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

RELIGION WILL SEND YOU TO HELL

"SLAVATION"

"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

a great deal of Religion without having a bit of 

salvation.

"It is true that the Bible speaks of a 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 by 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 Savior.  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 'received 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 unto 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."

- W.L.P.

TODAY'S PROMISE

Image courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com  

"All praise to God, the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is by his great mercy that we have been born again,

because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we

live with great expectation, and we have a priceless

inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you,

pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

And through your faith God is protecting you by his power

until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be

revealed on the last day for all to see." 

(1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT)



TODAY'S QUOTE

Image courtesy of:Pixabay.com   

"I can only say that I am nothing but

a poor sinner, trusting in Christ alone

for salvation."  

-Robert E. Lee

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress,

and my deliverer; my God, my strength,

in whom I will trust; my buckler, and 

the horn of my salvation, and my tower."

(Psalms 18:2)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense of my life;

Whom shall I dread?

Though a host encamp against me,

My heart will not fear;

Though war arise against me,

In spit of this I shall be confident."

(Psalms 27:1,3 NASB)

RELIGION WILL SEND YOU TO HELL

Images courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

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