YOU WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH

As human beings we tend to be in constant competition

on every thing in life.  We work to have the best grades,

the best job, make the most money or even cook the

best meal.  You name it, there is a competition to qualify

for everything.

Unfortunately this seems to carry over even into the

spiritual realm.  You have heard it, "I'm not good 

enough to know God or to be a Christian, etc."  That's

right.  You never will be because you plain and simple

cannot.

You could keep every law on the books including the

"The ten commandments" and still go straight to the

Devils hell.  I think that is why I love this little gem

that the apostle Paul gives us in the book of Philippians.

"For we who worship by the Spirit of God

are the ones who are truly circumcised.

We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us.

We put no confidence in human effort,"  

(Philippians 3:3 NLT). 

Do you realize that one little verse has the total

essence of being a Christian and in a relationship

with God himself.

That one little verse says more than a large library

full of theological books.

1. "... we who worship by the Spirit of God ..."

Jesus Christ himself when talking to the

Samaritan woman at the well said;

"For God is Spirit,  so those who worship

him must worship in spirit and in truth." 

(John 4:24 NLT)

God is spirit.  He is not something hanging on 

the wall or something you can hold in your hand.

We have to lift up our spirit to God who is spirit.

2. "We rely on what Jesus Christ has done for us."

Jesus Christ died in your place and my place.

He became a sacrifice to God the Father for us.

All we have to do is turn to God, submit ourselves

to God and accept that sacrifice that Christ made

for us.

3. "We put no confidence in human effort."

We are told numbers of times in the Scriptures

that we are not saved by our working for it

It is a gift from God.  Here are a few of the 

places that we are told we are not saved

by works if you want to look them up.

Ephesians 2:8,9

Romans 3:28

2 Timothy 1:9

Yes, after we have accepted God's gift to us

we will want to serve Him out of gratitude.  But

that is not what saves us.

Again, only one verse.

"... he saved us, not because of the righteous

things we had done, but because of his 

mercy.  He washed away our sins, giving

us a new birth and new life through the 

Holy Spirit."  

(Titus 3:5 NLT)

AMAZING GRACE

AMAZING GRACE.

What is that?

The more I consider the word "grace" the fonder of it I 

become.  I realize that it is only by the "grace" of God 

that I am alive today.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is the book of 

Philippians.  The Apostle uses the word grace several

times.  He starts using it in Chp. 1:2; "Grace to you..."

and verse 7, "...you are all partakers of grace with me."

All together he uses the word grace three times in this 

short epistle.

This got me curious, Paul seems to use the word grace 

a lot so I counted the times Paul use the word grace in 

his epistles.  Now I rarely us the King James Version

anymore.  But it was easiest for me to fine out how many

times he used the word grace in that version.  If I counted

correctly, Paul use the word grace in his various epistles

89 times.  WOW!  He must like it too.

But what is grace?

James Strong tells us that the Greek word is "charis"

meaning "... benefit, favor, gift, ..."  Or as Webster 

says it; "1. Favor, kindness, mercy ..."  Do you get 

the picture?

Is it any wonder then the Paul in one of his other

books says;

"God saved you by his grace when you believed.

And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift

from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the 

good things we have done, so none of us can

boast about it.  For we are God's masterpiece.

He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can

do the good things he planned for us long ago."

(Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)

"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found;

Was blind, but now I see."

RELIGION WILL SEND YOU TO HELL

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SALVATION

Let us begin by understanding each other.

When we speak about salvation we are not talking

about religion.

Many people suppose that Salvation and Religion

are the same thing, but that is a mistake.

Salvation and Religion are by no means

identical.  You may have as great deal of 

Religion without having a bit of Salvation.

It is true that the Bible speaks of as Religion 

which is "pure and undefiled," but even this

Religion is not Salvation, but only a product

of Salvation.  The Bible frequently warns against

Religion as a substitute for Salvation.

The dictionary will tell you that the word

"Religion" is derived from a root meaning

"to heed" or "to have a care."  It is the 

opposite of "neglect."

It is a good thing to take heed and have a

care for the things of God, but even this

will avail nothing unless it leads to 

Salvation.

Religion by itself is death.

Salvation is Life.

How is Salvation Obtained?

No one gets Salvation by "getting Religion."

Nor by joining the Church.  Nor by turning

over a new leaf and trying to serve God.

Nor be praying.  Nor by confessing his sins.,

(The promise of 1 John 1:9 is for those

already saved).  Nor by sorrow for sin.

Nor by asking God to forgive his sins. By

none of these means is Salvation obtained.

Salvation is obtained through a definite receiving

of the Lord Jesus Christ as one's personal Saviour.

The instant this is really done, Salvation is an 

accomplished fact.  This is shown by John 1:11,12.

"He came unto His own, and his own received

Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them

gave He power to become the sons of God,

even to them which believe on His name."

The next verse goes on to tell what happened

to those who "receive Him,"  that is, those who

"believed on His name."  They were at once

"born...of God."

Just so it is today.  As many as receive the 

Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, giving 

up all else and cleaving only to Him for 

Salvation, are instantly and forever saved.

His own declaration of John 5:24 stands good

through all time; ---

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hearth My 

word, and believeth on Him that sent Me,

hath everlasting life, and shall not come into

condemnation, but is passed from death undo

life."

Salvation is in Three Tenses

There is the past tense.  'When a man takes the Lord

Jesus as his own Savior, he may at once and ever

after truly say, "I am saved!"  Putting the matter in

the past tense as to the time, he may truly say 

"Then and there I was saved!"  This work is 

instantaneous; it is Salvation from the penalty of sin.

There is the present tense.  When a man is born again,

the Holy Spirit begins to work in him, both to will and 

to do of God's good pleasure, and to conform him to

the image of Christ.  This work is progressive; it is

Salvation from the power of sin.

There is the future tense.  When the Lord Jesus comes

again it will be "apart from sin, unto Salvation" (Heb. 9:28)

It is then that we who are now the sons of God will be

instantly changed into the image of Christ: We shall be 

like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3"2).

This is instantaneous; it is Salvation from the presence

of sin.

[Reprint of W.L.P.'s article.]

THE CHOICE IS UP TO YOU