I find it interesting that so many elected politicians who are in office and/or running for office don’t say much about their “religion” until they are seeking election or re-election.
One in our fair state (sorry, commonwealth) states that her faith (and she states the religious organization she is affiliated with) has taught her the value of public service, and that’s what she hopes to bring to office.
Another says that he was baptized at the age of eight and still has the saddlebags of his great grandfather who used to be a circuit-riding preacher.
Other than that, I’ve never heard a peep any other time from either about where they stand with God. Now I’m certainly not attempting to judge their hearts in respect to their position with the Lord God. That is between them and God, but isn’t it interesting that most politicians have little regard for God until they are running for some office? I sincerely pray that they have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not their religious organization, public service or saddlebags.
Since I’ve brought it up, here is something else to ponder. How many of us, who are not politicians, do the same thing? I have lived, so far, over 67 years and from my many associations with people over these many years, I find that we are no different, generally speaking. Far, far too many of us point to something other than Jesus Christ when professing our position with God. Or, we point to Jesus plus something else.
The Bible makes two facts (among others) about us and God, crystal clear. So why do we keep muddying the waters?
Fact Number One:
The first fact is that salvation comes through Jesus Christ and Him only. Period. There is no other way to God, but through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Mankind uses three options in an attempt to find the road to God.
1. He attempts to ride on someone else’s coattails and hope his good works will get him in Heaven. Many have tried this and still do. It doesn’t work!
2. He hopes his good deeds outweigh his bad deeds and God will let him in. This too has been tried, and many still believe this lie. It doesn’t work!
3. The third option is the only one that works. There is only one door to the Father’s abode; i.e. Heaven. That door is Jesus Christ His Son.
“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
Our Mamma may have been the sweetest Christian of her time, but if we don’t put our faith in Jesus as she did, we will enter hell upon our death. At the White Throne Judgment, she will be standing by her Lord and Savior while we are being judged by the same Jesus we rejected. After judgment we will be cast into the Lake of Fire and live out eternity apart from God.
We may be the most upright citizen of our day, the greatest son, daughter, husband, wife, dad or mom, an honest and hard-working employee, but those good deeds are all filthy rags in God’s sight. Our eternal home will be the Lake of Fire because we decided to do it our way.
On the other hand we may be one of millions who have recognized that we will never be good enough to stand in the presence of a Holy God. Upon realizing this, we put our total faith in His Son Jesus to fulfill everything He said He would do if we would just trust Him. He said He would save us and provide a home for us in His Father’s house. We believed, and we will face eternity living forever with our Savior and Lord.
Unfortunately, only a few of us will choose Jesus. Most will choose the broad road of destruction.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
Don’t let Satan make a fool of you. Put your faith in Jesus, and stand with Him.
Fact Number Two:
If we cannot save ourselves, we certainly cannot keep ourselves saved. If Jesus is the only one who can save us from God’s judgment, then obviously He is the only one who can guarantee that our salvation is permanent.
If we can truly be classified a Christian in the eyes of God, then it is obvious that at some point in our lives we realized that salvation comes through Jesus Christ, 100%, and through no other means or method. We realized that only He can save us.
But yet, there are those who think that now they’re saved, it is up to them to keep it. Folks, that just doesn’t make any sense. It’s insane. If we aren’t good enough to get it, we certainly aren’t good enough to keep it.
Now I’m sure there will be some feathers ruffled from those who just hate the thought of God being able to keep us. We commonly call this “once saved always saved (OSAS).”
One of several articles I wrote on this subject (OSAS) was called, “Secure In The Arms Of God,” and it can be found at Pre-Rapture Commentary on the Internet, and also on Rapture Ready. Therefore, I am not reiterating all the Scripture verses that have already been explained in the past. I will mention only two references.
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:28-30)
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV)
Let us open our eyes and see that it is God who saves and it is He who keeps us.
Pride was Lucifer’s downfall, and pride blinds us to the truth. A penitent heart knows that all power rests in our God and we are just so thankful that He is totally in control. When we reject OSAS we claim that power, but it is not ours to have.
I rest my salvation upon the work of Jesus Christ, and I trust Him exclusively that I am safe in His arms. How about you?
If we can’t trust Jesus to keep us (OSAS), how can we trust Him to save us?
Grant Phillips