Are You On The Right Path?

Posted on August 14, 2011 by David

In June of 2008, the Pew Forum On Religion & Public Life released a U.S. Religious Landscape Survey based on interviews with 35,000 American adults.  One of the issues covered was this one:  Is there more than one path to salvation? I must admit that I was surprised at the findings, even given our current cultural climate of skepticism.

83% of “mainline” churches held that “many religions can lead to eternal life”.  The survey also revealed that 82% of Jews, 79% of Catholics, 57 % of Evangelical churches, 39% of Mormons, and 18% of Jehovah’s Witnesses agreed.  What do these findings reveal to us?  Perhaps one thing they tell us is that most members occupying the pews of many denominations just don’t have a lot of conviction about the beliefs of the organization they belong to.

Something else this survey reveals:  Most denominational members believe there are many paths to Heaven, and “we just need to choose the one that best suits us personally”.  But, what does the Bible say?

Jesus:  The Way

Jesus told us that the way to life was difficult and narrow, and would be found only by a few (Matt 7:13-14).  Jesus Affirmed that He is THE path to salvation in John 14:6.  There is no other.  And, unless we believe that He is the Messiah – God’s Son – Our Savior – we will die in our sins (Jn 8:24).

The Apostles also affirmed that there is salvation in no other name (Acts 4:12).  If there are many other paths to Heaven, as many claim today, then Jesus and His apostles are reduced to liars, and they all suffered – and died – needlessly.

So, how do we get on THE path to salvation? Again, let us go to the Bible for our answer.

We Must Hear the Word: The first step in coming to the Father is to hear His word, learn of Him, and be taught by Him (John 6:44-45).  This is where faith begins (Rom 10:17).  This is why Jesus has sent preachers into the world (Acts 10:42-43).

We Must Believe: To believe is to trust God at His word.  It is the kind of belief that produces obedience.  We must believe in Jesus, God’s Son, Whom He sent to save us, because of His love for us (John 3:16).  We must believe that Jesus died as an atoning sacrifice offered to God for our sins (1 John 4:9-10).  We must believe that He shed His blood that we might obtain forgiveness (Eph 1:7).

We Must Repent of our Sins: Compelled by our remorse for the sins we have committed, we must turn away from our sinful ways and determine to follow God and not ourselves, the world, or Satan.  Why?  Because God has appointed a day when we will all stand before His Son in judgment (Acts 17:30-31).  Unless we repent, we will surely perish (Luke 13:3).

We Must Publicly Confess Jesus as Our Lord: If we fail to muster the courage to make the good confession, Jesus will not confess us before His Father in Heaven (Matt 10:32-33; Rom 10:9-10).

We Must Be Baptized for the Remission of our Sins: The word “baptize”, in the original Greek, means to be immersed.  We are talking about water baptism.  Jesus commanded baptism as a requisite to salvation (Mark 16:16).  Why be baptized?

  • Baptism puts us into Christ – Gal 3:27 (where all spiritual blessings are – Eph 1:3)
  • Baptism sanctifies and cleanses the alien sinner – Eph 5:25-27
  • Baptism enables one to be born into the Kingdom – John 3:5
  • Baptism is the process through which God forgives the alien sinner – Acts 2:38
  • Through Baptism we are raised with Christ from “death” to spiritual life – Rom 6:3-7

Although baptism “saves”, it is not the water that washes away our sins, but the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST through the answer of a good conscience.  (1 Peter 3:21). If we are going to get on the right path, we must recognize Jesus as THE Way, and place our trust in His message (John 8:30-32).

This simple plan of salvation puts us on the pathway to Heaven, but, in order to reach Heaven, we must live faithfully throughout our lives, no matter the challenges (Rev 2:10).

Posted in Salvation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Resolutions for the New Year

Posted on January 1, 2011 by David

With the new year upon us, many are thinking about resolutions.  People naturally equate the new year with a kind of new “beginning”.  Unfortunately, even with the good intentions of most, I have read that 92% of resolutions are abandoned.  Someone said, “A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one ‘year’ and out the other”. The truth is, old habits are hard to break.

To the Christian, the new year is a reminder that life on this earth is only temporal, and quickly passing.  Each year – each day – brings us one moment closer to the return of our Lord.  And, though it has been nearly 2000 years since the promise of His return, we Christians know that what many unbelievers consider to be evidence of a false promise is really a demonstration of His love and mercy (2 Peter 3:8-12).

While most are thinking about diet, exercise and other life changes, let us focus on the kind of resolutions that will help us prepare for His return (2 Cor 5:10).  Our objective should be to stand before our Lord in peace, without spot, and blameless (2 Peter 3:14). And, though it is the blood of Jesus which enables us to stand pure before Him (Eph 5:25-27), we are cautioned that our personal conduct is a real factor in determining our eternal destiny (Rev 20:12).

  • Read the Bible Daily – James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:2;
  • Pray Every Day – 1 Jn 1:9; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Thess 5:17
  • Attend All the Services of the Church – Heb 10:24-25; Heb 3:12-13
  • Grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ – 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 1:2-11;
  • Display Holy Conduct and Godliness – 2 Peter 3:10-11; 1 {Peter 2:12)

When Jesus returns, and we all stand before Him in judgment, he will say one of two things to us:

  • “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt 25:34), Or…
  • “Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41).

Most new year’s resolutions involve matters of good health and prosperity.  But, the basic principles in these suggested Christian resolutions lead us to good spiritual health and spiritual prosperity… and will go a long way in preparing us for His return.

Resource:  Mark A. Copeland

Posted in Judgment, Resolutions, Second Coming | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wisdom from Above?

Posted on December 4, 2010 by David

More and more people are gazing into the heavens for guidance in achieving peace, love, and harmony. No, they are not looking to God through His word, but… UFO’S! New age cults abound who assert that alien visitors are “channeling” warnings to earthlings saying, we must “unite into one world government and one world religion” OR ELSE... experience great havoc and destruction.

Does it all sound crazy?  Yes.  Unbelievable?  Yes.  Nevertheless, this nutty philosophy seems to be gaining a degree of credibility in the public eye.  For instance, Scientology – with its host of Hollywood followers (List of Scientologists) – has long been linked to “UFology” and yet continues to make great strides in achieving public acceptability as a mainstream religion.

It is not uncommon for these cult members (many of whom claim to have been abducted) to insist that these advanced beings (sometimes even referred to as aliens; sometimes referred to as gods) are revealing to them truth… and a better way. What truth? “Truth” that Christianity is not the ONLY way. “Truth” that Jesus is not God.  “Truth” that Jesus did not literally die in our stead to satisfy Jehovah’s Justice.  “Truth” that ALL men and women are evolving into divine beings.  “Truth” that genuine spirituality involves combining and embracing ALL world religions while denying any one is superior and… if we do not set aside our differences and unite together into one world “unified” religion and government (and join the “greater galactic federation of planets” as one cult puts it), we will surely face destruction.

Although the details vary from group to group, the basic cosmic message these UFO cultists are relaying to us seems to remain the same: abandon fundamental Christianity if you want to achieve peace, love, and harmony.  However, the Bible tells us otherwise. True peace, love, and harmony is through Jesus Christ (Eph 2:13,14), and Him only (Jn 14:6). Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) because He gave His life that we might be reconciled to God and enjoy fellowship with His children (Rom 5:10).

New Age doctrines are really nothing “new”… just old heresies wrapped up in new packaging. The Greeks of the 1st century considered the idea of salvation through a crucified Jesus “foolishness” as well (1 Cor 1:18-23). Paul concluded these thoughts, saying,

“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”  1 Cor 1:24-25

God’s power has been revealed through His crucified Son.  His crucified Son is God’s power unto salvation (Rom 1:16).  Even God’s “foolishness” (and, we know there is nothing foolish about God) is wiser than the wisest of men!

When writing the Colossian church, Paul confronted worldly philosophers whose viewpoints were very much similar to the “new” age philosophers of today.  They, too, thought they needed something more than the Bible to achieve true peace, love, harmony, and spirituality.  But Paul said,

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” Col 2:9-10

In other words, Christ is all we need to be everything God wants us to be, and to enjoy every blessing God has in mind for us.  So, do we need to look for UFO’s for spiritual guidance?  Do we need to look to eastern religions or wait for “wise men” to channel wisdom to us from another dimension?  No, for God has revealed His will and wisdom to us through His word, the Holy Bible.  In that same epistle, Paul concluded:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.   Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.   For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Col 3:1-4

Come join us as we seek those things which are above through God’s revealed word, look to Christ and Him crucified for our salvation, and gaze with anticipation to the heavens (not for UFO’s) for His return.

Posted in new age philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Gospel Meeting Set for Nov 14-17

Posted on November 8, 2010 by David

Beginning Sunday, Nov 14, the Chattahoochee Church of Christ will host a Gospel Meeting with Tom Snyder as the visiting evangelist.  The meeting will continue through Wednesday, Nov 17.  The theme is “What God has Given Young People”.  Everyone is invited.

Tom Snyder has been preaching the gospel of Christ for more than 27 years.  He teaches preacher training students at the Northwest Florida School of Biblical Studies (Pensacola, FL) and fills multiple pulpits throughout the Pensacola and surrounding area.  Believing in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, brother Snyder’s preaching reflects his utmost respect and reverence for the Bible’s authority in all things religious.

Gospel Meeting Schedule of Services:

Sunday

  • Bible Study – 10 AM – God has Given Young People a WORLD
  • Morning Worship – 11 AM – God has Given Young People a CONSCIENCE
  • Evening Worship – 6 PM – God has Given Young People AUTHORITY

Monday - 7 PM - God has Given Young People a RESPONSIBILITY

Tuesday - 7 PM - God has Given Young People the Church

Wednesday - 7 PM - God has Given Young People TODAY

The Chattahoochee Church of Christ house of worship is located at 125 W. Washington St in Chattahoochee Florida, just across from SunTrust Bank and the Post Office.  Come hear the gospel of Christ preached in its power and simplicity. We are confident you will find a warm welcome.  For information, call David Bateman (850-693-1850) or Al Wyatt (850-566-9527), or email us at Mail@ChattahoocheeChurchofChrist.com.

Posted in Announcements | 2 Comments