The Day of Salvation...the Wayfarer 2/27/13

2/27/13

The Day of Salvation

"We then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (for he sayeth, I HAVE HEARD THEE IN A TIME ACCEPTED, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION HAVE I SUCCORED THEE: behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation."

(2 Corinthians, 6: 1&2)

"I have heard thee in a time accepted."

Thank God Jesus hears the prayers for salvation and comforts our hearts. His forgiveness is something we can feel not only on that day, but for the rest of our lives when we go to him in prayer.

In the day of salvation have I succored Thee"!!

If you have not yet felt that comfort and relief of soul, then you need to go to him in prayer.

,

Now is the day of Salvation, not tomorrow, next month or next year, nor is it as we take our last breath on this world.

When the Spirit reaches you is the acceptable time to repent to Him, not to a man, as no mere human may redeem you, and allow you to receive that succor (comfort).

Perhaps the importance of this statement is best clarified by attempting to understand what we need salvation from and for.

In an earlier sermon, we took a closer look at the God we worship, who He is, and the power He has. In the introductory message. the precepts of which are now posted under what we believe, the first tenant stated that He is both Creator and Judge. It is He, before Whom our immortal soul will stand to account for all we have done and failed to do in this life.

Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Not some, not just a few, but ALL. The 24th vs. continues that: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." There is a means to redeem our sin.

We may exceed the standards of man’s laws of behavior, and be exemplary citizens, but we cannot attain the level of perfection demanded of us by God on our own merit. That standard is attainable only through the intercession of Christ Jesus who will forgive all sin if we ask in faith and fully believe in Him.

What is the outcome of the final verdict?

Much like the process of law that we adhere to in this country today the outcome of our judgment will be similar to guilty or not guilty.

Unlike our judicial system, there are no loop holes or high priced lawyers to get you off. There are no findings of lesser offenses nor are there lesser sentences for some than others.

The only juror to decide this matter will be God himself, the only advocate, Jesus Christ. The findings are simple, guilty or guilty but forgiven by faith through the blood sacrifice of our Saviour.

Matthew 25: 31-46 speaks of that judgment in the words of Jesus himself.

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

And, before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd devideth his sheep from the goats:

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in:

Naked and ye clothed me: I was in prison and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee, or thirsty and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee? or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of those my brethren, ye have done it to me."

What a wonderful promise made by Jesus himself; what a concise and practical means to show the world that we are His,,,. but there is also a continuance in this passage"

vs 41 begins this continuance:

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat:

I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

 I was a stranger and ye took me not in:

naked and ye clothed me not:

sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.

 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them saying, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

Likewise Revelation 20: 11-15 Speaks of the judgment.

 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away: and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And death and hell were cast unto the lake of fire, this is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

1 Corinthians 15: 2-26 speaks of the resurrection and the phases that encompass it: Revelation 20 speaks of the second resurrection.

These then are the only two options available to us. This is the choice we must make for ourselves, now, in this world.

What will you choose for yourself?

What would you choose for family, friends, and neighbors?

I ask this because your choices daily reflect your own choice for yourself and affect all of those you profess to love.

The example you set is not only your legacy, but will influence the decisions of all you come into contact with. What we're taught by those who came before us and around us every day is the essence of what we are capable of learning.

Teach therefore by example the love and gift of grace given us by Christ Jesus and faith in Him in all you say and do.

Matthew 4:17 says;

 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

This was the beginning and crux of Jesus teachings ,and of a requirement for salvation. It is something that only YOU may do for yourself. We can pray for others to repent, but we can't do it for them. We can only show them, through our lives, what repentance and faith in Jesus can do for us and them.

We know that Jesus has the authority given him by God whereby sin may be forgiven. An example of this authority may be found in Matthew chapter 9 vs 1-6.

In the same scripture Jesus gave us the purpose of his coming to us in v 9-13 we see this specifically in vs 12 & 13:

"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND NOT SACRIFICE: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinner to repentance".

The righteous have no need of salvation, but true righteousness, acceptable to God is only attainable through repentance, and the mercy bestowed on us by Christ.

In closing I again beseech all to accept Christ as Saviour through repentance and faith that He WILL redeem your sin. I urge you to share the gospel through the life you live and the words you speak.

My salutations go once again to all, in the name of my Saviour, Christ Jesus, given to you, by this poor sinner, saved by His grace so long ago.

May his blessing and grace be with each of you.

2 Timothy 1:12
 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day

Amen & Amen
the Wayfarer