Live 4 The LORD

Salvation is not by works, but by grace. 

The Bible is very clear that we cannot earn our way into eternity with God. Our works are merely evidences of our faith, not the basis for salvation.

The reason it's unnecessary to perform good works in order to secure salvation is that God himself, through the work of Christ, has performed all the work necessary. However, one of the very reasons God saved us is so we would perform good works, and if we do not perform good works we are in disobedience to His Word. The Bible is clear on the source of our salvation: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spririt" (Titus 3:5).

Many of us have confused the doctrine of justification with the doctrine of sanctification.

According to the Bible, after a man is justified before God, he begins a lifelong process of sanctification where he grows in holiness and obedience to God's law. Justification is the starting point for sanctification (Romans 6). Justification removes the guilt of sin and restores the sinner to a relationship with God. Sanctification eliminates sinful habits and makes the sinner more and more like Jesus Christ. Justification takes place outside of the sinner in the court of God. Sanctification takes place in the soul and the spirit of man. Justification takes place once and for all. Sanctification is a continuous process of growth, as we "run the race" to the end of our lives. The work of sanctification is never complete in the life of a Christian.

Many Christian leaders and laymen are doing good deeds for which they are to be commended, but many have not surrendered to a true relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Christian faith declared in the Bible is one of trust in a relationship with a Person, rather than in a religion, institution or organization.

Relationship not Religion

When we stand before God one day, He will not ask us whether we are Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran or Methodist. He will only ask us why He should allow us into His kingdom. How will you respond to that question? Will you tell Him what denomination you belonged to or that you attended church every Sunday? Will you try and tell Him you were a "good and moral person" who did works of charity? The biblical truth is that God doesn't consider any of these responses to be worthy of admission into heaven. Our prayer is that we'll all be able to respond to Him with an answer that He will honor: "I have confessed Christ before man and You Lord, and it is by grace alone that I come into your heaven."

Christianity is not really a religion; it is a relationship with God. It is trusting in Jesus and what He did on the cross for you (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), not on what you can do for yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christianity is not about ornate buildings, flamboyant preachers, or traditional rituals. Christianity is about truly accepting and obeying Jesus as your Lord and Savior.