life Beyond The Word is a Living Time Bomb
Many Christians are living dangerously close to the edge - they continue to participate in activities which are questionable, controversial, borderline between Christian/non-Christian; it is as though they enjoy the challenge of testing the resilience of their own Christian faith; they are living in a false sense of security whilst the ‘time bomb’ is ticking away. It is only God’s patience and long suffering nature that keeps them from imminent disaster, from slipping over the edge, giving them time to turn from their ignorance, but the season will come to an end and then……
The lack of spiritual insight, the failure to comprehend the folly of their actions, causes them to live misguided lives; living beyond the Word is simply foolishness.
James 1:21-26: “So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.”
Deuteronomy 29:19-20: “and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart'—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober. "The LORD would not spare him; for then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the LORD would blot out his name from under heaven.”
Right now the world is being shaken and judged, Christians have a choice to either live Word-driven lives or world-driven lives – to live world-driven lives at this time is simply foolish, true comfort and peace at this time can only come from God, the peace that the world offers through its lifestyle attractions is deceptive, temporary, and well able to ensnare the most well adept of Christians. The only means of survival is to stay focused on Jesus, stay in the Word, and do not participate in activities that are in any way questionable, or controversial to your Christian faith, and in any way borderline.
It is not easy being a Christian in these times, the world offers so many attractions which appear to be the answer to the pressures we face and the stress of life, but do not be deceived. Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Walking in the light is walking in the Word, as long as we have light we will not be deceived, regardless of outward circumstances, we shall be kept and guarded by the Lord, we will walk in the confidence of faith with power to overcome sin and all the deceiving circumstances that this world and the devil has to offer.
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Is the Character of Devotion working in you?
Devotion is being devoted to Christ because He is our all in all. It is aligning our personal desires, our plans, our worship, and our hope with God and His principles. It is an attitude more than an act, a pursuit to be offered to God to give Him glory through our devout, fervent, discipline to His Truth. Devotion is bringing our mind, our will, and our heart to God so our whole life is about seeking Him and His will. This is not about feelings; it is rather who we are to be. It is not about what is around us, our circumstances and stresses; it is about who He is in us and our response to Him.
Psalm 34:8-9 “O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him. O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear.”
Neglect, Disregard, and Indifference are the opposites to a character of devotion. These bad characters will line us up with the wrong ideas and precepts in life. Our lives will be all about chasing trends, following the crowd, or seeking our own desires and not the unchangeable laws of our Lord. When we think of this character, our minds quickly go to the act of “doing our devotions.” Perhaps you see the character of devotion as personal acts of devout devotion such as personal Bible study or reading a devotional book each day. These things do not represent the character itself; rather, they are a means of pursuing the character. A consistent, devotional life, and/or pledges and promises are not just to show that we are committed Christians. They are the applications of our consecration to God. They are about who and what we are, not just what we do. They are to line ourselves up to God’s ideas and precepts so we will become more committed and mature in our spiritual formation.
The Character of Devotion is rooted in how we react to what Christ has already done and continues to do for us. It is the commitment to “keep the law of the LORD your God (1 Chronicles 22:19).” It is the application of our faith with discretion and understanding. We have to keep His laws and His percepts now in order to be devoted, heart and soul, to Him. We have to have something tangible upon which to place our devotion. If not, we will fill that need with other things that will slowly choke us from His most wondrous plans and opportunities for our lives.
Are you an offering to God? Has the Christian faith impacted all of you, who you are as well as what you do?
Isaiah 26:3 “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”
If you want to be an effective, growing Christian, you must be solely devoted to Christ, not to a doctrine, an idea, or a cause, but to Him and Him alone! Neither are we to see Him just as a Friend without accepting Him as our LORD. We are to see Jesus as who He is, not who we want Him to be. Devotion comes from being touched by the Spirit and then responding to the supreme love and affection of God. Devotion is set by our confidence and faith in Christ; it sees the hope he has for us. As a result, all that we do in life, at all times, in all places, and in all things, we are to do all for the glory of God.
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Be of Good Cheer
“Be comforted, be encouraged, be in good spirit, gladden your heart, know that I am here, know that I am with you.” This is what Jesus is saying to every Christian for 2020. Do not be afraid, build up your faith, exercise faith and believe that all things are possible. This year you will be successful, you will prosper, you will be in good health, you will be at peace, you will have joy – ONLY HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE!
Matthew 14:27 “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Victory in every circumstance is ours, we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. If Jesus is with us what evil force can prevail against us – NONE, no not one! Yes, we will experience trials and tribulation, yes we will face challenges that may seem insurmountable, but all that these circumstances will require of us is for us to stand firm in faith – ‘the shield of faith will quench all the fiery darts of the enemy.’ Jesus watches out for faith, when it is exercised He reacts – it is the ‘trigger’ for victory in every circumstance.
Luke 8:48 “And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
Faith is a seed that is planted in the heart of every Christian by the Holy Spirit but we have to water it in order for it to grow, and just like a seedling that gets watered and grows up to be a large strong tree so it is with faith. We need to water our faith by reading the Word of God for it to grow, and as it grows so does our ability to exercise faith. How do you know if you are exercising genuine faith when you are facing or being confronted with a challenge? When you are not anxious, when you are at peace in your heart, when you are of good cheer and you just know that you will see victory over that challenge.
Jude 1:20 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,”
FAITH – the “trigger” for victory in 2020.
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Bringing back the Glory of God
What will bring the glory of God back into your life in an extraordinary way? What will it take to once more experience the comforting beauty of His presence, of His assurance, of His joy, of His peace?
Psalm 84:1-2 “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”
Nothing should be more desirable in our lives than an audience with the true and living God. No experience deeper, more life changing, profound and glorious than intimate fellowship with the Father. Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. (Psalm 125:1) Getting back to a close fellowship with the Lord is what will bring the glory of God back into our lives. It’s when we enter into His Throne Room with worship and praise, in spirit and truth, it’s when we open up our hearts and cry out for an audience with Him, that’s when we experience the comforting beauty of His presence in our lives.
John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
1Corinthians 6:19-20 “do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”
2Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?”
We are the temple of The Living God, the Holy Spirit of God lives within us, that’s how close we are to His presence. All we have to do is to allow The Spirit of God that is within us to come up and over us and we experience His glory upon our lives once more. Oh that we be more like David, that our ‘heart and flesh cry out for the living God’, that we be that zealous for an audience with The Lord
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