Category: Grace

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28

Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. – Hebrews 4:11

These two statements seem to contradict one another … “Jesus will give you rest” and “you must be diligent to enter His rest”.  The word “diligent” means with great effort … this is nothing restful about diligence … it means to leave no rock un-turned in searching out a matter to see if it is the highest and the best.  This is what is called an oxymoron or a paradox … it’s something that seems contradictory at face value but is none the less true in light of the truth of Jesus Christ. 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should – not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16

The “Rest” we are talking about is the rest of having “everlasting life” with Jesus.  We are Physically born with a sin nature, a Self Indulgent Nature, separated from God and sentenced to remain that way eternally.  We born rebels toward Jesus, wanting to to rule over our own self and if we remain in this state of rebellion, rejecting Jesus we will die in our sin.  By Grace through faith in Jesus Christ a person can be Spiritual “born again” and receive a new nature of Christ, so Christ is ruling over their soul eternally, they are united to everlasting life with Christ …a shared life in a relationship with Jesus.  

John 3:3-5 ” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.“

Yes, this is the gospel of Grace, the good news by which anyone who believes/calls on the name of the Lord is Saved!  Yes, this the good new of everlasting life that can never be taken from you and you cannot lose it either!  Once you are saved you are “perfect” in your position of righteousness before God because God sees you as the righteousness of Christ and you can “rest” in the truth that you cannot be separated from the Love of God.  You are perfect before God because of who you are “a child of God in Christ” … not because of what you’ve done.  Hallelujah! 

So many people want to complicate the gospel message and the distort this good news.  The biggest enemy is your sin nature, your Self Indulgent Nature, that wants to deceive you into thinking you know what is best for your life.  Your sin nature says “you aren’t that bad” … just fake it until you make it.  Your sin nature suppresses the truth about your condition, that you are fearful of dying and you know that you are not perfect.  This is why you need Salvation in Jesus so you can receive forgiveness of your sin and eternal life.

But the bad news is that the old man of sin, your sin nature, is not removed when the new man of Christ is born in the you but the old sin man remains and wants to continue to rule and reign over you heart.  And the old man will continue to rule over you, if you don’t daily “deny” or “die” to self and live for Christ.  The old man will continue to convict you of sin and tell you that you are condemned before God.  This is why a believer must be diligent to stay in the rest of the Lord, trusting and abiding in Jesus at all times because it is the “new” man in Christ that abides in the believe that has no condemnation before God!

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5

And this is how you stay at rest … take every though captive to Christ.  Remember the bracelet WWJD, What Would Jesus Do?  Well what “What Would Jesus Think” WWJT is the more important question.  And this is the diligent work that a believer is to do, to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ.  The believer is suppose to search the scriptures to see if the thought is consistent with God’s word.  The Holy Spirit will lead us to all truth (John 16:13) and the Holy Spirit will confirm what the scripture says, so if you know the scripture you can rest in God promises … and you can do the good work out of a love for God, not as a means to prove your love for God or justify your Salvation in Christ.

This is the diligent labor … to think, to discern, to take every thought captive to Christ.  

(note this article is a work in progress … like me.  I hope to come back and clean it up).

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.  – Hebrews 4:11 KJV

Our labour is to put to death the old man and send the enemy to flight through seeking God, taking up our cross, renewing our mind with the word of God, following Christ, being led by the Holy Spirit, spiritual warfare, etc. These exercises are how we are diligent, earnest or labour.

Notice, the author of Hebrew is talking to Saved Jews and is encouraging them not to return to the Law but continue to rest in the assurance of the Grace that saved them from the Law. 

A quick example came to mind, think of it as sitting in a rocking char, you sit to enter the rest but you rock to enjoy the rest.  

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. – Phil 2:12-13  Note, in this proclamation by Paul for people to obey God, he is drawing their attention to the Holy Spirit that is at work in the believer to accomplish the good work that was started in the believer … which he previously stated in Phil 1:6 (one of my favorite passages) For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. The focus of good works is Christ because what we do flows from who we are. If we are in Christ, focusing on Christ, dwelling on Christ, abiding in Christ then we will do good works of Christ but we do not claim that these works are what saves us or prove that we are saved.

A Grace believer does not claim that they are saved because they focus on Jesus or they are saved while they are focusing on Jesus. A Grace believer does not claim that when they focus on driving instead of Jesus that they are in Salvation limbo land and if they honk the horn because they are cut off in traffic they have lost their salvation and go to Salvation hell, so they have to pull over, repent and be saved all over again in order to reclaim their place in the line of Salvation. It is belief in Jesus Christ that saves us, satisfies us and will ultimately redeem us from this honking body!

God has a plan for man to be at rest with Him, as He rested on the seventh day.  Adam and Eve could have entered that rest if they had not eaten from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.  

After my Dad had been retired for a couple of years I asked him what he did all day?  … and he said for 6 days he does nothing and on the 7th day he rests.   I think my Dad was a believer in Jesus for his Salvation but I don’t know how seriously he took his relationship with Christ because I never saw him open a Bible and he didn’t want to discuss Bible scriptures with me.  My father was a good provider for our family, he supported us in our education and gave us gifts … he had a good grasp of earthly retirement and early rest but he didn’t really speak in terms of a Godly life and Heavenly rest.   

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

I have written several articles on God’s Amazing Grace and how it stands in opposition to man’s works.  Most of the articles focus on how “Grace Alone” saves a person but this article focuses on how the Grace that saved also seals, sanctifies and completes the good work of Salvation that Christ begins in a believer.  A born again believer is a “new creation” in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1) … praise the Lord!  The new creation is a believers new Spiritual self that lives in old body with the old sin nature man.  The degree that your new Spiritual self will grow and rest in Christ is proportional to the degree that you believe and grown in the knowledge of your new identify in Christ.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” – John 5:24

The works of animal sacrifice that people did in the O.T. were not to obtain Salvation or keep Salvation but they were done to rest in the fellowship of the Lord.  And this is true today, there is no works to obtain Salvation or keep Salvation.  Jesus paid it all.  My belief in Jesus is all the work that I do to obtain Salvation and my belief that I am saved does not keep me saved but it confirms in my conscience that which I have already agreed too. 

If you belief Jesus is able to save you and you have put your trust in Him as your Savior for eternal life then you belief that Jesus is a fraud or He is not able to keep His promise then you have not believed in the Jesus of the Bible.  If you believe Jesus is able to save you and you have put your trust in Him as your Savior for eternal life then you change your mind and do not want eternal life then you have not been saved by Jesus for no one wants to die in their sin.  If you think you have found a better way or Savior than Jesus, then you have not been saved by Jesus.  If you think you have not lived up to the life that is necessary to be saved or stay saved by Jesus … then you have not believed in Jesus.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? – 1 john 5:4-5

It all comes down to believing what God said is true vs believing what man thinks is true.  If you think there is something in addition to belief that you must do to be saved or stay saved then this is “behavior” … this is works … this is a cult of man!  RUN!

He who began the good work in you will be faithful to complete it.  – Phil 1:6

Sanctification is not a measure of your works but you will be lead to do the works of God if you are in fellowship with God.  (Click here for a good video on resting in Christ)

Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.  – John 5:24 Berean Study Bible

The difference between “enter” vs “inherit” the Kingdom is perhaps the most helpful teaching I have learned in my Christian walk.  It answers the question about the security of my salvation in Christ and the walk of my sanctification in Christ.  The information in this article is primary drawn from Joseph C. Dillow’s book, The Reign of the Servant Kings  although I do disagree slightly with Dillow when he applies this teaching to the parables of Jesus.  This article also addresses the difference between the “Judgement Seat of Christ” where believers appear before God to receive their degree of rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven and the “White Throne of Judgement” where unbelievers appear before God to receive their degree of their punishment in the Lake of Fire.

An Unbeliever “Enters” the Kingdom of God and becomes a Believer (one time – for all eternity!):

John 3:3-5 ” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.“

Mark 10:15 “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

John 10:9  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 

John 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

When the word “enter” (Greek εἰσέλθῃ – Strongs 1525) is used in scripture it refers to a “one time” act of faith, the act of being “born-again” and “entering” the Kingdom of God.  Note, I am not going to quibble here about the difference between entering the Kingdom of God vs entering the Kingdom of Heaven, there are a number of verses where they are used interchangeable.  The Kingdom of God primarily has to do with the divine “inward” life of a believer and the Kingdom of Heaven has to do with God’s divine outward rule on earth as it is in Heaven.  The “Kingdom of Heaven” is also the Spiritual realm of existence that we will enjoy as believers when we leave our earthly bodies and join Jesus in Heaven.  The Kingdom of Heaven also extends to earth, during the Church Age (when believers share the gospel of Jesus Christ and abide in the Grace of Jesus Christ) and during the Millennium Age (when Christ rules with a rod of iron on earth and believers rule with Christ in their resurrected bodies!). 

The only way to “enter” the Kingdom is to be saved by grace through faith in believe of Jesus Christ … you must be “born again”.  Salvation is a “one time act” of trusting in Jesus, that His work on the cross (by the shedding of His blood) Christ has paid your sin and by His perfect obedience, you are righteous before God.  Once you believe in Jesus and enter the Kingdom you can’t leave the Kingdom since it is impossible to un-believe what you once believed and it is equally impossible to un-receive the gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit, that seals your heart for all eternity.  You can no more be Spiritually un-born in heaven than you can be physical un-born on earth … it is a logical impossibility.   

Salvation is by “birth” in Christ not by “behavior” of man.

Think of it like the sperm cell when it enters the egg cell, it starts a new life at that very point and the process of life can’t be reversed or undone anymore than you can unscramble an egg.  Unfortunately, the baby body can be aborted before it is physically born but I believe the “life and soul” that is within that body goes to Heaven and decides to stay with Jesus.  All souls that God creates are eternal, it’s just a question of where that soul “decides” to spend eternity.  Abortion is not terrible for the aborted person but it is terrible for those of us on earth that miss the “gift of God” in that person who was prepared by God to bless the earth.  And of course, there is the hardship of grief and guilt of the parent that must seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

I’m sorry, I kind of went off on a tangent but I am trying to convey the concept that entering the Kingdom is a “one time” event that starts a process (salvation – sanctification – glorification) that can’t be undone.  You can’t be “thrown out” of the Kingdom since it is Christ who has saved you and guaranteed your entrance by grace through faith not based on your works of righteousness, which are like filthy rags … and therefore there are no works of unrighteousness that you can do that will cause you to loose your salvation.  It is Christ who seals your salvation (Ephesians 1:13) and it is Christ who will “complete” your salvation (1 Philippians 1:6).  Therefore, in Christ you have confidence that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). 

If you are trusting in your own good works for salvation, then you have never been saved … you haven’t lost salvation … you have never been saved by Jesus and sealed by the Holy Spirit.  But if John 3:16 is true, then you are trusting in the good works of Jesus Christ for your salvation and Jesus doesn’t/can’t lie about what He will do!

Jesus died for our sins (past, present and “future”) according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3) … so Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) is a true Bible doctrine … or I like to say Once Sealed, Always Sealed … or Once in Christ, Always in Christ.  However if you claim to be saved and yet you are not concerned about living your life for Christ then you are probably not truly saved, you are probably not “born again” and you are probably not sealed by the “Holy Spirit“.  God sent His Son to save us from our SIN … our Self Indulgent Nature way of thinking, which is to think we can live a good and pleasing life apart from God.  As previously stated, when a person is “born again” the Holy Spirit “seals” the person for eternal life … you have Christ “in you” … you are “in Christ”.  From this point onward, until you physically die and are removed from your physical sin nature body or until you are caught up to Jesus in the Rapture, your thoughts and deeds that are contrary to your new Spiritual life that is in Christ “grieve” the Holy Spirit in you and remind you that you belong to Jesus. 

This is what it means to be “born again” … it means you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  God is able to lead you, guide you, comfort you, satisfy you with His love and overflow you with His joy … so it spill over onto others.  God wants to give us the best of everything but we must realize that everything is best when it’s done His way … not according to our way of thinking.  If you are His child and continually seek to know God and follow Him, He will guide you through this wicked world so you have “rest” for your weary soul.  If you are His born again child and you continue to try to think and do things independently from God … “I did it my way” … then God disciplines those who are His (Hebrews 12:6), so they see the futility of their sin (self indulgent nature) so they will deny their sin and trust in Holy Spirit to overcome their sin. 

God wants us to “rest” in His Grace and yield to Him as He completes the good work of Salvation that He began in His born again child (Phil 1:6).  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;” – John 10:27.   However, until someone invents a “Holy Spirit Breathalyzer” this debate about whether someone has lost their salvation or they are living in rebellion toward their Salvation or they were never saved will continue until Christ returns. 

A profession of faith (head knowledge about Christ) without a possession of faith (being born again in Christ) is not Salvation … you must be “Born Again”!

Repentance from sin (a turning away from self and sin) and Faith in Jesus Christ (a turning toward God) are two sides of the same coin … the gift of repentance and the gift of faith supplied by the gift of God’s Amazing Grace  … “all” … work together to bring the gift of Salvation (Ephesian 2:8-9).  Salvation is an unmerited “gift” of God’s Grace.  Salvation is not offered to you based on any good work you have done and it is not denied to you based on any bad work you have done.  There is no work involved to receive Salvation and there is no work involved to keep your Salvation.  Salvation means you are “at rest” in what Jesus has done to justify you before God and it means you daily “rest” in Jesus, abiding in Him, doing the good works He has prepared for you to do (Hebrews 4:10-11).

Salvation in Jesus Christ is not to be seen as a license to sin and still be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, like you are holding a “get out of jail free card”.  If you are not concerned with living a life of repentance toward sin and righteous toward Jesus Christ, then you most likely are NOT saved.  True salvation in Jesus Christ results in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which causes the believer to have an attitude of reverence towards God who created you and an attitude of gratitude towards Jesus who paid the price to redeem your from sin, so you can have an eternal relationship with God.  Salvation actually “begins” a battle within the believer between the new born again nature of God and the old and pervasive sin nature of man.  This battles is called the “sanctification process of becoming like Christ” and it continues until you are in the presence of Jesus, free from your sin nature and fully redeemed to the new nature of Christ! 

 

On the other hand, if you think you have done or said something that caused you to loose your salvation then this is a good sign that the Holy Spirit is alive and well in you.  However, a believer shouldn’t live in fear of loosing their salvation but they should live with the assurance that Jesus who saved them from the penalty of sin (justification) is able to complete the good work of saving them from the power of sin (sanctification) until the day the believer is delivered from the presence of sin in a resurrected body (glorification).  It is “our love of Christ” because of the “love that Christ has for us” that assures of our eternal life with Christ and it motives us to daily trust and obey Him!

 

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. – 1 John 4:18”

The issue of how a person is saved (Salvation) and how a person is kept saved (Sanctification) is divided into to primary camps called “Arminianism” vs “Calvinism”.   The Arminians think the “free will of man” can choose salvation in Jesus and the free of man can choose to loose their salvation.  The Calvinist think “the sovereignty of God alone” chooses those who are saved in Jesus and God alone keeps them saved.  However, I belong to the camp of “born again Christians” who think the free of man can choose Salvation in Jesus and the sovereignty of God keeps that person saved.  

Note, choosing Salvation in Christ is not like choosing what socks to wear or choosing fish instead of chicken to eat or choosing to add sugar to your coffee.  You are not choosing to “add” Jesus to your life but you are choosing to have Jesus become Lord of your life.  “Choosing” does not accurately describe what Salvation is … choosing is only part of the way we understand Salvation.  More importantly you are “believing” Jesus is Lord of All, that He died for your sin and rose again on the third day and He can grant you forgiveness of your sin and eternal life.  And you are asking Jesus to come “into” your life … to comfort you, guide you and give you His love and you are receiving Him into your life with thanksgiving and joy! 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13  

 

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.  – Proverbs 8:17

Our “choosing” to be Saved by Jesus works in-conjunction with God’s “choosing” to reveal Himself to those who seek Him … which God desires to do and will do … to those who seek Him.   And our seeking God is not a work that we do but it is the essence of what it means to be human … “I think therefore I am – Descartes“.  Each person wrestles to understand the meaning of their life but some are not willing to acknowledge the evidence of the witness of God.  Each person is responsible for acknowledging the witness of God in creation and the witness of God in our moral conscience so man is without excuse if He rejects these two witnesses and does not seek to be reconciled to God through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 1:20).

A Believer receives “reward based’ Inheritance in the Kingdom of God by doing acts of faith in Jesus Christ:

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.“

2 Corinthians 5:6-10  “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.“

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.  Colossians 3:23-24

When the word “inherit” (Greek kléronomeó – Strongs 2816 and Greek kléronomia – Strongs 2817) is used in scripture, it refers to inheriting rewards or acquiring your Kingdom status/promises in your glorified body in Heaven.  This act of “inheriting” rewards can only be done by a believer of Jesus.  (Note, there is a “sonship inheritance“ in Heaven that is guaranteed by your salvation which I will discuss later in this article).  A believer receives a “reward based inheritance” when they act in faith to do the good works of faith that God has prepared by grace for them to do.  When the believer cooperates with the Holy Spirit in doing these acts of faith he will “inherit” the character of Christ (now), advance God’s Kingdom in Heaven and on earth (now) and store up an “inheritance” of rewards in Heaven (future).  This is what it means in Matthew 6:33  “To seek ye first the Kingdom of God …” .  It means that as a believer of Jesus Christ we cooperate with the Holy Spirit that dwells within us (from the one-time act of Salvation) and we seek to be transformed into the image of Christ (by the ongoing act of Sanctification) and we look for our blessed hope to be with Jesus in our resurrected body (by the future act of glorification). 

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6

As we can see from Philippians 1:6, God is going to complete the good work that He began at Salvation.  God is going to burn off the “dross” of sin in the person through the Sanctification process.  If the believer cooperates with the Holy Spirit, then the believer will inherit rewards in Heaven.  If the believer doesn’t cooperate with the Holy Spirit after he is Saved then he will have a miserable time fighting the Holy Spirit, probably die an early death and have little to no reward based inheritance in Heaven but he will have his “entrance” into Heaven and his sonship based inheritance in Heaven.

When a person is saved that person receives a new Spiritual nature of Jesus Christ that desires the things of Heaven.  The Holy Spirit seals the person so he can’t lose his Salvation and the Holy Spirits dells within the person to comfort and guide the person … and also to cause him sadness from sin.  However the old sin nature continues to dwell in the person too and it continues to want the things of the world.  As a believer of Jesus Christ it is our responsibility to deny our sin nature and walk by faith in our new Spirit nature of Christ (this is the Die 2 Live theme of this web site). 

When we follow the Holy Spirit and do the good works of faith that God has prepared for us to do we store up rewards in Heaven for our inheritance.  It we are unfaithful and walk by our sin nature then we will not “inherit” rewards in heaven.  Unfaithfulness on a Christian’s part causes our godly character to decline and (1) thus we come under the discipline of God as believers (not his judgment), (2) it causes the Kingdom of Heaven on earth to decline and thus the Church comes under the discipline of God (this is happening now) and (3) we loose rewards we would have otherwise gained in the Kingdom of Heaven but we do NOT loose our entrance into the Kingdom and our son-ship inheritance, which is guaranteed by our salvation in Jesus Christ. 

Come just as you are … leave just as He is!

Many people are familiar with the footprints in the sand story … the two sets of footprints in the sand represent a walk of the believer in fellowship with Jesus and the “one” set of footprints represents Jesus who alone carries the believer through a trial of suffering, when the believer didn’t have the strength press on.  This is actually, the way our walk with Jesus should look all the times … the footprints of Jesus should be indistinguishable from ours because we are so closely abiding in Him, walking in His steps.  Yet, I think that sometimes, instead of one set or two sets of footprints there is a “trench” alongside the footprints of Jesus, where Jesus has been dragging the believer along in rebellion into the Kingdom of Heaven.  For some of believers the trench is short because the believer confesses his sins and walks again (1 John 1:9) but for other hard headed believers the trench is long and deep, ending right a the gates of Heaven itself. 

Another problem that causes a Christian’s growth (sanctification) to be stunted and their rewards to be withheld is that most Christians remain on a diet of “milk”, pacified with the teaching concerning their salvation but not they are not daily reading their Bible, or being a Berean to study the scriptures for themselves!  The “meat” of God’s word is to study the scriptures to see how the promises in the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament … like how the 7 Jewish feasts are represented by the 7 candle Menorah and are fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ.  Also, a third of the Bible is prophecy, yet many Christians don’t study it and are unaware of the signs of the time, especially today!

Another problem occurs when a Christian tries to do good works by their own power and reasoning, thinking they must do good works or they will loose their Salvation.  But as I said before, we are not to be motivated by “fear” but by “faith”.  God has prepared the good works and He provides the means for us to do them.  It’s the “joy of the Lord” that is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).  We must deny our selfish reasons and do it out of our love for God, knowing that in this way we are drawing closer to God and He will reward us for doing so. 

But perhaps the biggest problem is that most Christians are so busy building a home here on earth, doing things to bring them success and happiness in this world that they fail to see that this world is NOT their home, but their “real home” is in Heaven where Jesus is preparing a place for the believer using the material that the believer sends to Him … a life lived in trust and obedience to God’s word.

Think of the difference between enter and inherit from the standpoint of your earthly family.  When you were physically born you entered into your family on earth.  It was God’s decision and His gift to give you life … you can’t be unborn or unrelated from your family no matter how hard you try …  it is a logical impossibility.  It’s a blood connection, where the DNA of your parents is in your blood, defining your physical characteristics in the flesh.  Well, when you become a child of God, you become born into God’s family and your blood connection is through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Salvation in Christ is “your” decision to join God’s family but it is also must be made under God’s terms of surrender (repentance) and faith in Jesus Christ.  And at your new birth in Christ you receive God’s Holy Spirit in you and inherit God’s Spiritual DNA which defines your “real” identify of who God created you to be.  God becomes your Abba Father and you can’t be unrelated to your new Spiritual family of Grace in Jesus Christ .  Your physical family may disown you but once you are in the born again family of God, you can never be disowned.

Now, your earthly parents may have an inheritance they are planning to give you and the inheritance your receive might be based on your conduct and behavior toward them.  I know there are times when a family member receives “nada” when their parents die … because of something the family member did or didn’t do that was in opposition to the parent.  In a similar way your “inheritance of rewards” in the Kingdom is based on your conduct toward God after you become a member of God’s family (note, there is a “sonship inheritance” in Heaven that is guaranteed by your salvation which I will discuss later in this article).   God is not like an earthly parent who makes unfair demands on your life or who promises an inheritance but leaves nothing behind.  God is a “promise keeper”.  Therefore if you “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)“, then your will be storing up treasures in Heaven that you will enjoy for all eternity (Matthew 6:20).

A believer is judged for the “rewards” he inherits in the Kingdom of Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ (also called the Bema seat) based on his good works of faith he has done in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:10).  Note, the Judgement Seat of Christ is not a judgment for entrance into the Kingdom, that was decided and guaranteed when the believer was born-again.  There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) … a believer is covered by the righteousness of Christ and is righteous to enter the Kingdom based on Christ’s righteousness.  However, a believer can loose rewards and privileges to serve Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven by not faithfully serving Him now, on earth.

My pastor says that the hardest thing to do on earth is to deny self and serve Christ, yet in Heaven serving Christ will be the most desired and joyful thing to do.  Our desires in Heaven will be turned upside down and we will no longer focus on our selfish desires and be held back by fear and sin but we will desire to serve Christ and be used by Him.  Yet, the reward of serving Christ in Heaven will be based on the faithful service that is given to Christ on earth now!  Like the poor widow who gave to the treasury at the temple two small cooper coins which represented all she had (Mark 12:41-44).   “Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. – Mark 9:35”

An Unbeliever is “Denied Entrance” into the Kingdom of God after their death:

Luke 12:10 “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.”

John 3:16-18 “16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.“

The only person who is “denied entry” into Heaven is the person who blasphemies the Holy Spirit, which means the person reject the gospel of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ.  Note, there is no such thing as a neutral or undecided position concerning the message of the gospel of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ.  If you are “on the fence” or waiting to make the decision to come to Christ and you die today, you will go to hell.  You will appear before the White Throne of Judgment, not to decide your guilt or innocence before God but to decide your degree of punishment in the Lake of Fire.  For we are all born an enemy of God, children of sin and followers of Satan.  We are all born with a sin nature that we inherit from Adam’s sin nature.  Therefore we are born guilty of sin, disconnected from God without the ability to please God and do His will. 

However, God in His grace covers the sin nature of the unborn and the babies and children, those who have not reached an age of accountability to understand their sin or those who are physically unable to understand sin because of a mental disability.  If people such as these die, they are granted an entrance into the Kingdom or perhaps like the angels that didn’t fall with Satan, they are given a choice after they did and they decide to stay with Jesus in Heaven.  And God covers the sin of those who have “entered” His Kingdom by grace through faith in Jesus Christ  but if you are reading this article, then you have reached the age of accountability for your sin.  God has already revealed Himself to you concerning your sin and you are without excuse if you have not accepted His offer of salvation for your sin in His Son, Jesus Christ.

A Believer may be Denied “reward based” Inheritance of the Kingdom of God but He is not denied Entry:

Galatians 5:16-26  “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”

The above scripture is written to born-again believers as a warning to not “carry out” or act upon the desires of the flesh.  I have recently updated this article to indicate that this scripture can be understood in one of two ways but this scripture is NOT a warning that you can loose your salvation. However it is a warning that you can loose rewards or it it a warning to examine yourself because you might not be saved at all!

(1) The first way to understand this scripture is that if you are a believer of Jesus Christ and you envy what someone else has (or commit any sin of the flesh) you will not “inherit rewards“ in the Kingdom of God.  This scripture does not teach that you will not “enter” the Kingdom if you sin as a born-again believer.  Moreover, this scripture above is saying that if the motive for what you do is to be seen as being better than someone else then your works are worthless, they will not count for rewards in heaven.  Envy is a sin and you should confess it to God and return to fellowship with God (1 John 1:9) so you can do good works that “inherit” rewards in Heaven but having thoughts of envy are not going to keep you out of God’s house, they just put you in the dog house where you can’t enjoy the fellowship of God until you confess your sin!  

(2) The other way to understand this scripture is that Paul is warning people in the church of Galatia (and all believers everywhere) that if they practice deeds of the flesh and have no remorse or conviction of their sin, then they should examine themselves to see if they have been born again and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.  The Holy Spirit of God will bring guilt on a believer if they practice sin and do not confess sin.  This guilt will nag and hound at the heart, and it can lead to sickness and even death if the sin is not confessed by the believer to the Lord (1 John 1:9).  In comparison the believer who is living a righteous life in Christ, the Holy Spirit may feel grief because of the sin and suffering that is in the world and empathy for others who are suffering from the effects of sin and those who are lost in sin.  The righteous believer will feel uplifted and rejoice in righteous living and victories of righteous done in Jesus name.

Does Galatians 2:21 teach that you can loose your salvation … NO! [youtube id=”T-4SHFmhJfs”]

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God 17 And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

This scripture from Romans is a reminder to the believer that he is a child of God, therefore we should be willing to suffer in this world for righteousness sake taking up his own cross to identify with Christ.  Yet, Peter denied Jesus three times and Jesus didn’t reprimand Peter telling him he had lost his salvation but he did remind Peter that He was called to feed Christ’s sheep.  Peter was also greatly grieved because he denied Jesus, after bragging in his own strength that he would not abandon Jesus.  Peter was suffering in guilt and shame of his sin nature, which proves Peter was a child of God.  Peter later greatly proved his faith and love for Jesus, even dying upside down on a cross.  Those who who deny their self/sin nature daily and take up their cross serve/suffer for Christ will be glorified to a “greater” degree with Christ.  This is scripture is not meant as a threat that a Christian will not receive a glorified body in Heaven if they do not suffer for Christ to the degree that Paul or the disciples suffered but it is encouragement those who sacrifice more for Christ will receive greater glory and rewards with Christ.  As Jesus told the mother of James and John, “You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.” – Matthew 20:23.

John makes this clear that even a “born again” person in Jesus Christ will continue to sin no matter how hard he tries to avoid it.  That is because the believer continues to have a sin nature that fights against his new Spirit nature of Christ while he walks the earth “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us – 1 John 1:8.”  Don’t be naive or ignorant about your sin and don’t wallow in your sin but stop your sin, confess your sin and try not to do it again.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).”  The important thing to remember is that you do not ride a roller coaster of uncertainty about your salvation, wondering if there is some sin in your life that is going to derail your entrance into Heaven.  Sin in your life will diminish your Christian joy on earth and your rewards in heaven but it will not keep you out of Heaven or send you to the imaginary place of purgatory that the Catholics have dreamed up.

When you sin, after you are saved, the Holy Spirit within you will convict you of your sin and this should cause you to confess your sin and repent of your sin (1 John 1:9).  If however, you profess to be a Christian but you are not concerned about sin in the world or convicted by the sin in your life, then I would be very concerned about my relationship with Jesus Christ.  The scripture is clear that once you are saved you have crossed over from “death to life” (John 5:24) but if you claim to be saved and you are not concerned about sin in your life or you approve of sin in the life of others then you are most likely NOT a saved.  For although a believer in Jesus Christ will still commit sin, a true believer of Jesus Christ will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to confess their sin and return to fellowship with God. 

Note, a person who is not concerned about sin in their life or the person who “approves” of sin has not lost their salvation but they never were saved because it is for this reason that Jesus died for us, to save us from the penalty, power and presence of sin (http://die2live.worthyofpraise.org/the-three-aspects-of-salvation/).  Moreover, a concern to be holy and humble like Jesus and a purpose to live your life for Christ by His power and grace is the sign that the Holy Spirit has sealed you for all eternity as a child of God.

A Believer receives “sonship based” Inheritance of the Kingdom of God but an unbeliever does NOT inherit sonship

1 Corinthians 6:9- 11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

In the above passage (1 Corinthians 6:9- 11) Paul is addressing the unrighteous, the unsaved person and he is saying they will NOT receive a “sonship” based inheritance into the Kingdom of God because they will NOT enter the Kingdom of God.  Previously in this article I have been talking about “reward based” inheritance, which are “conditionally earned” rewards given to a believer based on the faithfulness of the believer after salvation.  But there are also unconditional “sonship” inheritance “gifts” that every believer receives when they “enter” the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Ephesians 1: 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, 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, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Here are some of the “sonship” gifts of a believer in three stages … color coded:   (Salvation – Sanctification – Glorification)

 

(1) guaranteed entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven (John 5:24) – “opportunity” to earn Kingdom rewards (1 Corinthians 3:14) if good works of faith are done – the “potential” to enjoy Kingdom rewards/service in Heaven to reign and rule with Christ if self is denied and works of faith lead by the Holy Spirit are done (2 Corinthians 5:10)

 

(2) sealing of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) – filling of the Holy Spirit when faithful toward God – fullness of the Holy Spirit in Heaven

 

(3) Christ’s righteousness before God (Romans 8:1, Isaiah 61:10)  – ongoing forgiveness of sin when confessed (1 John 1:9) – a white robe of righteousness in Heaven (Revelation 3:5, Revelation 19:14)

 

(4) Spiritual death sentenced cancelled (Colossians 2:14) – grace to preserve until death or until the rapture – a resurrected body in Heaven

 

(5) reconciliation with God – fellowship with God – presence of God and fullness of joy!

I noticed that murderer is not on the list of the unrighteous (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) and some say that a murderer cannot be saved, but if that were true then they themselves would be eliminated since every man is guilty of murdering the Son of God.  Because of my sin and your sin, Jesus died.  And some Christians think that it is impossible for a “born-again” believer to murder someone and even if it is possible then that Christian should be banned from Heaven (loose their salvation) and treated as an unbeliever.  But God does not look at the outward appearance of things, He sees the true condition of the heart.  He know which children are His regardless of their sinful behavior and He knows how to discipline them and get them into Heaven, even if He has to bring them there by the rod of His discipline.

Here is how God intends for His born-again child to behave so they can inherit full rewards in the Kingdom of God and enjoy God to the fullest now!

Colossians 3:12-17 “12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

In addition to the guaranteed “sonship inheritance” (see above) there is a “reward based inheritance” you can “earn” by your faithfulness “after” you are saved!  The “crown” rewards will be presented to believers by Jesus at the Judgement Seat of Christ if the believer has passed the specific test of faithfulness on earth to receive the crown reward. 

Crowns of Reward for the faithful works of believers in Jesus Christ

 

The Crown of Life is for perseverance through temptation and suffering (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10).

 

The Crown of Righteousness is for living pure because the believer is loves to see the appearing of Jesus (2 Timothy 4:8, 1 John 3:3).

 

The Crown of Glory is for the willing selfless exercise of service to others “feed the flock” for the building up of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:17, 1 Peter 5:2-4).

 

The Eternal Incorruptible Crown is for self control and discipline in running the race of faith submitted to the Spirit and not the flesh (1 Corinthians 9:25, 2 Timothy 2:5).

 

The Crown of Rejoicing is for rejoicing with believers and for sharing the gospel to make believers of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

 

For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will reward each according to what he has done.  – Matthew 16:27 HCSB 

I think there are also Kingdom service rewards to reign and rule with Christ that will be rewarded to those who faithfully do the works that Christ has called them to do on earth.

      In closing thought, I know it’s hard from some Christians to fathom that a born-again believer can sin in foul and perverse ways or curse God’s name or deny God’s love for them but I have heard the testimony of saved people who turned their back on Christ and committed terrible sins, only to later sense God hounding them and holding them and calling them back into His fellowship.  And I think some Christians don’t seriously look at their own sinful behavior and they judge others more severely than themselves, thinking they can tell the wheat from the tares.  But we can’t tell the wheat from the tares and Jesus told us not to pull up the tares in the Church but he would separate the wheat from the tares at the harvest, which is the end of the Age. 

Matthew 13: 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’

       This does not mean that we are to condone sin, especially in the life of the believer. God hates sin and we are to confront sin but it means that we don’t condemn or judge the motive for why a “believer” severs or doesn’t  serve God.  Each believer will have to answer to God for their walk with Christ.  Also, I am being realistic to acknowledge the ongoing battle of sin in the life of the believer and I am writing this article to give the weary believer hope, that he will not loose his salvation if he sins because God has guaranteed to complete the good work of changing a believer into the person God created that person to be.  Also, God is always knocking on the door of his born again child’s heart when that person sins, longing to forgive His child and come in and dine in sweet fellowship.  And I am giving encouragement to the believer who faithfully overcomes sin and cooperates with God’s sanctification process, that he will be rewarded by Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven.

         Do you want to be saved from the condemnation of sin and be “born again” to everlasting life with Jesus?  Repeat this prayer:   

Heavenly Father, I know my sin separates me from You.  I know that I need Your forgiveness to cover the penalty of my sin and Your righteousness in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  I now repent of my self indulgent nature (SIN) way of thinking and turn my life over to You, by faith in Your Son – Jesus, in order to become the person You created me to be before sin entered the world.  Lord Jesus, I do believe that You earned my salvation for me; through dying for my sins in Your perfect sacrifice on the cross, and through living on my behalf, a perfect life of obedience and righteousness; and that You rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scriptures, as proof that you are the Son of God who is able to grant everlasting life to whomsoever will call upon Your name.  I trust in You alone to save me, and I am willing to follow You as Lord of my life.  Thank You for granting me forgiveness and a new birth into spiritual life, united with You for eternity.  I receive the Holy Spirit that seals me, comforts me and guides me into all Truth.  I pray this in Your Name, Jesus.  Amen.

If you said this prayer, rejoice you have everlasting life in the family of God’s Grace.  Read God’s word daily to feed your new born again nature … begin with the book of John.  If you know another born again believer, share your testimony with them and email me so I can celebrate with you!

– Rogersings   email me at:   info@die2live.worthyofpraise.org

It is not merely by repeating certain words that a person is saved from their sin.  And it is not how much you know about God that saves you or how much you know about yourself that saves you.  Salvation is not based on how many time you have attended church or how “good” you think you are.  No one is automatically saved, even if your father is the pastor of a church or if you were baptized and held under water for two minutes … you are not saved by affiliating or osmosis.  No man can vouch for you before God as to your worthiness for salvation, not even the Pope himself.  You must come to God on your own and by your own free will.   And it is definitely NOT by your good works that you can be saved from your sin because we have no righteousness in our self that is worthy of paying for our sin debt to God.  If we could pay for our sin debt then Jesus died in vain but the truth is that we cannot pay for our sin debt, we are Spiritually separated from God, Spiritually “dead” and unable to please God, unable to do His will, unable to meet His righteous standard and unable to even know God’s, know His love for us and His will for our life!  Jesus is the only one who lived a perfect life pleasing to God and He is the only way to be reconciled to God.

The deadly disease of sin:

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Isaiah 64:6 “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

 

The Amazing cure:

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 5:24  Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

 

We are “all spiritual beggars” in need of the food of eternal life and God is our loving Heavenly father who wants to give us eternal life and the best of life.  Each person has a Spiritual void inside them … it’s a desire to know their Creator and to know their significant in the world.  The problem is that we spend our time making us a Creator in our own image and finding significance by trying to impress others with our God given gifts and abilities.  God is always pouring out His amazing grace upon each person, showing each person His awesome creation and the decay (sin) that is ruining it.  God is also showing each person His righteous perfect standard and He is convicting each person that they don’t measure up to this standard.  This is why each person is “without excuse” for failing to see his need for Salvation (Roman 1:20).

Ephesians 2:8 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, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

And Salvation, grace and even the faith to believe are “all” gifts from God that He freely offers to each person.  You don’t supply any work that enables your salvation and in the same sense once you are saved you can’t do any work to undo your salvation.  God is revealing Himself to each person and He is waiting for each person to “receive” the gift of eternal life by believing in His Son, Jesus Christ.  God has done all the work, all you do is agree with God’s assessment of you … it’s as easy as ABC.

The question is “Have you accepted the free gift of eternal life?”

 

A – Admit your a sinner

B – Believe Jesus is Lord

C – Call upon His name

 

(with the mind you believe and with the heart you receive)

But you must call upon Jesus before you physically die or you will die in your sin and be eternally separated from God (Hebrew 9:27).  If you die without Jesus as your Savior you will wait in hell before you are sentenced at the White Throne of Judgement for the degree of punishment you will endure forever in the Lake of Fire!  And oddly enough each person will agree with God about their judgement, because as we stated earlier man is “without excuse” for rejecting God’s gift of Salvation (Romans 1:20).  In a sense God doesn’t send anyone to Hell, it is by a person’s own free will that they either receive the free gift of eternal life, acknowledging Jesus as Lord of their life or they reject the free gift, preferring to think they are their own god.  If you continually reject the gift of Salvation in Jesus you will harden your heart toward God and slip into a state of delusion and insanity and torment that will endure for all eternity … separated from God.

Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”

Matthew 18:3 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

I don’t want to a complicate the issue, the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ is simple enough that a child can understand it.  That is why Jesus said to Nicodemus you must come to God with child like trust and be be “born again“.  Being born again means you are “Spiritually born” and connected to God, forever.  Jesus is waiting at the door of your heart for you to invite Him in to live forever.  That’s what it means to “believe” and be “born again” to eternal life.  

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.“

The message of salvation by “believing in Jesus” is so simple and true, yet it is so profound that scholars have written volumes of commentary on the precious blood of Jesus that takes away the sin of the world.  God is offering His gift of eternal life to each person but you must “decide” to receive this gift.  If you do not believe in Jesus then you will “perish”, which means you will eternally be as you are now, an unsaved sinner separated from God’s love and forgiveness.  Jesus said, whoever does not believe in Him is already judged (John 3:18).  But judged for what? … SIN!   Jesus came to save you from the penalty of your sins, which is eternal death and separation from God.  Jesus came to save you from your self indulgent nature (sin) which reasons “I did it my way” instead of “I did it God’s way“. 

Look, sin is not just the immoral thoughts you have or the immoral behavior you display but sin is a “self indulgent nature” that thinks and acts separately from God’s will for your life.  You think and act separated from God’s way because you inherited a sin nature from your earthly father “Adam”.  Because Adam disobeyed God, Adam’s innocent nature was changed to a sin nature and every person that is physically born is born with a sin nature.  In other words, you are born with a sin nature that is Spiritually separated from God and therefore your natural desire is to “do it my way” without regard for doing it “God’s way“.  Man’s self indulgent nature (sin) doesn’t want to acknowledge that there is a Creator God that man is accountable too for how he lives his life.  It is not your fault you were born with a sin nature that makes you rebellious toward God but it is your fault if you do not acknowledge you have a sin nature and you do not desire to be free from it.   Repentance in Christianity means a sincere turning away, in both the mind and heart, from self to God.

Perhaps you don think there is a Creator God or you do not think that you are accountable to God for how you live your life or you think you are “good enough” to stand before God just the way you are and give an account of how you lived your life.  If this is the case then your “heart is hard toward God” and you are “in love with your self centered way of thinking” that is leading you to eternal death!  God’s grace through the Holy Spirit  is trying to reach your heart and convict you of your sin nature and your need for salvation from sin but if you continue to turn from His grace, you will harden your heart toward God and the offer of salvation through the blood shed by Jesus will seem like foolishness to you. 

“Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”  Mark 1:14-15

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  – John 3:5

Romans  8:39-39  38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Unfortunately, however, a born again Christian continues to have both a “old sin nature” and a “new Spiritual nature of Christ”, which are in conflict with one another.  Therefore you must daily “deny your old sin nature” and follow your new “Spiritual born again nature” of Christ (Luke 9:23).  This is hard to do but the good news is that when you physically die, your old sin nature dies with your body.  You soul lives on eternally without sin and better still you will one day have a “resurrected” body that will allow you to enjoy Heaven and Earth the way God intended for man … free from sin (1 Corinthians 14:42-49)!

Romans 1:21 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

If you do not think you are a sinner in need God’s forgiveness, it is perhaps because you have not reached the age of accountability before God, the age when God convicts you of your sin.  This is the case with babies and young children and those born mentally impaired in reasoning.  People like this are not able to understand they are born with a rebellious nature towards God’s and that they need salvation in Jesus Christ.  It is commonly believed that if a baby or a young child or a person born mentally impaired dies, then God has a special way of giving that person a choice of salvation (I think it is similar to the way God gave the Angles a choice to stay in Heaven or follow Satan to earth).  However, when you reach the age of accountability before God, you are “without excuse” for not acknowledging your sin (self indulgent nature) and seeking forgiveness in Jesus Christ.  Only you and God know the age when God made it clear in your conscience that you were accountable to God for your actions and for acknowledging God as the Lord of Heaven and of earth and of your life.

2 Corinthians 6:2 “For He says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 

This conviction of your sin nature and your accountability for your sin to God could have occurred when you were 6 years old or more likely after 12 years old.  It is not important when you were first convicted of thoughts or behavior that was in conflict with God’s way and it’s not important how much you have sinned or how terrible your sins are, what is important is that you acknowledge that your sin nature causes you to think and behave contrary to God’s moral standard.  Your Self Indulgent Nature (SIN) causes you to put your ways above God’s ways.  However, man’s way leads to eternal death and separation from God while Christ’s way leads to reconciliation with God and “eternal life” with God.  Your are not guaranteed tomorrow to make this decision to accept Jesus as Lord of your life … today is the day of salvation!

Here is the gospel message and salvation prayer that is included in the handout bulletin at my church:

Our Goal: To honor our Lord and King, and to carry out the Great Commission.  Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus approached them and told them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Our Prayer: To help others come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and to follow Him as a faithful disciple. Matthew 10:39 “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”  Luke 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”

God’s Message: There is only one way to heaven and eternal life with Him.  John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Man’s Problem: Man is unfit for heaven because of sin and he destined for eternal death and separation from God. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s Desire: That all man would repent of their sin and be saved.  2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

God’s Solution: God’s sent His only begotten Son to pay the death penalty sentence for our sin, by living a life without sin and dying in our place.  2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

God’s Call:  God is always there calling for sinners to come home.  Revelation 3:20 “‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

Your Response:  Behold today is the day of salvation.  In repent faith, turn yourself over to Jesus Christ today and receive His pardon and His righteousness.  You can use this prayer to “call upon the Name of the Lord.”

Dear Lord Jesus, I know my sins have separated me from You.  I know that I need Your forgiveness to cover the penalty of my sins and Your righteousness in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  I now repent of my self indulgent nature (SIN) way of thinking and turn my life over to You, Lord Jesus.  I do believe that You earned my salvation for me; through dying for my sins in your perfect sacrifice on the cross, and through living on my behalf, a perfect life of obedience and righteousness.  I trust in you alone to save me, and I am willing to follow You as Lord of my life.  Thank You for granting me forgiveness and a new birth into spiritual life, united with You for eternity.  I pray this in Your Name, Jesus.  Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please tell me or a fellow Christian as a way to publicly confess Christ and a way for other to rejoice with you.  It is important that you find a good Christian church, a body of believers, to serve with and grow with.  These will be your friends for eternity.

God is listening … it doesn’t matter what you’ve done or bad you fell.  God is more powerful than the hurt you caused others or the doubt you have about Him.  God is more powerful than the pain and burdens you carry.  He is able to carry them much better than you can.  

Now that you are a born again child of God, a Christian, your first work of faith is to seek out a body of Christians, a local church, to serve and grown in.  Equally important, you will want to be baptized, as your first work of faith, publicly  demonstrating the private confession of your belief in Jesus.  And that is what baptism is, a picture of your death (to your sin nature) and resurrection (new life) with Christ.  Make sure the church you attend adheres to the essential uncompromising truths that your new life in Christ rests upon.  In the essentials uncompromising unity, in the non-essentials liberty and in all things love.

Here are the essential articles of faith that are included in the handout bulletin at my church:

– We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

– We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

– We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

– We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential and that this salvation is received only through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and not as a result of good works.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life and to perform good works.

– We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal damnation.

– We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.