WHAT SALVATION IS NOT

I know you will be thrown into confusion after reading this; its a difficult saying. I am prepared to explain everything to you. .Do not hesitate to send your questions to: findinquiry@aol.com.

Sometimes to know exactly what something is, it is imperative to know what it is NOT. I want to discuss salvation by first examining what it is not and finally say exactly what it is. There exist today two Gospels, the Gospel of the Narrow Gate, and the Gospel of the Broad Way.

The content of the true Gospel is simple; the Message of the Kingdom and the message of the cross. Whatever the Gospel that is taught in your Church is up to you and God- you will give account for what you have so far believed.

To be born, it is requires that a man and a woman should come together and the baby begotten in the womb, then the foetus has to go through a gestation period and then be born.

When God brought sleep upon Adam, Eve was brought out of His side, the bride of Adam. The birth of the human family involved the relationship between Eve and Adam.

Likewise, when Christ slept on the cross, Blood and water flowed from his wounded side which brought forth the Church, the bride of Christ.

The Act of being born again is the relationship between the Church and Christ by his Spirit, which produces new creatures, the saints. There sis a place where it all begins and where it all ends.

Therefore, to be a Christian or to be saved or to be born again is:

1.       NOT A CHRISTIAN NAME

Many times people introduce themselves by using their names. Today names act as identification labels for people who bear them. In Hebrew and Biblical context, the Names are not mare tags of identification, rather, they define the nature, individuality and personality of the bearer (I Samuel 25, II Kings 23:34; 24:17) such that the destiny of a person could be know from the names that they bear, Like Nabal- meaning fool, Israel-meaning one who had prevailed, Abraham-meaning father of many nations; Peter- meaning rock, Sarah and Paul etc.

Today, one of the mark that one has become a Christian is that they ware a name label from western civilization or identical with one of the characters in the Bible.

However, as matters stand today, the thieves, adulterers, murderers, warmongers and evil men and women of our days all have these so called Christian names without Christian Character, therefore, the names don’t make any one Christian!

2.      BIBLE KNOWLEDGE OR MASTERY OF SCRIPTURE

Head knowledge does mot make one a Christian. Many people will pride themselves to have read the Bible over and over, but that is only to have information without application and therefore cannot be saved. Knowing the Bible is one thing, letting the Word change your life is another. Satan has more Bible Knowledge than any man living, and so do demons and evil spirits know the word and can quote the same so accurately and by heart, yet they still remain to be devils. Muslims quote it and they know it accurately and re still walking in rebellion, and so do Jews!

3.      TO BE BORN IN A CHRISTIAN HOME

A Christian home does not make someone Christian, although the environment may offers sound convenience for learning of the things of God, but the Scripture (Isaiah 43:23, Romans 14:11) clearly says that: Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Christ is Lord. Being son of or daughter of a church minister, being a husband or a wife of a Church minister does not make one Christian.

4.      CHURCH GOING OR ATTENDANCE

One never becomes a Christian by attending a church fellowship or service. Being part of a religious gathering (Heb 10:25) does not make one Christian. Many crowds moved and traveled with Jesus without being Christians (Luke 14:25). Many today are traveling in the Church, seeking after miracles and rewards for their bellies (john 6:26) and Jesus declares that they are not Christians (Matthews 6:25-33).

5.      KEEPING THE LAW OR BEING MORAL

The Law is the knowledge of sin not REMOVAL of sin. TO keep the law is to defend oneself from falling into sins of commission and omission, yet this does not remove the original sin, which we all get by being born in human nature. All man are fallen and short of glory and however how much we observe the law and moral issue we are never able to become Christian. Keeping the law only makes Law abiding sinners.

6.      BELIEVING ONE GOD AND JESUS DOES

Believing and making confession as in Romans 9:10 does not make one Christian for the apostle James (2:19) confesses that even demons (Matt. 8:29, Mark. 5:7) believe all these and remain devils. Nor those who call him lord, He said in Matthews 7:21.

7.      A GOOD DENOMINATION

Denominations are named after their founders, doctrinal positions, cities of origin, methods of church administration, or by some fancy words supposedly found in Gods Word.

Belonging to a denomination does not qualify one to be Christian since all these are human schemes (Mark 7:6-7) invented by men as ways of taking people to heaven.

8.      GIVING TITHES AND OFFERINGS

From the Mosaic to the Apostolic period, God proved that He cannot be bribed, nor is he served by human hands and would at his pleasure reject an offering as in the case of Abel, punish any one who brought profane offering (Lev. 22:18-25) like Ananias and Saphira.

Today, your greedy pastors receive your profane, halt, blind, blemished, lame- anything you can give to satisfy their guilt conscience in the name of the Lord (Mal. 4:4) to fill his  store house: and then and only then, do you get your blessings.

9.      PRAYER AND FASTING

Muslims pray five times a day, fast for forty days. Buddhist, Confucius and devout Hindus exercise extreme piety and still remain non-Christian. You cannot influence the decision of God by shouting and tears. He listens not to sinners, but holy people who pray in His will.

10.  SERVANTHOOD

To prophesy, to speak in tongues, to work wonderful miracles and signs, and to exorcise demons is not to be (Matthews 7:22-23) Christian. You could do all these and still go to hell.

To be saved, to born again, and to be Christians mean one and the same thing. To be Christian mean to be initiated into a new belief, doctrine, philosophy and way of life centered on the person of Jesus Christ. The Christian is part of the Ecclesia, the Church, separated and sanctified by the word. They are those who do the will of God (Luke 6:46).

Questions to: 0726-680-687/0202030721 or findinquiry@aol.com