Does salvation + time + knowledge = spiritual maturity? If not, where does it come from? From years of church membership? From learning how to use Bible software or getting 10 devotionals in your inbox? Does it come with a degree in theology? Or from attending Bible studies week after week? If not, what does it take?
When people are asked whether they believe they will go to heaven and why, what is the most frequent answer? Why is their belief such a dangerous one? And what about after we’re saved, what keeps us right with God? Is it right living or something else?
Do you truly understand what is meant by the gospel? If you died tonight, do you know that you would go to heaven, or do you have doubts about where you will spend eternity? And what can you do if you’re not sure? These are important questions! Please don’t leave your eternity to chance!
Also:
What do believers need to remember as we share the gospel with our friends and family?
“Why me?” It’s a question we so often ask. Why is this happening? And why is it happening to me? Why now? Why my kids, my family, my job, my health? But … are we asking the right “why question”?
And from our New Testament reading:
We’ll talk about some very familiar verses from Romans. Most of us have likely shared these verses when talking to others about the gospel. Some of them have even been turned into what is commonly called the “sinner’s prayer.”
But is there a danger to praying the “sinner’s prayer” or “asking Jesus to come into your heart”? If so, how can we avoid it and not mislead others by giving them a false assurance of salvation?
Stuart Scott says, “Pride is the opposite of humility and it is one of the most loathed sins in God’s sight.” He adds, “We all have pride … The question is not ‘Do I have it?’ but, ‘Where is it?’ and ‘How much of it do I have?’”
Our Old Testament reading gives us a great illustration of what pride can do when not dealt with. So, where does pride show up in your life? Check Dr. Scott’s list of the manifestations of pride listed below. You might be surprised.
Can you or I lose our salvation? Many people believe if you have walked an aisle, prayed a prayer, were baptized, or fulfilled some other requirement, that’s it. You’re in! Others say we can lose our salvation through sin or neglect. But is there another consideration?
What about you personally? Do you have doubts about your relationship with God? If you died tonight, do you know beyond a doubt where you would spend eternity? Or do you lack assurance of your salvation?
Normally, on Sundays people around the world fill their churches. Most would identify themselves as Christians. Perhaps because they grew up in a Christian home or because they have some general belief in God. But could there be a great danger in that assumption? Could many, even some who attend church every week, be Christians in name only?
When an observer in Jesus’ time asked, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” He warned that the gate is narrow. And when the people of Joshua’s day claimed that they would serve the Lord, he told them not to take that commitment lightly. Are there many today who have failed to heed those warnings? Are there many who base their relationship with God on something besides the true gospel?
That should be a heart-breaking thought for those of us who truly understand the gospel because it is the most incredible GOOD NEWS ever! Today’s post includes a link to a video that could shake your understanding of what the good news of the gospel really is!
Maybe you go to church or maybe you don’t. Maybe you call yourself a Christian or maybe you’re not even sure you want to. What you do know is that you live with a sense of guilt and confusion. You lack any lasting peace and wonder if it will ever change.
Guilt sometimes leaves us with the vague feeling that we are not good enough and that we deserve whatever happens. But sometimes it leaves us angry and confused about why others seem to have peace and seem so sure of their relationship with God while we live with constant doubt.
The problem with guilt is that it’s more than an emotion. It is a state of being. We are all guilty before a holy God. And there is only one remedy and one road to real peace.
Things happen in life. Sometimes we’re sinned against. Someone hurts us. A friend betrays us. Other times, it’s a temptation. Someone or something looks good to us. We think we’re not getting something we need … or want. Like Eve, we see something that’s desirable. We may even believe God is withholding something good from us. How will we respond? We’re at a point of decision.
How will you handle your next point of decision and what can help you make a better decision?
We will all spend eternity somewhere. Some will spend eternity with God. But sadly, others will spend eternity suffering and eternally separated from Him.
Jesus compared that time of judgment to a shepherd separating sheep and goats. Both sheep and goats sit in our churches every Sunday. On the outside, we look much the same, but one day, the “Great Shepherd” will separate the two. The sheep to everlasting glory. The goats to everlasting punishment. Do you know for certain where you will spend eternity? Don’t leave it to chance!
And what about the people who sit around you on Sundays? Are there those who come in and go out without ever really being involved in the life of the church? Or whose lives don’t reflect a relationship with Christ? Could God be calling you to get involved?
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