“With men this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
It is His sheep He came to save from sin. In today’s world, many are taught by false prophets that they themselves must make the decision to either accept Christ or be lost. Man in his fallen, sinful state could not, cannot act to follow Christ, unless God would enable him! Yes, it is God who does that work in a sinner’s life which brings him to the point where he is open to receiving His truth; however, how many of those who have walked down those long aisles in the Billy Sunday and Billy Graham crusades had actually thought this act and repeating a simple prayer would save them?
How many persevered, and how many were those seeds that fell by the wayside? How many were brought out of bondage from Egypt? How many went through testing in the wilderness? How many put on the full armor of Christ ready for battle with the enemy of our souls? How many were crucified and arisen with Christ? Are they among those who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth” (Rev. 14 ) ?
Where are the thousands of these today who, ‘decided to accept Christ’ at these crusades? Was it man’s decision or an act of God? No, it is not man’s decision to make. Furthermore, that would imply an All-Powerful God is under the authority of sinful man, and is not able to act in the sinner’s life unless He is granted some sort of permission!!
Christ says ‘no man can come to Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:44)
“He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." (John 10:1)
One cannot enter the sheepfold but through the Door, which is Christ.
It is God’s work to bring the sinner to salvation…. “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
Salvation in a man is all God’s work. His Grace. When have we last heard this word…Grace? No, in today’s churches most are taught, we must have a part in salvation. We must act! We must ‘accept Him’!! How like the human heart to want to remain in control & declare a part in his own salvation! The proud man wants only to trust in his own righteousness, his own works. What does God say about that?
“All our rightousnesses are as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6 )
“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)
Have you humbled yourself? Are you clothed in the righteousness of Christ? It is this wedding garment we must be clothed in for the marriage feast God has prepared for his Son in heaven (Matthew 22:11-14).
Do you trust in the One who moved heaven and earth to save his own people-- those He knew from before the world was created?
"According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.’’
Ephesians 1:4-5
Have you trusted in the Cross of Christ to wash away your sins? ALL this too, is of GRACE. The God given faith of Christ. Yes, Christ’s actual faith. (Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:22, Romans 3:22, Philippians 3:9) Are you now, yet today depending on your own righteousness?
At the Cross, Christ said, ‘It is finished.’ Were you at the Cross?
“God is Spirit. Those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
