Topic(s): Salvation, Bible Study

Let us consider what God expects of man for salvation. We must surrender to Christ.

We must surrender our ears in hearing: "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ" (Rm. 10:17).

We must surrender our intellect in believing: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:15,16).

We must surrender our will in repentance: "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you" (Acts 2:38).

We must surrender our lips in confessing: "Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rm. 10:9).

We must surrender our lives in baptism: dying as it were to the old way of life, being raised to walk in a newness of life (Rm. 6:4; Acts 2; 38; Mt. 28:18-20; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Jesus said that it is necessary that a man be "born again." Above we see the outline for that new birth. Our fleshly birth gives us an earthly inheritance; our spiritual birth assures us a heavenly inheritance! Have you made the surrender to Christ?

 

He Couldn't Be a Christian

Topic(s): Christian Life

If a man would be a soldier
He'd expect of course to fight;
And he couldn't be an author
If he didn't try to write.

 So it isn't common logic,
Doesn't have the right, true ring,
That a man to be a Christian
Doesn’t have to do a thing!

 If a man would be a hunter
He must go among the trees;
And he couldn't be a sailor
If he wouldn't sail the seas.

 How strange for any Christian
To think he can be right
When he fails to work and worship,
And walk daily in the light.

"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
  - James 2:10

 

Discerning Good and Evil

Topic(s): Sin, Bible Study

"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5: 14). In the context of the above passage, due to a lack of growth, some lacked the ability to discern between good and evil. Peter wrote, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby" (I Pet. 2:2). These Christians had neglected the "milk" of God's Word and therefore could not bear the "meat." Many Christians today are guilty of this. Although the Bible docs not list each individual sin that man can commit, it does give certain guidelines by which one may discern between good and evil. Let us note some of these.        

Whatever weakens my Christian influence is wrong. The Bible states, "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself' (Rm. 14:7). Each of us has an influence on sonmeone else. What kind of influence should we exert'? Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Mt. 5: 16). The Christian is to be an example: "In word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (I Tim. 4: 12).           

Whatever hinders me from performing my Christian duty is wrong. There are many activities that are not wrong of themselves, but if they take us away from the Lord and His church, then they will cause us to be lost. Paul wrote, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (2 Tim. 2:4). Paul is simply saying that nothing in this life is to take us away from striving to please God. Jesus said, "Rut seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness ..." (Mt. 6:33). If anything else comes first, then it is wrong.        

Whatever corrupts my body is sinful. When one becomes the child of God, he/she seeks to do the will of God in all matters. Paul wrote, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ..." (Gal. 2:20). Paul realized that he was not to live a self-serving life. He was now a servant of Christ and he would seek to please Christ in everything. Jesus "died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again" (2 Cor. 5: 15). Paul wrote concerning our bodies, "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor. 6: 19, 20).             

Whatever corrupts my heart is sinful. Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Mt. 5:8). Sin begins in the heart (Jas. 1:14,15). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" (Mt. 15:19). If we till our hearts (minds) with filth, then it will be evidenced in our lives. But if we till our hearts with that which is pure, good, and holy, that also will be seen in our lives (cf. Phil 4:8).            

The requirements of the Gospel are not there for the purpose of making the Christian life hard and difficult. The Lord does not require the Christian to sacrifice a single thing that is good for him.

- Jimmy Ferguson