So Is He Muslim or Not?

Much has been written this week in the news that one-in-five Americans surveyed believe President Obama is Muslim. He, as he has always done, denies this and claims to be a Christian.

I am really curious to know how many Americans think he is a Christian.

Thankfully, as always, we have the Bible to give us insight about things like this. Let us begin with a passage from Matthew 7:

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The whole context is provided, but focus on verse 20: A man is known by his "fruits," the evidences that his life provides to the world. So let's summarize some of our president's "fruits."

• He shows great reverence and friendliness to Arab and Muslim leaders, not wishing to offend them or their beliefs. Meanwhile, Israel is snubbed (ask Mr. Netanyahu) and other nations with historically Christian backgrounds (think: England) are treated in a second-tier way diplomatically.
• He shows deference to Islamic practices and participates in their events. Meanwhile, the National Day of Prayer events at the White House are canceled.
• He has no problem with a mosque being built in lower Manhattan.
• Church attendance: Obama has hardly been to church since becoming President. Prior to 2008, he attended a church that was supposedly Protestant (in a very stretched-out definition of that term) and had a pastor whose anti-American rants became legendary...yet he stayed there until political expediency drove him out. This "pastor" (again, the definition—a biblical one—must be stretched) married him and his wife and was referred to in high praise by our president before his reputation became national.
• On the other hand, our president does not openly participate in Islamic worship, either.

My assessment of this: Our president seems to be un-religious, but prefers Islam to Christianity. He is clearly not devout to either one. But my deeper question: Is he a Christian?

Let us look at 1 John 2 for further guidance:

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Verse 4 is very troubling. The context, and centuries of consistent exegesis, tell us that "keepeth not his commandments" refers more to a pattern of life than to individual, moment-by-moment decisions; all of us "keep not" God's commandments from time to time. The "keepeth his word" in verse 5 holds a similar idea, as does "also so to walk" in verse 6. Is the pattern of our president's life that he strives to keep God's commandments and to walk as Christ walked? Or does he not consistently strive to keep the commandments of God? Again, a look at the fruits:

• Our president is openly pro-abortion, and has a voting record to back it up (the blogprof blog has done a great job documenting this over the past two years, with this as a recent example).
• Unlike Jesus Christ, who regularly spoke out against sin, Obama seems perfectly OK with homosexuality, immorality, and other sins in our society.
• Has he spent his free time with Christians, or with former terrorists and others who are openly hostile to the Bible?
  

Unfortunately, aside from his own weak proclamations and White House statements of his Christian faith, I cannot see any evidence from the Bible that our president is a Christian. We need to pray for him to repent, accept Jesus Christ as his Savior, and do what is right.

Hymn of the Week: All That Thrills My Soul

This hymn by Thoro Harris should remind all of us that nothing should cheer, bless, and "thrill" us like Jesus Christ. He is indeed "more than life" to all of us who have accepted His offer of salvation.

The verses remind us of several aspects of our relationship with Christ: He loves us; He redeemed us; He supplies our needs. Indeed, meditating upon our relationship with Him should cause us to "praise and glorify the King"!

If you have never accepted Christ's gift of salvation, I pray that you will know Him today.

All That Thrills My Soul

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,
By His presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call Him mine!

Refrain

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

Love of Christ so freely given,
Grace of God beyond degree,
Mercy higher than the heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea!

Refrain

What a wonderful redemption!
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, tho red like crimson,
Can be whiter than the snow.

Refrain

Every need His hand supplying,
Every good in Him I see;
On His strength divine relying,
He is all in all to me.

Refrain

By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing,
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King.

Refrain

On the Death of Senator Kennedy

Senator Ted Kennedy died this morning after a bout with brain cancer. His death, like anyone's, is sad, and will bring grief to his family and friends.

It is customary upon one's death to focus on the good and positive things that person did during his lifetime. As a conservative, I have profound disagreements with much of the political agenda Kennedy brought to his job, but to the extent I agree with what he did, I will commend him.

Although less customary, it is prudent to focus on what happens after one's lifetime. Senator Kennedy's private life was marked by scandal, drunkenness, and inappropriate relationships with women, but his eternal destiny will not be decided by those activities. Where Ted Kennedy is now spending eternity was decided during his lifetime, by whether he did or did not put his faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation of his soul.

I sincerely hope that Ted Kennedy put his faith Jesus Christ. Have you? Where will you spend eternity?

Hymn of the Week: When We All Get to Heaven

Within the last twenty-four hours a relative of mine passed away. Since she was a Christian, I can look forward to seeing her someday in heaven.

This event prompted me to think about hymns that speak about the Christian's eventual destination of heaven. This hymn is a forward-looking view of the blessings that await those who have trusted in Christ Jesus for their salvation, and an encouragement to those of us who "walk the pilgrim pathway."

Will you be in heaven some day? I sincerely hope to rejoice with you there!

When We All Get to Heaven

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Refrain

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Refrain

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Refrain

Hymn of the Week: Saved by the Blood

After reading through this text, I noticed something: The number of exclamation points!

What God did to accomplish our salvation should indeed bring excitement to our hearts. We were not worthy of the "ransom" he paid for our "pardon." Be joyful that you are indeed "Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!" And if you are not, please accept His gift of salvation today.

The words were written by S. J. Henderson. The music was written by Daniel B. Towner, who also wrote the music for such hymns as At Calvary, My Anchor Holds, and Trust And Obey.

Saved by the Blood

Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Now ransomed from sin and a new work begun,
Sing praise to the Father and praise to the Son,
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!

Refrain

Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
My sins are all pardoned, my guilt is all gone!
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
I am saved by the blood of the Crucified One!

Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
The angels rejoicing because it is done;
A child of the Father, joint heir with the Son,
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!

Refrain

Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
The Father He spake, and His will it was done;
Great price of my pardon, His own precious Son;
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!

Refrain

Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
All hail to the Father, all hail to the Son,
All hail to the Spirit, the great Three in One!
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!

Refrain

God's Simple Plan of Salvation

Below is a simple summary of the Bible's plan of salvation.

In John 3, when Nicodemus came to Jesus and asked him questions, Jesus told him "Ye must be born again" (vs. 7). He explained that this was not a second physical birth, but a spiritual birth. Toward the end of this discussion Jesus gave what is perhaps the most well-known verse in the entire Bible, John 3:16:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Why does each of us need to be born again?

In Romans 3, we learn that all men are sinners, from verses 10 and 23:

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We were all born sinners, and every day of our lives has provided evidence that we are neither perfect nor holy in our flesh. What are the consequences of being sinners? They are not pleasant, according to Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

That "death" in the first part of the verse is not only a reference to physical death, but also a reference to "spiritual death"—which we see in other verses is a literal, eternal, lake of fire—a place we call Hell. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that this is a real place, where those who reject God's offer of salvation will spend eternity.

But the latter part of Romans 6:23 provides us with hope: There is a gift! It is something every person on earth can receive by following what Jesus Christ Himself said in Mark 1:15:

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

It is as simple as that: Every one of us must repent of our sins, and believe that Jesus Christ can save us from the just consequence of our sins, and will take us to Heaven to be with Him eternally. Romans 10:9-10 elaborates,

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 10:13 also points out that the opportunity is open to all:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Have you done this? Have you asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and placed your faith in Jesus Christ to do just that? There is no way that anyone else can do this for you; neither your church, your family, nor your friends can procure your eternity in Heaven.

If you would like to know more or have questions, please leave a comment to this post; please leave an e-mail address. Comments intended for private correspondence will not be publicly posted. It would be a joy to share with you the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Hymn of the Week: Just As I Am, Without One Plea

Among Baptists, this is perhaps the best-known hymn of invitation. I suspect many souls have come to Christ while this music played on an organ or piano in the background.

The point here is that when one comes to Jesus Christ for salvation, he cannot "bring" anything of value to Christ. Our works are as filthiness; our righteousness as rags. His offer of salvation is independent of any "worth" that we have tried to acquire. His offer of salvation is free, and it is an offer to every man and woman. To accept His offer, we have to recognize that our sinful nature precludes us from earning His gift. We must come to Him, as we are, with a repentant, believing heart. There is no other way to salvation.

I hope to speak more of this plan of salvation in my next post.

Just As I Am, Without One Plea

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Hymn of the Week: It Is Well With My Soul

The story behind this hymn is among the best known of all hymn-related stories. These words were written by Horatio G. Spafford after his four children were killed in a mid-ocean ship disaster. His wife was saved, alone. [Read more here.]

The world today is not the most comforting. There is financial insecurity, war, poverty, cruelty, and the general uncertainty of what a day may bring. Yet when Christ is the center of our affections, and His Holy Spirit dwells within us, we can truly say, "It is well." Those who have never experienced this can scarcely understand it.

Have you never experienced salvation, and the peace it can bring to your heart? Do you not know Jesus Christ, the Savior of men? Please accept Him by faith today. You can learn more about salvation here or here.

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—
My sin—not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
“Even so”—it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Preaching We Need To Hear

I was thinking about this last week, and a conversation with a friend on Saturday night reinforced it: What topics are preachers today not preaching about, but really should?

Here is a list of several topics I think preachers in America really need to preach about more often, regardless of how they think their flocks will receive these topics. [Note: This is not intended in any way to be a criticism of my own pastor.]

1. Sin and Salvation; Heaven and Hell. Hell, in particular, is an unpopular topic these days. Yet how many millions came to Christ in part because they did not want to spend an eternity there? Why are we minimizing the fact that damnation in hell for eternity is a very real event that will occur to every man or woman who does not accept Christ's gift of salvation?

Salvation, of course, should be a frequent topic. Just consider how many unsaved people walk into churches every week.

2. Love Not The World (1 John 2:15-17). One of the biggest problems in American Christianity is that we think that God does not care that we want to do what the world and the devil want us to do. This is a lie from Satan himself: That we can be worldly and still please God. No man can serve two masters. No man should try.

3. Certain activities, and in particular certain entertainments, are sins. Not matters of "Christian liberty" or "personal choice;" not matters of taste; they are sins. Swearing is a sin. Intentionally looking at pornography is sin. Watching wicked TV shows and movies is sin. Listening to various kinds of ungodly music is sin. In short, anything that detracts from your testimony and drags others toward worldliness is sin.

Pastors need to name names and get specific. They need to get up and say that watching some of the popular shows and listening to some of the popular artists is wrong—i.e., it is sin—because of what it does for—i.e., against—the cause of Christ. Which brings me to...

4. Modesty is a requirement, not an option. Sad to say, it appears most men either don't tell their wives, don't care, or (worse yet) encourage their wives to be immodest. It seems that most Christian women in America today are willing to show off their cleavage, bellies, backsides, upper legs, and other parts of their bodies that should be reserved for the view of their husbands...or they dress in a way that hints far too strongly about what is there. They appear oblivious to the fact that they are provoking wicked thoughts in the minds of men—and that is sin.

Men are not exempt, either. And a lot of men need to be rebuked for allowing their wives and daughters to dress immodestly.

Hymn of the Week: Ye Must Be Born Again

The Gospel, quite frankly, is simple.

All of us are sinners. All of us deserve, and were destined for, hell. We are unable to do anything about this of our own power.

Jesus Christ, son of God and member of the Trinity, came to earth, and died a sinless death on the cross to pay the punishment for the sins of all of us. He was buried and rose again the third day.

This substitutionary atonement for sins enables each of us to choose to repent of our sins and to put our faith in Him for salvation. In so doing, we can be "born again," as Nicodemus learned in John 3.

This week's hymn also reminds us of the story of Nicodemus and our need to be "born again." The Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand. Have you been born again?

Ye Must Be Born Again

A ruler once came to Jesus by night
To ask Him the way of salvation and light;
The Master made answer in words true and plain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

“Ye must be born again,
Ye must be born again,
I verily, verily, say unto thee,
Ye must be born again.”

Ye children of men, attend to the Word,
So solemnly uttered by Jesus the Lord;
And let not this message to you be in vain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

O ye who would enter that glorious rest,
And sing with the ransomed the song of the blest,
The life everlasting if ye would obtain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

A dear one in Heaven thy heart yearns to see,
At the beautiful gate may be watching for thee,
Then list to the note of this solemn refrain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

Hymn of the Week: Springs of Living Water

This past week I spent some time roofing a house. And when the afternoon sun came out, there's just one thing to say: It was hot up there!

And when the time came to take a drink, that felt good. Refreshing. Satisfying.

But after a little more time, another drink was necessary. It would also feel good, and refreshing, and satisfying.

Compare that to what Christ said in John 4:14: "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."

Once we are saved, and have that salvation which is so often compared to "living water," we will not thirst again. Salvation [what we theologically refer to as "eternal security"] is a once-for-all-time matter. It is "refreshing" to know that we can always trust in this.

But, if one does not accept the living water freely offered to all, he will go to a place where there is no respite from the heat, and no quenching of thirst.

These words are by John W. Peterson.

Springs of Living Water

I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame.
And nothing satisfying there I found.
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came.
Where springs of living water did abound.

[Chorus]
Drinking at the springs of living water
Happy now am I
My soul they satisfy
Drinking at the springs of living water
Oh wonderful and bountiful supply

How sweet the living water from the hills of God.
It makes me glad and happy all the way.
Now glory, grace and blessing mark the path I've trod.
I'm shouting "Hallelujah" every day.

Chorus

O sinner won't you come today to calvary.
A fountain there is flowing deep and wide.
The Saviour now invites you to the water free.
Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied.

Chorus

An Easter-related Sermon: Acts 13

In Acts 13:14, Paul arrives at Antioch in Pisidia and proceeds to share the gospel with the Jews in the synagogue. It is probably a classic and typical example of his preaching to the Jews who have not yet heard the gospel message. And in his sermon (vs. 16-41), we have these verses:

27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
30 But God raised him from the dead:

Considering that tomorrow is Easter, that last verse is exceptionally appropriate. Those seven simple words, stated as plain fact (because it is a fact!), are the absolute bedrock of the Gospel Message. As Paul also wrote in 1 Cor. 15:12-19, if there was no resurrection of Christ on that blessed day two millennia ago, our faith in vain; we are in our sins; there is no hope of heaven or blessing after this earthly life.

But God raised Jesus from the dead! And because of this, our faith is not in vain! We can have hope of heaven after this earthly life!

And if you do not have this faith, but want it, please get in touch with me.

Hymn of the Week: There's Room At The Cross For You

Today is Palm Sunday. It is appropriate and proper to remember that we are commemorating the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. And as the week progresses, we must also remember why he went there: To die, for our sins.

Specifically, to die for the sins of all mankind—yours, mine, and everyone else's—and to redeem us to Himself, so that we may be His children and live with Him eternally. God "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). He wants every man and every woman and every child to accept His offer of salvation.

Some think that their sins are too awful or too numerous to allow God to save them. This is not so. He saved Paul, who called himself "chief" among sinners (1 Tim. 1:12-16); and He has saved many more from every walk of life and every type of background in the two thousand years since. This hymn beautifully portrays God's power and desire to save.

If you have not accepted the gift of salvation—for which Jesus went to Jerusalem, to be crucified, for you—you can accept it today. Ask Christ to forgive your sins and put your faith in Him. If you have any questions about salvation, please leave me a comment so I can get in touch with you.

There's Room At the Cross For You

The cross upon which Jesus died
Is a shelter in which we can hide
And its grace so free
Is sufficient for me
And deep is its fountain; as wide as the sea

Refrain:

There's room at the cross for you
There's room at the cross for you
Though millions have come
There's still room for one
Yes, there's room at the cross for you

Though millions have found Him a Friend
And have turned from the sins they have sinned
The Saviour still waits
To open the gates
And welcome a sinner before its too late

The hand of my Saviour is strong
And the love of my Saviour is long
Through sunshine or rain
Through loss or in gain
The blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain

Words and music by Ira F. Stanphill

On the Differences Between Being Baptist and Catholic

My mind was wandering yesterday and came to this question: What is the most significant difference between Baptist and Catholic teachings?

Of course, there are many doctrinal differences between the two. The most significant one I could come up with is this:

Baptists believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, alone. Catholics believe that salvation can only come through the Catholic church.

I believe that my church is important and serves many important functions, not the least of which are the evangelistic proclaiming of the Gospel to the lost and the edification of the saved. But my church and my pastor cannot save my soul—only God can do that. I have the eternally-significant responsibility to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and ask Him to forgive my sins. I can do this without the intermediation of any church, and many have, throughout the centuries, done so. I thank God for my church and my pastor, and for Bible-preaching churches and God-fearing pastors everywhere. I thank God that they preach the Gospel and that they edify and encourage me, my family, and my loved ones. The Church of God is an institution of immense importance.

But my church cannot save my soul. Only God can do that.

Hymn of the Week: Saved, Saved

The words of this hymn speak clearly and simply to some of the most basic doctrinal truths: My Saviour loves me. He saved me, and secures my soul forever. He guides me, keeps me, and protects me.

"Life now is sweet and my joy is complete..." If you are saved and that phrase does not describe your existence today, pray to that One whose "love is ever true" and ask Him to change your life. It may involve repentance, forgiveness, dealing with bitterness, or dealing with a specific trial; but only Jesus can make your life fit the description of this hymn.

And if you are not saved, and you want these words to describe your life, please contact me. I would love to share the gospel of salvation with you.

Words & music by Jack P. Scholfield (1911)

Saved, Saved

I’ve found a Friend, who is all to me,
His love is ever true;
I love to tell how He lifted me
And what His grace can do for you.

Refrain

Saved by His power divine,
Saved to new life sublime!
Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,
For I’m saved, saved, saved!

He saves me from every sin and harm,
Secures my soul each day;
I’m leaning strong on His mighty arm;
I know He’ll guide me all the way.

Refrain

When poor and needy and all alone,
In love He said to me,
“Come unto Me and I’ll lead you home,
To live with Me eternally.”

Refrain

How Can Unbelievers "Work the Works of God?"

In John 6:28-29, shortly after the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus Christ is approached by the Jews. These verses are a portion of their conversation, and read:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

From the context it is clear that these Jews do not (yet) believe that Jesus is the Son of God; therefore, we might refer to them as "unsaved" or "unbelievers." It is interesting that they ask him what works they ought to do. We believe that salvation is not of works, but by faith (Eph. 2:8-9); and that salvation ought to result in good works which both demonstrate our faith to the world and fulfill our responsibilities to God (Eph. 2:10). Notice the key principle: Salvation is by faith, not works; but after salvation, good works are to be found in one's life.

Instead, notice what Christ tells them their obligation is: "That ye believe on him whom he [God] hath sent." Every living human being's obligation is to believe—to believe on the One who came to be the sacrifice for our sins, the only One who can redeem us from our deserved eternal destiny in hell. That One is Jesus Christ. Do you believe on Him?

"Ye Must Be Born Again"

After taking a class in Greek at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in 2003-04, one of my goals was to read the entire N.T. in the original language. One of the books I have remaining, and which I am reading now, is the gospel of John; today, I read the first 21 verses of Chapter 3. This is where Nicodemus comes to Jesus "by night" and is told in verse 7, "Ye must be born again."

Two particular words in this passage, in the Greek, were very interesting. The first is the word "must" in verse 7. It is a word whose common meaning is "It is necessary." Becoming born again is not to be thought of in the sense of "You must try this restaurant," or "You must meet my friend Bob"—these are only non-literal meanings of the word. Instead, it should be thought of as a "necessary" thing—something we have an obligation to do. It is necessary for each of us to be born again.

The second word I found very interesting, was in that most famous of verses, 3:16. In the phrase, "that whosoever believeth in him..." the word "whosoever" is actually the common word for "all" (e.g., the "every one" in vs. 20 is this exact same Greek word). When we think of salvation, we should remember that it is offered to all—every man, woman, and child of every people, country, or language. It is not offered only to some, nor are there other conditions which must be met; all who believe will have eternal life in heaven.

Conclusion: It is necessary for all to be born again. Are you?

Where will you be after you die?

Many who read this blog are my friends and acquaintances; and I am inclined to believe that most of these are Christians already. But it may be that you have somehow come to this corner of cyberspace uncertain of your eternal destiny. Where will you be after you die?

We learn in Romans 3:23 that "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." All of us are sinners. And the consequences of this are not good; Romans 6:23a further states that "The wages of sin is death." This is not merely referring to physical death, which we cannot avoid; but to eternal death—eternal separation from God in a place of endless torment, the place called Hell. This is the problem.

God has provided the perfect solution to this problem; it is called salvation! The second part of Romans 6:23 states "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation—eternal life—is a gift, provided by Jesus Christ! We cannot earn it and we cannot deserve it. Romans 5:8 clarifies this by saying that "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It was His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection which made it possible for the penalty of our sins to be paid, and for us to receive not eternal death but eternal life, with Him, in Heaven. Praise the Lord!

Each and every person on this earth can receive this gift. Romans 10:13 makes it clear: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Whosoever really does mean you! Revelation 3:20 makes this clear also. It is not hard to do, as we learn in Romans 10:9-10: "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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

How can you accept the gift of salvation? You must put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Even a child can do that—and many have. It is indeed only a child-like faith which is required. There is no special incantation or magic set of words; simply pray humbly in faith. You could, for example, say something like this:

Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I put my faith in you as my Savior, and I believe that you can give me eternal life. Please give me your gift of salvation, and make me one of Your children.

It is a simple act. My prayer is that everyone who reads this blog either has accepted Christ's gift of salvation or that they will today. Please contact me if I can be of any help to you.