Do Not Trust In Your Own Repentance For Salvation
To trust in one's repentance for salvation is but trusting in oneself to be saved. It is looking inward instead of looking Christward. To be sure, repentance has an essential place in the equation of salvation, but it is certainly not saving faith's object.
Repent, yes, absolutely, but trust in your own repentance? No!
For one, none of us has ever repented as we should. We can only repent imperfectly. Moreover, our repentance could never atone for our sins. And our sins must be atoned in order for us to be saved.
To trust in something that fluctuates, to trust in something that never promises an atonement for our sins would only result in uncertainty.
Yes, repent, repent deeply, but look away yonder to Calvary where the Savior has provided a perfect, complete and permanent once-for-all atonement for all your sins. Place your faith, your trust and your confidence where it should --- in the Savior and His work on the cross.
Friday, August 18, 2017
GOSPEL NUGGET #521
Ro 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
Israel was, and still is, God's elect earthly people. And yet membership into that nation did not automatically guarantee one's salvation. Notice, that Paul here had to earnestly pray for Israel's salvation.
Today, many people think that membership with the one external, visible, organized religious community would ensure one's salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Just as being a member of the nation Israel did not automatically result in the salvation of a Jew, if he or she did not place his or her trust in the Savior and what He did on the cross, so joining and participating with an external, visible, organized religious community cannot save if one has not repented and trusted in Christ for salvation.
Just as salvation for a Jew then was not about being a member of the nation Israel, so salvation right now is not about being a local member of a church and participating in it. Salvation, my friend, is about being united to Christ through the bonds of living faith.
Israel was, and still is, God's elect earthly people. And yet membership into that nation did not automatically guarantee one's salvation. Notice, that Paul here had to earnestly pray for Israel's salvation.
Today, many people think that membership with the one external, visible, organized religious community would ensure one's salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Just as being a member of the nation Israel did not automatically result in the salvation of a Jew, if he or she did not place his or her trust in the Savior and what He did on the cross, so joining and participating with an external, visible, organized religious community cannot save if one has not repented and trusted in Christ for salvation.
Just as salvation for a Jew then was not about being a member of the nation Israel, so salvation right now is not about being a local member of a church and participating in it. Salvation, my friend, is about being united to Christ through the bonds of living faith.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
GOSPEL NUGGET #520
MK 6:51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped...
The wind was raging hard against the disciples as they strained at the oars. But when the Lord came into their boat it suddenly stopped.
In the same way, until we claim the Lord Jesus as our Savior, by trusting in Him, the wrath of God will continue to blow hard against us, until we find ourselves capsized in the lake of fire.
Turn to Him and trust in Him and what He did on the cross for your salvation. Claim Him as your Savior.
The wind was raging hard against the disciples as they strained at the oars. But when the Lord came into their boat it suddenly stopped.
In the same way, until we claim the Lord Jesus as our Savior, by trusting in Him, the wrath of God will continue to blow hard against us, until we find ourselves capsized in the lake of fire.
Turn to Him and trust in Him and what He did on the cross for your salvation. Claim Him as your Savior.
GOSPEL NUGGET #519
Ex 29:37 “...whatever touches the altar shall be holy.
As sinners, we are therefore unholy in the sight of God. God is holy but we are unholy. God will never accept anyone who is unholy in His presence. God as a consuming fire against unholiness will break out against anyone who is unholy.
But the Lord Jesus came and offered Himself on the altar of Calvary. Symbolically, the altar here in Exodus 29:37 is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. Any sinner who touches the altar by faith will be made positionally holy in the eyes of God.
The apostle Paul, speaking of those who have repented and placed their faith on Christ, has this to say about them:
Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
As sinners, we are therefore unholy in the sight of God. God is holy but we are unholy. God will never accept anyone who is unholy in His presence. God as a consuming fire against unholiness will break out against anyone who is unholy.
But the Lord Jesus came and offered Himself on the altar of Calvary. Symbolically, the altar here in Exodus 29:37 is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. Any sinner who touches the altar by faith will be made positionally holy in the eyes of God.
The apostle Paul, speaking of those who have repented and placed their faith on Christ, has this to say about them:
Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
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