ADULLAM FILMS

 

What does it mean to be “saved?”  And what must a person do to be saved?  These are important questions, and we commend you for taking the time to seek an answer.  In the Old Testament, God says to all the earth:

 

“Look unto me, and be saved, all the

ends of the earth; for I am God, and

there is none else.”

(Isaiah 45:22)

 

The need for salvation is assumed, literally, “for all the earth.”  Looking around us, at the many wars, diseases, poverty and miseries that afflict both man and beast, it is not hard to imagine why salvation is necessary.  The Bible teaches that we live in a fallen world, and that the whole of creation “groans and travails” awaiting a time of redemption (Romans 8:22).  Since the beginning of the creation, God has promised “by the mouth of all His holy prophets” a time of the restoration of all things to a perfect order (Acts 3:21).

 

But the Scriptures also take on a very personal note, revealing that each individual is also in need of salvation:

 

“Have mercy upon me, O Lord … deliver

my soul: oh, save me for thy mercies’ sake.”

(Psalm 6:2, 4)

 

Above all else, the Bible assures every man that those who in sincerity and truth, cry out to God, shall be heard:

 

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard

him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

(Psalm 34:6)

 

“For whosoever shall call upon the name

of the Lord shall be saved.”

(Romans 10:13)

 

The next logical question is: Who is the Lord?  There are so many religions that are taught in society today; and as America teaches “tolerance” for all faiths, it is commonly given out that there are many paths to God. How can a person know which of these to trust?  Are they all trustworthy?  As one pastor puts it, if you dial any phone number will the same person answer?

 

In contrast to the many-paths theology, we find the words of Jesus Christ in the New Testament:

 

 

“I am the resurrection and the life; he that

believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall

he live.  And whosoever liveth and believeth in

me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

(John 11:25-26)

 

The above verse contains, in our opinion, the most important question facing any person.  Do you believe in Jesus?  Do you have faith that He is the Son of God? Do you believe the things the Bible says about Him?  Do you know that He died for your sins; and that God has raised Him from the dead; so that if you believe in Him you will not be condemned for your sins but will be passed from death unto life?  If you do not believe these things, then you have much to be concerned about, for Jesus also said:

 

“… he that believeth not is condemned already,

because he hath not believed in the name of the

only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)

 

Perhaps you are full of doubts and questions.  Why Jesus?  Why not Buddha, or Mohamed?  Aren’t they all basically the same?  This is a popular teaching, and because of it, many people who want to know the truth are confused.  But what does the Bible say?  Do the Scriptures teach that there are many ways to God?  On the contrary, Jesus said:

 

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no

man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

(John 14:6)

 

Some have argued that figures such as Buddha, Krishna or Zoroaster pre-date Christ and therefore should be equally accepted.  But Jesus directly addressed the idea of other “Messiahs” or would-be saviors that had come before Him:

 

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the

door of the sheep.  All that ever came before

me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep

did not hear them.  I am the door: by me if

any man enter in, he shall be saved …”

(John 10:7-9)

 

In society today, most people seem to hold the view that there are many paths to God, and that each of the world’s religions is simply “another way” to get there.  Jesus confronted this issue when He said:

 

"... He that entereth not by the door into

the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other

way, the same is a thief and a robber."

(John 10:1)

 

Jesus warned that the path most people will take actually leads to destruction:

 

“Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is

the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth

to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and

narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,

and few there be that find it.”

(Matthew 7:13-14)

 

 

Jesus also gave us the true definition of how to attain life eternal.  Even in the world, there is the saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know that counts.”  This is definitely the case when it comes to salvation.  Jesus said:

 

“And this is life eternal, that they might

know thee, the only true God, and Jesus

Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

(John 17:3)

 

After He taught these things, Jesus was crucified on Calvary.  His life and death were actually the fulfillment of prophecies which God had given long before. As people are reminded every Christmas, the birth of Christ was foretold by the prophet Isaiah who set down this prophecy in the 8th century BC:

 

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you

a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and

bear a son, and shall call his name

Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

 

Some people wonder why Jesus wasn't named "Immanuel," but this is because the name describes His character, which is explained in the Gospel of Matthew:

 

"Now all this was done, that it might

be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord

through the prophet, saying, Behold a

virgin shall be with child, and shall bring

forth a son, and they shall call his name

Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God

with us." (Matthew 1:22-23)

 

"God with us" describes exactly who Jesus is, and what He represents. The Bible says that Jesus is "God ... manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). The beginning of the Gospel of John tells us:

 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the

Word was with God, and the Word was

God ... All things were made by him; and

without him was not anything made that

was made ... And the Word was made flesh

and dwelt among us ..."

(John 1:1,3,14)

 

Now, some have wondered if Jesus Himself ever claimed to be the Messiah. The answer is a resounding "YES." While many Scriptures could be referenced, the clearest comes from the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus was on trial before His death:

 

"... the high priest asked him and said unto

him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the

Blessed? And Jesus said, I am ..."

(Mark 14:61-62)

 

Meanwhile, the prophet Daniel (Old Testament, 6^th century B.C.) had before written about the death of the Messiah, saying:

 

“And after … shall Messiah be cut off,

but not for himself …”

(Daniel 9:26)

 

The phrase “cut off” in the Old Testament was used to indicate capital punishment, or a death sentence of some sort.  Daniel writes that Messiah would be cut off … but not for himself.  In fact, He died for the sins of the world.  He took the punishment that we deserve for our sins upon Himself.  The prophet Isaiah (8^th century B.C.) also wrote of the sufferings of Christ, saying:

 

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and

carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem

him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities; the

chastisement for our peace was upon him,

and with his stripes we are healed. All

we like sheep have gone astray; we have

turned every one to his own way, and the

Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

(Isaiah 53:4-6)

 

In another passage, God foretells (through Isaiah) of how the Messiah would be crucified among thieves:

 

“… he hath poured out his soul unto death;

and he was numbered with the transgressors;

and he bore the sin of many, and made

intercession for the transgressors.”

(Isaiah 53:12)

 

In the Psalms, King David prophesied of the Messiah and how men would pierce His hands and feet, and part His garments by lots:

 

“… the assembly of the wicked have

enclosed me; they pierced my hands

and my feet … They part my garments

among them, and cast lots upon

my vesture.” (Psalm 22:16,18)

 

And when Jesus cried out from the cross, He was actually quoting from Psalm 22:

 

“My God, my God, why hast thou

forsaken me?  Why art thou so far from

helping me, and from the words of

my roaring? O my God, I cry in the

daytime, but thou hearest not; and in

the night season, and am not silent. 

But thou art holy, O thou who inhabitest

the praises of Israel. Our fathers

trusted in thee; they trusted, and

thou didst deliver them.”

(Psalm 22:1-5)

 

Reading the above Psalm, one might wonder why Jesus suffered so much, and how He could have felt so far removed from God the Father.  There are a number of clues as to why.  The Bible teaches that Jesus is the great High Priest of our faith as believers (Hebrews 5:10), and that He suffered so that he might help us in our trials:

 

“For in that he himself hath suffered

being tempted, he is able to help them

that are tempted.”

(Hebrews 2:18)

 

“For we have not a high priest who

cannot be touched with the feeling

of our infirmities, but was in all points,

tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

(Hebrews 4:15)

 

The concept of the “suffering Messiah” was known centuries before among the Jews, because He is so clearly defined in the writings of the prophets.  Consider these other Scriptures that foretell, centuries beforehand, what Jesus would endure for your sake:

 

“He is despised and rejected of men, a

man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,

and we hid as it were our faces from him;

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

(Isaiah 53:3)

 

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought

as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep

before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth

not his mouth … For he was cut off out of

the land of the living; for the transgression

of my people was he stricken.”

(Isaiah 53:7-8)

 

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he

hath put him to grief.  When thou shalt

make his soul an offering for sin … by his

knowledge shall my righteous servant justify

many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

(Isaiah 53:10,11)

 

The fact that these scriptures were written centuries before the birth of Christ, is God's assurance to mankind that the Gospel comes from Him. This is why in the New Testament, we read that:

 

“… those things which God before had

shown by the mouth of all his prophets,

that Christ should suffer, he hath so

fulfilled.” (Acts 3:18)

 

And again we read that, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures …” (1Corinthians 15:3). Three days after He was crucified, Jesus was raised up from the dead to demonstrate the promise of God toward those who put faith in His Son. This is why the scripture says that God "has given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him [Jesus] from the dead." (Acts 17:31) Once He was raised, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said to them:

 

"These are the words which I spoke unto

you, while I was yet with you, that all

things must be fulfilled, which were written

in the law of Moses, and in the prophets,

and in the psalms, concerning me ... Thus it

is written, and thus it behoved Christ to

suffer, and to rise from the dead the

third day: And that repentance and

remission [forgiveness] of sins should be

preached in his name among all nations ..."

(Luke 24:44,46-47)

 

Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go ... and teach all nations ... to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you ..." (Matthew 28:19-20) As such, the apostles were careful to teach not only the forgiveness of God, but also that salvation comes through Jesus alone.  When the apostles were questioned about healing a certain lame man, the Jewish leaders asked them, “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”  The apostle Peter answered them, saying:

 

“Be it known unto you all … that by the

name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom

ye crucified, whom God raised from the

dead, even by him doth this man stand here

before you whole … Neither is there salvation

in any other: for there is none other name

under heaven given among men, whereby

we must be saved.”

(Acts 4:7-8,10,12)

 

Like Jesus and Peter, the apostle Paul taught that the only communication men can have with God comes through His Son, Jesus Christ:

 

“… there is one God, and one mediator between

God and men, the man Christ Jesus …”

(1Timothy 2:5)

 

Paul also confirmed the severe consequence of rejecting Jesus and the message of the Gospel.  He writes about the second coming of the Lord:

 

“… when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed

from heaven with his mighty angels, in

flaming fire taking vengeance on them that

know not God, and that obey not the gospel

of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished

with everlasting destruction from the

presence of the Lord, and from the glory

of his power …”

(2Thessalonians 1:7-9)

 

 

Now, Paul did not preach this of his own wisdom, but was only teaching what he learned from Jesus Himself (Galatians 1:11-12).  While the compassionate, loving side of Christ is often portrayed in movies and on TV, Hollywood has a strange habit of omitting the Lord’s severe warnings.  Jesus began His earthly ministry preaching repentance from sin (Matthew 4:17), and saying, "... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)

 

Many people do not realize that Jesus spoke about hell more than anyone else in the Bible, about 16 times.  And those are just the warnings that specifically use the word "hell." There are other passages that speak of being "thrust out" of God's Kingdom (Luke 13:28), being "cut asunder" (Mark 24:51), being "slain" as an enemy (Luke 19:27), or being "cast into outer darkness" where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 22:13). To ancient Capernaum, Jesus spoke of the entire city being "thrust down to hell" (Luke 10:15).

 

When the Lord returns, He divides the nations, "as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats." The sheep on His right hand are blessed and enter into God's Kingdom; but Jesus says to the goats on His left hand: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ..." (Matthew 25:32,41) There is also the Lord's warning about the final judgment of the wicked in the lake of fire:

 

“But the fearful [cowardly], and the

unbelieving, and the abominable, and

murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers,

and idolaters, and all liars, shall have

their part in the lake which burneth with

fire and brimstone, which is the second

death." (Revelation 21:8)

 

Jesus warned that whatever might cause a man to sin, he should put away from him to avoid going to hell. Furthermore, He reveals that hell is an eternal punishment:

 

"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off:

it is better for thee to enter into life maimed,

than having two hands to go into hell,

into the fire that never shall be quenched:

where their worm dieth not, and the fire

is not quenched.

 

"And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off;

it is better for thee to enter lame into

life than, having two feet, to be cast

into hell, into the fire that never shall be

quenched, where their worm dieth not,

and the fire is not quenched.

 

"And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it

out; it is better for thee to enter into

the kingdom of God with one eye than,

having two eyes, to be cast into hell

fire, where their worm dieth not, and

the fire is not quenched."

(Mark 9:43-48)

 

Jesus warned those who outwardly appeared to be righteous, but inwardly were full of hypocrisy and wickedness. He said to them:

 

“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers,

how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”

(Matthew 23:33)

 

Jesus was speaking to the fact that while men judge by the outward appearance, God looks upon the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). The Bible also warns that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ..." (Jeremiah 17:9) Because of this, Jesus had many teachings on the heart of man. He said, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man ..." (Matthew 15:19-20) Along these same lines, Jesus said that "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28)

 

If God were to judge you according to the thoughts of your heart, how would you be judged? Would you be found guilty of "evil thoughts" in the sight of God? Jesus said, "nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither is any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad" (Luke 8:17). The scripture says that in the Day of Judgment, "God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ" (Romans 2:16), and that God "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts" (1 Corinthians 4:5). If you were judged tomorrow, would the thoughts of your heart send you to heaven or to hell?

 

Now, there are people who believe that “hell” is something a person experiences on earth; a consequence for sin that only lasts for this lifetime.  But, according to Jesus, hell is a place that sinners are sent to after they die.  He made this very clear when he told the story of Lazarus (a beggar) and a certain rich man:

 

“And it came to pass, that the beggar

died, and was carried by the angels into

Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died,

and was buried; and in hell he lifted

up his eyes, being in torments …”

(Luke 16:22-23)

 

This contrast between those who are saved and those who are damned is one found throughout the Bible.  Heaven and hell are the only options.  There is no “Switzerland” in heaven; no neutral ground.  Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me …” (Matthew 12:30) A person either serves the Lord, or is counted as an enemy.  In the very last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi wrote:

 

“Then shall ye return, and discern between

the righteous and the wicked, between him

that serveth God and him that serveth

him not.” (Malachi 3:18)

 

Along these same lines, the apostle Paul wrote:

 

“God … will render to every man according

to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance

in well doing seek for glory and honor and

immortality, eternal life: but unto them that

are contentious, and do not obey the

truth … indignation and wrath, tribulation

and anguish upon every soul of man that

doeth evil …” (Romans 2:5-9)

 

To “obey the truth” as Paul tells us, is to obey Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth …” (John 14:6) Furthermore, Jesus said:

 

“The hour is coming, and now is, when

the dead shall hear the voice of the Son

of God: and they that hear shall live.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so

hath he given to the Son to have life

in himself; and hath given him authority to

execute judgment also, because he is

the Son of man.

 

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming,

in the which all that are in the graves shall

hear his voice, and shall come forth; they

that have done good, unto the resurrection

of life; and they that have done evil,

unto the resurrection of damnation.”

(John 5:25-29)

 

A few verses later, Jesus says, “… these things I say, that ye might be saved” (v. 34).  The purpose for the Lord’s warnings about hell is so that a person might be warned of the danger, repent of their sins, and look to the Son of God for forgiveness.  God’s purpose in sending His Son was not to condemn men, but lead them to salvation (John 3:17)

 

Right now, you might be saying in yourself: “But don’t the other religions make similar claims?  If men make good, moral choices, isn’t that enough?  Won’t God allow all the good people to get into heaven, even if they don’t necessarily believe in Jesus?”  This is a fair question. But then we have to ask: What does it mean to be good? Just how good does a person have to be in order to get into heaven? The Bible gives us an insight with this warning:

 

“There is a way which seemeth right

unto a man, but the end thereof are

the ways of death.”

(Proverbs 14:12)

 

According to the Bible, there is no such thing as a “good” person – apart from God. The reason for this is because the heart of man is corrupt and full of evil. While the evil in men's hearts might be worse for some and better for others, God's standard is perfection (Matthew 5:48). Man, by his very nature is imperfect. This is why Jesus Himself taught that:

 

“There is none good but one, that is, God …”

(Matthew 19:17)

 

Therefore, God requires that mankind submit to His idea of goodness, not their own.  The apostle Paul confirmed this teaching and explains why (from God’s perspective) there is no such thing as a good person.  He begins by referring to Psalm 14:1-3:

 

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no,

not one: there is none that understandeth,

there is none that seeketh after God.  They

are all gone out of the way, they are together

become unprofitable; there is none that

doeth good, no, not one … For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God …”

(Romans 3:10-12, 23)

 

The presence of sin in a person’s life negates the possibility of them being “good” in God’s sight.  Paul later explains that, because of sin, all men eventually die:

 

“… death passed upon all men, for

all have sinned.”

(Romans 5:12)

 

God warns not only of a physical judgment for sin (i.e. the death of the body) but also the death of the soul. He makes it clear that ultimately all souls belong to Him and that He will judge them:

 

"Behold, all souls are mine ... the soul

that sinneth, it shall die."

(Ezekiel 18:4)

 

The Bible teaches that the ultimate death of the soul takes place on the Day of Judgment, where all the dead, small and great, will stand before God. This is after the famous battle of Armageddon, and the Lord Jesus Christ returns. The scripture says that Jesus "shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom ..." (2 Timothy 4:1). In the Book of Revelation, we read about the fate of those who refused to receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved:

 

"And I saw the dead, small and great

stand before God; and the books were opened:

and another book was opened, which is

the book of life: and the dead were judged

out of those things which were written in

the books, according to their works.

 

"And the sea gave up the dead that

were in it, and death and hell delivered

up the dead that were in them; and

they were judged every man according

to their works. And death and hell were

cast into the lake of fire. This is

the second death. And whosoever was

not found written in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire."

(Revelation 20:12-15)

 

The "second death" mentioned above is the death of the soul. This is the fate of those who reject the Gospel. Notice that the reason men are cast into the lake of fire in that final verse: "... whosoever was not found written in the book of life ..." This same book is called "the book of life of the Lamb" (Revelation 13:8), and refers to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ (John 1:36).

 

While the dead are judged according to their works (i.e. deeds), ultimately what matters is whether or not a person's name is found written in the Lamb's book of life. Having your name written in heaven keeps you from the lake of fire. This is the deciding factor, and the difference between heaven and hell. Remember the story of Lazarus and the "rich man" we discussed earlier? Review the story, and notice how Jesus recalls the name of Lazarus (who went to heaven), but the name of the rich man (who went to hell) is not mentioned (Luke 16:19-31).

 

The only way a person's name will be found in the Lamb's book of life is by trusting in Jesus Himself. Later, the Book of Revelation tells us: "And there shall no wise enter ... any thing that defileth ... but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Rev. 21:27). Notice how it does not say that people who "did good deeds" enter, or those who gave money to charity and committed no major crimes against humanity. While those who are trusting Jesus will certainly walk in love and faithfulness, they get into heaven because of the finished work of Christ upon the cross -- not because of their good works. They are entered into God's Kingdom because they "know" the only true God, and His Son Jesus Christ.

 

Those who enter into God's Kingdom "follow the Lamb" (Rev. 7:17, 14:4) and "their works do follow them" (Rev. 14:13). Notice that their works do not precede them. Their works are not as a trumpet that goes before them, opening the gates of heaven. The Lamb of God is before them, not the good things they have done. This is an important principle because the scripture says we are saved by God's grace (free gift), through faith (believing Jesus), not of works (good deeds, religious behavior), lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). As the apostle Paul wrote: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ..." (Titus 3:5).

 

No man will be able to stand before the throne of heaven and tell God about his good deeds, expecting to be "justified" because of them. God will not excuse the evil men are guilty of just because they have done some good. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10) And so, a person's good works or behavior cannot pay the debt for their sins. The only payment God will receive is the atonement of His Son upon the cross at Calvary; the death of the Just for the unjust. But the Bible says that, in this, God commends his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

 

The Bible also says that beyond the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, there is no other forgiveness available for the sins of mankind (Hebrews 10:10-18). This is why the apostles taught that "neither is there salvation in any other ..." (Acts 4:12). Jesus is the only way, and nobody gets to heaven or avoids hell, but through Him.

 

Right now, you might be thinking, What should I do? If so, please know that you are not alone. Let's look at some scriptures where others have asked exactly that question in times past. In the book of Acts, we read about the Philippian jailer who was convicted by the power of God, and asked: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ..." (Acts 16:30-31) This is, perhaps, the most straight-forward explanation of salvation. We get some further insight when we read, "... if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation ... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9-10,13)

 

When the Gospel was first preached by the apostle Peter, we read: "Now when they heard, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:37-38)

 

Notice, the first thing Peter tells them they must do is "repent" of their sins. Repentance from sin is an important part of believing Jesus. This word from Peter is identical to the witness of Jesus Who began by preaching repentance (Matthew 4:17). The word "repent" means to turn, and signifies a change of mind, a change of heart. It does not mean you will obey God perfectly, but it does mean you will turn away from sin and seek to obey the commandments of Christ.

 

The second thing Peter told them was to be "baptized" in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus told the apostles, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ..." (Matthew 28:19). It is important to consider that baptisms usually take place in public, and result in an open confession of Christ. This is important because Jesus said, "Whosoever therfore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32) Nevertheless, please know that you can recieve Jesus into your heart, even in private. The Lord says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

 

While most teachers agree that "water" baptism is not necessary for salvation, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit certainly is. Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," (John 3:3) while Paul wrote that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 15:50). In other words, a person must be reborn of God's Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell us that "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9)

 

When Jesus spoke about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, one of the disciples asked Him: "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said ... If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23) And so the apostles taught that "God hath given [the Holy Spirit] to them that obey him." (Acts 5:32)

 

Our hearts desire toward those who discover our website is best defined by the apostle Paul who wrote: "Wherefore, also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

 

May the Lord Jesus grant you wisdom and guidance, as we close this page with the following scripture:

 

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:28-29)

 

 

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