Thursday, August 15, 2013

Only Way

The Lord Jesus Christ: 

Salvation is not found in man-made ceremonies. 

Neither is it obtained through ordinances or religious sacraments. Instead, Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9). Still, multitudes believe that the pursuance of good works or the following of a prescribed code of ethics automatically earns them the guarantee of eternal life. Others talk about the benefits of the Golden Rule, the Sermon on the Mount, or the observance of the Decalogue-God's Ten Commandments-as the way to prepare one's soul for heaven. Although such ideals should be part of a believer's life, they are a result of salvation, not a means of achieving it.

Ephesians 2:10 states, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.... In other words, good works accompany salvation because Christ, who lives within the believer, is doing the work in him. Thus, we see that it is because one is saved that he works. He does not work in order to become saved. Too often, however, mankind puts the cart before the horse and attempts to reverse the gears of God's program. The result is humans trying to do that which only Almighty God can do. The end is frustration, false doctrine, and eternal damnation. Man plays no part in obtaining salvation. It is all of God. Titus 3:5 declares, 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.

God's Word
Let me be as dogmatic as I have ever been and state that our Holy God has provided no other way of salvation except through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

Notice that last phrase again: There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, Zoraster, Dr. Moon, Maharajah Ji, and multitudes of others are unable to save because the Holy Word of God explicitly states that there is no other name or god who can save. Christ is the only Saviour.

Someone may immediately and antagonistically cry out within himself, He is quoting some isolated text from Scripture. The Bible is not that narrow in its limitations concerning salvation. Were he using all of the Scriptures, his conclusion would be different. Let me tell you something shocking. I read the entire New Testament through in a four-day period, marking every verse indicating that salvation is in Christ alone, not in creeds, works, ethics, rites, or ceremonies. I found approximately 400 portions of Scripture presenting this clear-cut truth.

Now if God said it once, that would satisfy my searching mind. However, when He declares it nearly 400 times, one had better believe it. In fact, I am presenting the entire list later in this chapter. The heart of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ will be blessed as he takes time to study each of these passages. For the present, let's examine just a few of the texts that prove that only Christ can bring salvation to needy hearts.

We will begin with the statements of the Saviour himself.

Jesus' Word
In order to bombard you with truth, my comments on the verses will be limited. This way I can cover approximately 75 portions of God's Word.

  • Matthew 16:18: ...upon this rock I will build my church....
  • Matthew 26:28: ... this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
  • Mark 8:38: Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
  • In Luke 19:10, Christ states that the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
  • To the thief on the cross, the Saviour said, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). Only God could make such a promise.
  • In John 4:13, 14, the Lord said to the woman at the well, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst: but the water that l shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
  • In John 5:40, Christ said ... ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
  • John 6:37: ...him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
  • John 8:12: ...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
  • John 8:24: ...if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
  • John 10:9: ... I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved....
  • John 10:28: ...I give unto them eternal life
  • John 11:25: ...I am the resurrection and the life....
  • Verse 26: ...whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die....
  • John 12:32, 33: ...if I be lifted up from the earth, [I] will draw all men unto me. This he said. signifying what death he should die.

After hearing the statements of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, one would do well to obey God the Father who said in Luke 9:35, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

Jesus also said in Matthew 12:30, He that is not with me is against me....

 One cannot say, "Oh. I admire Christ, but I believe there are other ways."

 One is either for Christ or against Him. One either accepts what Christ stated about himself through 35 pronouns and references or rejects it.

 Neutral one cannot be!

The Holy Spirit's Word

Next, let's consider the blessed Holy Spirit's statements, dictated as He moved upon the various Bible writers (see 2 Peter 1:20, 21). Thus, we will actually be hearing from Him as we investigate the verses He inspired these men to write. I am using only that portion of each verse which supports the truth that salvation is found in Christ alone. Please investigate each one thoroughly, as nothing has been taken out of context.

Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ........ Notice it is the good news concerning Christ that is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. It is not to all who are sprinkled as babies or immersed as adults. It is not through confirmation or reformation. It is not based on works or a system of ethics such as the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule, or the Ten Commandments. No, it is the good news about Christ that is the power of God unto salvation to all who-watch that word-believe, believe.

  • Romans 5:1: ... we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Romans 5:8: ...Christ died for us.
  • Romans 5:9: ...we shall be saved from wrath through him.
  • Romans 6:23: ... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
  • Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.... Think of it-no judgment or hell if one is in Christ Jesus!
  • Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
  • Romans 13:14: ...put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ....
  • First Corinthians 1:2: [We are] sanctified in Christ Jesus....
  • First Corinthians 2:2: For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Why Paul? He is the only way.
  • First Corinthians 3:11: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. He is the foundation on which the superstructure, the Church, has been built. Praise God, He is the rock or foundation, not Peter or any other man.
  • First Corinthians 6:11: ... ye are washed... in the name of the Lord Jesus....
  • Second Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature....
  • Second Corinthians 12:2: I knew a man in Christ.... Amen, that's the only way to be-in Christ.
  • Galatians 1:4: [Christ] gave himself for our sins....
  • Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ ....
  • Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
  • Galatians 3:26: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
  • Galatians 5:1: ...Christ hath made us free....
  • Ephesians 1:3: ...our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
  • Ephesians 3:17: That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith....
  • Philippians 3:10: That l may know him, and the power of his resurrection....
  • Philippians 4:21: Salute every saint in Christ Jesus.... Saints are produced in Christ.
  • Colossians 1:20: [He] made peace through the blood of his cross....
  • Colossians 1:27: Christ in you, the hope of glory.
  • Colossians 2:10: ... ye are complete in him....
  • First Thessalonians 1:10: ...Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come.
  • First Timothy 2:6: [Christ] gave himself a ransom for all....
  • Second Timothy 2:10: ...they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
  • Hebrews 2:9: ... that [Christ] by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
  • Hebrews 5:9: ...he became the author of eternal salvation ....
  • Hebrews 10:12: But this man [Jesus], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.
  • First Peter 2:24: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree....
  • Second Peter 2:20: . they have escaped the pollution's of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ....
  • First John 4:9: ...God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
  • First John 4:10: [He] sent his Son to be the propitiation of our sins.
  • First John 5:11,12: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
  • Jude 21: ...looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Revelation 5:9,10 pictures the eternal future when believers shall be with Christ in heaven. It also records the words of the song the redeemed shall sing in that day. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and halt redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. If one never sings about the blood of Christ in his high-class services, he will never find himself in heaven with the throngs singing redemption's story.

Revelation 7:14 pictures the Tribulation Hour. Here we find that the same plan of salvation exists after the Church is removed from this earth. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Christ is the Lamb of God (see John 1:29).

Revelation 14:13 states that the only ones called blessed or happy are the dead which die in the Lord. If one doesn't die in the Lord, he will be lost. Dear reader, I sum it all up by saying that you will never see God unless you come by the way of Christ's shed blood upon the cross.

Revelation 21:27: And there shall in no wise enter into it [heaven] any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: But [hear it, don't miss it] they which are written in the Lamb's book of life [Christ's book of life].

These references but skim the surface. Four hundred passages reiterate this same glorious truth.

The following compilation of references from Matthew through Revelation is printed chronologically. This allows one to follow the entire program of verses by simply turning the pages of the New Testament. In fact, I suggest that you highlight or underline each portion in your own Bible as a permanent record. The list is by no means exhaustive. Try to find others in your own study of the Word.


At this point, one final question remains, "What will you do with Jesus?"

You are a sinner. Christ shed His blood for your sin, and now you must receive Him.

Remember the words to that old hymn, "What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be.

Someday your heart will be asking, What will He do with me?"

If you reject Him, I can give you the answer today. John 5:40: ...ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Again, John 14:6: No man cometh unto the Father but by me. Revelation 20:15: And whosoever was not found written in the [Lamb's] book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE
Posted by at
Labels: ,