"...Be not afraid, only
believe."(Mark 5:36, KJV)
That was the word Jesus Christ spoke to the ruler of the synagogue
when his daughter died-She lived.
There are many misconception of the Salvation our Lord Jesus Christ
came to earth to achieved. Some people believe that by their good
works, their eternity is sure; some think by living the Law(Ten
Commandments), their Heaven is sure; which is not so!
If our Salvation is by living the Ten Commandments, then Christ
doesn't need to die does he? If our salvation is by good works, then
why did Paul said, "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should
boast."?(Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV)
Something significant happened in Genesis-the story of Noah. In 2
Peter 2:5, KJV), Noah was referred to as "a preacher of
righteousness". When he built the ark or while building it (of course,
it took him years to build it and Of course, people would ask him
about the ark), he preached to people and they didn't listen and they
perished in the great flood. What if one had listen and entered?
He/She will be saved.
Well, in the whole wide world, only Noah and His 7 other family were
saved. Just 8! And these 8 make up You and I today, Halleluyah.
Jesus said in John 11:25 (KJV) , "...I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believe in me, though were dead yet shall he live;"
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17, KJV)(My
emphasis)
God loves us and indeed He does. He gave us His free gift of Salvation
and crowned us with His loving-kindness and tender-mercies that in the
last day, Jesus Christ shall be our Advocate of mercy, Glory to the
Lamb!
Something happened at the Cross that explains what our faith and
believe in Christ works out for us: it was the mercy Christ shewed to
the thief crucified with Him. O loving Jesus Christ said to a
CRIMINAL, "...Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise."(Luke 23:43, KJV). Remember these: They were both crucified;
Jesus knew he had no time to "turn a new leaf"; Jesus knew what
brought him to that situation; yet, He grant him grace to be with Him
in paradise just because of this simple words: "...Lord, remember me
when thou comest into thy Kingdom."(Luke 23:42, KJV)
There were probably some people at that time, that thought they were
righteous and have judged the Criminal by having him crucified and
still never made it to heaven. Our salvation isn't by work it is by
believe. "Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth
not on me, but on him that sent me."(John 12:44, KJV). Now you see
that "Good people doesn't make heaven; Believers does."
It is a good thing to work for work is like the measure of our faith.
Our Father in the Lord (James) said, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without work and I will
shew thee my faith by my works."(James 2:18, KJV)
Just as God loves us and gives us His only begotten Son, His Love is
perfected among and we can prove why He loves us. Imagine someone
tells you everyday, "I love you" and never DOES anything to assist
your life, what does it profit?
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils
also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith
without works is dead? Was not Abraham our Father justified by works,
and by works was faith made perfect?" (James 2:19-22, KJV).
That's it, we can't walk with God and hold hands with the devil. "For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them"(Ephesians 2:10,
KJV). As we are in Christ, the good works are normal things for us to
do BUT it is not our "ticket" to heaven. James himself said in James
1:21, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is
able to save your souls."
"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deed."(James 1:25, KJV)
"The perfect law of Liberty" is what Christ has accomplished for us
that we should continue therein. Think of what Paul said and should
get us longing more for the Bread of God: "For THAT which I DO I ALLOW
NOT: for WHAT I WOULD, THAT DO I NOT; but WHAT I HATE, that DO
I."(Romans 7:15, KJV)(My emphasis)
Isn't he right? If he is right (which obviously he is ) then the Law
(10 Commandments) is good. Now you see why we need an Advocate that
would have mercy upon us in the last day.
"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 works of the
law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified."(Galatians 2:16, KJV).
Our God is a Holy One and we have to love Him and keep His
commandments(LOVE) and walk according to the Spirit. Then His Holy
Spirit works out His Righteousness we are created for. But we should
know, that without the BELIEVE in Jesus, we've got nothing.
I pray that in the last day, our names shall be found in the Book of
Life in JESUS' Name, Amen.
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