5.23 Epistles – Salvation comes only by the blood of Jesus
Jesus came to give us relationship – to reconcile us to the Father. He came to give us life. He did not come to give us a religion, laws, or a creed, or rituals, etc. Religion is about man trying to reach God with his human works. Christianity is about Christ reaching out to man by His finished work. We want to highlight what makes Christianity unique from a Biblical perspective.
Every religion is based on man reaching out to God through their works in keeping their laws and requirements. These requirements could be good deeds, praying several times a day, fasting, performing pilgrimage, washing in a holy river, piercing himself, walking over coals, or following a strict diet.
According to the Bible, no matter how moral a man is or how much good work he does, as long as he fails to keep God’ laws perfectly, he is a sinner. Therefore he cannot be saved apart from the blood of Jesus. If man could be saved by his own effort, then Christ did not have to come to die for us. He would have died in vain (Gal 2:21).
(Galatians 2:21, NKJV)
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Therefore Jesus came down to redeem us. The ultimate proof of salvation is when the Holy Spirit indwells man (Acts 2:38). This explains why we can only receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by the blood of Jesus.
Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, gave alms generously, and prayed to God always (Acts 10:1-2). Did his devoutness save him? Or his fear of God, or his alms, or his constant prayers to God save him? Religion tells us that he should be saved. Important as these were, the Bible tells us that he wasn’t saved and he did not have the Holy Spirit. But his alms did go up as a memorial before God and God wanted him to be saved. So God asked Cornelius to send for Peter, who would tell him about salvation through Jesus (Acts 10:5-6). The Holy Spirit also asked Peter to go to Cornelius.
When Peter preached that through Jesus, there is remission of sins, his household believed and the Holy Spirit fell upon them. The Holy Spirit can only fall when one believes in Jesus for the remission of sins. This proves that good works alone cannot save. We can only be saved by the blood of Jesus.
Today, we must come to God through Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). It is important to share the good news with our loved ones and friends because there is no certainty of salvation apart from Christ. The certainty of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit can only come through Jesus.
Every religion is based on man reaching out to God through their works in keeping their laws and requirements. These requirements could be good deeds, praying several times a day, fasting, performing pilgrimage, washing in a holy river, piercing himself, walking over coals, or following a strict diet.
According to the Bible, no matter how moral a man is or how much good work he does, as long as he fails to keep God’ laws perfectly, he is a sinner. Therefore he cannot be saved apart from the blood of Jesus. If man could be saved by his own effort, then Christ did not have to come to die for us. He would have died in vain (Gal 2:21).
(Galatians 2:21, NKJV)
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Therefore Jesus came down to redeem us. The ultimate proof of salvation is when the Holy Spirit indwells man (Acts 2:38). This explains why we can only receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by the blood of Jesus.
Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, gave alms generously, and prayed to God always (Acts 10:1-2). Did his devoutness save him? Or his fear of God, or his alms, or his constant prayers to God save him? Religion tells us that he should be saved. Important as these were, the Bible tells us that he wasn’t saved and he did not have the Holy Spirit. But his alms did go up as a memorial before God and God wanted him to be saved. So God asked Cornelius to send for Peter, who would tell him about salvation through Jesus (Acts 10:5-6). The Holy Spirit also asked Peter to go to Cornelius.
When Peter preached that through Jesus, there is remission of sins, his household believed and the Holy Spirit fell upon them. The Holy Spirit can only fall when one believes in Jesus for the remission of sins. This proves that good works alone cannot save. We can only be saved by the blood of Jesus.
Today, we must come to God through Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). It is important to share the good news with our loved ones and friends because there is no certainty of salvation apart from Christ. The certainty of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit can only come through Jesus.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 7:32 PM
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