Gospel Hall~

[Ironside]

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This hall is exclusively for evangelistic messages. Please feel free to posts evangelistic messages. Words of the free offer of salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.



Let me start:


Mr. Smith. May I introduce to you....your only Hope



Your After-Life Dream: HEAVEN


Someday your heart will stop beating. A day will come when you will no longer casts a shadow in the sun. It could happen just about anytime...and you know that. Whether you believe it or not, after you go from here you only have two final destinations: a) A forever life of being separated from God or b) a forever life of being w/ Him, the source of all true joy and bliss.



You want to be in heaven of course..That's your after-life dream.



Your Hindrance to Heaven: YOU


Why does it seem easy to do bad than to do good? Why does it seem easy to take revenge than not to? God seem so far away when you pray? Do you remember the last time you prayed? The Bible is God's Word, yet you don't delight in it. God's commandments seemed a burden to you.


A chain around your neck. An annoying fence around your freedom. A rain on your parade. A kill-joy in your party. You can't control your urges and desires. Every time you see some titillating scenes on T.V. or in the movie house, you either have acted it out already in your mind or have planned to do it with someone you are not married to.


Going to church is a drag and a sleeping pill. Even words like "holiness", "Bible", "righteousness", "godliness" and etc. bore you. Sends your sleeping juices on the automatic. Maybe you have heard of someone who died in their sleep, you realized your own mortality, you got scared of death, so you started doing good, you started reforming your ways but after some time the feelings wore off and your back again to your old self.


You tried to be holy and righteous but it's just not you. Or maybe you are someone who thinks that God will grade you on a curve. That if your good deeds outweigh your bad ones you'll walk right in to heaven.


Actually, all these are the symptoms of a spiritually dead person. To be lovingly honest, this is what the Bible calls: "alienated from the life of God [Ephesians 4:18]. God's ways are holiness and righteousness because He is holy and righteous. Only those who have God's Holy Spirit can desire and live a holy and righteous life. The problem is YOU. A singer, sings. A dancer, dances. A sinner, sins. Only not as a profession but as a way of life because of the sinful nature innate in you.


God's Standard: PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS


You are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. No, I will not run that story again to you. Rather, I'll asks you some questions: 1) Where were Adam and Eve before the Fall? Answer: Paradise 2) After the Fall where were they? Answer: Out of Paradise. 3) What sin did they commit that they were driven out of Paradise? Answer: they ate of the forbidden fruit. 4) How many sin was that? Answer: One. A simple dietary command.


Can you count the number of times you have sinned against God whether in thought, in motive or intentions, in desires, in words and actions? You see, you need to sin only once, whether it be a sin in thought, in motives or intentions, in desires, in words and actions to make you a sure candidate for the lake of fire.


Your subsequent sins will determine only the degree of punishment you'll be having in hell. God Almighty is that holy. God demands perfect obedience to His law. Perfect obedience from birth to death.


Though there are degrees of sin, any single sin in whatever degree is big enough to plunge you to hell, even if you do not feel like it. Feeling is not the deciding factor here, but the fact. Fact is: You have sinned. And the wages of sin is death (physical, spiritual-eternal death in the lake of fire). Romans 6:23. No happy campers there.


God's Solution to Man's Desperate Condition: JESUS CHRIST


In God's eyes no man living is righteous(Psalm 143:2). Because ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God(Romans 3:23). And the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God(1 Corinthians 6:9-10). In order for man to enter the kingdom of God, he must have perfect righteousness. He cannot find perfect righteousness in himself because no matter how hard he tries to be perfectly righteous in thought, in motives, in desires, words and actions, try as he might, he just cannot.


His best works are not free from the smear of sin. That's why Isaiah says: "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). We cannot find perfect righteousness then in ourselves. Our condition's desperate. Oh! For God to send Someone who will fulfill perfectly all of God's commandments, gain perfect righteousness and give it to me. Someone who will die for my sins-past, present and future sins- and completely take away all my sins so that in God's eyes I will be perfectly righteous!


That Someone is the Lord Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago He came, lived a perfectly righteous life, paid the sins of sinners once for all time(Heb.10:11-12) by dying on the cross, resurrected and ascended to heaven. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world(John 1:29). In Him is perfect righteousness(Jeremiah 23:6, 1 Corinthians 1:30).


God so loved the world that He gave His Son to die for the sins of sinners and was raised that anyone who will put their trust in Him alone for forgiveness of all sins, God will declare righteous. He will have a right relationship with God.


Without the Savior who died on the cross, there will be no forgiveness of sins no matter how sincere you may be in asking for forgiveness. Without the Savior who died on the cross, no human being in all of time-from Adam to the last human beings who will be on earth in the last day-will enter the kingdom of heaven. Without the Savior dying on the cross for the sins of sinners, there will be no going to heaven even if you do good all the time.


I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).


Put your trust in the Savior alone my friend. Repent, turn from your sins and turn to Him. He's your only hope. Now is the time to settle your eternal destiny.


"Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 3:15).


You will have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. For when you have God in your life, you have everything.

[Ironside]

And her name is Grace



Grace: What does it mean?


An illustration would help. Supposing my friend Grace is a 57 year-old mother, happily married with 4 loving and respectful children. The eldest is 17 and the youngest is 11. She loves her children so much that she?s more than willing to give her life for them.


Then one tragic, tragic day, here I am a 16-year old nut with malevolent intentions came knocking on the door of her house, she and her husband went out for something important, and only their children were left in their house. The door clicked opened and BANG!!!


Gunshotsand more gunshots??I murdered in cold blood her four children. So crazed and mad I was, I even burned their bodies. I took off and went hiding. When she came home Grace and her husband were not so happy of course.


For days on end she and her husband went looking for me until they found me in a cave. Now at this point I will show you the meaning of grace by way of an illustration from one of America?s greatest preachers of today:


a) if Grace took out a revolver and shot me right there and then that is REVENGE.

b) If she called for the cops and filed a case against me in court, that is JUSTICE.

c) But, if Grace took me in her place, adopted me as her son, cared for me and give me a better future, even making me an heir of their properties , that is GRACE. Undeserved favor.



Know that when we talk about salvation, the forgiveness of all sins, it is all about grace. God is not bad if He chose to plunge us all to hell the very first time we sinned. In fact it is required by His justice. He is not under obligation to forgive us; we have no right to forgiveness. When we talk about forgiveness, it's all about His mercy.


We cannot pay for our debts and trespasses we made against God. If we are to, then we are to spend eternity in hell. That would be difficult on our part. But God so loved the world He gave us Jesus to die for our sins, to experience hell for us [we should know that His death was no ordinary death, aside from bearing all the sins of the world, His death was eternity contracted into 3 eternal hours.] We have His grace in Christ Jesus, His gift of salvation to us.


As in all bona fide gifts; it is free. It is free but it is not cheap. It costs Him His life. Easy for us, difficult for Him. You don?t have to work for it, you just have to receive it. Just like what Grace did to me.


She did not require me to work and earn her favor, she freely offered it, all I had to do was accept it. Simply because it?s a gift. ?For the wages of sin is death [spiritual-eternal death in the lake of fire] , but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.? Romans 6:23


How about you, are you willing to accept the gift of salvation? It?s true He died for all sinners but that doesn?t automatically mean that ALL are saved, it must be received by trusting in that one sacrifice alone He made for the sins of sinners.

[Ironside]

Faith and Belief: The Difference


People often times erroneously equate the two concepts above. But nothing could be farther from the truth. These two concepts may have similarities but similarity does not mean sameness.


Understanding the difference dispels the antagonism of other so called “Christian� groups who despised and write off the theology of salvation by faith alone. When they hear: “Salvation is by FAITH ALONE� they would say: “Height of speculative nonsense!!!!�


Those words could have been true if faith means belief. But the two are not identical. So what is faith? And what is belief? Faith involves the mind, the emotions and the will. Belief touches only the mind. Faith is trusting. Belief is having mental cognizance of a matter and assenting its truthfulness. All who have faith has belief but not all who believe has faith.


Joh 2:23 "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,"


The Lord knew that their belief is only superficial. If you will allow me: "head belief"

Belief is knowing something about the Lord Jesus Christ while Faith is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. It can be confusing sometimes because the two can be in a sense be the same. Belief and faith, in a way, can be lumped in one word ‘Believe’. But faith goes degrees deeper than belief.



No one can have faith in Christ unless he has first heard and believed the facts about Him. Faith is committing and resting yourself to who Christ is and what He has done in Calvary. While belief is merely mentally knowing something about Him and what He has done and not committing yourself to Him. Belief is knowing something about the truth, faith is using that truth to your advantage and benefit. Belief is knowing that there is a rock there to keep you safe. Faith is hiding in that rock


2Ti 1:12 "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."


The difference betweeen those people in John 2 and Paul here is the element of commitment. They menatally believed in Him while Paul here wholeheartedly committed himself to Christ alone for salvation.


Practical Application


Here’s the truth: You are a sinner, helpless to save yourself from sin. Helpless to make yourself perfectly righteous in God’s sight. Christ Jesus came to die for your sins so that you will be perfectly righteous in God’s eyes.


If you are born in a Christian family you might very well know these things and believe that these things are true. But the Question is: Have you used this truth as a balm to your helpless soul? Have you appropriated this truth to yourself?


How do you know that you have appropriated this truth to yourself?

1) Have you stopped believing that your good works could somehow cover the sins that you made? It's Christ's atoning work on the cross that did it. That's why He is called the Savior.Â*

2) What’s your motive in doing good works? Is it done with a motive to pay for your sins and earn yourself a place in heaven? If yes, then you have not used the truth above my friend. You merely assent to it but not have faith in it. [lamentably some people want to get crucified with the motive to pay for their sins. They are saying by their act that Jesus' crucifixion is not enough]


When God says you are perfectly righteous in God’s eyes through what the Lord Jesus did. FAith says: "that’s enough for my soul." Have faith in it. Don’t just mentally believe it. Rest on what Christ has done.


Sound simple? Yes, it’s simple because you were not the one who died and suffered on the cross of Calvary. It’s simple because it’s a gift. Heaven is not a belief away. No. It’s just a faith away.

[Ironside]

How do we know if we have true saving faith?


Christ Jesus, the Lord and Savior came into the world to save sinners [1 Tim. 1:15]. He died for all sinners [Heb. 2:9, 1 John 2:2] that anyone who believes [trusts] in Him will have everlasting life [now in this world] the very moment he or she believes [trusts].
However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that since the Savior died for us all that all of us are automatically saved. No. One must receive that salvation obtained by Him through faith [through trusting in that one all-sufficient sacrifice of His on the cross].

An incident happened in the life of the apostle Paul wherein a man stirred up in his spirit began to have this holy concern for the spiritual state of his soul asked Paul this question:


He brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?�
They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with your entire household.� [Acts 16:30-31]

Notice the apostle did not say: “Ah don’t worry about it. You are already saved. Christ died for you….. you know.� None of that. Paul however, urged him to believe [trust] on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Yes, Christ Jesus died for him but in order for him to obtain the salvation freely offered by Christ to sinners, he must receive it by faith. Christ died for all, so He offers His salvation to all. Man over the centuries have either accepted it or rejected it. You accept it by believing. You reject it by being unbelieving.

And you will ask: “So am I saved since I believe in Christ?� Yes, if your faith is genuine. Question is: Is your faith genuine? How will you know if it’s genuine or spurious? The answer is: THE GENUINENESS OR SPURIOUSNESS OF YOU FAITH DEPENDS ON WHOM YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH ON. Faith is either true or false depending on the object of your faith.

Ask yourself these questions:

1) Am I trusting in Christ alone [trusting on what He did on the cross alone] for salvation?

2) Am I trusting, depending, relying on what can I do for Christ to be saved? Or am I trusting, depending, relying solely on what Christ has completely and permanently done for me in Calvary?Â*

3) if you have been ‘led’ to the Lord sometime before by someone through sinners prayer, ask yourself: when I prayed that prayer, was I trusting in the prayer I made to Christ or did I trust in Christ alone for salvation through that prayer?



The divine injunction my friend is: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved….�


True saving faith’s sole object is the Lord Jesus Christ. Not Jesus and prayers [though we should be always praying after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and church attendance [though we should be faithful church attendees after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and good works [though we should be fruitful in doing good works after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and the 10 commandments [though we should manifest righteous lives after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and being nailed to the cross yourself during Holy Week time [Jesus’ crucifixion was enough and complete for all sins for all time].

Are you solely trusting in Christ Jesus my friend [His person as Savior and His work on the cross in Calvary] to be saved? If yes, your faith is genuine. Praise God brother or sister!!!!!!!!!!!

[girlnextdoor0303]

AMEN!

[Ironside]

So Great a Salvation


It happened….

The world was turned upside down. What was once glorious became corrupted. What was once pure and perfect became polluted. Sin entered the picture and everyone [and that includes you and me] and everything got the Disease called Sin, destroying all the fun.

And then.....

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Since then everything was never the same again. Heavenly bodies collide. Animals grow extra limbs. Siamese twins born. Mighty earth shakes. Sea waters can now rise sky high and plunge angry down to earth. Magic Johnson got Aids. My friend got cancer and I got gastritis. And that’s not even half of the effects of sin. [you could add to the list….point is: everything in the physical plane was messed up because of it].

What’s worse is that your soul and spirit is now capable of separating from your body. That’s just a nice way of saying: “YOU WILL DIE.� In fact the process of death is working in you now as it is working in me. The time we started dying began on the day we were born. Every time you see a funeral, every time you see a cold coffin, you know that you are looking into the future.

Worst of all….

I could afford and bear to suffer the physical effects of sin. I could afford to lose a limb. I could even bear having a terminal disease [though I’m scared of it], but one thing I could not take is the eternal effects of it [sin] to my soul with regards to my eternal relationship with God. Sin ETERNALLY separates us from God. “Mawala na lang ang tanan ayaw lang ang Ginoo.� BUT this is the consequence of sin. A great divide was created between us and God……….and I just can’t take it……..but that’s the truth.

Then came so great a Salvation…

What is salvation?

Well, first of all it presupposes a dangerous predicament that a person is in. Spiritually speaking, it refers to the eternal damnation that is about to fall on every soul that has sinned. Biblically speaking, ‘salvation’ comes from a Greek word ‘soteria’. In the Bible ‘soteria’ was used both in a physical and spiritual sense. But the common meaning is that ‘soteria’ denotes deliverance from harm or danger [whether physical or spiritual].

Sin brings judgment[punishment] from a holy God. You have sinned and as a consequence the righteous judgment of God hangs over your head ready to be unleashed when you have passed from time to eternity. You, therefore, are in danger. Eternal harm awaits your soul when the lights will be turned off on you. You need to be delivered from that harm. You need to be delivered from sin’s penalty.

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Aside from the harm and danger of judgment, sin also brings a harmful enslavement to it. You just can’t help it but sin. Bondage to lust, pride, greed, cupidity, avarice, hatred, vices and etc. are just some of the harmful and sinful grips that hold people like you and me. You need to be delivered from the enslaving power of sin.

Lastly, the presence of sin in us is harmful in itself. The sinner not only needs to be delivered from sin’s penalty and power, he also needs deliverance from its very presence. It’s the ultimate reason why our bodies decay and deteriorate.Â*

In summary, salvation is being delivered from the penalty, power and presence of sin.

Where can we find so great a salvation?

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*Where else but in the Savior. Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners from their sins. Salvation is yours if you repent and trust in Christ Jesus, it’s yours when you rest your salvation completely on what He did in Calvary.

Â* Â* “…………Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.â€� [2 Corinthians 6:2c]

God wants you to be saved NOW, not later when you’re breathing close to eternity. He wants you to repent NOW and rely on Christ alone for salvation NOW.

……..so why not do it [repent and trust in Christ alone for salvation] NOW. What have you got to lose?Â*

[Ironside]

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* The Great Exchange
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* (Imputed Righteousness)




The word ‘imputed’ means to place into one’s account, credit, attribute a trait or value to someone from another. A banking term used by Paul in Romans 4:3.In fact the New International Version of the Bible used the word “credited� for imputed in the book of Romans. Let me illustrate this: David Rich is a very poor man. An accident took away his arms and legs not to mention his love ones. Naturally he can’t work due to his handicapped disposition(no arms, no legs), he gets his food from a foundation dishing out free meals every morning. Here comes John M. Poverty, a very rich man. A self-made man as some would call him, being very hard working he became very wealthy. Every single cent is earned.

Â* Â* Â* Â*

But here’s the twist, he is dying. One eventful day John and David bumped into each other and from then onÂ* Â* Â* Â* Â* they became good friends, best friends in fact. John decided to give all his money he earned through the years to David. He opened David a bank account and named all his money under David’s name. In short, John placed all his money into David’s account which happens to be zero and the bank legally considered and reckoned it as David’s money from then on.Â* That is imputation.



Actually if you will look at it at the vantage points of David and John, they made a grand exchange. John exchanged his wealth to David’s poverty. David became rich, John became poor. It is imputation both ways. It’s just like that in 2 Corinthians 5:21



“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him�



Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor , that you through His poverty might become richâ€� 2 Corinthians 8:9



We are bankrupt with regards to righteousness. God gave the Law and the 10 Commandments to show us this (Gal.3:19). It was given to show us that we are sinners, that we are spiritually handicapped. To show us that we are sick and that we need a doctor. Show me a man who has tried to obey the 10 Commandments and I will show you a man who knows that he is a sinner if he is honest to himself. How will I know that I have made a wrong left turn? Only when I know that there is a sign that says: ‘No left turn’ and I still made it. No man can perfectly obey the 10 Commandments and God knew it beforehand. So why did He gave it in the first place? To show us that we are sinners and we need righteousness. (Galatians 3:19, Romans 3:19-20, Romans 7:7-25)



So where can we find righteousness?Â* Galatians 3:24: “Therefore the law [referring to the Law and the 10 commandments] was our tutor to bring us to CHRIST, that we might be justified [that means declared righteous] by faithâ€�[that is faith in the work of Christ on the cross].



“………….Abraham believed/trusted God and it was accounted [imputed or credited] to him [Abraham] as for righteousness� Romans 4:3

Â*

God in Christ Jesus is somewhat saying: “I will take all your sins and put it into my account and I will put into your account my righteousness, will you accept it?â€�Â* Are you willing to make the grand exchange? He has it ready already:

“who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raise for our justificationâ€� [justification meaning being declared righteous by God]Â* Romans 4:25



all you have to do is accept it by trusting in it just like what Abraham did…………………….you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.Â*



“But as many as received Him [Jesus], He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on HisÂ* name,…..â€� John 1:12.Â* Â*



Sound Easy?Â* Of course because it is a gift, you did nothing, you did not die on the cross of Calvary, Jesus absorbed all of the agony. Because of Him righteousness is a gift from God.



“For if by one man's [Adam] offense death reigned by one, much more they who receive abundance of grace and the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:17

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*

[Ironside]

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*The Inside Story
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* By J. Vernon McGee Â*



Â* Â* Â* Would you really like to know how to get to heaven?

Â* Â* Â* A few years ago railroads and airlines printed what were called "time tables." They all laid claim to the better route to your destination. They went so far as to print their line in big boxcar type, while their competitor's line was put in the smallest type.

Â* Â* Â* The different denominations and churches all have their peculiar route to heaven. The various sects and isms claim to have a monopoly on the only way to a blessed eternity. Which way shall we go? Certainly all of us want to go to heaven. Most assuredly we want to take the proper route. Which is it?

Â* Â* Â* Instead of listening to this babel of voices all about us, why not listen to God? Here is what He says in the Bible. This is the inside story on God's way to heaven. It is the gospel according to the Author:

I.Â* Â* Â*God tells the truth about mankind:

Â* Â* Â* "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)

Â* Â* Â* "For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and does not sin." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

Â* Â* Â* "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

Â* Â* Â* "...For there is no man that sins not...." (1 Kings 8:46)

Â* Â* Â* "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

II.Â* Â* Â*God says that He must punish sin:

Â* Â* Â* "Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sins, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4)

Â* Â* Â* "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Â* III.Â* Â* God tells the inside story about His remedy for sin:

Â* Â* Â* "Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:1

Â* Â* Â* "God commends [demonstrates] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8]

Â* Â* Â* "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed." (l Peter 2:24)

Â* Â* Â* "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

Â* Â* Â* "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 Spirit." (Titus 3:5)

Â* Â* Â* "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Â* IV.Â* Â* God wants to save you and will save you if you will follow His instructions:

Â* Â* Â* "He who believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he who believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)

Â* Â* Â* "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your household." (Acts 16:31)

Â* Â* Â* "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:43)

Â* Â* Â* "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)


Â* Â* Â* "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name." (John 20:30, 31)

Â* V.Â* Â* Â* God definitely declares that there is only one way to be saved:

Â* Â* Â* "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6)

Â* Â* Â* "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

Â* Â* Â* "Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25, 26)

Â* Â* Â* "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (l Timothy 2:5)

Â* VIÂ* Â* Christ extends to you a personal invitation:

Â* Â* Â* "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and he that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

Â* Â* Â* Now it is up to you. You have the inside story. What are you going to do about it?

Â* Â* Â* - J. Vernon McGee

[Ironside]

Our Tutor to Christ



The Holy Spirit making the Law effective [whether law of conscience or Law of Mt. Sinai] is our tutor to Christ.


Ga 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."


I. What is the law here?

Law refers to the Old covenant made by God to the Israelites. it includes the 10 commandments. Then the text says that those who are under the works of the Law are under the curse.

II. What does 'under the works of the Law' mean?

It refers to persons who seek to saved by Law-keeping. they are said to be under THE [note the definite article. it does not say 'a curse' it says THE CURSE] CURSE. The curse referred to here is the ultimate curse of the law. What is that curse? it is death spiritual and eternal in hell.


III. Why is it that those who seek to be saved by Law-keeping under the curse?


notice the answer:

for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."

Question: does it say: 'Cursed is everyone who OCCASIONALLY does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them?

No it says: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue [or remain] in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."

The word continue there actually means REMAIN.


It is in the present tense in the Greek. Present tense in Greek describes an action that is continuing. So the verse is actually saying: "Cursed is everyone who does not continually remain in ALL things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.

a> What are the things written in the book of the law?

all it's commandments, precepts and regulations.

b> What is it to continually remain in all things which are written in the book of the law?

it means to obey it continually, abiding in it without the slightest break or infraction. In short? Perfect obedience from start to finish!!!!!!!!


When it comes to the law God demands perfect obedience to His law. No sin in short.


Again the question? Why is any man who desire to saved himself by Law-keeping under the curse?

Because a) God requires perfect obedience to the Law. b) Because no one can obey it perfectly. And the Law brings with it penalty. A law without penalty is not a law but an advice or suggestion. In our land we have laws, and it has its penalties.

REad it again:

Ga 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them


Bad news for us right? We have not obeyed perfectly all of His commands.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23]

The evidence that we have sinned against God's holy law [whether the law of conscience [ we Gentiles are under] or law of the Mt.Sinai [Israelites are under] is death. WE all die because we have sinned. The moral preacher down the street has sinned. The criminal there in prison has sinned. Ironside has sinned that's why we all die.

The wages of sin is death.

But look at verse 13 :

Ga 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us............."


God never intended the Law for our salvation. He gave it to show us that we are sinners. Not to saved us. I have never heard of the 10 commandments dubbed as Savior. I have never seen the ten commandments being crucified on Mt. Calvary. The Law was given by God to bring us to Christ.

a) it was given to show us that we are sinners, spiritually sick and in need of THE doctor.

"What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions,....."[Galatians 3:19]

b) The Law was given to bring us to Christ and find our satisfaction of salvation in HIm.

"Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." [Galatians 3:24]



Practical Application:

1) Are you aware of your sinfulness my friend?

2) Have you tried keeping the Law? WEre you succcessul in keeping it? I mean were you able to perfectly obey it thought, motive, intention, desires, words and actions?

3) If we are honest to ourselves, NO we have not obeyed it perfectly. We are under the curse of the Law. And that is eternal hell.

4) But don't despair:

Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."


Trust in His finished work on the cross alone!!!

When you do, you know what will happen? The Holy Spirit will indwelt you and enable you and empower you to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law:

Ro 8:3 "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,"

4 "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

[Ironside]

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Everything except the One that really matters


Is it possible for a man to be prayerful, religious, moral, a man imbued with commendable virtues and yet, at the end of it all, his soul is still bound for hell? The answer is a resounding “YES!!!!� Let me introduce to you a man that fits our description. A man who by any human standards stand head and shoulders above most people in morality.


Meet Nicodemus:

“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.� [John 3:1-2]


Here in our text we have Nicodemus’ religious resume.

We have his religious affiliation:Â* Â*Â* Â* Â* Â* -Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*He was a Pharisee.
His position amongst the Jews: Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*-Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*a ruler of the Jews.
His attitude towards the Lord Jesus: Â* Â*-Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*He revered Him. He called Him: ‘Rabbi’
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* -Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*He acknowledged and believed that He [Jesus] came Â* Â*from God.


I. His religious affiliation: Nicodemus was a Pharisee [verse 1].

Â* Â* Â* Â* That tells us a lot about Nicodemus. The Pharisees were the most strict and the most meticulous of all the sects in Israel during that time. And when I say ‘strict’ I mean strict to the core….or should I say…..bones. Strict to the bones. They were very rigid and very exacting in following the Law of Moses and other traditions of their ancestors. They would fast twice a week, eight times a month and approximately 101 times a year. Everything they possessed they would tithed [they would determine the 10% of it and give it to the temple priests]. Yes, everything even the most seemingly insignificant commodities such as seeds, they would tithed.Â*

They were men who prayed daily. They were men who memorized their Bibles. Jews have a tradition of wearing phylacteries on their body parts. Phylacteries are those straps they put on their wrists and foreheads containing Bible verses. I told ya….these guys were really religious and moral to the bone.

II. His position amongst the Jews:Â* Â*He was a ruler of the Jews [verse 1].

The Jews were under the dominion of the Roman empire. The empire was conceding enough to allow the Jews to run their own affairs according to their laws [which was a good political and military strategy by the way to keep their subject countries tame]. The Jews had their own Supreme Court and Senate [composed of 70 men] called the Sandhedrin. Only men of high moral character were to constitute the Sanhedrin. When our text says that Nicodemus was “a ruler of the Jewsâ€� [note: it does not say “THE ruler of the Jewsâ€�…..it only says : “a ruler of the Jewsâ€�]Â* it does not mean that he was the sole leader of the Jews. [Why, of course there were 70 of them]. Nicodemus was a member of the ruling body of the Jews during that time. What does that tell us about our man? It means that this guy was one of the morally elite in Israel during that time. You don’t get a seat in the Sanhedrin if you are not one of the best in Israel morally.Â*

PLUS……

Nicodemus was one of the primary teachers in Israel during that time. He was a Bible teacher.

Joh 3:10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you THE teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?Â* Â*

The Lord Jesus’ use of the definite article suggests that he [Nicodemus] was no ordinary Jew. He was Israel’s primary Bible teacher. He was not just any teacher….he was THE teacher of Israel.


III. His attitude towards the Lord Jesus :Â* He deeply respected the Lord JesusÂ* and acknowledge Him as coming from God[verse 2]

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*He called the Lord Jesus “Rabbiâ€�. Jews do not just call any teacher by that designation if they do not have deep respect for that particular person as a teacher of the things of God. Added to that, he acknowledged that the Lord Jesus was one sent by God [verse 2].



Let’s check Nicodemus’s religious pulse:

Prayerful? Check

religious?Â* Check [fasts 101Â* Â* times a year. Gives tithes meticulously and faithfully

Outstanding moral character?Â* CheckÂ* Â*
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*
revered the Lord? Check

Reads the Bible daily? Check


WAW!!!! WHAT A GUY!!!!


Question: if Nicodemus were to die that very hour……would he go to heaven? NO!!!!!


IV. The Lord’s assessment of Nicodemus: He must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Joh 3:7 "Do not marvel that I said to you [Nicodemus], 'You must be born again.' "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." [John 3:3].

And in order to be born again, He must trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation nothing and no one else:

Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.�

Nicodemus had everything except the One that really matters. How about you dear reader? Have you experienced the new birth? Have you everything except the One that really matters? You see it’s not what you do, it’s what God has done for you in Calvary that gets you to heaven. That sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was enough for all time for all sins-past, present and future.

What you need to do is to put your trust in that sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
Â*




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