"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."(Matthew 6:33) "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."(Luke 12:34)
"To live in order to please God." (1Thessalonians 4:1)
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1Corinthians 10:31) "FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD" (Luke 1:37)
The Holy Spirit
We Must Always Be Spirit Filled
The Church of God
Where We Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth
Pray Unceasingly
The Portals of Heaven Open Up Because of Persistent Prayers.
Romans 10:9-10 says, "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with our heart that we believe and are justified; and it is with our mouth that we confess and are saved."
According to this verse, there are two elements that assure our salvation: 1. Confession with our mouth (that means oral or vocal affirmation) that Jesus is Lord. 2. Believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead.
For us to have the born again experience in our lives, we must orally say the prayer of acceptance that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
This we do to proclaim to the heavenly realms where our true allegiance is. To orally proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is to disown the lord of this world- the devil.
Failure to do this means we are tacitly proclaiming that we owe our allegiance to the lord of this world by default.
Orally reciting the prayer of acceptance will be meaningless if this is not accompanied by a sincere repentance in our hearts and the strong faith in the promise of eternal life by the Lord as evidenced by His resurrection from the dead.
Without these two elements, there can be no genuine born again experience wherein the Holy Spirit will overshadow us and enliven our long dead and dormant spirit, to be awakened to the glorious realities of God's wonderful plans for us that includes enjoying eternal life with Him.
"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved- you and your household." (Acts 16:31)
"ALL WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boasts."
The difference between the idea of salvation for Born Again Christians as against other religions in the world, including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox church, is that, these religions prescribe certain sets of moral precepts and code of conducts for their followers to observe to be able to attain salvation.
In their eyes, God is like the perfect Accountant that balances the credits (good works) as against the debits (sins or violations of moral laws of their respective religions) to determine where the deceased mortal will go.
On the other hand, Born Again Christians adhere (as what the Bible attests in Ephesians 2:8-9) to the dispensation of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, salvation is not contingent on the moral condition of the person but on the grace or free gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
In other words, mere belief (faith) or acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior assures the person salvation and eternal life as attested in John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9. Then good works will follow as fruits or evidences of said salvation.
When the Lord Jesus Christ uttered one of His final words on the cross, "It is finished," He meant just that. Nothing more can be added to or subtracted from the grace of salvation He earned for the entire mankind by His death on the cross.
The assurance of eternal life for those who believe in Him was further evidenced by His resurrection from the dead.
"All WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
WHY DO WE NEED SALVATION? That is probably the question people, who does not yet have the assurance of true salvation, ask. Indeed, why do we need salvation? Because we were born under a curse, under the state of depravity.
We were born with the natural proclivity to sin. Sin is enjoyable and desirous, but sin will lead us to eternal death without the remedy of true salvation.
Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus." This verse gives man the option where he wants to go after his death. If he dies under the state of sin, he goes to eternal death and damnation.
But the free gift of God is eternal life with Him by means of Jesus Christ. In other words, believing in Jesus Christ assures us of eternal life with God.
Can we not effect salvation by ourselves through personal piety and good works? The answer is a big No. The only way to salvation is Jesus Christ. If there is any other way, do you think the Father will still send His only begotten Son to die on the cross just to save mankind? He would have just given us prescriptions for salvation like what other religions give and spare Himself the agony of seeing His Son die on the cross.
Do you mean to say I just have to believe in Jesus Christ to be able to attain salvation? Yes. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
To be saved by faith means to Trust In Jesus Christ Alone to save you. Good works are not the means to salvation; rather they are the evidences or by-products of your salvation.
"All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Here I Am To Worship - Hillsong
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
