Scripture says that salvation is a serious business! If you do not believe that God exists and that the Bible is His words to mankind, I respectfully suggest that you study it out with an open mind. There is a link over on the right sidebar to the DOES GOD EXIST? website that will give you much food for thought. Scripture states, in Hebrews 11:6,
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"And without faith
it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to Him
must believe that HE EXISTS and
that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
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Here is a major claim of The Bible:
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2 Timothy 3:16-17 says,
"All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work."
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Please don't get wrapped up in the "gender" statements of scripture. When using terms like "man" here, it is referring to "mankind" in general.
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Consider the first verse of our "March Scripture of the Month" and the verses that I have included below it. Ponder your own salvation in light of these scriptures and the scriptures and discussions that will follow in the next few days...
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Philippians 2:12
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have ALWAYS OBEYED-
not only in my presence,
but now much more in my absence-
continue to WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION
with fear and trembling..."
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"Work out your own salvation?" What does that mean? Over the years I have met many people with amazing stories of seeking to find the truth about salvation/eternal life or "the true light". Recently, I have come to know an older couple who have come to Christ after first experiencing Hindu and Jehovah's Witnesses. They continued to pray, question, and seek for answers to eternal life. Two things that seekers learn when they study scripture is:
"The word" can refer to scripture.
"The Word" refers to Jesus Christ.
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John 1:1-5 says,
"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through Him all things were made;
3 Through Him all things were made;
without Him nothing was made that has been made.
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness,
but the darkness has not understood it. "
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Seekers, will not always find their answers in black and white. They will not always understand it in their first searches. Much like putting a 1,000 piece puzzle together, the big picture will come together in time. For some it takes longer than others. Like my friends, many find that their search has roadblocks because there is an enemy.
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Yesterday, as I was traveling around to meet and observe with different Clinical Practice students, I was listening to christian radio in the car. I heard multiple declarations made over the airwaves that gave me reason for concern... were these declarations really "truth"? Part of the verse above "continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." connects to the daily spiritual battle for our souls between the forces of darkness and THE LIGHT.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says,
"For such men are false apostles,
"For such men are false apostles,
deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades
as an angel of light.
It is not surprising, then,
if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.
Their end will be what their actions deserve."
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Earlier in this same book of the Bible, it refers to Satan as "the god of this age".
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2 Corinthians 4:2-6
"...we have renounced secret and shameful ways;
we do not use deception,
nor do we distort the word of God.
On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly
we commend ourselves to every man's conscience
in the sight of God...
...The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.
For we do not preach ourselves,
but Jesus Christ as Lord,
and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God, who said,
"Let light shine out of darkness,"
made His light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
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.1 John 1:5-7
"This is the message we have heard from Him
"This is the message we have heard from Him
and declare to you:
God is light;
in Him there is no darkness at all.
If we claim to have fellowship with Him
yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not live by the truth.
But if we walk in the light,
as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, His Son,
purifies us from all sin."
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Please join me tomorrow as I share what it looks like to be transformed from eternal death to eternal life... from darkness to light...
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