The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Gospel Message

  • Believe

    “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
    Acts 16:31

    An amazing event took place at Philippi while Paul and Silas were there. They were falsely accused, beaten and thrown in prison. The jailer was instructed to keep them safe. So, he threw them into the inner prison and put their feet in the stocks. Read what happened: “25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (Acts 16:25-28). Can you even imagine having a song in your heart after being falsely accused, beaten, and locked in stocks in prison? Yet they not only had a song in their heart, but they sang praises to the Lord loud enough for all of the prisoners to hear – for none of them escaped when their doors opened in the great earthquake. Because the keeper of the prison was responsible for those prisoners with his life, he decided to take his own life himself (probably so other Roman soldiers would not kill him!). See his reaction to seeing that none of the prisoners had escaped. “29. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:29-30). He wanted what Paul and Silas had – Jesus! “31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house” (Acts 16:31-32). Notice that they told this jailer and all of the people in his house. It was important that they hear the Gospel message. Each person has to hear and respond to the Gospel message. What was their response? “And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house” (Acts 16:34).

    This event should be an encouragement to anyone who has chosen to believe the Gospel message, yet that Christian’s family has not yet believed. If one is a Christian but their family is not, it is a sad thing. Christians want their friends and family to have the same salvation that they have found. They would love to have them join them in the journey of the Christian life as they learn and grow. However, it is a personal call and an individual choice. As much as one may share that faith and want them to join, one cannot make them follow. They must believe and follow Christ on their own. This is an important thing to understand. God calls each person into the Christian life, and that individual must respond to that call in affirmation. God calls individuals. Each individual must take action by responding God’s call. However, God wants the family to come to Him. Therefore, it is Christian’s duty to share with his or her family the Gospel message, warning them of the wrath to come. Most importantly, that Christian must live his faith out before them.

    In daily life, we learn that some people come to believe the Gospel message easily, while others have a more difficult time coming to the realization that they are a sinful person who needs a Saviour to deliver them from sin. Nevertheless, they must hear the Gospel message!

    “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

    Have you believed on the Son?

    Have you shared your faith with your family?

    How to be Saved

  • Do you Seek the Lord?

    “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
    Amos 3:3

    God sent a man named Amos to deliver an important message to the people of Israel. The people were living contrary to the Word of God, worshiping idols, and were practicing an empty religion. Amos asked them an important question: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). He proceeded to remind them of the sin in which they were walking that was contrary to God and His Word. He wanted the people to understand that they would not live in peace or prosperity when they chose to reject God’s Word and live in sin. Judgment that was coming was the result of the sin of the people. God told Amos what would happen, and Amos was faithful to warn the people. The condition of the people was getting worse and worse. The problem was the sin in the heart of man. That is the same problem in the world today.

    The people of Israel had been dealt with before because of sin. Nevertheless, they had returned to that sin. God wanted them to understand that there was a limit to His patience with them. Amos had a message for them. “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken” (Amos 5:14). Sure, they had a religious practice, but they were not serving the one true God in that religious practice. Remember what Jesus called the religious rulers seven times in Matthew chapter 23. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). Jesus called them hypocrites! They looked like they belonged to God on the outside, yet their hearts were contrary to the teachings of God’s Word. Jesus saw their hearts – they were dead and unclean.

    How often do people today claim to be a Christian, yet their lifestyle is contrary to the Christian life recorded in the Bible? What is even worse, how often do people think they are a Christian, but God knows their heart is “full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” God has left an invitation to any who would turn from evil and seek after Him. However, many have not. They hear the truth from the Bible, yet they do not receive the Gospel message of salvation. Moreover, many who say they receive that salvation continue to live in the same manner as before – contrary to the teachings found in the Bible. God sent Amos with a message for the people to “seek good, and not evil, that they may live.” It is to be the mission of the church, and all Christians, to make that invitation known. It is then left for them to choose to believe.

    Faith in Jesus must be real. See what Paul wrote: “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness” (Romans 6:19). Faith is to be appropriated in the life of the one who claims to be a Christian. All who see one called a Christian must be able to see Christ in that life. Remember what James wrote. “19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20). It isn’t enough just to believe, one must live out that faith, showing that Jesus is there. One may be able to put up good front or show here on earth, but understand that God can see the true heart. Remember that Jesus knew that the Pharisees appeared beautiful on the outside, but within they were full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

    Remember what David told his son, Solomon, before Solomon became king: “… for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever” (1 Chronicles 28:9b).

    Do you seek Jesus?

    Can others see Jesus in your life every day?

    How to be Saved