Salvation Principles Taken From Ordinary Events In Life
At a bus station, a queue of people can be seen. All sorts of people---the good, the bad, the worse and the terrible. Religious, moral and immoral people all line up waiting for their turns to ride the bus.
The conductor will not ask you if you are a good person or a bad person for him to let you in. All he needs to see is the ticket in your hand for you to be allowed to enter the bus.
It is the same way with salvation, it is not our good characters or our bad characters that will determine whether we enter heaven or not. It all depends on "The Ticket", the Savior Himself.
It all depends on the question: "Have we received His salvation or not?"
That salvation can be received simply by faith in Him and what He did on the cross. It is a free "ticket" in other words. Do you have it? Have you received it?
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET # 234
PS 71:16 "...I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone."
Let's apply the principle of this verse to salvation. The saved sinner does not say to God:
"Lord, You must accept me, You must let me in to Your presence because I did this and I did that. I did a lot of good works and righteous deeds."
No, he knows better than that. Through the Spirit's conviction he has realized that all his righteous deeds are "filthy rags" in the eyes of God (see Isaiah 64:6), that they are unacceptable to God, and so the convicted sinner will never dare to mention what he has done in order to be accepted by God.
Through the Spirit's illumination he has realized that God accepts only the righteousness that comes from Him through faith in Christ.
Php 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith
And so the saved sinner's language goes something like this:
"I dare not plead acceptance on the basis of my righteous deeds. I have none in Your sight. I will only plead acceptance on the basis of the righteousness that You gave to me when I placed my faith in Christ. He Himself is my righteousness and so it is Him that I will mention for You to accept me."
Let's apply the principle of this verse to salvation. The saved sinner does not say to God:
"Lord, You must accept me, You must let me in to Your presence because I did this and I did that. I did a lot of good works and righteous deeds."
No, he knows better than that. Through the Spirit's conviction he has realized that all his righteous deeds are "filthy rags" in the eyes of God (see Isaiah 64:6), that they are unacceptable to God, and so the convicted sinner will never dare to mention what he has done in order to be accepted by God.
Through the Spirit's illumination he has realized that God accepts only the righteousness that comes from Him through faith in Christ.
Php 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith
And so the saved sinner's language goes something like this:
"I dare not plead acceptance on the basis of my righteous deeds. I have none in Your sight. I will only plead acceptance on the basis of the righteousness that You gave to me when I placed my faith in Christ. He Himself is my righteousness and so it is Him that I will mention for You to accept me."
GOSPEL NUGGET #233
Misconceptions About Salvation
#13 "Give your heart to God for salvation."
The cause of this misconception is the failure to realize that salvation is not about giving something to God, rather it is taking and receiving from Him. Not give but take!
It is not "For God so loved the world that whoever gives his heart to God shall not perish but have eternal life."
No, rather it is "For God so loved the world that He gave His very heart (His one and only Son) that whoever receives Him (trusts in Him) shall not perish but have eternal life."
#13 "Give your heart to God for salvation."
The cause of this misconception is the failure to realize that salvation is not about giving something to God, rather it is taking and receiving from Him. Not give but take!
It is not "For God so loved the world that whoever gives his heart to God shall not perish but have eternal life."
No, rather it is "For God so loved the world that He gave His very heart (His one and only Son) that whoever receives Him (trusts in Him) shall not perish but have eternal life."
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #232
Isa 53:10 ...You make His soul an offering for sin...
Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ. In order for sin to be atoned, a sacrifice must be offered. No sacrifice that man can offer for his sin will satisfy God.
The only sacrifice that will do is the one offered by God Himself at the cross of Calvary---the death of His own dear Son. Here am I a guilty sinner lost and bound for judgment. Nothing from me can atone for my sins. I need an acceptable sacrifice and offering.
Then I looked at Calvary where the Son of God was made an offering for sin. It was enough, sufficient and adequate to answer all my sins against God. Standing by the cross in faith, I say to God:
"Here is my sacrifice. I have nothing to give for my sins, but here is the offering that You Yourself have given for sinners like me. I am standing by it, counting on it and depending on it alone to atone for all of my sins."
Do you think God will refuse the sacrifice that He Himself has given for sinners? Absolutely not! Trust in what the Savior did. His sacrifice is the only offering that can deal with your sins.
Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ. In order for sin to be atoned, a sacrifice must be offered. No sacrifice that man can offer for his sin will satisfy God.
The only sacrifice that will do is the one offered by God Himself at the cross of Calvary---the death of His own dear Son. Here am I a guilty sinner lost and bound for judgment. Nothing from me can atone for my sins. I need an acceptable sacrifice and offering.
Then I looked at Calvary where the Son of God was made an offering for sin. It was enough, sufficient and adequate to answer all my sins against God. Standing by the cross in faith, I say to God:
"Here is my sacrifice. I have nothing to give for my sins, but here is the offering that You Yourself have given for sinners like me. I am standing by it, counting on it and depending on it alone to atone for all of my sins."
Do you think God will refuse the sacrifice that He Himself has given for sinners? Absolutely not! Trust in what the Savior did. His sacrifice is the only offering that can deal with your sins.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #231
Joh 18:8 Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way"
When a detachment of troops came to arrest the Lord Jesus, He told them "if you seek Me, let these go their way."
The apostles were in danger of being captured by them, but the Lord Jesus interposed for them and they were spared. Without His intervention, they could have all been put to death.
Applying the principle to salvation, the justice of God could have captured me, a sinner worthy of judgment and condemnation. But the Lord Jesus came in between and offered Himself for me, trusting in what He did, I am now scot-free.
When a detachment of troops came to arrest the Lord Jesus, He told them "if you seek Me, let these go their way."
The apostles were in danger of being captured by them, but the Lord Jesus interposed for them and they were spared. Without His intervention, they could have all been put to death.
Applying the principle to salvation, the justice of God could have captured me, a sinner worthy of judgment and condemnation. But the Lord Jesus came in between and offered Himself for me, trusting in what He did, I am now scot-free.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #230
Pr 25:25 As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.
To a soul that is thirsty and fainting, cold water is refreshing. Much like hearing good tidings from someone we are so longing to see who was far removed from us into a far country.
Applying this to salvation:
Heaven has become "a far country" because of sin. Man was separated from God because of it, but God sent His good news, His glorious gospel saying:
"Sinners can come and be reconciled to Me by faith in Christ, He died for your sins and rose again from the dead!"
To a soul desiring to be reconciled back to God, this news is like cold water to a weary soul. Question is: "Are you weary of your sin and are you desiring to be reconciled back to God? Are you thirsting for His salvation?"
To a soul that is thirsty and fainting, cold water is refreshing. Much like hearing good tidings from someone we are so longing to see who was far removed from us into a far country.
Applying this to salvation:
Heaven has become "a far country" because of sin. Man was separated from God because of it, but God sent His good news, His glorious gospel saying:
"Sinners can come and be reconciled to Me by faith in Christ, He died for your sins and rose again from the dead!"
To a soul desiring to be reconciled back to God, this news is like cold water to a weary soul. Question is: "Are you weary of your sin and are you desiring to be reconciled back to God? Are you thirsting for His salvation?"
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #229
Salvation Principles Taken From Ordinary Events In Life
True Story
A man was about to walk into a company hall for a company gathering when he was stopped by the security guard standing beside the doorway. It was indicated to him that he cannot go in with the attire he was wearing.
He was then led into a room where the company provided the acceptable and proper attire for the attendees. Everyone who will take part in the gathering must obtain the proper attire from this room.
Stepping inside, he was given everything he needed for free. Going back into the hall, the door swung open for him and he was graciously welcomed in.
Applying this to salvation and acceptance with God, we are all sinners and all our righteousnesses are "filthy rags" in God's eyes (Isaiah 64:6). As sinners, we are unacceptable to God in ourselves.
But God has provided a "robe of righteousness" and "garments of salvation" in Christ for free. And because of this provision in Christ, I can go in, I am made acceptable to God.
In Christ, a sinner can be made acceptable to God. You can be in Christ, if you put your trust in Him and what He did on the cross for your salvation.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness...
True Story
A man was about to walk into a company hall for a company gathering when he was stopped by the security guard standing beside the doorway. It was indicated to him that he cannot go in with the attire he was wearing.
He was then led into a room where the company provided the acceptable and proper attire for the attendees. Everyone who will take part in the gathering must obtain the proper attire from this room.
Stepping inside, he was given everything he needed for free. Going back into the hall, the door swung open for him and he was graciously welcomed in.
Applying this to salvation and acceptance with God, we are all sinners and all our righteousnesses are "filthy rags" in God's eyes (Isaiah 64:6). As sinners, we are unacceptable to God in ourselves.
But God has provided a "robe of righteousness" and "garments of salvation" in Christ for free. And because of this provision in Christ, I can go in, I am made acceptable to God.
In Christ, a sinner can be made acceptable to God. You can be in Christ, if you put your trust in Him and what He did on the cross for your salvation.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness...
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