04/17/12

 

This past weekend I had a "Girls Night Out" with some of my friends that I do not get to see as often.  It was a good time together, as  always.  

We had a discussion that night that got my mind "chewing."  

One of my friends had recently gone to a Catholic funeral and was talking about what the priest was saying about the person that died.  He basically was saying that because the person had been baptized as a child he was "in the faith" and now they were to pray that God would be faithful and this person would enter heaven.

Let me talk about that a bit.  I am no Bible scholar, but I do know what I have learned from Scripture shows that this is not Biblical.

First of all, sprinkling of water is not going to save you.  You usually have that done as a baby and know no different. There is no real change in your life and you live as you want and then "hope" that God is faithful at the end and you get into heaven.  Basically the priest was saying that there needs to be prayers lifted up for God to be faithful.

My God is always faithful.  My God is always there.  If you put your trust in Him and Him alone to save you, you don't have to worry about that when you die.

We then began to discuss that God would at least know that these people were "trying" and giving their best efforts to live a life to the Lord. 

Remember Cain, Adam and Eve's son, Abel's brother?

He gave his "best" offering of his fruits and vegetables that he grew as an offering to the Lord, but the Lord rejected it because he did not follow God's expectations of the sacrifice of a perfect lamb shedding blood to cover the sins.  Cain tried to do it his way. 

God reminds me plainly that we can do nothing on our own.

The Bible tells me:

Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

It doesn't matter what I try to do to get to Jesus... that is all null and void because:

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9

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.

Titus 3:5
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 Ghost; 

Salvation is a gift, not of works.  My good cannot outweigh my bad at the end of my life.  A relationship with Christ is so much different than a religious tradition or work.  

A relationship with Christ is just that... a relationship.  Because I have Christ in my heart I already have the hope.... hope as the anchor of my soul.

Hebrews 6:18-20

so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,  

where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 

Just because someone is religious does not mean they are going to enter God's glory of Heaven when they die.  There are many people out in this world who say they believe in God, but they don't know Him.

 Matthew 7:22-24

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Matthew 7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Have you ever put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone to save you?  All of your works will not save you.  

Don't put it off.  Tomorrow may be too late.