The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Plan of Salvation

  • A New Creature

    “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
    2 Corinthians 5:17

    Have you ever heard something that scared you? I mean really scared you?! What do you think of the following?  “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). Believing in Jesus, having eternal life sounds wonderful! But did you notice the second part of that verse? If one does not believe in Jesus, they won’t see life (won’t live with Him for eternity). However, the worst part is the final part of that verse. If one doesn’t believe in Jesus, the “wrath of God abideth on him.” What an awful thought!

    If that doesn’t scare you, try this one. “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2). There is so much more to believing in Jesus than just saying you believe in Jesus. Notice that in that verse it said the Gospel was preached (the Gospel message is that all are sinners and Jesus died on the cross to take away that sin). Did you also notice that the same Gospel that was preached did not profit some of them? What made the difference? In some of them, it was not “mixed with faith in them that heard.”

    One problem is that many say, and really think, that they believe in Jesus. However, one must really understand what that means. Hearing and saying one believes is not enough. The missing part is that it has to be mixed with faith when one hears. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). The whole chapter of Hebrews 11 reveals people who pleased God because of the faith they had in them (the faith of the Gospel message). That faith was revealed in their lives. The people listed in that chapter had forsaken the old way of life (living according to the world) and had lived a new life pleasing God. This change is revealed in the following verse: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). One who has the faith to be saved must completely forsake the old life in every way. That one can then live a new life in Christ.

    Have you believed the Gospel message having it mixed with faith?

    Are you a new creature living a new life in Christ?

    How to be Saved

  • Our Blessed Hope

    “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15)

    Have you ever been discouraged in your Christian walk?

    Do you feel like you are standing for the truths of God’s Word on your own?

    Have you shared the Gospel message with someone only to have them reject the offering of Salvation?

    Does that mean it is pointless to continue living a life pleasing to the Lord?

    No! This world is a dark place (and becoming darker by the day!), but we are to be a light in this world.  Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6: “5. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” The first thing to remember is that Jesus is the Light of the world (John 9:5). Because I trusted in Jesus, I am now one of the “children of light.” The darker the world gets, the brighter my light should shine. To watch and be sober are key words here. To watch means “a mindfulness of threatening dangers which, with conscious earnestness and an alert mind, keeps it from slackening in the energy of faith and conduct.” To fully understand this, we must remember what faith means. Faith means “to appropriate what God in Christ has for man resulting in the transformation of man’s character and way of life; a firm belief in Jesus and His Gospel.” Sober in this verse means “to be watchful.” In other words, we are to be alert and watch out for threatening dangers in this world that will keep me from allowing my life and character to be transformed revealing Jesus in my life. Notice the confirmation to be watchful (remember sober in this verse means to be watchful). I must be diligent in my awareness of things that will come into my life that will keep me from becoming more like Christ. I am instructed to not allow those things into my life.  Instead, I am to be ready always to give an answer to anyone when they have a question as to why I live my life as I do. The Gospel message of Jesus should always be near to my heart and mouth, sharing with this lost world how they, too, can become a Christian.

    Telling someone how to become a Christian should be an easy thing.  Remember the following:

    • One must first recognize they are Lost (having committed sin – disobedience to any of God’s commands): Lostness: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
    • One must then understand the consequences, Penalty, for that sin (punishment / or eternal life by Jesus): Penalty: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23), 
    • What is the Price for this eternal life? Price: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 
    • What Response should be made? Response: “9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). 
    • What Security do I have of eternal life if I ever commit another sin? Security: “38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
    • How do I live this New Life, free from sin? New Life: “1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). Don’t live like the world lives anymore. Read God’s Word and you will learn how to please God.

    Each Christian has a hope that the lost world does not have: Jesus promised to come back and take us home in heaven to be with Him for eternity. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)

    This world is not my permanent home, and I am only passing through. But in the meantime, I must be a “light” warning this world, so that they can have the same hope I have. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15)

    Do you have this hope?

    Will you be ready to share your hope?