Talk Back 44
If You Were to Die Today, Think About It,
Where Would you Go!
by Shawn Carter
Originally posted on the UCTAA Discussion Board. A discussion on this article has been opened in Debate and Discourse. Please feel free to add your thoughts to the discussion via the contact page.
Many religions teach many different paths of salvation.
The word RELIGION is derived from 2 lattin words
Re-to go back and Ligeo means to bind back. So religion means to bind oneself back to God.Witch is mans attempt to gain salvation through a prosess of works to make himself acceptable to God in an attempt to gain everlasting life.
By means of church attendance ,offerings of money praying a repititious prayer,or baptism are all mans attempt at salvation. Religion teaches that you dont know if youre saved untill you die.witch doesnt make any sense how can God call people to be ambasidors preachers and followers of christ if they themselves dont know if there saved.
However the Bible is very clear on hoe to be saved . Christianity and the Bible are different than religion in that they say man can never make himself perfect before God on his own. And God reached man through Jesus .The bible says exactly what is needed for everlasting life.The truth is that you can know forsure that you are going to heaven as soon as youre saved. Many people feel the bible is open to interpitation of the scriptures to fit what they believe . Tonight I am not going to change any of Gods words only read the instances where a person was saved in Gods own word and how it happened. some of these stories Jesus himself promised salvation to people and if Jesus said that someone was saved there is a valuble lesson to be learned from this example.
Before I start want to make it clear that everyone sins everyone does things wrong and that even one sin no matter how small can keeep us from the Love of God and erlasting life.If we dont realizer we're sinners then we wont realize that we need a savior.Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Isah 64:
6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Sin is like a huge cannyon so wide and long that we cant see acros to the other side and nothing we can do on our own efforts will get us across we are trapped on the one side with sin but we know there has to be heaven on the otherside even though we cannot see it because God has told us of heaven and has sent his son to be the bridge from sin to heaven.
Luke 7
37. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38. And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
Jesus reads the pharissee's mind and notices the wat he was thinking of sin.
notice how the pharisee said she was a sinner almost like a lower class of people and that he himself was not a sinner. when the truth is tat everyone is a sinner even a christian sins. so jesus begins with a story to the pharisse
41. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him
most?
43. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Many people are just like this lady they have many sins and Jesus said they all could be forgiven .when she comes to jesus she humbles herself by washing jesus feet. In the nexyt verse notice the responce of the pharasee to the story that Jesus was telling.
49. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50. And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
These are Jesus's own words he makes it very clear what saved her it was her faith not her works or money or baptism.she realized she was a sinner in need of saving and had faith that jesus is the son of God .
1John 1:9
if we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins
ACTS 16:
23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24. Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Paul and Silas were in a very bad situation but they aren't grumbling or complaining, they are praising God. Many times we have little tiny problems and can blame God or get discouraged or mad, but look at the state these guys were in and were still praising God.
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.
29. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Imagine the shock of the jailor and the testimony of these two as their jailed, singing, everyone hearing them praising their God. Then boom everyone's free and the shackles are off. Everyone in that prison knew it wasn't an accident and God was real.
30. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
I've heard people who claim this verse is talking abooout saved as in from the prisoners or God killing him. It's very clear that he was talking about salvation og God, the same salvation that the men were known for teaching and singing about. He was ready to kill himself. Why would he have put down the sword to go and get himself killed by prisoners.
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.
33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
The answer to the jailor's question is clear. Frist salvation of the jailor and then house believed and were saved, then baptised. notice that the jailor immedietly takes them to his home to save his famoly also. Jailor would be put to death or imprisoned for letting them out and bringing them to his house.
ROMANS 10
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.
11. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
John 4:
3. He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
4. And he must needs go through Samaria.
5. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
8. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
The Jews didn't like Samaritans and didn't like to even go through their land. Jesus often used Samaritans as the good examples to humble the disciples and Jews.
10. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12. Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
15. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Now she begins to turn the conversation away from herself and towards him. Trying tochange the subject by asking a question of Jesus.
23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
28. The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29. Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
39. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
She's so amazed and shocked by his words of being the messiah that she forgets her waterpot. What saved these men and people of Samaria was her testimony. She wasn't an eloquent speaker. SHe just told her testimony and people believed in Jesus from that. Anyone can do that. All you have to know is how you were saved.
Acts 8:
27. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
Philip sees Ethipian in chariot reading scripture is actually Isiah53:7 and spirit tells him Go, talk to him, you see him reaading the scriptures don't miss this opportunity.
30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31. And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Now Philip reads to him again in the same spot teaching him this time that the man was Jesus.
36. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
What was the eunic asking? Basically here is some water for me to be baptized in what's stopping me from going down there to get baptized. Now, pay close attention to the answer Philip gives.
37. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
What stipulation was placed on baptism? First believe unto salvation. Then be baptized. Baptism is not salvation.
38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Romans 4:
5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Titus 3:
5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.