Never before in the history of the world has there been so many damnable
heresies, deceptions, and lies of Satan. Everywhere we turn nowadays, we
are faced with lies and Satanic deceptions. False religion abounds
everywhere, such as Catholicism. Modernist imposters such as
Oprah Winfrey have infested the TV (drawing 20,000,000 watchers daily). Other, less subtle deceptions, such as Lutheranism and the Seventh-Day
Adventism are just as devilish in their doctrines. Salvation
is simple, as we are cautioned not to forget in 2nd Corinthians 11:3, "But
I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty,
so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ."
It's as simple as the Sin Question/Son Question. We are
all sinners and salvation is found in the Son of God. That's it! Many people only address one of the questions, but not both. Many
people join a church for one reason or another, but they only find religion
and not Christ. Perhaps they seek balance and stability in their life. Perhaps they want a better environment for their children. Certainly good things. However, salvation is
not found in any
religion. Tragically, most people today have churchianity without
Christianity.
The Sin Question
Many people are led to make a commitment to Christ at a crusade meeting, or to join a church to find happiness. Unfortunately, they've never addressed the sin question. What about your sins? Many people today have been religious for most of their lives, but they have never truly found forgiveness in Christ. The world's churches are filled with religious relics, more resemblant of a museum or a morgue than a house of God. Going to church, keeping the sacraments, making a commitment to Christ, getting water baptized, financially supporting the church—these things do NOT address the sin question.
There are many people who foolishly think that infant water baptism removes original sin. No it doesn't! You can't show me anything in the Word of God teaching infant baptism, or that baptism forgives one's sins. In the entire book of John, Jesus never told anyone to get baptized. Yet Jesus said in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:18a is clear, "He that believeth on him is not condemned." Water baptism is NOT required for salvation; but is rather, the public profession of one's faith.
The sin question must be addressed! The very reason for which Christ came to die upon the cross was to take away our SINS. Therefore, no one can find salvation who does not first address the sin question. Do you realize that you are a Hell-deserving sinner? The Scriptures are abundantly clear that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8). We are all sinners (Romans 3:10,23).
A woman wrote me the other day. She
rebuked me in the
letter and then ended it with the following statement ... "By the way, I am
not a sinner." I sent her back 1st John 1:8-10, "If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Do you see
yourself as a hell-deserving sinner? If not, then you evidently don't
need a Savior and you are calling God a liar. God says that we are all
sinners, deserving of eternal punishment in hellfire. The SIN question must be
dealt with. Do you recognize your need for Christ because of your sins?
The Son Question
Many people do recognize their sins and they've turned over a new leaf to do better; BUT they've never addressed the SON question. People in churches around the world have made decisions to do better, have made new year's resolutions, have decided to do the best they can to please God; BUT tragically, they have never come to the feet of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Turning over a new leaf will not get you into Heaven. Doing better is nothing more than self-righteousness. God says that our self-righteousness is as filthy rags in his sight (Isaiah 64:6). The SON question must be addressed! You can't just decide to do better. All over the world, people are gullibly led to believe that some rehabilitation program will set their lives straight.
Organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are no better than the Satanic Freemasons, who teach their members to follow the god of their choice. Their god is undefined, a one size fits all god. The Biblical teaching that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven (John 14:6) is vehemently rejected. You can make yourself as clean as you possibly can; BUT, you are still a dirty-rotten sinner who deserves to burn in Hell. And so am I. Only through the precious blood of Jesus Christ can our sins be taken away forever. 1st Peter 1:18-19 declares, "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..."
The SON question must be dealt with. You can't just turn over a new leaf and try to do better. Billions of people throughout history have gone straight to Hell when they died, because they were trusting upon their own self-righteousness, instead of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We read in Romans 10:3-4, "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." You need Christ friend, nothing else. Salvation is so simple and God purposely made it that way. Oh how men complicate everything.
Religion is so complicated, laying heavy burdens upon mean's shoulders which are grievous to be borne, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat ... For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders..." (Matthew 23:2,4). But Jesus so wonderfully said in Matthew 11:29-30, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Jesus requires nothing of us to be saved except to rest upon Him alone. Realize that you are a guilty sinner and turn to the blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, Who's precious blood cleanses away our sins, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Amen.
