Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. Psalm 25:8-11
CHRIST, THE WAY
Our Lord declared, "I am the way; no man cometh to the Father but by me!" The scriptures plainly set forth the fact that because of our sin, we are separated from God and of ourselves; there is NO WAY BACK TO GOD! The Lord taught this to Adam early; for when He "drove out the man, He placed a flaming sword WHICH TURNED EVERY WAY, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24). There is no way back to life. But Christ, our Lord, has come to bring us to God. How shall He (as the God-man) deal with that sword of wrath and justice? Shall He command it to disappear? Shall He find a way around it? No! He will be the, "Just God and Saviour" and take that sword into His own heart and pour out His soul unto death to bring many to God. The way to God is opened, for CHRIST IS THE WAY! God taught Israel the impossibility of any man's coming to Him apart from Christ when He revealed His glory upon the mercy-seat in the Holy of Holies and forbade any man to enter except the High Priest once a year with the blood atonement. But Christ has come to bring us to God, not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with His own blood He entered once into the holy place and obtained eternal redemption for us. Now the veil is rent, the way is opened, and we are commanded to come boldly into His presence by CHRIST, THE WAY! Pastor Henry T. Mahan (1993)
“Not of Works”
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Common sense, as well as the plain, universal testimony of Holy Scripture, teaches us that salvation can never be accomplished by our works, because the best works of the best men, performed in the best manner possible are altogether without merit before God. All the works of unregenerate men and women, their best deeds of charity, benevolence, and religious duty are utterly abhorrent to God. “God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). Even the best works of the most earnest, sincere believers in this world are but filthy rags, altogether without merit before God and totally unacceptable to him apart from the blood and righteousness of Christ (Isaiah 64:6). “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
Our works can never earn anything from God because perfect obedience is due to him already. We cannot expect to be rewarded for doing imperfectly at best that which we are duty bound to do perfectly. “When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10). Our works cannot be meritorious with the Lord because it is God himself who gives us the grace and strength to perform what we do for him. “For without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Can sin be washed away by austerity? Can heaven’s blessing be purchased with tithe money? Can eternal life be earned by dead ritualism? Can mercy be won by mortification? Can salvation be gained by separation? Can heavenly rewards be gained by imperfect earthly labor? Perish the thought! Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! Pastor Don Fortner
How Important Is Faith?
How important is faith? Faith is very important! If you desire to be saved, you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). So the question is do you believe on Christ? The question our Lord asked the former blind man is, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (John 9:35).
The question was not have you repented enough, have you prayed enough, or do you know enough doctrine. The question is simply this, do you believe on Christ as all of your salvation?
How important is faith? Faith is very important. Listen to the scriptures. Faith is the work of God. “Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29).
Faith is required for salvation. “And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”(Acts 16:31).
Righteousness is imputed to all those who have faith. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Rom 4:24).
Faith is the commandment of God to us. “And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” (I John 3:23)
In John 3:36 our Lord made the importance of faith crystal clear when He said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
So I ask you again, do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Read the words here carefully from John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
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