February 8, 2013

• According to the Holy Bible, Jesus is coming back to earth with a promise about what He will do with sin, righteousness and judgment when He gets here.

  "You might have heard people say they were sure God would let them into heaven because they are basically good people. They have not murdered anyone. They live respectable lives and try to do good things and help others whenever they can. Surely, they say, this would be enough to get them through the pearly gates of heaven.

  Indeed, doing good deeds is encouraged in the Bible. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminded his readers that God creates all people and it is God's plan that people do good things for one another. Paul said God prepared these good works ahead of time so that if people are paying attention and doing what God wants they will see the opportunities for good deeds all along the path of life.

  But Paul also added a qualification to this message, reminding his readers that salvation-- the work that God performs in a human heart to prepare it for heaven -- is a gift from God. No one can earn salvation and heaven through good works, charitable deeds, or any self-oriented sacrifice. If you could earn salvation and get to heaven through good works, Paul said, you would have huge bragging rights. But this is not God's way. Paul said salvation comes only through faith in God's gracious gift of forgiveness provided through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus. The Bible says good works are good to do, but they are not enough to save your soul.

  The Old Testament prophet Isaiah said that in God's eyes, all the good deeds and righteous acts of people are like dirty, stinking rags.

  Because God has created you to do good works, you will be happier doing good works than not doing them.

  Salvation comes when a heart is REMADE in God's likeness by God's POWER. Good works are neither needed nor useful for this work of God's grace."

  Excerpts from 100 Answers to 100 Questions about God.

  "We are not saved "by works," by anything we did or can do. It was all God's work of grace in us, so we have no reason to boast, no grounds for feeling a sense of accomplishment." James Montgomery Boice

  With this in mind, according to the Bible we will all face Jesus two ways: upon our death to judge us based on how we accepted God's Salvation through His Gracious Gift or when Jesus comes back to earth and deal with mankind's sinful nature and subsequently judge all of us based on the decision we've made about HIS sacrificial death on the cross.

  It is never too late to turn away from our sinful nature and asking for His forgiveness and making Jesus our Lord and Savior. While we are still here on earth, God allows SECOND CHANCES.

  • 8:48 PM
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