Chapter 2
Salvation
The only true value in being alive is to receive eternal life in heaven.
According to the Bible, we live in the flesh, on earth, for a short period of time of
about 120 years, or probably less. Is that such a long and valuable time that we should grasp
it, and give to it an absolute value? Just imagine, choosing to have faith in Jesus Christ,
and because of your faith, being given eternal life where there is no want, no death, no suffering,
but in the presence of God who is life, love, acceptance, light, joy, and fulfillment.
Life in this world is short and eternity is forever. To live only for your pleasure
and security in this life, and to lose eternity would be the greatest mistake anyone could make. Therefore,
this topic of Salvation is the most important item in your life.
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Probably the best known verse in the Bible is "For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
This is salvation. This is being saved, believing in Jesus.
That raises a few questions. What does it mean to believe? Even if you want to be
saved, why should you look to Jesus? And finally, what is it that you should want to be saved from?
First: What does it mean to believe. A simple question that may have some surprising pitfalls. The
primary pitfall is knowledge instead of faith. You might know that Jesus was crucified to pay for the sin
of the world, but does that knowledge change your life? Do you find that your preferences have changed because
of this knowledge? Do you turn from sin because of your belief in Jesus? Do you ask him for forgiveness when
you fail? If so, that's a good start, in fact, if you are making changes to improve your life because of your
knowledge of Jesus Christ, that is evidence of faith. Asking him for forgiveness is the sign of repentance.
In the gospel of Mark, Jesus says: "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
(Mark 1:15). Repent of what? Repent of the times you have broken the law of the Almighty. Breaking God's law
is called sin. And how do we know what God's law is? First, he gave you a conscience to help you make moral
and ethical decisions.
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Then he has actually given the written law, the ten commandments to Moses, followed by many more specific
precepts.
The law that God has given us is not a restrictive jail, but rather an owner's
manual which explains to us how to get the most out of life.
Psalms 19:7-11
The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are
trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are
right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
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The law of our God is different than other codes of conduct, in fact there are times when only God himself knows that
we have violated his law. God's law does not just prohibit evil actions, which we all can see, but he prohibits the evil of the heart, and of
the mind. The eighth commandment: "You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15), an obvious act. And the tenth commandment: "You shall not covet your
neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your
neighbor" (Exodus 20:17). So, God's law is against the act of stealing, which we can see, and against the coveting of anything belonging to your
neighbor which is the desire to have (steal) someone else's property. This is something we cannot observe. But only God knows your heart and
your motives. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered
and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12). Your secret desires and plans are known completely to the Almighty.
Here is one for most of us men. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27, 28). It is only the Almighty God who gives this law, and only he who
knows when it is broken. Do not feel that you alone are guilty. "For all have
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sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), this is why all of us need a savior. We all have sinned.
If you believe in Christ, you will obey him. Speaking of Jesus, it is written: "He became the source of eternal
salvation for all who obey him" (Hebrews 5:9). True belief means to obey his commands. "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his
commands. Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person" (1 John 2:3, 4). "And
to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So, we see that they were not able to enter, because of
their unbelief" (Hebrews 3:18, 19). Obeying God is faith in God. Disobeying is unbelief.
Wait a minute. If believing in Jesus, (John 3:16) brings eternal life (salvation), then what's all this
stuff about repenting and obeying the law? That is specifically what differentiates between knowledge of God, and faith in God. To obey Jesus, is
to believe in him. If on the other hand, you do not obey the commands of Jesus, you obviously do not believe that he is God, and you do not believe
that he will judge you for the disposition of your soul. If you do not obey God, then you do not believe that he is God. To obey God is faith, and
to not obey is absence of faith, which is unbelief. Faith in Jesus that makes no change in your life, is imaginary. To believe in Jesus is faith in
God. From the very start of the Bible, we read about Jesus. In "In the beginning God created the heavens
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and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). "And God said, 'Let there be light'" (Genesis 1:3). It was this Word of God that created the light. "Now the earth
was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Genesis 1:2). In these
three verses we see the Trinity. Our triune God. One God, in three persons. God, referred to in Genesis 1:1 is the Hebrew word Elohim, which is
a plural noun, but also is singular in meaning when it refers to the one God. God in his triune nature (being) is shown in these scriptures by the
almighty God commanding, his Word doing the actual creating, and his Spirit hovering over.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:1-5). This "Word" is the preincarnate Jesus.
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
In Colossians we read of the God of our creation (Jesus). "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the first
born over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
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whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all
things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything
he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether
things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:15-20).
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did
not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"
(Philippians 2:5-11).
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be
saved" (Acts 4:12).
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This is why we look to Jesus to be saved. He was God with us, who as Jesus, overcame death. By the historical record he was witnessed to die on
the cross, be buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and on the third day rise from the dead. His tomb is empty. He was seen and touched by
his disciples. He talked and ate with them. After his resurrection he was seen by hundreds of people over a period of forty days. He was God
incarnate, and now is God and with God in heaven. About 700 years before the birth of Christ it is said in Isaiah, "Therefore the Lord himself will
give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel"
(Isaiah 7:14). The name or title Immanuel means: God with us. "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in
me will live even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die'" (John 11:25, 26).
Now that is Awesome!
When in a science class in college, in the early 1950s, my professor explained that the universe was steady-state.
This was the prevailing and accepted theory of the time. The universe has always existed, and always will exist. Matter can neither be created nor
destroyed. It wasn't until the 1960s, that Robert Wilson and Arno Penzias discovered the background noise from what is now referred to as the
"Big Bang". And now we have "scientific proof" that the universe came into existence at a point in time. Just like God told us thousands of years
ago
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in Genesis 1:1. Science seems to think creation of the universe came from nothing, but the Bible says it was created by the eternal God. Our God who
is spirit and who exists eternally, through time, but not bound by our concept of time.
Back to the process of salvation.
One of the earliest claims that Jesus made of his divinity was when he was twelve years old and had been left behind
in Jerusalem by Joseph and Mary. When they returned and searched for him, they found him in the temple. "Why were you searching for me?" he asked.
"Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). He certainly is not referring to the house of Joseph, his earthly or legal father,
but to his true heavenly father, the Lord God Almighty. Jehovah.
It is our sinless Jesus who gave his life for you, that your debt to God, for all of your sins, for which you could not pay,
was fully paid, by his sacrificial death on Calvary's cross. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8). We have been saved by the grace of God, through the exercise of our
faith in Jesus Christ. This faith we have is also a gift of God.
We are not saved by works. We have no right to heaven because we have been "good". Not because we
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have done good works, not because we are better than others. We cannot earn heaven. It is a gift by the grace of God, to all who believe in Jesus,
John 3:16, and "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"
(Romans 10:9). Therefore, the works mentioned before are not for salvation, but rather as evidence of our faith in Christ, which brings the grace of
God. In a few paragraphs you will see an example of the thief who was crucified along with Jesus, who found salvation by faith.
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them" (John 6:44). When we come to Jesus, it is because
God himself has drawn us to him. "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them" (John 6:65). God must also
enable us by giving us the faith we need to believe.
So, it is the Lord God, the Almighty who by his grace, draws us to Jesus, and then by his grace, he gives us the faith
we need to believe and be saved. It is grace. The grace of God who gives to us that which is the most valuable, and that which we could in no way get
for ourselves. All this through our faith in Jesus Christ who himself has proclaimed "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me" (John 14:6). Faith is the victory! It is this faith in Jesus Christ that saves us. What if you feel left out? What if you
have no faith? Be of good cheer, all is not lost. "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and
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the message is heard through the word about Christ" (Romans 10:17). Therefore, if you lack faith, go to the word of Christ. It is through hearing, or
reading the Bible about Jesus, and his words to you, that God himself will give you the faith to believe. I am a scientist, by nature and by schooling.
I don’t believe the Bible because it promises me eternal life. I believe the Bible because it's true.
An example of salvation is given with the thief on the cross, being crucified with Jesus. The thief finally believed
that Jesus was the Christ and he asked Jesus to: "remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will
be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42, 43). Does this sound too simple? Consider: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"
(Acts 2:21). Some say this thief had no time to do any good works, as a sign of his repentance. The truth is he did two things. First, he believed in
Jesus. "Then they ask him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent'"
(John 6:28, 29). Sufficient. Secondly, he made a public confession of his faith. Outstanding! We don’t know the eternal fate of most people, even
"good" people, but this man is in heaven.
Saved? What are we saved from? We are saved from the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death.
"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death"
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(Revelation 20:14). According to the Bible, there are two deaths. The first death is when our bodies stop functioning. Our heart stops, our breathing
stops, our brain stops and dies, and we are pronounced (legally) dead. The Bible calls this the first death, and frequently refers to it as "sleep",
because from this first death, everyone who dies will be awakened and raised from the dead, for one destination or another.
The second death was designed for the devil and his angels: "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels"
(Matthew 25:41). For an idea of what this lake of fire, the second death is like: "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning
sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever"
(Revelation 20:10). Not a good place to go, and not a destination anyone should be willing to risk by denying the love of God, given to us through the
love, life, and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends"
(John 15:13).
Whenever salvation and eternal life in heaven have been spoken of, there have been critics and skeptics who confidently
proclaim, I don't want to be saved. I'm happy the way I am. If there is anything I don't want, it's the presence of God. I want to be free from a god
who tells me what I can or can't do. I will do as I please and I don't
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need or want your god. How sad. What they believe to be their pleasures, will only last for a short time, and then they will die. After this death is
the judgment. "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The judgment for those who have rejected Jesus
is the second death, which is the lake of fire and burning sulfur. That deadly and terminal decision was made by them without knowing the attributes of
God, from which, they in their ignorance, have declared they wanted to be free. Those beautiful and true attributes of almighty God are described as the
fruit of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control"
(Galatians 5:22). How can a person live in the absence of these most beautiful and essential characteristics? No one who knew what these true attributes
of God were could ever say, they wanted no part of the one who these words describe. Do you really want to be forever without love? To never have the
joy of peace, patience, kindness, or gentleness in your life? Besides the missing out on this beauty and peace on earth, they face the second death.
People can only make wise decisions, if they fully understand the choices.
How great is the value of this salvation?
"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Matthew 16:26). Just imagine,
in God's evaluation, your single, solitary soul has more value than the whole world. "Eye has not seen,
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nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him"
(1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV).
Since salvation is by grace through faith, then let's examine faith. First, faith in God, the creator of all things,
is natural. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being
understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). No rational person can disagree that a Swiss watch, with its gold,
engraved case, it’s white enameled face, its black filigreed hands, it's finely made gears and cogs, springs and jeweled movement, was created by a
creator. Not just created, but created by an exact design, and for a particular purpose. No one can disagree. Then to say that human life on this
planet just happened is not intellectually sound, it is dishonest. To examine the intricacies of a single human life, the functioning of the body with
bone and muscle, skin and blood, heart and lungs, the ability to see, hear, feel, taste, smell, experience our emotions, and even more amazing, a brain
that can remember the past, plan for the future, think, calculate, and even more wonderful, to be able to hear and understand how God has revealed
himself to us and given Jesus that we might have life eternal. This is infinitely more complex than a simple Swiss watch. In the face of such evidence,
can anyone honestly claim to believe that we were created by chance, without the exact design of our creator, to an exact plan, and for specific purpose?
Therefore, faith in God, our
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creator and the creator of all things, is natural. Even the beautiful laws of chemistry and physics proclaim the majesty of God our creator. The good
news is that faith in God is not a matter of intellect. If it were, only the intelligent people would believe. But faith in God is a matter of honesty.
It is available to everyone.
Secondly, although the evidence of God, naturally seen in creation, is available to all, salvation begins with faith in
Jesus Christ, and that is not common knowledge. People must hear the words, or read the words of God that tell us of Jesus. This is where witnessing
begins. We must tell them. P. T. Barnum, the great showman of the Barnum and Bailey Circus was once criticized for using an excess of advertising.
He answered, if you don't tell 'em, they ain't never gonna know. It pays to advertise. At least that is the way I remember it from a book I read on
P. T. Barnum's life, many, many decades ago, and that is the way it is today. The great commission that Jesus gave to his disciples is recorded in
Matthew 28:18-20 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age."
Since we are saved by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, it is our faith in Jesus that gives us the
heart's desire to do good works. Especially to share with
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others the boundless gift of grace we have received from God. But here is another good reason to live a life of honoring God with witnessing and
good works, that is rewards. Some Christians seem to believe that since they believe in Jesus Christ, that they will enter heaven in regal splendor,
with the trumpets blowing a magnificent welcome. Well, maybe. Maybe not. All people will be judged by God. Those whose names are not written in the
Book of Life, will be cast into the lake of fire and burning Sulfur, which is the second death. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will
be saved. The way to have your name written in the Book of Life, is to be a believer in Jesus Christ. But how about Christians? Those of us whose
names are written in the Book of Life? We too will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).
In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Paul is only talking to Christians, we who have the foundation through our faith in Jesus.
The works of our lives will be tested in the fire. If we have built on our foundation in Christ with the works of being a good disciple, of sharing
the good news, with doing all sorts of good works by living the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians chapter 5, by exercising our spiritual gifts,
etc. and etc. honoring God, praying prayers which delight God, loving truth and justice, we well be rewarded. But even if all of our works are burned
up in the fire, we who believe
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in Christ still will be saved, because of our faith in Christ Jesus, but saved only as one escaping through the flames.
I don't know how thinly the Lord cuts this "belief in Jesus", but it would seem to me that it would be best to have
some evidence. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26). Still, in talking about the minimal faith needed
for salvation, the unsure might take confidence in Acts 2:21: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" No matter how thin your
faith is in Jesus, if it gets you into heaven, even as one escaping through the flames, Hallelujah!
If you were to repent of your sins, and by faith accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you would be saved, but who would
notice? "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who
do not need to repent" (Luke 15: 7). If you have no faith, get faith. If your faith is weak, strengthen your faith. Listen to the words of Christ
being preached, or read his words in the Bible, and faith will come to you. There is a caveat here, some preaching is erroneous, and you need to be a
Berean. In Acts 17:11, Paul mentions the Bereans who were of noble character, and they listened to the message with great eagerness, but after listening
to the message that Paul preached, they went to the scriptures and read them to make sure that Paul had told them the truth. Whenever we listen to
today's preaching, we need to go to the scriptures
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and see if what we just heard is the truth. The basis of our belief is the Bible. (Our collective beliefs in the principles and truths of God is our
religious doctrine.) The Bible is the only written source of truth concerning the Almighty God, how we began, the creation of all things, his
relationship to mankind, Jesus, the Word of God, and how we have hope of eternal life through faith in him. It is not our church, or any individual
whether family, friend, pastor, priest, or vision. Hopefully all of these sources will be true, but check them out in the only authoritative source,
the Bible. Know your Bible. Your life depends on it. Be a Berean!
The error of relying on the knowledge of Jesus, rather than having faith in him is exampled by these words of Jesus:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many
will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21- 23). Those verses just quoted show the difference
between "knowledge of Jesus", and "faith in Jesus". Knowledge of Jesus only requires knowledge. Saving faith in Jesus requires repentance and
obedience. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15 NKJV). "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord' and not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46).
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Today, there are some on television, and elsewhere who to me, sound as though they are using the name of Jesus only as a
source of income, but I will let God decide about that. Still the examples in Matthew 7:21 just cited, and this following passage seem to be cases
of just that. "Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed.
They would say, 'In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.' Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them
and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding" (Acts 19:13–16).
If you are ever in a place where you are asked: Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you? I hope you will be
able to truthfully answer; I am a child of the King, a servant of the Lord God Almighty, through faith in Jesus Christ, my savior.
Question. What is the minimum a person must do to be saved?
The minimum is "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). "Everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Pardon my being redundant, but these verses and this concept is so basic to the most important item
in life, they
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must be repeated. It is from this base that people can grow in their faith and understanding to be loved, saved, and rewarded by God. Still, it is
important to have faith in Jesus Christ, and not just knowledge of Jesus Christ. But even in discussing the possibility of minimal salvation, it seems
to require a faith in Jesus in order to call on his name, doesn't it? And if this calling on his name is something you do before your last breath on
earth, there must be some belief in him, for your eternal hope. Don't you want to know more about him? Would you not want to thank him and live to
please him, and do what he asks? But how many people, calling themselves Christian, and having confidence in their eternal security, don't love him
enough to even read his words? Very sad. And I'm sure their disinterest is not without consequence. Examine the following, as an example of a sinner's
prayer. A prayer for God to save you.
"Jesus, I am a sinner, and I am sorry. Please forgive my sins and come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. I repent
(turn away) form sin and I commit my life to you. I will study your word, follow your teachings, and obey your commands. And Lord, show me what you
want me to do; what part I can play in furthering your kingdom. Thank you, Lord, for saving me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
This prayer was printed in the "Tulsa Beacon", a weekly newspaper of Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 19, 2018, in a letter
to the editor. I was greatly impressed when reading it because it covers the basics that a Christian
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should believe, and because of belief, the appropriate changes in their life. I am a sinner, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Come into my innermost
being and dwell with me. I commit my life to you. I will study your word; I will obey your commands. Show me how I can live a life which will further
your loving plan for people on earth.
How many people, who call themselves Christian, do or even care about these things? I'm asking specifically about the
last three.
Since you are a Christian because of your faith in Jesus, and have eternal life given by the grace of God, I pray for
you that your time of being judged before the Judgment seat of Christ will be a time of joy.
Remember, sin will not keep you out of heaven. Unbelief will keep you out. Sin can be forgiven.
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