BETTER THAN THE ANGELS

How angelic do you feel today?
Anybody old enough to read this knows that they
are not made out of "angel stuff".  Of course it was
a long time ago but you probably remember that
you was less than angelic one time in the distant past.
But I am sure you have overcome that by now.
[Overcoming that small failure is intended to be
a joke.  You understand that.]

Hey!  It is a daily struggle to even want to do right,
let alone live right all the time.  That's why Jesus
Christ said;

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
(John 3:3 NASB) 

It is interesting that the man Jesus Christ was
saying this to was not a thief, a murder or vile
person, but a very, very religious man.  Far
more religious than you and I put together.
But, still he would not be able to go to Heaven
with out being born again.

The reason of course is that the nature in us
just makes us do or live wrong.  So if we
continue as we are we will end up in the Devil's
hell.

So how do I get this new nature that I need?
That is what Jesus Christ came into the world for.
He took my place and died for all the wrongs I
have done.  He became a sacrifice to God in my
 place.

When I recognize this fact and turn to God asking
for forgiveness and invite Him to move into me
and take over my life He will come in with His
nature and we will have the very life of God in
us.  This makes us new creatures.  We then have
two natures in us.  The one we were born with
at birth, AND, a new one from God himself.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave
the right to become children of God, even to those
who believe in His name."  
(John 1:12 NASB) 

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creature; the old things passed away; behold, new 
things have come."  
(2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB) 

The truth of the matter is, the real fight begins now.
Yes, there will be our old nature fighting against the
new nature.  But when we have invited Jesus Christ
into our lives to run our life, we have God himself
in us.  Now that is better than being an angel.

"For by these He has granted to us His precious
and magnificent promises, so that by them you
may become partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."  
(2 Peter 1:4 NASB)

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