GOSPEL NUGGET #626

2 Co 1:8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,|
2Co 1:10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

Troubled. Burdened. Powerless. Desperate. Sentenced. They realized that they were Zero and so were ready to make Him their Hero. So that they should not trust in themselves but in God. And they experienced a past deliverance ("delivered") a present deliverance ("does deliver") and a prospective deliverance ("He will still deliver us"). 

God's way in dealing with man is to bring man to a desperate situation, beyond himself, above his strength, make him realize that he is zero so that he would fall hard on Him as his hero, trusting in Him alone. 

Applying this to salvation, while Paul was talking about what happened to him in the physical realm, what he said here in this verse could very well be applied to the salvation of our soul.

When God saves a sinner, He troubles him with conviction of sin, burdening his conscience as to his sinful condition before God. He makes him realize that saving himself is above his strength; that the thing is beyond him. He brings him to a desperate condition in realizing that he is helpless and powerless in himself. He becomes painfully aware of the sentence of death on him; that he is a sinner deserving judgment and condemnation. All these is God preparing the sinner to fall hard on the Savior for salvation; that he should never trust in himself for it but in Christ who died on the cross and was raised by God for his justification. 

My friend, with regard to the salvation of your soul, don't trust in yourself but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. His salvation is three-fold. A saved sinner has a past, present, and prospective salvation:

Past --- Saved or delivered from the penalty of sin
Present --- is being saved or delivered from the power of sin
Prospective --- will be delivered from the presence of sin 

 

GOSPEL NUGGET #625

Ro 7:18 ... I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing...

This is the apostle Paul's description of himself. It states his utter depravity. And what is true of him is also true in all of us. 

If we are allowed to live for a thousand years, apart from the restraining grace of God, we would commit every single sin loathed by God in the Bible.

The only reason why you are outwardly respectable, decent, and moral today is because of God's grace. The blindness and pride of those who believe that they are inherently good in themselves. We don't know ourselves as God knows us. 

What we are is far worse than all the sinful things we have ever done so far. Our potential for evil is deeper and darker than all the evil things that we have actually done in our lives.

My friend, it's about time that we humble ourselves. It's about time to realize that we are sinners. It's about time to open our eyes, see our need of the Savior, and be saved, not just from hell, but saved from ourselves. 

GOSPEL NUGGET #624

Salvation Package Everyone! 

* No Condemnation
Ro 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus

* New Creation

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV 

And you can have it all for free! All you have to do is to be IN CHRIST. And you can be in Christ if you trust in Christ alone for salvation. 

GOSPEL NUGGETS #623

Liza Soberano Does Not Believe In Salvation By Good Works

“So a murderer was just released for good conduct. Are we supposed to just forget that he killed Jennifer Laude because he's done some good?” --- Liza Soberano

Joseph Scott Pemberton was convicted back in 2014 in the killing of a homosexual named Mr. Laude. But he was granted pardon in 2020 for his good conduct in prison. President Duterte who granted the pardon received flak from all corners including Filipina celebrity Liza Soberano.

Yes, my friend, our spiritual crimes are heinous crimes and they are punishable with the death penalty and life sentence in the lake of fire. Paying them up with our good works is not just. 

The penalty must be paid. And so, Christ our Substitute and Representative had to die and suffer for our crimes. In the eyes of men, His death took only six hours, but in the eyes of God, He, the Lord Jesus, being eternal, offered an eternal payment and sacrifice for our sins.

In Him, a sinner can pay the eternal penalty of his sins. In Him, a sinner can be saved because God's justice and wrath was satisfied.  

Will you trust in God's payment for your sins at the cross of Calvary? Will you trust in the Savior? 

GOSPEL NUGGET #622

Becoming a Christian is God's supernatural work. No one becomes a Christian by living the Christian life in the same way a dog does not become a human being by living and acting like a human. No, it (the dog) must first be supernaturally transformed into a human being before it can begin to live a human existence.

Many attempt to become a Christian by behaving and acting like a Christian. They attempt to change their being by altering their behavior as if our problem is only external. They think the Christian life is only a matter of reformation. No, the deeper and bigger problem is who we are and not just what we do. More than reformation, we need transformation. 

The moment a sinner trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross is the moment that he becomes a Christian. It is at this point that he is enabled and empowered and given the potential to live the Christian life.

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

GOSPEL NUGGET #621

Church of God in the New Testament is not the name of an organization. Rather, it refers to the spiritual condition of a particular people. Church of God are the people themselves and their spiritual condition. Church comes from a Greek word Ekklesia which means called out ones.

Notice the CALLED and the OUT in this verse:

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who CALLED you OUT of darkness into His marvelous light;

Called out of spiritual darkness into God's marvelous light which is Christ Jesus. That's their spiritual condition. That's the Church of God. 

God called through the Gospel. They responded positively. They become God's called-out ones or the church of God. Their spiritual condition is marked by heeding God's call.

Our responsibility is not to look for an organization, rather, our individual responsibility, wherever we are, is to heed God's call to repent and trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation. And once you have done that, it's the Shepherd's responsibility to bring you into His local flock, providentially, by arranging events and through your desires to fellowship with others like you who have heeded His call. "... the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Ac 2:47

Church of God in the Bible is not the name of a religious organization. It's like the word "believers" in the New Testament. The word "believers" is not a name of an organization in the NT. Rather, it refers to people and their spiritual condition. It refers to a reality in their individual lives; they are believers. They have trusted in Christ for salvation.

GOSPEL NUGGET #620

"Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"  Pr 20:9

The answer to the question is "No one!" Purifying our hearts is not within our power. No one can claim that he has, by his own efforts, attained moral perfection and is therefore acceptable to God. Only the self-deluded can claim this. This ought to humble us all and cause us to look outside of ourselves for help. 

And that help, that cleansing can only come through faith  in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Ac 15:9 "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith (in Christ).

1Jo 1:7 ... the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.