The Bible tells us that when we die we will spend eternity (a very long time, wouldn�t you agree?) in either paradise or torment. Matthew 25:46. If we search the Bible, with an open mind and heart, we will discover what God says about how to gain eternal life in heaven. If not, maybe we are relying upon what friends or family or churches have taught or told us. Is this wise? Or should we investigate for ourselves? If you were buying a car, would you rely upon what you were told or would you check it out for yourself? If you were buying a home, would you rely upon what you are told or would you check it for yourself? Eternity is much more important than earthly matters. Let�s look at what God says, week by week, to see how what we might think compares with what the Bible says. Then, remember, God promises that if we seek him we will find him! I Chronicles 28:9, II Chronicles 15:2, Proverbs 8:17.
We will go through the New Testament of the Bible, week by week, stopping at each of the hundreds of verses that tell us how we might gain eternal life in heaven. But, first, let us spend a moment considering whether or not the Bible is true, and inspired by God, as it declares in II Timothy 3:16, or whether it is a pack of fairy tales, as some would contend. If the Bible is not true, such a search is without any value. But, if the Bible is true, and God does tell us in the Bible how to gain eternal life and avoid eternal torment, then this is the most important search that any of us will ever conduct.
There are many proofs that the Bible is true, but let me mention a few. The center of the Bible is Jesus and the key question here is whether or not he rose from the dead, as the Bible says. If he did, I think this would prove the Bible is true, don�t you? Will you be writing out today�s date at any time? 2007 means 2007 years from the birth of Jesus. Something important must have happened back then to establish our dating system. And, do you notice a difference between the Christian countries of the world and the countries that have been plagued by false religion? If not, I suggest you turn on your television news this evening and you may notice some differences. And, finally, let us consider the disciples. All but one of the remaining eleven died a martyr�s death for teaching that Jesus was God. These men knew whether Jesus rose from the dead or not because they were there. Did they die a martyr�s death to protect a lie? If so, for what conceivable reason? Next week let�s consider what may be the greatest outside proof of the Bible�s truth and then we�ll begin to look at verses that tell us how to gain God�s great gift of eternal life in paradise!
Before we start looking at salvation verses, let�s look at a great proof of the truth of the Bible. How do we know the Bible is true and not one of the other multitude of false religions? Let�s consider prophecy. Most of the false religions of the world do not even attempt prophecy and those that do invariably get it wrong. Humanism, the man centered religion of today�s elite, and many others, published its �Bible�, the Humanist Manifesto I, in 1933. Within 40 years, in 1973, it had to be rewritten (the Bible has never been rewritten) as their first �Bible� couldn�t even accurately predict 40 years hence. And, these scholars are still rewriting the �Bible� they couldn�t quite get straight (and never will). But in the real (i.e. Christian) Bible are hundreds of prophecies, most already fulfilled to the letter with only a few yet to be fulfilled. For example, thousands of years ago it was predicted that Jerusalem would be destroyed, the Jews exiled and scattered and persecuted, and that the Jews would again be drawn to Israel to there recreate their nation (which occurred in 1948). The Bible also foretold that Israel (a tiny nation no bigger than most of our states), as we approach the end of time, would become the center of world history--and if you don�t believe that incredible prophecy is being fullfilled before your very eyes, just pick up and read any newspaper any day of the week. See http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com for references to these and many other prophecies. I think we should worry a lot less about today�s maddening political situation, which God will deal with in His time, and a lot more about where you and I will spend eternity. The Bible, for example, has a lot to say about what will happen in the Mideast in the coming years - - but more importantly it has much more to say about where you and I will spend eternity.
the Lord must have loved me before I was born, or else He would not have seen anything in me to love afterwards." I am sure it is true in my case; I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love. So I am forced to accept that great Biblical doctrine. I recollect an Arminian brother telling me that he had read the Scriptures through a score or more times, and could never find the doctrine of election in them. He added that he was sure he would have done so if it had been there, for he read the Word on his knees. I said to him, "I think you read the Bible in a very uncomfortable posture, and if you had read it in your easy chair, you would have been more likely to understand it.
GOD HAS PROMISED IN JEREMIAH 29:13: YOU WILL FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH **ALL YOUR HEART**.�
John 14:23: Jesus says, �If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will make Our home with him.�
Matthew 28:19,20: Jesus commands, �Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to *OBEY EVERYTHING I have commanded you!�
I John 2:3-5: �We know that we have come to know Him **IF** we obey His commands. The man who says, �I know Him,� but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the Truth is not him. But if anyone **OBEYS HIS WORD**, God's **LOVE** is truly made complete in Him!!�:angel:
So let us read God's Word daily {Acts 17:11} and then *DO WHAT IT SAYS*! {James 1:22,25}
Acts 17:11: �The Bereans were of noble character, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures *EVERY DAY*!�
James 1:22,25: �Do not merely listen to the Word. *DO WHAT IT SAYS*!... and he who continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but *DOING IT*�will be blessed in what he does.
2 Peter 1:3-11: �His Divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith {a 100% Free Gift}; goodness, and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, LOVE. For if you possess these qualities in INCREASING MEASURE, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a **RICH WELCOME** into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!�
Matthew 16:27; Jesus says, �The Son of Man is going to come in **HIS FATHER'S GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS** {See Matt 24:30,31 & 2 Thess 1:6-10}, and *THEN* He will reward each person according to what he has done.� Revelation 22:12: Jesus says, �Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!� {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels}
2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} whether good or bad.�
Ephesians 2:8-10: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So Salvation is the ***FREE GIFT*** of God's grace and good works can only be performed by the saved.
Salvation is a 100% Free Gift and REWARDS are 100 % earned.
Matthew 5:14,16: Jesus says, �You are the LIGHT of the world...Let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I Corinthians 3:6-9: Paul says, �The Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but God made it grow... The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers!�
Daniel 12:3: �Those:angel: who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever!!�
So let our lights *SHINE*:angel: with the many gifts God has given us and we can have a REVIVAL with the hope of countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service.
I Corinthians 1:7: For �You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be *REVEALED*!�:angel:
