Difference between revisions of "What must I do"
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Latest revision as of 13:43, 16 February 2011
A Final Word
In the preceding chapters, we have endeavoured to prove that there are myriad's of good things people do to become saved, but in reality they only produce eternal loss. This is so because they are substituted for the blood of Christ. We find the same situation in this study. In the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Acts, we discover a most interesting incident. Paul was cast into prison because of his uncompromising stand for the Word of God.
Oh, how the world needs preachers of this stature in the twentieth century. Wherever Paul went he either experienced revival or a riot. Both were signs of blessing to this powerful proclaimer of Christ. He realised that the thunderous warnings against sin brought madness and gladness. The rebellious sinner got madder; the forgiven sinner, gladder. Knowing what this preaching would do, this itinerate evangelist startled his welcoming committees with such statements as,
"Take me to your local jail."
"I beg your pardon, Paul?"
"'Take me to your local jail."
"Why Paul?"
"Why? I plan to preach God's judgement against sin so vitriolically that men and demons will become incensed." Sure enough, it happened in this text. A woman had followed these preachers crying, These men are servants of the most high God. Instead of helping the ministry, it was a curse because the woman was demon possessed. A demonic spirit was actually using her vocal chords. One often wonders if all the noise and shouting in meetings is actually necessary. Oftentimes those who are the loudest, live the vilest. Paul, discerning the situation, immediately cast the demon out of the woman. The soothsayers were exceedingly angry.
They would now experience financial loss without their demon-possessed maiden. Immediately they dragged Paul before the authorities who investigated, castigated, and incarcerated him. He was again in jail for preaching positive thinking. His soothing sermons of love got him penalised one more time. Was he discouraged, defeated, or demoralised? Not for a minute! Instead, he and Silas sang praises at the midnight hour. Never had the Philippian jailer witnessed such fanaticism. Accompanying the singing was an earthquake. Its effects were twofold: It shook up the area as well as the jailer-so much so that he began thinking about spiritual things. In his startled condition he cried, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They replied, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:30-31).
The know-it-alls and the intellectuals call this "simplistic theology- In other words, it is too simple. Call it as they may, it is the Holy Spirit's statement to a lost world-forever. There are two final points I would like to consider in this lesson.
Man's Efforts
The jailer's cry was, What must I DO? (emphasis mine). This was the same utterance that proceeded from the lips of the lost in Christ's day. They said, 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 (John 6:28-29, emphasis mine). God's answer, through Paul, had not changed a number of years later. It was still, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. God's answer must always be the same: Believe, BELIEVE, BELIEVE!
Study God's Word and see: 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 (John 3:16). Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life (John 6:47). Again, If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24). And again, l am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead. yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die (John 11:25-26).
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 ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name (John 20:30-31). To (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins (Acts 10:43). Quit torturing yourself through penance when God says, "Believe, BELIEVE, BELIEVE!"
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses (Ten Commandments) (Acts 13:38-39). Paul said, For l am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Romans 1:16). Therefore, 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 (Romans 10:9). When one does this he can assuredly shout, I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (I Timothy 1:12).
This assurance makes 1 Peter 2:7 super abundantly true. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.
God's Plan
It is evident that God's plan differs from man's. Man wants to work rather than believe. This is so diametrically opposed to the program of God that salvation is forfeited when man's bull-headed pursuits prevail. A number of years ago, the great evangelist, D. L. Moody, was travelling on a train. His seat was next to a cultist who proclaimed the theory of works for salvation. After telling the evangelist the many things one must do to inherit eternal life, the great preacher looked at him and said, "There is only one great difference between your religion and mine. Yours has two letters-D-O or do, while mine has four-D-O-N-E or done! You must continually work to make it and I simply trust in the merits of Christ's work upon Calvary." Dear friend, why don't you believe God for a change. Quit being deceived by Bible manhandlers and manipulators.
Titus 3:5 states, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Ephesians 2:8,9 declare For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Could words be any more meaningful and understandable than those given by the Holy Spirit in Romans 4:1-5: What shall me say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh hath found? (In other words, what has Abraham discovered? He found that) if (he) Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but NOT BEFORE GOD. For what saith the scripture:' Abraham BELIEVED GOD and it was counted unto him (or reckoned to his account) for righteousness .... to him that WORKETH NOT. BUT BELIEVETH ON HIM that justifieth the ungodly, HIS FAITH is counted for righteousness (emphasis mine). Because God's program is one of faith rather than works, one can do absolutely nothing to merit salvation. Therefore, salvation must be offered as a gift under God's "no works" plan. Have you believed?
By Dr. Jack Van Impe