Click Wheel Back To Text LessonsThe Only Way To Eternal Salvation
(Choose Life and Live)
Over the years many have taught various ways to receive everlasting life. No wonder the world is full of so many denominations. All of these different doctrines, seemingly coming from the bible, tend only to confuse people. Most people don't know what to believe and simply choose not to attend any church. Nevertheless, the bible speaks of only one way to get eternal salvation. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). The next time someone asks you what faith you are, tell them there's only one faith.
The road to eternal salvation starts with knowledge of the holy scriptures. God doesn't want us to memorize two or three verses, but instead he left the entire bible so we can learn how to get salvation. If we learn it, believe it and obey it (the bible), salvation will be our reward. Before you can start any task you must first know about it and without the key of knowledge we are lost. "...thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make the wise unto salvation..." (II Timothy 4:15).
However, with all the various doctrines (teachings) it's hard to know which road to take. Many claim that it really doesn't matter saying, "you serve God your way and I'll serve God my way." Since the Lord is the author of eternal salvation we can only obtain it by serving him his way (Hebrews 5:9). Some choose to rely on the wisdom of their pastor by putting his word above God's word. Nevertheless, in judgment each one of us will give account for our own salvation. Therefore, we must not let anyone lead us down the wrong path, but should verify all of our teaching with the holy bible. YOUR SALVATION IS AT STAKE! "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).
Jesus warned us that the road to salvation is straight and narrow and that only a few of us will find it. Many are traveling down the wrong road, which leads to destruction. This is because many of us have heard about salvation but few of us want to do what is necessary to get salvation (many are called but few are chosen). Many contend that Jesus did it all and now all we have to do is have faith. The bible says, we must not only be a hearer of the word, but a doer of the word also (James 1:21-22). DON'T FOOL YOURSELF!
If we really have faith in Jesus our actions will prove it. If Jesus is our Lord then we will obey him. Even a child will obey a parent, by getting good grades in school, for the reward of a new bicycle. The child cannot earn money for the bicycle, but instead must act upon their faith to receive the free gift. We must do the same to receive eternal life. "FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD" (James 2:20).
Some say you must obey God's word, but then they turn around and teach contrary to God's word. At best they never get around to explaining exactly what kind of works are needed to get eternal life. A man asked Jesus this very question, "...What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?", and Jesus replied, "...KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS" (Matthew 19:16-19). This was a direct answer to a direct question, which all of us will do well to take heed to. Anybody can claim to have faith, but actions speak louder than words. Faith and works go together and you can't have one without the other. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). True saints realize that God's law must be obeyed to receive eternal life.
Why does the bible seem to teach that the law has been done away with, if we must still keep the commandments? When the bible speaks of laws we no longer have to keep, it is speaking of the sacrificial laws. These laws were a school master pointing us to the fact that Jesus would be sacrificed for our sins. Since Jesus died we are no longer under a school master, (required to offer up bulls and goats for our sins). Now we must believe (have faith) Jesus died for us (Hebrews 10:4,9-10). This doesn't mean we don't have to obey God's moral laws of conduct. That would be like a man getting paroled from prison and then ignoring the same laws that sent him to prison in the first place. Jesus only died once, so if we willingly break God's law, after accepting Jesus, our reward will be eternal damnation (Hebrews 10:26-27). Let us avoid this at all costs, seeking a better reward.
Jesus will return real soon and reward us all according to our works (Revelation 22:12). Throughout the bible we find that in order to receive eternal salvation we must keep God's commandments to the end. If we make a mistake we must not give up, but continue to strive for the prize (Philippians 3:13-14). The last chapter in the whole bible reminds us of this one last time. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life." (Revelation 22:14). After this we find only seven more verses in the bible, and none of them does away with God's commandments.
The commandments of God are not hard to keep (I John 5:3) and furthermore, they teach us love in the highest degree. If you love Jesus you will keep his commandments (St. John 14:15). You will not displease the Lord by: Worshipping other gods, having graven images, taking his name in vain, breaking his sabbath day (which is Saturday not Sunday), or dishonoring your parents. On the other hand, if you love your neighbor as yourself you will not kill him, commit adultery with his spouse, steal from him, falsely accuse him, or covet anything of his. This is true love, and if obeyed how much better would our world be? This is why Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind; and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:35-40). These two commandments are the foundation of the entire law. Many reject the law, but it is HOLY, JUST AND GOOD (Romans 7:12) even today.
Do not let anyone convince you that it's wrong to keep God's commandments. Don't let anyone deprive you of the opportunity to receive eternal life. We were deprived of this opportunity once, but the death of Jesus has given us another chance. All have sinned (broken the law...I John 3:4) and the wages of sin is death. When Jesus (the true lamb of God) was sacrificed, he removed our sins. If we accept Jesus as our sin offering, we are required to repent and get baptized IN THE NAME OF JESUS ("there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved..." Acts 4:12). This is our last chance.
To repent means to turn from our sinful ways and start obeying God's law. The water baptism signifies the washing away of our past sins. After repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus it would be foolish for us to turn around and willingly break God's commandments. If we make an honest mistake Jesus can help us, but if we sin willingly, look out! "...there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation..." (Hebrews 10:26-27).
When Jesus died only the sacrificial law was done away with. We still must obey all of God's laws and statues of conduct, from the ten commandments to the least commandment. We cannot choose to obey one without obeying the others. For instance, if it's still good to pay tithes (as many preach), then it is still good to obey God's dietary law (not eating pork, catfish, etc...Leviticus 11:1-47). Similarly, you cannot purposely trip a blind person (Leviticus 19:14) and claim to love your neighbor as yourself. Neither can you break God's sabbath days (Leviticus 19:30) and claim to love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Many fight to uphold man's traditional holidays (Sunday the 1st day as the sabbath, Christmas, Easter and Halloween), but few are obeying God's Holy Days (Saturday the 7th day sabbath, the Passover, Pentecost, etc...Leviticus 23:1-44).
All of God's laws are still good and must be obeyed if we want eternal life. We might not be able to observe everything perfectly, but can fight a good fight. If we do this our prize awaits us at the end. "...if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17).
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