Religion could not save us

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width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>RELIGION COULD NOT SAVE US</B></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div>      A very intriguing commentary asserted by modern religionist today is that religion could not save us. They say, just accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior and that's it, you are already saved. As they are about to close their sermons, these evangelist would call the audience affront - to show that they had openly accepted Jesus Christ and surrendered their lives to Him. From that moment on, they say, you are now saved. And “once saved, always saved.” This is some kind of a very disturbing pronouncement. How they arrived to such hasty conclusion without even setting up certain qualifying conditions to make their statement correct is in itself a clear indicator of how deceived the world can be. Of course, God alone, through Jesus Christ can we be saved but ….</div> <bR> <div>      For one thing, the Bible incorporates certain set of doctrines and beliefs  which when personally internalized, followed and practiced as a way of life a truly converted Christian will reflect a significant change in lifestyle attuned to the will of God. And that's what religion is all about. </div> <bR> <div>      The Bible is the printed words of God. The Living Christ speaking to us. To be saved, Christ demands action on the part of the believer. Take for instance what Christ said in the second chapter of John verse 4,  “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.” Pretty strong words. Just how many today are commandment keepers in the real sense of the word ?  Christ emphatically added: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth  what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh unto the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deeds” (James1:23-25).  In short, Christ admonishes us to live by the book. But it is easier said than done.                                                                                        </div> <div>      Recall to mind a classic incident reported in Matthew 19:16 where a rich young man came to Jesus and asked: “Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life ?”  Clearly the rich young man is asking the Son of God how he maybe saved. He understands that  following Christ involved doing something. He asked, “ What good thing shall I do ?” It is tragic that many today would have answered back: “ Why ? there is nothing for you to do, just accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior and that's it, you are now saved.” Right ?</div> <bR> <div>      Wrong ! “ If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments.” was the  answer of Jesus Christ in verse 17 of the same chapter of Matthew. It involves action. The rich young man must do something. In this case, his obedience to God's commandments was specifically mentioned by Christ. How plain and how clear are the words of the Eternal.</div> <bR> <div>       On the day of Pentecost as the inspired Peter was talking to the people who have been part of the crowd who demanded for the crucifixion of Christ earlier,  “ they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles. Men and brethren, what shall we do? (Acts 2:37). Yes, these people finally realized their error  and would like to amend of their wrongdoings. It is unfortunate, modern religionist today would have told them: Nothing else for you to do. Everything have been taken cared of and nailed by Christ on the cross. Is that so ? Well, lets take a look on what the Apostle Peter told them. (Acts 2:38) “Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Repentance means to turn away from your old evil ways and embrace a one hundred eighty degrees turn around. “ Seek ye the Lord while He maybe found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55: 6-7).                </div> <bR> <div>       In Acts 4:12 the apostle Peter again said:  “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The Bible admits of no other way to gain eternal life except through Jesus Christ but they never tell you that it must be through the examples and teachings of Christ Himself as set forth in the Old and New Testament. They have overlooked that Christianity or the religion of Christians for that matter is a way of life completely different from the ways of this world. “ Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4).  True religion involves faith and beliefs. Early Christians referred to it as “ the way of the Lord” (Acts 18:25)  and “ the way of God” (verse 26).</div> <bR> <div>      There is no way one can be part of the first resurrection unless he is in the true Church of God. There is no way one can be saved unless he is practicing the teachings of Christ as embodied in His commandments. True Christianity is a lifelong process. It is to be emphasized, however, that even true converted Christians are not immune from sinning. The built-in hostility of a carnal mind to God's commandments can not just be discarded  easily but it is what we do after we have sinned that set us apart from the rest of the world. Life of overcoming is not that easy. A converted Christian knows he is the centerpiece of the devil's battle plan. Alone, he is helpless but with God's Holy Spirit  dwelling in him he is now on a mission to accomplish on what seemed to be the impossible. </div> <bR> <div>       He learned to kneel down on his knees in prayer pushing his head on his pillows with tears flowing on his face in deep regret every time he stumbles. Fasting has now become one of his effective tools in getting closer to his maker. He even uses it to get God's intervention on whatever health problems he may have including the petitions of his heart. </div> <div>      While the rest of humanity are swayed to follow the captain of deceit and mastered the art of get-  the new man on the other hand now learns to rejoice and delight on God's way anchored on the art of give. He  understands the vital role he plays in the over-all plan of God. He knows that he is the first fruit of the first born. A brilliant star from among the stars. A special jewel from among His precious stones. To claim his throne he must overcome, take the cudgel of the challenge and fight his own battle with the spirit of a conquering warrior. Presses himself with all earnest and pass through the gate no matter how narrow it maybe. Endure to the end and bear all the hardships and pains that comes along as he aims higher to greater heights of God's holy mountain …for when he reaches the top he will savor with unspeakable joy the sweetness of the greatest of all triumphs. </div> <bR> <div>      Yes, religion could not save us especially so if we are part of a religious system that the god of this world has designed to deceived the whole world but neither can we be saved unless we are in the body of the Church of the First Fruit that live by the words of the Living God as written in the Book of Life. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Romeo Samudio</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>