THE WAY OF SALVATION!
The greatest blessing that can come to a man, comes from the
greatest Blesser, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who provided it at the infinite cost
of His own life at calvary. To receive this great and eternal blessing, one
must approach, and COME TO CHRIST, then having come, RECEIVE BY FAITH, the
priceless gift on offer. Having come, you will not be disappointed; the giver
is faithful that promised — Hebrews 10:23; the gift is the greatest ever, it is
God's Only Begotten Son, and in Him, is fulness of provision, for our every
need.
HAVE YOU COME TO CHRIST?
HAVE YOU REPENTED?
REPENTANCE seems to be a very better pill to take, yet in preparation
for salvation, it is the only pill made and prescribed by the great physician,
the Lord Jesus Christ. All men and women are, without exception COMMANDED by
God to REPENT. — Acts 17:31-32. The greatest preacher that ever was, the Lord
Jesus Christ began to preach and say, "REPENT. . . " — Matthew 4:7. In His
last farewell, when He ascended to heaven, He commanded that REPENTANCE should
be preached in His Name — Luke 24:47.
REPENTANCE is a divine CHANGE as to its origin and
outworking in us. God grants it. — Acts 11:18. The goodness of God leads us to
it. — Acts 5:31. By the convicting work of the Holy Spirit of God. — John.16:8-11; thus causing the bitter tears of repentance to flow (Ps.147:18).
REPENTANCE is a complete CHANGE, more than a change of
heart. Our THOUGHTS and WAYS change (Isa.55:8,9). Our WORKS change. — Matthew 3:9, etc. This change means:
- We are HUMBLED as to our STATE which is vile and totally
depraved; something our life sadly records, if we are prepared to face and
acknowledge the truth.
- We are AWAKENED to our NEED of Christ for salvation and
caused to FEEL our need very deeply.
- We are MOVED towards the REMEDY ie: Christ. — John.3:1.
REPENTANCE is a necessary CHANGE, for:
- GOD COMMANDS IT. — Acts 17:30-31. No one has the right to disobey for whatsoever reason or circumstance.
- The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is at hand. — Matthew 3:1; Genesis 6:3.
- EXCEPT YE REPENT ye shall likewise PERISH. — Luke 13:3.
Therefore
- REPENT and TURN TO GOD — Acts 26:20.
- REPENT and BE CONVERTED — Acts 3:19.
- REPENT and BELIEVE the GOSPEL — Mark 1:15.
REPENTANCE is not superficial sorrow: good motives; vows;
resolutions; tenderness of spirit; for many people weep to see the misery of
others, and yet they cannot weep for their own sin, and its forgiveness.
REPENTANCE if it is genuine, is a work of God in and through us BRINGING US TO
CHRIST. Then having been brought, we RECEIVE CHRIST by FAITH alone, for
SALVATION. — Acts 20:21. You cannot be saved until you have fully REPENTED
TOWARDS GOD (actually come to Christ) or else you will get a false profession
like multitudes of professing Christians today. . . . BE WARNED!!!
HAVING REPENTED
WHAT THEN? — FAITH!
You may be a good husband, a kind father, a regular
churchgoer, straight and honest; but all this, though right in its place, is
NOT ENOUGH. Your own good works and righteousness will never take you to
heaven, any more will the furniture of a railway coach, however rich and
elegant, will avail to move the train. The one essential is the COUPLING
between the coach and engine: it's ALL in the COUPLING. FAITH is that COUPLING.
"He that believeth in Me, hath everlasting life." — John 6:47. He who
is united to Christ by FAITH ALONE is saved, and will move to the glory of God.
There is no power in the coupling - link itself; its importance
all comes from what it does. So, FAITH is a simple thing; it comes by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God. — Romans10:17. The value of FAITH, is that it is
God's way, by which a SEEKING SINNER is linked with a SEEKING SAVIOUR; by which
a GUILTY SINNER is linked with an accepted SUBSTITUTE, who died in' his stead
at calvary.
It's either one thing or the other. I have trusted the Lord
Jesus, or I have not. The coupling is on or off. Don't say, "I hope it is
on" MAKE SURE. You may be uncertain about many things, but uncertainty
about salvation is fatal. You say, "WHAT AM I TO DO?" friend, DO
NOTHING. Cast your deadly doing down, down at Jesus' feet, and stand in Him, in
Him alone gloriously complete. On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished"
then YOU DO NOTHING. But you say, "WHAT AM I TO BELIEVE?" Believe, I
am a guilty sinner, and that Jesus died for me. "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved". — Acts 16:31-32.
FAITH IN CHRIST WILL SAVE THEE REMEMBER, SAVING FAITH is FAITH IN CHRIST: it is believing
what God has told us in His Word concerning His Son, and RESTING (once and for
all) on Him only for Salvation. We are SAVED THROUGH FAITH ALONE. It is NOT
faith plus works, or baptism, or religion, or prayers, or sorrow for sin, or
good feelings, or anything else, but SIMPLE CONFIDENT RELIANCE UPON the PERSON
and FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ALONE.
