This hall is exclusively for evangelistic messages. Please feel free to posts evangelistic messages. Words of the free offer of salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.




Let me start:


And her name is Grace


I. Grace.

A. What does it mean?

An illustration would help. Supposing my friend Gloria is a 57 year-old mother, happily married with 4 loving and respectful children. The eldest is 17 and the youngest is 11. She loves her children so much that she’s more than willing to give her life for them.

Then one tragic, tragic day, here I am a 16-year old nut with malevolent intentions came knocking on the door of her house, she and her husband went out for something important, and only their children were left in their house. The door clicked opened and BANG!!!

Gunshots………and more gunshots……I murdered in cold blood her four children. So crazed and mad I was, I even burned their bodies. I took off and went hiding. When she came home Gloria and her husband were not so happy of course.

For days on end she and her husband went looking for me until they found me in a cave. Now at this point I will show you the meaning of grace from an illustration from one of America’s greatest preachers of today: a) if Gloria took out a revolver and shot me right there and then that is REVENGE. b) If she called for the cops and filed a case against me in court, that is JUSTICE. c) But, if Gloria took me in her place, adopted me as her son, cared for me and give me a better future, even making me an heir of their properties , that is GRACE. Undeserved favor.

Know that when we talk about salvation, the forgiveness of all sins, it is all about grace. God is not bad if He chose to plunge us all to hell the very first time we sinned. In fact it is required by His justice. He is not under obligation to forgive us; we have no right to forgiveness. When we talk about forgiveness, it's all about His mercy.

We cannot pay for our debts and trespasses we made against God. If we are to, then we are to spend eternity in hell. That would be ‘difficult’ on our part. But God so loved the world He gave us Jesus to die for our sins, to experience hell for us [we should know that His death was no ordinary death, aside from bearing all the sins of the world, His death was eternity contracted into 3 eternal hours.] We have His grace in Christ Jesus, His gift of salvation to us.

As in all bona fide gifts; it is free. It is free but it is not cheap. It costs Him His life. Easy for us, difficult for Him. You don’t have to work for it, you just have to receive it. Just like what Gloria did to me.

She did not require me to work and earn her favor, she freely offered it, all I had to do was accept it. Simply because it’s a gift. “For the wages of sin is death [spiritual-eternal death in the lake of fire] , but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23

How about you, are you willing to accept the gift of salvation? It’s true He died for all sinners but that doesn’t automatically mean that ALL are saved, it must be received by trusting in that one sacrifice alone He made for the sins of sinners.

Everything except the One that really matters


There are three kinds of persons in hell: a) the immoral person b) the religious person and c) the moral person. Is it really possible for a man to be prayerful, religious, moral, a man imbued with commendable virtues and yet, at the end of it all, his soul is still bound for hell? The answer is a resounding “YES!!!!” Let me introduce to you a man that fits our description. A man who by any human standards stand head and shoulders above most people in morality.


Meet Nicodemus:

“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” [John 3:1-2]


Here in our text we have Nicodemus’ religious resume.

We have his religious affiliation: - He was a Pharisee.
His position amongst the Jews: - a ruler of the Jews.
His attitude towards the Lord Jesus: - He revered Him. He called Him: ‘Rabbi’
-He acknowledged and believed that
He [Jesus]came from God.


I. His religious affiliation: Nicodemus was a Pharisee [verse 1].



That tells us a lot about Nicodemus. The Pharisees were the most strict and the most meticulous of all the sects in Israel during that time. And when I say ‘strict’ I mean strict to the core….or should I say…, bones. Strict to the bones. They were very rigid and very exacting in following the Law of Moses and other traditions of their ancestors. They would fast twice a week, eight times a month and approximately 101 times a year. Everything they possessed they would tithed [they would determine the 10% of it and give it to the temple priests]. Yes, everything even the most seemingly insignificant commodities such as seeds, they would tithed.

They were men who prayed daily. They were men who memorized their Bibles. Jews have a tradition of wearing phylacteries on their body parts. Phylacteries are those straps they put on their wrists and foreheads containing Bible verses. I told ya….these guys were really religious and moral to the bone.

II. His position amongst the Jews: He was a ruler of the Jews [verse 1].


The Jews were under the dominion of the Roman empire. The empire was conceding enough to allow the Jews to run their own affairs according to their laws [which was a good political and military strategy by the way to keep their subject countries tame]. The Jews had their own Supreme Court and Senate [composed of 70 men] called the Sandhedrin. Only men of high moral character were to constitute the Sanhedrin. When our text says that Nicodemus was “a ruler of the Jews” [note: it does not say “THE ruler of the Jews”…, it only says : “a ruler of the Jews”] it does not mean that he was the sole leader of the Jews. [Why, of course there were 70 of them]. Nicodemus was a member of the ruling body of the Jews during that time. What does that tell us about our man? It means that this guy was one of the morally elite in Israel during that time. You don’t get a seat in the Sanhedrin if you are not one of the best in Israel morally.



PLUS…… Nicodemus was one of the primary teachers in Israel during that time. He was a Bible teacher.

Joh 3:10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you THE teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

The Lord Jesus’ use of the definite article suggests that he [Nicodemus] was no ordinary Jew. He was Israel’s primary Bible teacher. He was not just any teacher….he was THE teacher of Israel.


III. His attitude towards the Lord Jesus : He deeply respected the Lord Jesus and acknowledge Him as coming from God[verse 2]


He called the Lord Jesus “Rabbi”. Jews do not just call any teacher by that designation if they do not have deep respect for that particular person as a teacher of the things of God. Added to that, he acknowledged that the Lord Jesus was one sent by God [verse 2].



Let’s check Nicodemus’s religious pulse:

Prayerful? Check

religious? Check [fasts 101 times a year. Gives tithes meticulously and faithfully

Outstanding moral character? Check

revered the Lord? Check

Reads the Bible daily? Check


WAW!!!! WHAT A GUY!!!!


Question: if Nicodemus were to die that very hour……would he go to heaven? NO!!!!!


IV. The Lord’s assessment of Nicodemus: He must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.


Joh 3:7 "Do not marvel that I said to you [Nicodemus], 'You must be born again.' "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." [John 3:3].

And in order to be born again, He must trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation nothing and no one else:


Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Nicodemus had everything except the One that really matters. How about you dear reader? Have you experienced the new birth? Have you everything except the One that really matters? Have you even matched Nicodemus' morality? You see it’s not what you do, it’s what God has done for you in Calvary that gets you to heaven. That sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was enough for all time for all sins-past, present and future.

What you need to do is to put your trust in that sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

Mr. Smith. May I introduce to you, your only Hope



Your After-Life Dream: HEAVEN


Someday your heart will stop beating. A day will come when you will no longer casts a shadow in the sun. It could happen just about anytime…, and you know that. Whether you believe it or not, after you go from here you only have two final destinations: a) A forever life of being separated from God or b) a forever life of being w/ Him, the source of all true joy and bliss.



You want to be in heaven of course…, That’s your after-life dream.



Your Hindrance to Heaven: YOU

Why does it seem easy to do bad than to do good? Why does it seem easy to take revenge than not to? God seem so far away when you pray? Do you remember the last time you prayed? The Bible is God’s Word, yet you don’t delight in it. God’s commandments seemed a burden to you.


A chain around your neck. An annoying fence around your freedom. A rain on your parade. A kill-joy in your party. You can’t control your urges and desires. Every time you see some titillating scenes on T.V. or in the movie house, you either have “acted” it out already in your mind or have planned to do it with someone you are not married to.


Going to church is a drag and a sleeping pill. Even words like “holiness”, “Bible”, “righteousness”, “godliness” and etc. bore you. Sends your sleeping juices on the automatic. Maybe you have heard of someone who died in their sleep, you realized your own mortality, you got scared of death, so you started doing good, you started reforming your ways but after some time the feelings wore off and your back again to your old self.


You tried to be holy and righteous but it’s just not you. Or maybe you are someone who thinks that God will grade you on a curve. That if your good deeds outweigh your bad ones you’ll walk right in to heaven.


Actually, all these are the symptoms of a spiritually dead person. To be lovingly honest, this is what the Bible calls: “…….alienated from the life of God”[Ephesians 4:18]. God’s ways are holiness and righteousness because He is holy and righteous. Only those who have God’s Holy Spirit can desire and live a holy and righteous life. The problem is YOU. A singer, sings. A dancer, dances. A sinner, sins. Only not as a profession but as a way of life because of the sinful nature innate in you.


God’s Standard: PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS


You are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. No, I will not run that story again to you. Rather, I’ll asks you some questions: 1) Where were Adam and Eve before the Fall? Answer: Paradise 2) After the Fall where were they? Answer: Out of Paradise. 3) What sin did they commit that they were driven out of Paradise? Answer: they ate of the forbidden fruit. 4) How many sin was that? Answer: One. A simple dietary command.


Can you count the number of times you have sinned against God whether in thought, in motive or intentions, in desires, in words and actions? You see, you need to sin only once, whether it be a sin in thought, in motives or intentions, in desires, in words and actions to make you a sure candidate for the lake of fire.


Your subsequent sins will determine only the degree of punishment you’ll be having in hell. God Almighty is that holy. God demands perfect obedience to His law. Perfect obedience from birth to death.


Though there are degrees of sin, any single sin in whatever degree is big enough to plunge you to hell, even if you do not feel like it. Feeling is not the deciding factor here, but the fact. Fact is: You have sinned. And the “wages of sin is death”(physical, spiritual-eternal death in the lake of fire). Romans 6:23. No happy campers there.


God’s Solution to Man’s Desperate Condition: JESUS CHRIST


In God’s eyes no man living is righteous(Psalm 143:2). Because ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God(Romans 3:23). And the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God(1 Corinthians 6:9-10). In order for man to enter the kingdom of God, he must have perfect righteousness. He cannot find perfect righteousness in himself because no matter how hard he tries to be perfectly righteous in thought, in motives, in desires, words and actions, try as he might, he just cannot.


His best works are not free from the smear of sin. That’s why Isaiah says: ”But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags…”(Isaiah 64:6). We cannot find perfect righteousness then in ourselves. Our condition’s desperate. Oh! For God to send Someone who will fulfill perfectly all of God’s commandments, gain perfect righteousness and give it to me. Someone who will die for my sins-past, present and future sins- and completely take away all my sins so that in God’s eyes I will be perfectly righteous!


That Someone is the Lord Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago He came, lived a perfectly righteous life, paid the sins of sinners once for all time(Heb.10:11-12) by dying on the cross, resurrected and ascended to heaven. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world(John 1:29). In Him is perfect righteousness(Jeremiah 23:6, 1 Corinthians 1:30).


God so loved the world that He gave His Son to die for the sins of sinners and was raised that anyone who will put their trust in Him alone for forgiveness of all sins, God will declare righteous. He will have a right relationship with God.


Without the Savior who died on the cross, there will be no forgiveness of sins no matter how sincere you may be in asking for forgiveness. Without the Savior who died on the cross, no human being in all of time-from Adam to the last human beings who will be on earth in the last day-will enter the kingdom of heaven. Without the Savior dying on the cross for the sins of sinners, there will be no going to heaven even if you do good all the time.


“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”(John 14:6).


Put your trust in the Savior alone my friend. Repent, turn from your sins and turn to Him. He’s your only hope. Now is the time to settle your eternal destiny.


“Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts…….”(Hebrews 3:15).


You will have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. For when you have God in your life, you have everything.

Gentiles: it’s times, its riches and it’s fullness


Lu 21:24 "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Ro 11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

Ro 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Look at those words up there: a) times of the Gentiles b) riches for the Gentiles and c) fullness of the Gentiles. I would like to tackle this topic for it directly refers to us non-Israelites or Gentiles.


I. The times of the Gentiles

Lu 21:24 "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.


What does the term “the times of the Gentiles” mean? It refers to the period where Gentiles will have pre-eminence and supremacy over Israel.

When God and Israel forged a covenant there in Mt. Sinai, one of there agreements was that if Israel would obey and be faithful to God, God would bless Israel materially. With regards to their physical needs [like health, food, shelter and just about anything]: He would abundantly provide it. With regards to national prominence globally: God would make them the head and not the tail. BUT if they would disobey God and become unfaithful to Him, God would send horrific and horrible punishments and judgments against Israel.

Take a look at what was stipulated in their agreement with regards to national prominence if they would obey and national demise if they would disobey in Deuteronomy 28. Israel disobeyed and so Israel swallowed the bitter pill of God’s righteous wrath.

De 28:15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

De 28:25 "The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.

“……………, you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you.” Verse 29

[The Jews are the most persecuted people in the world. From the Babylonian empire to now. Just think of the Holocaust. if i am not mistaken 6 million Jews died under Hitler's hands]

De 28:37 "And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you.”

AND TAKE SPECIAL NOTICE OF THIS:

De 28:43 "The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower.

44 "………, he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.”

As a foretaste of the times of the Gentiles, the northern tribe first got sacked and taken captive to Assyria. The southern tribe should have learned a lesson from this but they did not. They disobeyed, as a result the full brunt of the curse was fulfilled some 70 years after. The southern tribe was sacked and taken captive to Babylon for 70 years. It was here the times of the Gentiles began. From that time till now, the Gentiles have dominated Israel. Yes, they were set ‘free’ 70 years after, but that ‘freedom’ was vassal freedom under the rulership of various Gentile emperors: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greecian and Roman.

Even now in our times where some of Israel are occupying their land [at least part of what was before owned by them], they still have not full ownership of it. The place where their sacred temple is situated is blasphemously replaced by the Dome of the Rock, a temple of the Gentile god Allah. The times of the Gentiles will culminate in the Great Tribulation when the Roman empire will be revived and Anti-Christ and the Roman Beast will have world wide sway. The times of the Gentiles will end when Christ like a Rock from heaven will crush the Roman Beast and the Antichrist to set up His Kingdom.


II. Riches for the Gentiles

Ro 11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!


This refers to God’s favor to Gentiles in this period or age. Israel was God’s chosen people [and still is though for now set aside]. When they rejected their Messiah, which was actually a culmination of centuries of defying their covenant with God, God set Israel aside temporarily [NATIONALLY, NOT INDIVIDUALLY FOR THERE ARE SAVED JEWS NOW IN THIS AGE LIKE PAUL AND ETC. BUT THEY BELONG TO THE CHURCH NOT ISRAEL AS GOD CONSIDERS THEM]. All the promises in the Old Testament about Israel being the top nation of the world is held in abeyance. God’s favor went out to the Gentiles [a shock to the Jews]. God is now building His Church.

Ac 15:14 "Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name

This is riches for us Gentiles. May we take advantage of this opportunity. Like in Noah’s day, while the ark was still open all can still go in. And so we can say as it were that the door for the Gentiles is still open right at this moment. Repent and Trust in Christ alone for salvation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


III. The fullness of the Gentiles


Ro 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

The fullness of the Gentiles refers to the number of Gentiles that will constitute the Church which God is building right now. Yes, there is a certain number of Gentiles that will constitute the Church. Once this has been completed, this would mean that the Church [the building of it] is completed. Who knows if that unbeliever there down the road is the last person to constitute the Church. Once he repents and trust in Christ alone for salvation. The fullness of the Gentiles has been reached.

What happens next? The Rapture will take place.

And then what?

You were reading Romans 11:25 right? About the fullness of the Gentiles….now notice verse 26, Read verse 25 then 26 to get the full effect:

Ro 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

And then what?

26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

The translation: “The Deliverer will come out OF Zion is somewhat contradictory to Isaiah 59:20 where it reads:

Isa 59:20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the LORD.


This refers actually to His Second Coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He will then fulfill all the glorious promises made to Israel in the coming 1000 year reign of the King of kings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But is there really a contradiction? No. Actually there is no problem to that becuase before Christ takes His 1000 year reign He will come first to Jerusalem [the capital of the world by that time]. As a ruler of the universe He comes out and goes in to Zion or Jerusalem. He's coming out does not mean abondonment or rejection. In the Mellinial reign the center of government of the world will be at Jerusalem. He will rule the entire universe. 'He comes out and goes in' so to speak.]

Message for you now dear friend:

Avail of God's riches offered by God in Christ for you.

Repent and Trust in Christ alone for salvation.

[note: in the Old Testament prophecies, Israel will return to their land in unbelief and then their Messiah will come the Second Time. Israel is now in their land IN UNBELIEF. What does that mean? The completion of the Church is near at hand].

Why Repentance should not be delayed?


“I am still young…, I want to enjoy life…….only when I’m older I’ll deal with that issue.” God is a forgiving God…, He will forgive anytime I confess my sins……even in my dying days….so why repent now when I can repent in my old age. When dying days come I will just utter a prayer of salvation and it’s done. I will have the best of both worlds fun here and heaven hereafter.”

Some of the words you will hear in the hearts of those who forego and hold repentance in abeyance. However, there are three major reasons why repentance should not be delayed. Why repentance should be NOW and not a little bit later: 1) The imminence of death 2) God’s patience though loooooooong has a limit 3) The hardening effects of lingering in sin.

1) The imminence of death. Whoever gave us a guarantee that we will get to live up to our 70’s and 80’s. Death could come upon us anytime and anywhere to separate us from time to eternity. One of Satan’s deceit is to make the youth not number their days. Youth, health and strength have this intoxicating effect that makes us think that we are immortal.


Don’t be deceived by your own heart. Many of those who are in the grave now did not even know that they will meet death at that age.

2) God’s longsuffering or patience has a limit. We all know that the Devil is a liar right? He makes truth look like untruth and makes falsehood appear like the truth. He loves to paint himself in the minds of people like he is some long-tailed, ruddy creature with horns bearing a trident. When the truth of the matter is that he is a creature of beauty. Or he makes you believe that he doesn’t exist. He majors in deceit and lies-about himself, about ourselves and about God. And one of his squid tactics is to disseminate falsehood about God. He fogs your mind so that you cannot see the truth of God for who and what He really is.

God as manifested in the Bible is a God of truth, mercy, love, grace, holiness, longsuffering and many other attributes. Do you know which of these attributes he [Satan] loves to emphasize more in the minds of people? Love. God is a God of love. How true. God is indeed a God of love. But what’s amiss with this portrayal is that it only stresses one attribute of God to the point that people abuse Him. What we fail to see by this smokescreen of Satan is that God is also a God of WRATH. Holy and righteous wrath upon sin and evil.

Ro 11:22 ‘Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God…….’


What are we commanded to consider in these verse? 1) the goodness of God and the severity of God. The Sin within you and Satan makes you focus on the former to the exclusion of the latter. But nothing is further from the truth. God is also a God of wrath. His patience is long but His justice puts a limit to it when you stubbornly rebel.

The cross portrays for us this couplet of God’s attributes. In Calvary we see God’s goodness and severity. Goodness- He loved us so much that He sent His Son to the cross to die for sinners. Severity-God does not excuse sin. He hates it completely. Sin must have its due penalty. He sent His Son Jesus Christ on the cross for it.

One man said: “If God did not spare His Son to die a horrible death on the cross, what made you think he will spare you [you who are unrepentant].


3) The hardening effect of lingering in sin. The more you stay unrepentant, the harder it will be for you to repent. Sin has a deadening effect. Sin indulged and unrepented suffocates the voice of conscience by and by until the point of no return is reached. The heart is so hardened that it cannot anymore discern error from the truth, good from evil and sin from righteousness. So hardened that it cannot anymore repent. One of the most frightening words uttered by God in the Bible are these words:


Isa 22:14 “Then it was revealed in my hearing by the LORD of hosts, "Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death," says the Lord GOD of hosts.”


The people of Israel became so calloused and so hardened in heart that instead of repenting from their sins they continued in it. They know that doom is coming to their lives but they remained indifferent to God’s call of repentance. And so God uttered this terrifying statement in the Bible. It is not that God refuses to forgive but rather it is man’s refusal to repent and turn to God that this statement is founded. Sin has forever taken captive the hearts of these people that repentance is now an impossibility.

Sin is deceitful it parades before your eyes the pleasures of sin and makes you delay repentance to another future time. Sin says:" ah enjoy sin for now, later you can repent" And so the guillible sinner bit the bait and wallowed in a sinful and profligate life.

Not knowing that all the while, while he was wallowing in sin, sin insidously and subtly hardens his heart to repentance. Until a point of no return is reached when the heart is so hardened, the conscience becomes soo dead, the ear so deaf to the call of repentance, the eyes so blind to light that the state of the unpardonable sin is reached.

How about you? Do you still feel the pangs of conscience in you and still want forgiveness? That's a good sign that you have not reached the unpardonable sin. Claim God's free offer of forgiveness by faith in Christ now and repent. Do not delay repentance one single bit my friend. Repent and Trust in Christ now.

3 Tenses of Man’s greatest experience.


What could be more great an experience than the experience of salvation. It is man’s greatest need. It is a past event, an on-going journey and a future accomplishment. Salvation is really a composite experience, it is composed of so many stuff within it. Salvation is a) being born again, b) being regenerate, c) being forgiven of all sins, d) Christian, e) redeemed f) justified g) sanctified h) possessing eternal life and etc.


Salvation also has tenses in it. It has a past tense, a present tense and a future tense. If you read the New Testament, often times you can read that the readers [Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians and etc.] are already SAVED, but upon further reading you can read that the readers are as of yet BEING SAVED, reading on, you will find that they are told that they WILL BE SAVED. Which is true? Are they already saved? Are they being saved? Or will they yet be saved? Answer : all are true.

The Christian has been saved, is being saved and will be saved. To put it in other words the Christian has been justified, is being sanctified and will be glorified.

*Salvation: the Whole Package*


What is justification?

It is the act of God the Father whereby He DECLARES as righteous anyone who has trusted in the work of God the Son in Calvary while they are still in their sinning state. This takes place in the twinkling of an eye, the very moment the sinner trust in the saving work of the Lord Jesus in Calvary.


“For by grace you have been SAVED [justified] through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9



What is sanctification?


it actually means 'set apart'. It has three aspects: a) positional sanctification or positional setting apart b) progressive sanctification or gradual moral setting apart from the character of the world to Christ our Lord's character and c) completed sanctification which is glorification. This is where the position (a) has been reached by progressive sanctification (b).

Picture a potter in his warehouse full of broken jars. He selects jars from the multitude of broken jars in the warehouse. The ones he selected he then takes or sets apart from the other broken jars by placing it in his working table. That's positional sanctification. Now, he begins working the broken jars to conform it into the same image of a beautiful jarr on the centerl of his working station. His working on the separated broken jars to conform it into the exquisite jar on the center of the station is progressive sanctification while the the magnificently perfect jar on the centerr is the Lord Jesus Christ.


a) Positional sanctification is when we are set apart unto God permanently the moment we place our faith in Christ. Eventhough we are still imperfect and sinning in this side of glory. WE are wholly God's regardless of who and what we are here on earth because of the work of the Savior.


b) progressive sanctification. To put it in another term it is the ‘holification’ of the justified sinner. It is the process by which God the Father MAKES righteous the justified sinner through the agency of God the Spirit and the Word. Justification is being DECLARED righteous through faith alone in the work of the Savior. Sanctification [progressive] is being MADE righteous through the work of the Holy Spirit indwelling in the sinner.This is the process where God conforms the justified sinner to the likeness and image of the Lord Jesus Christ.


Will a saved [or justified] person live an ungodly and profligate life because he is already saved [justified]? No. Because any saved or justified person will undergo sanctification. God sanctifies the justified through His Holy Spirit working in good and bad events, through the reading, listening and studying God’s Word, the Bible, through temptations, through trials and just about anything he or she encounters in this life. This process of sanctification takes place in the whole life time of the justified sinner.



This doesn’t mean that a justified or a saved person will be perfectly sinless rather he or she will sin less and less as time passes by for the Holy Spirit is working in him conforming and molding him into the likeness of the One who saved him, Jesus.


“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are[b] being saved [/b] [sanctification] it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18


“Being saved" here refers to the on-going work of sanctification experienced by Christians.


What is glorification?


It is sanctification completed. The justified sinner who has undergone sanctification is now completely and perfectly ridden of the sinful nature. This is the stage where the DECLARATION [justification] has reached it’s REALIZATION through TRANSFORMATION [sanctification].


It will be impossible for him or her to sin upon reaching this stage. This is reached upon the death of the justified and sanctified sinner in heaven. Like justification, this happens also in the twinkling of an eye, at a very immediate moment. What if those who are in heaven will commit sin? Answer: that will not happen because the justified-sanctified sinner has been completely ridden of the sinful nature already.


In the resurrection of the saved he will also be given a glorious physical body that is also perfect, one that is impregnable to sickness and diseases.


“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is NEARER than when we first believed.”


Romans 13:13 Paul is now saying that their salvation [speaking of the glorification aspect of salvation] is near.


However, there is another aspect of glorification that the Christian already possess. Like sanctification, glorification also has a positional aspect. In the eyes of God, Christians are now glorified, though in our eyes and in our experienced we are still not.


Ro 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Notice the words in bold. It is in the past tense. In God's eyes, we have already been glorified.


In closing, salvation takes away three P’s in a sinner. It takes away the PENALTY of sin which is hell [justified]. It progressively takes away the POWER of sin [sanctified]. And it takes away completely the PRESENCE of sin in the sinner [glorified]. ……, the christian has been saved, is now being saved and will be saved…………, and it all starts with justification…, trust in the saving work of the Lord Jesus in Calvary NOW if you are not still justified. You get justification, you are sure to get all other links in the chain of salvation namely: sanctification and glorification.


Praise God!!!! Whom salvation belongs.

One Eternal Sacrifice


But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "He sat down at the right hand of God,"
and since then has been waiting "until His enemies would be made a footstool for His feet." For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. " [Hebrews 10:12-14]


Jesus’ sacrifice need not be repeated again and again and again. For that one sacrifice on the cross was good for all time. Whether time in the past, time in the present and time in the future.

Question1 “What is God’s basis that He can forgive sinners in the olden times before Calvary?”

Answer: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ which is effectual for all time. His death covered those sins committed in the first covenant
(Hebrews 9:15). That means His sacrifice is the ultimate answer of the sins done and committed in the past.



Question2 “ What about those animal sacrifices they made, what was their purpose?”



Answer: Those sacrifices did not take away any of their sins…the sacrifices they made were only symbols that point forward to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those sacrifices served only as shadows of the real sacrifice, who is Jesus Christ. In themselves they can never take away sins. Like any good teacher God used symbols, visual aids if you may, to teach them about the real thing.


Hebrews10: 1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach.

10:2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin?

10:3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year.


10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.


The sacrifices made in the Old Testament did not and cannot take away sins, it serves only as a reminder to them that they are sinners. It serves as a visual aid to them of the coming sacrifice that can really once for all take away sins. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus Christ.


An Old Testament worshipper might have said these words in his heart while offering a sacrifice: “Lord God, I know that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness, I make this sacrifice of a lamb to you, but you know Lord that my trust and confidence that my sins will be forgiven is not on this lamb but on a coming Savior that this sacrifice of mine only symbolize. I know He will come, I don’t know when, but I know He will come, I don’t know what He will look like but I know what He will do; He will make the ultimate sacrifice for my sins past, present and future. And in Him alone Lord I trust.”




Question3 “What about my future sins?” We’ll look again at the text.


Hebrews 10:12: But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "He sat down at the right hand of God,"


Is the future part of time? Yes. When one says: ‘for all time’ does it include the future? Yes. Absolutely. In Greek, since the New Testament is written in Greek, the phrase “for all time” is actually just one word in Greek, “dihnekh”, it means continually or perpetually, hence the King James version of the Bible translated it as: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;”

His sacrifice was good for all time and even beyond time reaching eternity. That’s why the Bible teaches that His sacrifice brought eternal redemption or salvation.


Hebrews 9:12 He entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

He has given Himself eternally. He truly loved sinners with an everlasting love. “I have loved you with an everlasting love” He says.


Question4 ‘What is Jesus doing now, is He gearing up for another sacrifice on the cross?” Look at the text again.

Hebrews 10:12: But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "He sat down at the right hand of God,"

Hebrews 10:13: and since then has been waiting "until His enemies would be made a footstool for His feet."

Hebrews 10:14: For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.


After He made a one eternal sacrifice on the cross, He sat down at the right hand of the Father, waiting till His enemies would be made a footsool for His feet.


He is not preparing for another round of sacrifice of Himself that He will make again. No, He is now ‘sitting’ and ‘waiting.’ Sitting at the right hand of God. The right hand of God actually is just a figure of speech for highest authority. It is actually just saying that Jesus is now in the place of highest authority over all the universe and created beings.


While ‘sitting’ here actually refers that His work of atoning for the sins of sinners is done and over. Not to be repeated again. In contrast to the priests in the Old Testament who ‘stand daily.’ The work of the priests in the Old Testament is to offer up sacrifices and in doing this they stand in front of the altar daily. It would help if we put verse 11 and 12 together.


10:11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.

10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "He sat down at the right hand of God,"


The priests stands daily for his work is never done,he needs to sacrifice again and again and again. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. But after Jesus offered a once for all time sacrifice, He sat down at the place of highest authority for His sacrifice need not be repeated again and again. The 'sitting' of our Lord [which is a figurative language] implies that His work of atonement was complete.

Aside from sitting at the right hand of God, Jesus is now waiting. Waiting for His enemies to be made under His footstool. To be the footstool of someone means to be defeated. Satan, sin, death and etc. have been defeated by the Sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Satan’s destiny is now settled he will be thrown in the lake of fire along with sinners who refuse to repent and trust in the sacrifice of Jesus. Sin is finally dealt with. Sin will be taken away from this world in the New Earth and New Heaven to come. Death has been defeated. In the future all those who are Christ will be resurrected to a glorious eternity.



Question4 Why is Jesus now sitting and waiting, why is He not preparing for another sacrifice? Look at verse 14.

Hebrews 10:12: But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "He sat down at the right hand of God,"


Hebrews 10:13: and since then has been waiting "until His enemies would be made a footstool for His feet."

Hebrews 10:14: For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.


Because of that one offering of His, perfected FOR ALL TIME are those who repent and trust in His work on the cross alone. We don't need to add anything to what's perfect. Because we don't improve on perfection, we stay satisfied in faith.


Concluding Questions



1) Who did the work of perfecting for all time sinners? Jesus

2) When did He do it? Way back in Calvary.

3) Did He have any partner in doing it? No. I don’t see anyone who died for the sins of sinners in Calvary, only Jesus.

4) What more can a sinner do if Christ Jesus brought eternal redemption to the sinner? (Hebrews 9:12) Nothing but to trust alone on His all sufficient work on the cross.

As one hymn writer wrote:

“Nothing in my hand I bring

but simply to the cross I cling.”

How do we know if we have true saving faith?


Christ Jesus, the Lord and Savior came into the world to save sinners [1 Tim. 1:15]. He died for all sinners [Heb. 2:9, 1 John 2:2] that anyone who believes [trusts] in Him will have everlasting life [now in this world] the very moment he or she believes [trusts].
However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that since the Savior died for us all that all of us are automatically saved. No. One must receive that salvation obtained by Him through faith [through trusting in that one all-sufficient sacrifice of His on the cross].

An incident happened in the life of the apostle Paul wherein a man stirred up in his spirit began to have this holy concern for the spiritual state of his soul asked Paul this question:


He brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with your entire household.” [Acts 16:30-31]

Notice the apostle did not say: “Ah don’t worry about it. You are already saved. Christ died for you…, you know.” None of that. Paul however, urged him to believe [trust] on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Yes, Christ Jesus died for him but in order for him to obtain the salvation freely offered by Christ to sinners, he must receive it by faith. Christ died for all, so He offers His salvation to all. Man over the centuries have either accepted it or rejected it. You accept it by believing. You reject it by being unbelieving.

And you will ask: “So am I saved since I believe in Christ?” Yes, if your faith is genuine. Question is: Is your faith genuine? How will you know if it’s genuine or spurious? The answer is: THE GENUINENESS OR SPURIOUSNESS OF YOU FAITH DEPENDS ON WHOM YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH ON. Faith is either true or false depending on the object of your faith.

Ask yourself these questions:

1) Am I trusting in Christ alone [trusting on what He did on the cross alone] for salvation?

2) Am I trusting, depending, relying on what can I do for Christ to be saved? Or am I trusting, depending, relying solely on what Christ has completely and permanently done for me in Calvary?

3) if you have been ‘led’ to the Lord sometime before by someone through sinners prayer, ask yourself: when I prayed that prayer, was I trusting in the prayer I made to Christ or did I trust in Christ alone for salvation through that prayer?



The divine injunction my friend is: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved….”


True saving faith’s sole object is the Lord Jesus Christ. Not Jesus and prayers [though we should be always praying after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and church attendance [though we should be faithful church attendees after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and good works [though we should be fruitful in doing good works after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and the 10 commandments [though we should manifest righteous lives after we are saved not in order to be saved]. Not Jesus and being nailed to the cross yourself during Holy Week time [Jesus’ crucifixion was enough and complete for all sins for all time].

Are you solely trusting in Christ Jesus my friend [His person as Savior and His work on the cross in Calvary] to be saved? If yes, your faith is genuine. Praise God brother or sister!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done - I admire your perseverance. Blessings.

I hope your words are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ to me.

Faith and Belief: The Difference


People often times erroneously equate the two concepts above. But nothing could be farther from the truth. These two concepts may have similarities but similarity does not mean sameness.


Understanding the difference dispels the antagonism of other so called “Christian” groups who despised and write off the theology of salvation by faith alone. When they hear: “Salvation is by FAITH ALONE” they would say: “Height of speculative nonsense!!!!”


Those words could have been true if faith means belief. But the two are not identical. So what is faith? And what is belief? Faith involves the mind, the emotions and the will. Belief touches only the mind. Faith is trusting. Belief is having mental cognizance of a matter and assenting its truthfulness. All who have faith has belief but not all who believe has faith.


Joh 2:23 "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,"
The Lord knew that their belief is only superficial. If you will allow me: "head belief"

Belief is knowing something about the Lord Jesus Christ while Faith is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. It can be confusing sometimes because the two can be in a sense be the same. Belief and faith, in a way, can be lumped in one word ‘Believe’. But faith goes degrees deeper than belief.



No one can have faith in Christ unless he has first heard and believed the facts about Him. Faith is committing and resting yourself to who Christ is and what He has done in Calvary. While belief is merely mentally knowing something about Him and what He has done and not committing yourself to Him. Belief is knowing something about the truth, faith is using that truth to your advantage and benefit. Belief is knowing that there is a rock there to keep you safe. Faith is hiding in that rock


2Ti 1:12 "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."


The difference betweeen those people in John 2 and Paul here is the element of commitment. They menatally believed in Him while Paul here wholeheartedly committed himself to Christ alone for salvation.


Practical Application


Here’s the truth: You are a sinner, helpless to save yourself from sin. Helpless to make yourself perfectly righteous in God’s sight. Christ Jesus came to die for your sins so that you will be perfectly righteous in God’s eyes.


If you are born in a Christian family you might very well know these things and believe that these things are true. But the Question is: Have you used this truth as a balm to your helpless soul? Have you appropriated this truth to yourself?


How do you know that you have appropriated this truth to yourself?

1) Have you stopped believing that your good works could somehow cover the sins that you made? It's Christ's atoning work on the cross that did it. That's why He is called the Savior.

2) What’s your motive in doing good works? Is it done with a motive to pay for your sins and earn yourself a place in heaven? If yes, then you have not used the truth above my friend. You merely assent to it but not have faith in it. [lamentably some people want to get crucified with the motive to pay for their sins. They are saying by their act that Jesus' crucifixion is not enough]


When God says you are perfectly righteous in God’s eyes through what the Lord Jesus did. FAith says: "that’s enough for my soul." Have faith in it. Don’t just mentally believe it. Rest on what Christ has done.


Sound simple? Yes, it’s simple because you were not the one who died and suffered on the cross of Calvary. It’s simple because it’s a gift. Heaven is not a belief away. No. It’s just a faith away.

A Reply to a Roman Catholic Friend:

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"Perhaps the 'repentence' that was being referred to in the post is the effort required for what Catholics call ongoing conversion, or what you guys call 'sanctification'. This is different from the initial act of repentence and the acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour."

obiterdicta
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Hello there my friend:


1) Conversion has two aspects: a) repentance and b) faith in Christ.

Conversion is the result of regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

Conversion is turining from sin to Christ. At that point when the sinner has touched salvation base [Christ] he is automatically justified and sanctified and glorified positionally. And that's where sanctification [progressive] begins when the sinner touched salvation base through faith.

2) 2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , , .FAITH
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . .|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . |
.SIN----repentance-->---------------------------->*CHRIST-SALVATION

Repentance is a change of attitude towards sin, God , self and Christ. Repentance is basically not outward acts and behavior. It is manifested through it. You can do repentant acts but have no attitude of repentance. Again repentance is primarily an attitude of the heart. It is a change of attitude.

Mt 3:8 Let your change of heart [repentance] be seen in your works [behavior and acts] {Bible in Basic English}
[Note: italics mine]

When you change your attitude towards sin, you will spontaneously change your behavior to it. When you change your attitude towards God, you will naturally [as an outgrowth] change your behavior towards God. When you change your attitude towards self, it will result in not relying in the works of self for salvation. You will accept Christ as Savior.


Repentance to salvation is not being saved through works for repentance is a change of attitude towards sin, God, self, and Christ. Remember, Faith aside from many other things is an attitude of the will towards Christ. Repentance is never complete when it has not reached the point of trusting Christ alone for salvation.



3)
at the moment of FAITH in CHRIST
|
|
|
|
|
| |
*------------------------------ progressive santification--------------->glorification
Justified
sanctified
glorified
[positionally]

After salvation do we still have to repent? Yes, absolutely. So long as we are sinners here we need to repent. Repentance is the product of the new nature we recieved at regeneration. [New nature brings along with it new attitudes]


4) 1Co 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and --righteousness and sanctification and redemption

The words above speak of positional truths. Christ is the Christian's righteousness, sanctification and redemption. At that moment [in the twinkiling of an eye] when the sinner [through faith] becomes IN CHRIST, he recieves all that Christ has, namely: His rightouesness, His being separate from evil [sanctification] and His glorification-we are inextricably identified with His resurrection which is the basis of the redemption of our bodies.

Not only His resurrection but His ascention and His sitting in the heavenly places too. we are linked to those truths.

Positionally we are already raised with Christ [never to die again for the sake of sins because Christ our Head will not suffer anymore for sins]:

Col 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

The word "if" there does not imply uncertainty. It is the "if" of consequence. It means SINCE. "SINCE THEN [OR THEREFORE] YOU ARE RAISED WITH CHRIST, "

His ascention guaranttees our future Rapture to heaven. Positionally we [Christians] are already in heaven.

His sitting there in the right hand of the Father guranttees that we [Christians] will be with the Father.

We are inextricably linked to Christ. We do not need to go to purgatory anymore since Christ our Head's sacrifice was enough.

He is our Head, we are His body. If you put us [His body] to purgatory, then you put our Head [who is Christ] there too.

which is unthinkable.

peace

Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness


Mt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.


Our text readily divides itself into three: a) The promise of blessedness, b) the characteristics of those who will be blessed and c) the reason why they are blessed.

I. The promise of blessedness: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.


II. The kind of persons who will be blessed: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.


II. The reason why they will be blessed: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.”

The promise of blessedness:



    “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

           

               The text that we have here is a text of promise. It promised Blessedness to anyone who possesses the characteristics stated in our text above. What does “Blessed” mean? Blessed means Happy. The text could be rendered: Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. The text promises true happiness. Who are those who will be truly happy? 



The kind of persons who will be blessed:



  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

                 

               Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are the persons who are promised true happiness. The words ‘hunger’ and ‘thirst’ for righteousness denotes strong desire for righteousness. It pictures a person in need of righteousness as if the person will suffer terribly if unsatisfied.

         The tense of the words “hunger” and “thirst” are in the present tense. Present tenses in Greek are actions that are continuing and progressing.

Continuing- this person’s hunger and thirst for righteousness is not a one time event only. It is an on-going and continuing desire for righteousness.

Progressing- his hunger and thirst for righteousness does not wane over time. On the contrary, it intensifies [progresses] the longer it remains unsatisfied.


        The mood of the words ‘hunger’ and ‘thirst’ are in the participle in Greek. Participles are those verbs ending in ING like : running, walking, talking and etc. Actually, the verse is actually saying:

“Blessed are those who [are continually and progressively] hungerING and thirstING for righteousness, For they shall be filled.”


Picture a man trudging alone in the desert with the hot beams of the sun  scorching him to thirst and hunger. Tired, weary, hungry and thirsty, he wades through the sandy desert with a heavy step dragging his body forward. His mouth is dry with thirst, his clothes are drenched with his own sweat, his face is ruddy red with the heat of the sun. Imagine his thirst for water and hunger for food. It is constant, intense and intensifying, continuing and progressing. Imagine the unspeakable delight and happiness he would experience if he found water at last. That’s the feeling of the person here we are considering in our study. Only it speaks of hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

Righteousness here is not just any other righteousness for in the original, there is a definite article "THE"  before the word righteousness. The original reads somewhat like this:

“Blessed are those who [are continually and progressively] hungerING and thirstING for THE righteousness, For they shall be filled.”

The righteousness referred here refers to divine and perfect righteousness [THE righteousness].


The reason why they will be blessed:


                       “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.”

                           

   The reason is stated why those who hunger and thirst for THE righteousness will blessed. The reason is that this kind of hungering and thirsting will not be in vain. This kind of hungering and thirsting will be filled and be satisfied.


         We have desires in us that do not find certainty that it will be satisfied, in fact many of them. But there’s one kind of desire and craving that will surely find satisfaction, and that is the desire for THE righteousness spoken of here in our text.

    The verb ‘filled’ is in the passive voice. This means that it is not us who will satisfy or fulfill this desire. It is somebody outside of ourselves. And who do you think this person will be?

Jer 23:6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

This is a prophecy in the Old Testament about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The “Lord” there refers to Him. In Him we find the fulfillment of the desire for righteousness. He is the Lord our righteousness.

And why not He was the One who:

2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the[b] righteousness of God in Him [/b] [Jesus].

He has become for us:

1Co 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

My friend are you hungering and thirsting for righteousness? It’s in Christ Jesus. When He died on the cross for the sins of sinners, He died for us so that we might have perfect righteousness. Find your satisfaction in Him.

Oh! It’s just nature


Harry struggled to keep his balance; with his tired feet wobbling, he barely managed to walk six feet. He is not used to walking that way actually, in fact, he hates to do it. He is not himself walking with his two feet. You see Harry is a pet dog. As a dog he naturally walks on all fours, that’s dog-nature. He is not a dog because he barks, salivates profusely, walks on all fours, eats bones and does dog stuff, no, he is not a dog because he does these things because a deranged human being can do these things and still is a human being and not a dog, rather, he (Harry) does these things because he is a dog, he has a dog nature in him. It’s your nature that determines who you are. The basic governing principle intrinsic in us determines what we do, what we think, what we say and what we feel.



It’s the same way with sinners. One is not a sinner because he has committed sins, rather he commits sins because he is a sinner. He has a sinful nature in him. He just can’t help it. Holiness and righteousness is just foreign to his nature. These things are BOOORIIING to him. If the sleeping pill fails to deliver, holy and righteous things will. We are not to be surprised why many people enjoy the world rather than godly things. We should not be surprised why many find it easy doing bad and sinful things rather than doing godly and holy things. No matter how extensive and intensive you teach a child godly and holy things, he will just naturally know and do bad and sinful things without you teaching him so.





Why? Because ever since sin entered the world, man is a natural with regards to sin. He naturally thinks sinful thoughts, talks sinful words, does sinful acts, feels sinful feelings and plans sinful things. Sin has invaded every nook and cranny in man. His mind. His emotions. His will. His natural disposition is just one destined for hell or eternal death. As the Bible calls him: “………….BY NATURE children of wrath………, ” Ephesians 2:3.



Sin will always incur God’s righteous anger, every one who sins is worthy and is destined for God’s righteous anger. And man has sinned and is sinning and will continue to sin because he just can’t help it. He has a sinful nature innate in him. Huge problem for man isn’t it? What man needs is an atonement for all his sins past, present and future and a new nature.



And Jesus Christ has all that for sinners. He died for the sins of sinners anyone who will put their trust on His work on the cross will be forgiven all their sins and at the moment of trusting in Him the Holy Spirit of God will dwell in the sinner giving him a new nature, giving him a new governing principle operative in him.



“There is therefore now no condemnation [hell] for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” [Romans 8:1-2]



The word ‘law’ above refers not to a set of rules and regulations but ‘law’ here refers to the governing principle or nature in a thing, in this verse the governing principle of the Holy Spirit and the governing principle of Sin. Law of the Spirit or the governing principle of the Holy Spirit is just another name for the ‘Divine nature’ and Law of Sin or governing principle of Sin is just another designation for the ‘Sinful nature’.



It is called "the law of the Spirit of life’ because it is the nature of the Holy Spirit in the Christian making possible for him to live a godly life pleasing to God. It is called "the law of the Spirit of life" because it gives the abundant life promised in John 10:10. True life is actually a life lived for God with God indwelling in the Christian. Living a life of sin as the outgrowth of the sinful nature is not the true life, it is a life marked with guilt, fear and anxieties resulting in eternal death in hell [the law of sin and of death].



Every one of us has this “law of sin” in us, that’s the reason why we can’t help but sin, much less, have this “holy worry” for sin. Just as the law of gravity makes every object that goes up go down, the law of sin makes us sin and continue to sin…we just cant help it, it’s in us, it’s our nature. And sin will always incur for us spiritual death or eternal separation from God in hell. The law of sin that results to death.



To free us from this bondage to our sinful natures we must have the Holy Spirit in us and govern us.



How? Trust in the saving work of the Lord Jesus on the cross and He will forgive all your sins and give you a new life,

So Great a Salvation


It happened….

The world was turned upside down. What was once glorious became corrupted. What was once pure and perfect became polluted. Sin entered the picture and everyone [and that includes you and me] and everything got the Disease called Sin, destroying all the fun.

And then,

            Since then everything was never the same again. Heavenly bodies collide. Animals grow extra limbs. Siamese twins born. Mighty earth shakes. Sea waters can now rise sky high and plunge angry down to earth. Magic Johnson got Aids. My friend got cancer and I got gastritis. And that’s not even half of the effects of sin. [you could add to the list….point is: everything in the physical plane was messed up because of it].

What’s worse is that your soul and spirit is now capable of separating from your body. That’s just a nice way of saying: “YOU WILL DIE.” In fact the process of death is working in you now as it is working in me. The time we started dying began on the day we were born. Every time you see a funeral, every time you see a cold coffin, you know that you are looking into the future.

Worst of all….

I could afford and bear to suffer the physical effects of sin. I could afford to lose a limb. I could even bear having a terminal disease [though I’m scared of it], but one thing I could not take is the eternal effects of it [sin] to my soul with regards to my eternal relationship with God. Sin ETERNALLY separates us from God. “I could afford to lose all except God!!!" BUT this is the consequence of sin. A great divide was created between us and God……….and I just can’t take it……, but that’s the truth.

Then came so great a Salvation…

What is salvation?

Well, first of all it presupposes a dangerous predicament that a person is in. Spiritually speaking, it refers to the eternal damnation that is about to fall on every soul that has sinned. Biblically speaking, ‘salvation’ comes from a Greek word ‘soteria’. In the Bible ‘soteria’ was used both in a physical and spiritual sense. But the common meaning is that ‘soteria’ denotes deliverance from harm or danger [whether physical or spiritual].

Sin brings judgment[punishment] from a holy God. You have sinned and as a consequence the righteous judgment of God hangs over your head ready to be unleashed when you have passed from time to eternity. You, therefore, are in danger. Eternal harm awaits your soul when the lights will be turned off on you. You need to be delivered from that harm. You need to be delivered from sin’s penalty.

              Aside from the harm and danger of judgment, sin also brings a harmful enslavement to it. You just can’t help it but sin. Bondage to lust, pride, greed, cupidity, avarice, hatred, vices and etc. are just some of the harmful and sinful grips that hold people like you and me. You need to be delivered from the enslaving power of sin.

Lastly, the presence of sin in us is harmful in itself. The sinner not only needs to be delivered from sin’s penalty and power, he also needs deliverance from its very presence. It’s the ultimate reason why our bodies decay and deteriorate. 

In summary, salvation is being delivered from the penalty, power and presence of sin.

Where can we find so great a salvation?

         Where else but in the Savior. Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners from their sins. Salvation is yours if you repent and trust in Christ Jesus, it’s yours when you rest your salvation completely on what He did in Calvary.

    “…………Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” [2 Corinthians 6:2c]

God wants you to be saved NOW, not later when you’re breathing close to eternity. He wants you to repent NOW and rely on Christ alone for salvation NOW.

……, so why not do it [repent and trust in Christ alone for salvation] NOW. What have you got to lose?

You were weighed but you were found wanting


Ps 143:2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

Think of that, muse on that, ponder on that. NO ONE LIVING IS RIGHTEOUS IN THE EYES OF GOD. That's you and me and everybody for : ", all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23]


we all have sinned at least once. We have not reflected in our lives God's glory.

What is the glory of God referred to in this verse?

For sure it refers to God's moral attributes. it refers to God's manisfested excellent moral attributes. God is holy, righteous, good and etc. But have we been righteous and holy all the time or are there times wherein we fall short of holiness and righteousness?

Surely we can recall times of unholiness and righteouosness on our part right? During times like that we 'fall short of the glory of God".


"For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:22-23]

that's why in God's eyes NO ONE LIVING IS RIGHTEOUS. And where wil the unrighteous be at eternity? lake of fire. But you have not sinned so gravely like Hitler?!!!!? You have not sinned so low as the female prostitutes?!!!? You have not been addicted to drugs like the others?!!!? and many other man-made standards of righteousness.

You see the standard of righteousness is not other people. It's God. God standard is perfect righteousness. Do you have it or not? I don't know how much movie tickets costs now it's been a long time since i have not watched a movie flick, but Superman's coming and i think i will watch that [I wrote this in the other forum when Superman was still in the offing].

supposing we go to the movie house to watch the movie. And when we got there we learned that movie tickets costs 6$ each. You sink your hand into your pockets and found out you only have 4$. I fished for my wallet and found out to my dismay i only have 1$.


Question: which of us will go in? None of us. the 'standard' is 6$. I may have lesser than you but still the same, we fall short of the price of the movie ticket which is 6$.

The standard is perfect righteousness. How much do you have compared to Hitler? Maybe you have a lot morally than him but the essential question is: are you up to the standard? Assuredly not. You are a sinner. You need a righteousness outside of yourself. you need a Savior.



Ro 4:25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

See that word 'justification'? that means perfect righteousness. it's complete and perfect and eternal righteousness. Jesus Christ came to the world to die for sinners and rose again so that sinners may be justified [perfectly righteous in the eyes of God].

what you need to do is trust in that work of salvation alone. Accept Christ's righteousness NOW my frined. Rely solely on what Christ did for you.

it's simple because it's a gift from God. it's simple because it came from the mercy and kindness of God to helpless and hopeless sinners like us.

What is the Gospel?


   There are questions we can’t afford to have the wrong answers to. Questions that our eternities hang on and depend. And one such question is the one above: “What is the gospel?”
For sure, you have heard this word gazillion of times already but what is it? Do you know? First, before going into the answer, let me catalog for you what the gospel is not:


    The Gospel is……….

……not the 10 commandments [these only show you that you need the Gospel. it is not the Gospel]

…….not the whole Bible [The OT prophecied about the Gospel. It is not the Gospel. The NT is the fulfillment of the Gospel{Matthew to John}. The book of  ACTS show us the gospelization of the apostles. The Books from Romans to Revelation show us the implication of the Gospel with regards to our moral lives. The NT is not the Gospel. It contains the Gospel]

…….not the whole New Testament

…….not All the commandments in the New Testament [these NT commands were given to those who have already recieved the Gospel. They are not the Gospel]

……, not Prayer [This is what those who have recieved the Gospel should be doing after they have recieved it. This is not the Gospel]

……, not Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. [these individual books of the Bible are not the Gospel, they contain the Gospel]



so what's the Gospel?

  The Gospel, dear reader, is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and what He did on the cross of Calvary for you and me. The Gospel is the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for the sins of sinners. Anytime you hear these words:


  “The Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of sinners, buried and resurrected for us."


everytime you hear those words my friend you hear the  Gospel, the Good News of salvation. You’ve heard that millions of times already right? You know what the Bible says about the Gospel? You know what’s the divine commentary of the Bible about the Gospel?


  Here read it for yourself:


“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." [Romans 1:16-17]


The Gospel speaks about Christ’s humiliation for our exaltation. From the vantage point of the world, Christ’s hanging there on the cross seemed a failure, a picture of defeat. The world laughs and scorns: “what’s there in a man nailed to the cross? How can that be good news for me……this is plain foolishness.”


But Paul was not ashamed to proclaim such a message. Why? Because “it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” The Gospel is the life-boat in a sea where every ship is sinking. The Gospel is the only strong and formidable tower of salvation that men and women can take refuge. The Gospel is the Rock of Gibraltar that stands mighty and indomitable in the midst of shaking foundations. When the smoke clears, only the truth of the Gospel will be seen standing firm unscathed.


“It is the power of God to salvation” it cannot sink; God is its buoy. It cannot crumble; God is its architect and builder. It cannot fall; God is its foundation. It is trustworthy; its God’s saving truth.


Practical Application:

What are you doing with the truth of the Gospel, dear reader? It’s meant to benefit us sinners like you and me. Are you trusting it?

a)You are not trusting the Gospel [the work of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ] if you attempt to be right with God through good works.

b)You are not trusting the Gospel if you believe that somehow your good deeds can lessen and atone for your sins.

c)you are not trusting the Gospel if you think that it's your good works + the Gospel can get you to enter the Kingdom of heaven.

d) you do not have true faith in the Gospel if you do not reciieve it with a repentant heart.


He came to die for the sins of sinners and rose again for our justification [justification-meaning that we may be declared perfectly righteous in God’s eyes forever]. What you must do is trust the Good News of salvation.


Here's the Gospel command: Trust in the saving work of Christ on Calvary alone. 

May God bless you

Contrition and Attrition: The difference


Many people forego repentance until their old age. They say: “I will repent when I am at the threshold of eternity.” And so when they are in their gray head days they ‘repent’.

But what is repentance? Repentance is actually a change of attitude towards sin, God, self and Christ.


He changes his attitude about sin. Sin is to be abhorred. He changes his attitude towards God. God is to be reverred and honored. He changes his attitude towards himself. I cannot save myself. I am a sinner in need of salvation. He changes his attitude towards Christ. Christ is the Savior. I must turn to Him alone for salvation and forgiveness of sins.


The repentant says: “This is wrong against God. I have sinned against the moral Governor of the Universe. I am in this hopeless and helpless state of sinning. I don’t deserve heaven. I will turn to Christ.”


Repentance at its earlier stage starts out with attrition.

What is attrition? It is changing ones ways for fear of the punishment. But it does not stop here. For repentance to be true and genuine, it [attrition] must mature into contrition. Sadly, many just stop at attrition, never moving forward into contrition.


What is contrition? It is when the sinner realizes that sin is sin and that it grieves the heart of God. God who is sooo good and gracious and loving worthy of all my all. Why should we sin against Him? And so the contrite sinner turns away from sin because it is a sin against God nothing more, nothing less. Not because of the threat of hell or the promise of bliss in heaven. [God is not mocked, who are you fooling?] Even without hell the contrite sinner turns away from sin. Even without heaven the contrite sinner turns away from sin. He is focused on what this blessed and Holy person delights.

What would you do of a woman wanting only to marry you because you are rich? She only wants to escape poverty that’s why she wants to marry you. I’m sure you’d dispense of that woman right? You want someone to marry you because of you. It’s the same way with God. God is a person. He is touched and moved when a sinner turns away from sin with the motive that he [the sinner] does not want to grieve Him. He stops his sinning because he wants to honor God for who He is. This is true repentance.


Contrition is the work of God in a sinner. The human heart cannot just be contrite by its own. It is desperately wicked and it cannot change. Only God’s grace can break a rebellious heart.


Repentance is not the payment for sins. WE must not rely on it for salvation. However, it is the condition to salvation. The payment for sins is in Mt. Calvary. You must go there for salvation. In order for you to reach there, you must leave sin. In order for you to accept the gift of salvation, you must lay down your arms. Surrender those weapons of rebellion. Your hands cannot receive the gift of salvation if it is full of rebellion.


Come to Christ because of your sins. not because your afraid of hell.


[Note: The heart is sooo deceitful. Sometimes because of fear of impending death a person displays seeming ‘repentance’ from sin. He really feels that he has ‘repented’, and ‘accepts’ Christ. Only to find out on the other side that he was never saved at all. Yes, deathbed repentance is possible so long as it is true repentance. But in order for you to be sure that you have really repented, why not repent now when you are healthy and strong. So when imminent death comes and you are lying in your bed you won’t be bothered by the thoughts: “Are you really repentant? Really? What if it’s only attrition? How will you know?” , But if you have repented as early as now when you are healthy, then you will be assured that your repentance is true and is not only a product of attrition for you have repented from your sins even when the threat of death was remote].

nice nice nice, can i ask if this could be published on a magazine or on a website, if yes pls mail meat gospelgist@myway.com

Please help me located Gospel hall in Abuja, my elder Brother is your member, he refuse to go to any church please help me out.