GOSPEL LIGHT #723

 A Hindu told a missionary: "I am sure that if lead a good life, do what is right, and give up my bad habits, God will receive me into heaven."

The missionary then pointed to a babool tree. A young babool tree is a captivating sight. The tree is known for its striking thorny features. "Suppose you break off from its branches a hundred or more of the nasty thorns, will the tree cease to be a babool tree?" asked the missionary.

"Certainly not!" the Hindu replied

The missionary then explained: "Even if you stop many of your evil ways and habits, you would still remain the same like the babool tree. You must have an entirely new nature, you must be born again, you must be a new man, in order to please God. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can give you a new heart if you trust in Him alone for salvation."

GOSPEL LIGHT #722

Why are we at war? 

Yes, why are we at war? We have wars without because we have wars within. We don't have peace without because we don't have peace within. We don't have peace within because we don't have peace with God. There is a disturbance in the relationship between God and man. Man is out of joint with God. Sinful man is at war with God.

My friend, lay down your arms. Repent. Be reconciled to God, and have peace with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ. 

GOSPEL LIGHT # 721

Don't Be Saved By The Saved --- Be Saved By The Savior 

Ac 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. NKJV

Take note of the last half of the verse --- "the Lord added to the church daily those who are being saved." 

Many were being saved during this time. Daily, one case after another, saved sinners were added to the church. You see, the church is the company of the saved. 

There are some people who believe that salvation is in the church, of the church, and through the church. Nope. The church is not the way to salvation. Rather, salvation results in being joined to the church in the eyes of God.

Again, the church is the company of the saved. My friend, don't be saved by the saved. Be saved by the Savior! Trust in the Savior who died for your sins and rose again from the dead. 

GOSPEL LIGHT #720

Salvation By Works Requires Being Better Than The Apostles

Ac 15:10 "Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

The speaker here is the apostle Peter. He stood up at a conference of Christians along with the other apostles. There were some who did not see clearly the condition of salvation. In verse 5 we read: 

"But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." (Acts 15:5) It was in this conference that the matter was cleared up and settled. 

Now, when Peter says here in verse 10 "neither our fathers nor we were able to bear" he was referring to the Law of Moses. The pronoun "we" here includes the apostles. Peter said that none of them ever kept the Ten Commandments as they should. They all failed at some point in keeping it.

The Ten Commandments is a works-based system. So, if you want to be saved by works, you will have to be better than the apostles! If you think you are better than them then go for it! But, if not, then the only way is what Peter recommended in verses 7 to 9 which says:

Acts 15:7 "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

It's by the principle of faith that sinners are blessed. 

My friend, you and I are no better than the apostles. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross and you will be saved. 
  

GOSPEL LIGHT #719

The Idolatry of Salvation By Works  

Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.

There is no other God. In order to emphasize this, God had to say: "I, even I, am the LORD."
As such, He alone is the Savior. Here, God holds Himself up as the only object of faith. 

We ought to look for salvation only in God. Sadly, many are trusting in their good works for salvation. They have made it their savior, when, the Lord, yes, even the Lord, alone is the savior. Trusting one's good works for salvation is elevating one's good works to the Lord's level. It is the same as trusting in an idol for salvation. It's idolatry.

Worse, it's holding ourselves up as God!

My friend, honor God. Acknowledge and recognize Him as Lord and Savior, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation.