It is about FREEDOM!
...remember, it's Freedom OF religion,
NOT freedom FROM religion...
Let's make one thing perfectly clear: Jesus Christ is Lord.
One Lord, one faith, one hope, one way to God, one salvation.
Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else;
for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
Romans 10:9-10 says it all concerning how you will be saved:
1) confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and
2) believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.
Nothing more, nothing less. Believe, confess, you're in. Sealed for eternity by the BLOOD of the LAMB!
Verse 10 explains that with the heart a person believes - resulting in righteousness,
and with the mouth confess Jesus as Lord, resulting in Salvation!
That's it.
Galatians 5:3 says that we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
Ephesians 1:13 says: ...after listening to the message of truth,
the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him
with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - It's by grace through Faith, NOT of ourselves... it's a GIFT!!! No actions or works...
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Romans 5:8-9 - while we were yet sinners... we are justified by His blood, SAVED from wrath...
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
So, let me make one more thing perfectly clear.
You don't need to be baptized to be saved.
You don't need to do good works to be saved.
You don't need to go to church or the mission field to be saved.
But if you love Him who first Loved us, you'll do those things! Those things are expected of
those that love the Lord. But those things do not save us, redeem us or make us righteous.
Our works should be there, the book of James points out that faith without works is dead.
But please don't spread a false gospel and tell me or others that if they aren't baptized or
if they don't speak in tongues, or don't do works that they won't be saved... because
that is minimizing the amazing grace of our Lord and the blood of His precious Son!
And if you think you can lose your salvation, please see Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30 again, and
then ask, "what part of sealed unto the day of redemption" don't you understand? Examine
Romans 8 and see what can separate us from the love of God... nothing... Once saved, always saved.
Now live like it... don't bring shame upon the name of Jesus Christ. We're sinners and we're
going to sin, see I John 1:9...
Remember to Walk in the Spirit (see Galatians 5:13-26, Ephesians 5:15-32 and I Thessalonians 5:14-24).
It's a spiritual battle... prepare yourself, see Ephesians 6:10-18...
It's not about hate. Hate is not a part of the Gospel of Christ, nor
His ministry. We are to reach out in love to the blind and lost of this
world... to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ... He came, He
lived, He died in our place for our sins... and rose from the dead.
Christianity is different... there is an empty tomb.
Christ rose from the dead. He is God.
We are to love people; but hate sin and the powers of darkness. Telling someone
that what they are doing is wrong according to the Word of God is not hate.
No more than telling someone not to stick their hand in boiling water. We share
because we care. We warn because it's serious... it's forever, eternal.
God's Word is reliable and to be trusted. It's stood the test of time and
critics. Examine it yourself.
Our responsibility is to warn and share; it's not our job to convert or force anyone.
Of course this is all by faith. Show me your faith, and I'll show you mine. And I'll
ask, "What can your faith do for me?" And I can tell you what faith in Christ will
do for you. Peace, now and forever. Forgiveness of sins.
Fellowship with God and His saints. Freedom from sin and guilt.
Freedom to love others. Freedom to live my life and know
that I'll be with Christ forever. Freedom to warn others and do my best to
explain what I've found in the Word of God. But also freedom to understand that
it's their choice... and knowing that in the end that:
Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.
The just shall live by Faith!
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The just shall live by Faith...
Der Gerechte wird aus Glauben leben...
Mas El Justo vivira Por Fe...
Le Juste vivra par la foi...
Habakkuk 2:4b, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38
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Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Luke 24:44-47 (NASB)
44 Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms
must be fulfilled."
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and
rise again from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be
proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
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http://wagoneers.com/FSJ/rigs/1986-CJ10A/2009_May_21_tug-n-trailer/JEM_8893.jpg
1986 cj-10a
