Salvation By Luck?
By David J. Stewart
Most of the people I witness to concerning the Gospel don't know for sure if they're saved. Catholics in particular are prone to say things like, "I hope I'm good enough to make it to Heaven," or "As long as you're sincere in your heart, that's all that matters." These statements are LIES of Satan, and guaranteed roads to Hellfire! The Word of God is explicitly clear on this matter of salvation... "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). So many people today hope, by chance, that they'll make it to Heaven by their own merit. Salvation to them is no more certain than a crap shoot at a gambling casino. However, the Word of God assures us that we can KNOW beyond any shadow of a doubt that we are saved (1st John 5:13).
Romans 10:3-4 state, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Oh! How foolish are billions of people today who are going about to establish their OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS. In sharp contrast, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33... "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you." You need Christ's righteousness my friend; NOT your own. We read in 2nd Corinthians 5:21, "For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The righteousness which Christ offers to us comes only through His precious blood, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
Yet, if you ask the average person... "Do you know for sure if you died today that you would go to Heaven?" ... you'll get all sorts of self-righteous answers. You'll hear things like... "I go to church when I can, I'm a good parent, I try to be faithful to mass, I try to be a good neighbor, I love God, I give to charities, I don't think I'm that bad of a person, I'm sincere in my beliefs, I do the best I can," et cetera. They never mention the blood of Jesus or being born again. They never mention the righteousness of Christ. Sadly, they have been deceived by false religion, and are hellbound in their sins without Christ.
Multitudes of brainwashed people today are trusting in their own merit, the Catholic Church, and other forms of self-righteousness to get them to Heaven. This is what they've been taught by some liar(s). All these deceived souls will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Like it or not, the Word of God says what It says... "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2nd Thessalonians 1:8). If you refuse to obey the Gospel, then you WILL burn in Hell. The tragic thing about so many people going to Hell is that salvation (i.e., eternal life) is simple (2nd Corinthians 11:3), free (Romans 5:15), and requires no effort on our part to have it... But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:5).
The big question is whether you believe the Bible is God's Word or not? No other Book on this earth compares with the Bible. God's Word has proven Itself time and time again through fulfilled prophecies, archeological discoveries, and it's uncanny accuracy in describing the nature and workings of mankind. Penned over a 1500 year period by 40 different men, the Word of God perfectly cross-references and forms a vivid large prophetic picture. The odds of this happening are absolutely impossible. The Word of God provides the only logical explanation concerning the origin of mankind and the universe (2nd Peter 3:5). Are you willing to gamble with your eternal destiny on what some priest or minister teaches? Are you willing to trust men instead of God, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man" (Psalm 118:8). Oh! I beg you friend, please place your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you realize that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23), guilty under the condemnation of God's Law (Romans 3:19), deserving of the penalty of Hellfire (Romans 6:23)--then you simply need to come to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for forgiveness and salvation (Isaiah 1:18, Romans 10:13; John 6:37).
There is NO luck in being saved. Muslims are taught that Allah is capricious, i.e., unpredictable. In Islam, you simply do your best and hope with uncertainty that you make it. In Islam, salvation is based strictly upon merit. In sharp contrast, Christianity is based upon God's love, who gave His only begotten Son to pay for our sins with His own precious blood (John 3:16; 1st John 1:7). Our salvation is rooted in Christ's righteousness, and not our own (Titus 3:5). So if you choose to roll the dice, by gambling with false religion, then I can assure you from the Bible that you will be the ultimate loser. The Devil always wins when you play his game! Salvation is not by chance or luck, it is only by the blood of Jesus!
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.." -Ephesians 2:13