Salvation
To those of you who believe in salvation... Why should we make sure that we are on the true way to salvation?
shareBecause the Bible says: “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12, New King James Version)
shareHow can we be certain that we are on the way that leads to life instead of death, tvinoi?
share“Thus says the LORD: Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16)
shareWhat is the good way that leads to life?
share“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6)
shareHow can the Lord Jesus Christ be the way that leads to life, tvinoi?
share“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7)
“’I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.’” (John 10:9)
Where has Christ gathered those who have accepted Him as their way or, in other words, those who have entered in by Him?
shareAccording to our Lord Jesus Himself, they are gathered in one flock:
“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)
Which is this flock wherein we can find those whose way is Christ, tvinoi?
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)
The flock is the Church of Christ. For this reason, my friend, so that you can make sure that you have known who the way to salvation is and that you have obeyed Him as Lord and Savior, you should enter the Church of Christ. This is the Church that was purchased by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus. The Holy Scriptures testify that it is only in the Church of Christ where we can find those who have entered in by Christ and have been promised salvation.
Please do not delay, my friend. Let us now take the true way toward salvation.
“Hear what God says: ‘When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you. ‘Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved!” (II Corinthians 6:2, Today’s English Version)
There's so much to learn about salvation. I've learned much from you, tvinoi . What else can you tell me?
shareIf we are to describe the prevailing condition of the world today, nothing could be more graphic that the statement made by the prophet Isaiah about 700 years before the birth of Christ. The prophet gave this description:
“There feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths.
“The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
“Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! (Isaiah 59:7-9, New King James Version)
This is precisely the picture of the world we live in – a world wanting in peace, justice and righteousness.
Mindless killing of innocents is now a daily occurrence. So true were the words of the prophet when he said: “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood.” Almost everyday, we hear news of terrorisms, kidnappings, rapes, bombings and almost any imaginable crime which cause many to live in constant fear and apprehension.
The world is so plagued by social unrest, poverty and terror that not even the best of its political, social and economic strategists could offer any lasting solution to its problems.
Amidst all these turmoils, man seeks for light, “but there is darkness.” He longs for justice and peace, but “justice is far from us” and “the way of peace they have not known.” What is so ironic is that these problems arise at a time when the world is teeming with various religious organizations and a multitude of so-called evangelists. Even though more and more people are trying to seek God, the world continues to languish under wickedness and despair.
Remember what the prophet Isaiah had forewarned. “They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace” (Isaiah 59:8). Therefore if this is the kind of path that man would tread, there could be no peace.
So what lies ahead of us, tvinoi? Can we not find a long-term solution to this mystery? Is there no hope for mankind?
shareIf what we hope for is the improvement of this planet, and if what we seek to enjoy are the rewards of justice and righteousness in this world, then we will be sadly disappointed. God has foreordained the events that will take place in these last days in the warning of the prophet Ezekiel:
“This is what the Sovereign LORD is saying: ‘One disaster after another is coming on you. It’s all over. This is the end. You are finished. The end is coming for you people who live in the land’.” (Ezekiel 7:5-7(a), Today’s English Version)
There's disaster instead of peace and tranquility. And what shall be the culmination of all these sufferings?
shareThe Bible explicitly states:
“The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly …
“Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.” (Zephaniah 1:14(a), 18, New King James Version)
The day of the Lord’s wrath is closing in on this world. And all the things on earth shall be devoured by fire. On that day, silver and gold cannot do anything to alter the events that will take place.
In the face of this glaring truth, we cannot help but pity our friends who are deeply engrossed in searching for the material wealth of the world. Obsessed by their desire to find repose from all the hardships in life through power, glory and money, they have neglected their own souls.
Are we to understand that God created man just to make him suffer in this world and end up in the lake of fire? “How cruel is your God,” a non-believer may comment. “What a defeatist stance,” says another. But are we trying to say that there is no more hope for mankind, tvinoi?
shareThere is great hope for all men! We could look forward to the realization of God’s promise. The prophet Daniel revealed this promise:
“’And in the days of these kings the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever’.” (Daniel 2:44)
God promised a kingdom which shall in itself stand forever.
Will there still be injustice in that kingdom as what man has been suffering in this world, tvinoi?
shareApostle Peter answers:
“But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home.” (II Peter 3:13, Today’s English Version)
What man has been longing for on this earth – justice and righteousness – can only be found in God’s kingdom.
What about death, sorrow and pain? Will there still be sufferings in the kingdom of Heaven, tvinoi?
shareThe Bible says:
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. …
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away’.” (Revelation 21:1, 4, New King James Version)
This is the eternal repose for our souls. Not on this earth, but in the kingdom of God.
But what will lead man to find rest for his soul in the kingdom of God?
shareObviously not through the crooked man-made paths. So let us all give heed to what the Lord commands us:
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls’.” (Jeremiah 6:16(a))
We should turn away from those crooked paths. Let us hearken to the voice of the Lord which enjoins us to see and seek for the old path – the GOOD WAY. A good path that will lead us to salvation and to God!
So what is the GOOD WAY, like you say?
shareThe Lord Jesus Christ said:
“’I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’.” (John 14:6)
Jesus will lead us to the Father. Seek no other way, for only though Him can one come to the Father.
Are we to understand that it is enough just to know that Jesus is the way to God to find rest for our souls?
shareThis is what the prophet Jeremiah said: “Ask for the old paths, where the good say is and WALK IN IT.” (Jeremiah 6:16)
shareSo tvinoi, who has walked in the good way?
shareApostle Paul vividly states:
“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith,…” (Colossians 2:6-7)
To receive Christ is to walk in Him. And to walk in Him is to be built upon Him. Therefore it is not enough just to profess one’s faith in Christ. Nor is it enough to call Him Lord and Savior. He who wants to find rest for his soul must walk in Him. He must be built upon Him.
But who has accomplished this? Who was Apostle Paul referring to when he said: “you have received Christ Jesus … and built up in Him”? What was built upon Christ?
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