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1. Obeying God's law and commandments.
2. Gifts to charity.
3. Doing your best.
4. Living a good life.
5. Good works.
6. Trying to obey the Golden Rule.
7. Tithing, or giving money to the church.
8. Church membership.
9. Regular church attendance.
10. Prayers.
11. Fasting.
12. Water baptism.
13. Holy communion.
14. Born of Christian parents.
15. Confirmation.
16. Penances.
17. Extreme unction.
EXPLANATION:
No. 1 - It is impossible to get to heaven this way. The Bible says: (see
Romans 3:19-28).
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (vindicated) by faith
without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:28)
No. 2,3, or 4 - These things could never save you. The Bible says:
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
His mercy He saved us..." (Titus 3:5)
No. 5,6, or 7 - Good works can not save anyone. The Bible states:
"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians
2:8,9)
No. 8,9,10 or 11 - We can not be saved by works, regardless of how good
or well intended. God saves us by His grace (mercy). The Bible says: "And
if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
but if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more
work." (Romans 11:6)
No. 12 or 13 - Water baptism and communion are for those who are already
saved. It is not our work that saves us, but faith in Christ. The Bible
says:
'"But to him that works not, but believes on Him that justifies the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:5)
No. 14 - This can not save you. The Bible says:
"They which are the children of the flesh these are not the children
of God..." (Romans 9:8)
"But as many as received Him (Christ), 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 1:12,13)
"Not of blood" means "not of one's parentage." You must
be born of God to be saved.
No. 15,16 or 17 - These are man-made doctrines and are not taught in the
Bible. God says:
"But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments
of men." (Matthew 15:9)
No! None of these things can save you. You can do nothing to earn eternal
life. It is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone that can save you.
"And by Him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all things,
from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39)
The way to have eternal life is not found in what we do ourselves, but by
having a perfect righteousness given to us. We receive this when we believe
the Lord Jesus Christ took our sins on Himself and paid for them by His
death on the cross.
"For He (God) has made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians
5:21)
You do not receive eternal life by working for it or by trying to make yourself
behave. You receive eternal life by believing the record God gave of His
son. Remember, if you disagree with these statements you are calling God
a liar.
"...He that believes not God has made Him a liar; because he believes
not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God
has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." (I John
5:10,11)
God, in His Sovereignty, permits man's destiny to depend on man's choice.
"He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not
is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only
begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)
AFTER you are saved, obedience to God brings love, joy, peace and happiness
into your life (see Galatians 5:22,23).
When we disobey God, He will punish us, but our punishment will never be
hell. God deals with us as a father deals with his son. (See I Corinthians
3:15; 5:5; 11:32).
God will never cast us out or lose us.
"...Him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out...all which He
has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the
last day." (John 6:37,39)
Doesn't it make sense to believe on the One who came back from the dead
and trust Him for the payment of your sin? Why not do it now and you can
be sure of going to heaven when you die. He loves you. Right now, why not
accept the payment He has made for your sins and you can KNOW you have eternal
life.
"These things I have written unto you that believe on the Name of the
Son of God; that you may KNOW that you have eternal life..." (I John
5:13)
Christ Died...That's History
Christ Died For Me...That's Salvation!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that______________________________________whosoever
(your name) believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)
Friend, if you can sincerely put your name in the blank space above, on
the authority of God's Word, you can KNOW you have eternal life.
"Verily, verily (Truthfully, truthfully) I say unto you, he that believes
on ME HAS (possesses now) everlasting life." (John 6:47)
If you have received Christ as your savior, please let us know.
The GraceNet
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