{"id":183,"date":"2014-10-14T01:30:36","date_gmt":"2014-10-14T01:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=183"},"modified":"2014-10-14T01:30:36","modified_gmt":"2014-10-14T01:30:36","slug":"salvation-and-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=183","title":{"rendered":"Salvation and Works"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Apostle Paul, writing in I Corinthians 15:1-4 says; \u201cI declare unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which ye also received and in which ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. \u00a0For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The gospel is the message that God has provided for our salvation by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place for our sins and after He was buried, Christ rose from the dead. \u00a0All those who believe on Him or accept God\u2019s payment of our sin debt through Christ\u2019s death, burial and resurrection are forgiven their sins and are saved to eternal life. \u00a0Those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will not be forgiven and shall perish under God\u2019s judgment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our individual salvation is based upon our acceptance of God\u2019s provision for our sin. \u00a0Our efforts at goodness, our attempts at merit and our works of righteousness have nothing to do with experiencing God\u2019s forgiveness and receiving eternal life. \u00a0Forgiveness and eternal life are His gifts to us when we believe on His Son. \u00a0(See John 3:16-21 & 36; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8; Romans 4:1-8).<\/strong><\/p>\n

The song writer put it this way; \u201cJust as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou biddest me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!\u201d \u00a0Another wrote, \u201cMy hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. \u00a0On Christ the solid rock, I stand! \u00a0All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Works are an outward sign of an inward condition. \u00a0Works are symptoms that characterize our lives as believers or unbelievers. Works are the fruit of righteousness in the life of a believer or they are the fruit of unrighteousness in the life of an unbeliever.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A tree can be identified by the fruit that is hanging on it. \u00a0What kind of fruit characterizes our lives? \u00a0What do we practice in our life and in our thought life? \u00a0That is who we are. \u00a0Is it the fruit of salvation that results in obedience to Christ and His Word or is it the fruit of sin which results in disobedience to Christ and His Word?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether we go to heaven or hell is based upon belief or unbelief in God\u2019s provision for our sin. \u00a0The believer after arriving in heaven is judged by Christ and rewarded according to his works as a believer. \u00a0The unbeliever will be judged by Christ at the great white throne judgment (Revelation 20:10-15) according to his works as an unbeliever, and he will be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the sermon on the mount, Christ warned, \u201cNot every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. \u00a0Many 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? \u00a0And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The important thing to remember is that salvation comes first, and then works or walking according to His will, comes after.\u00a0\u00a0If you are doing works or even righteous works, in the hope of gaining salvation\u2026\u2026stop it! \u00a0You have the cart before the horse.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Repent (change your mind) and accept God\u2019s provision for your sin. Establish a relationship with God by receiving Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation. \u00a0The fruit of righteousness out of a heart of thanksgiving will follow.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” John 1:12.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Apostle Paul, writing in I Corinthians 15:1-4 says; \u201cI declare unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which ye also received and in which ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. \u00a0For I delivered to … Continue reading Salvation and Works<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=183"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183\/revisions\/187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}