Recently someone shared… with me about ‘the faith’ of their Mother. Others have told me about their ‘grandmothers’, who prayed for their salvation. Still others have told me about ‘relatives’ who knew and believed the Bible. All of these relatives ‘supposedly’… “Knew Jesus!” But none of those that have shared, these facts, of the “Faith of Others”… have told me that… “They Know Jesus!” Sorry, there is ‘no’ such thing as… “Hand me down – ‘Faith’ – in God!”
(John 3:3) Jesus = answered and said = to him [Nicodemus], = Truly, = truly, = I = say to = “you”, = Unless = a man = is ‘born again’ [by God’s Holy Spirit], = he cannot = see = the kingdom of God.
Sorry No, Jesus did not say… Your mother’s faith… will allow you to see the Kingdom of God. Nor did He reference, “Any Relatives Faith!” He did say… Unless “YOU”… are Born Again, “YOU” will not see the kingdom of God. Again, the faith of any relative ‘is not enough’, to bring anyone into the kingdom of God. Many have this ‘mistaken idea’, that when they stand before God, at the final judgment… they can simply say… “Lord, I too, have my mother’s faith” … “Not!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLnTGxHoAuo
In the movie… Saturday Night Fever… John Travolta’s brother had left the Catholic Priesthood training before his final vows and come home. All his relatives were so disappointed having lost their ‘chance’ to get to heaven… on the “coattails of their relative”, who was a Priest. Silly thinking, but many believe that some sort of… ‘Relative Connection’… can get them in good standing with God, the God of the Bible. I addressed this issue even with the mother of Christ Jesus, ‘Mary’, addressed in this blog. No “human relation” can get anyone into the kingdom of God. Remember Christ Jesus had four brothers and two sisters, spoken about in the Bible.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/10/virgin-mary-101blog.html
It is quite explicit… in the Word of God, about who is ‘guilty’ for what? God’s Law on which much of human law is based so too holds, this same concept. Convicted ‘heinous criminals’ do not have their children executed to stop that genetic line. Neither are your parents… convicted and punished… when “you” are found guilty of ‘Capital Murder’. Each and every one of us… are going to be judged, by God, the God of the Bible for our… “Response or Rejection”… to the offer of Salvation by Grace from God. [John 12:44-to-50]
(Deuteronomy 24:16) The fathers = shall ‘not’ = be put to death = for the [sins of the] sons, = neither = shall the sons = be put to death = for the [sins of the] fathers. = Every man = shall be = put to death = for his = ‘own’ sin.
About now, there are some… who are questioning their ‘relatives faith’. Did you know ‘all’ that your relative believed or ‘did not’ believe? Just because the verbally spoke of Jesus and maybe even had a Bible… does that mean… they had salvation! No, I am not judging them, but simply asking you, ‘Where does your Faith come from?’ Is it… ‘Hand me down Faith’… or is it the assurance that You have… Eternal Life… by the witness of God’s Holy Spirit…?
(Matthew 7:21-22-23) Not = ‘everyone’ = who says = to Me [Jesus], = Lord! = Lord! = shall enter = the kingdom of Heaven [God], = but = he who = does the will [Word] = of My Father [God] = in Heaven.
(Matt 7:22) “MANY” = will say = to Me = in that day, = Lord! = Lord! = Did we ‘not’ = prophesy in Your name, = and = through Your name = throw out demons, = and = through Your name = do ‘many’ = wonderful works?
(Matt 7:23) And then = I [Jesus] = will say to them = I = “Never” = knew ‘you!’ = Depart from = Me, = those = working lawlessness!
Wow, were ‘any’ of these… ‘any’ of your relatives? Perhaps they were your… ‘friends?’ May I simply ask…? Did Christ Jesus say, in the above Bible verses… “Few – Some – or – MANY?” He absolutely said… “Many!” Perhaps some of these trusted in… their Church or their Denomination. Or even that they had been of the same Religion… for generations of their Family ‘line and relatives’. Surely according to Christ Jesus… = I = “Never” = knew ‘you!’ = Depart from = Me, = those = working lawlessness!
(John 7:37-38-39) And = in the last day = of the great feast, = Jesus = stood and cried out, = saying, = If “anyone” thirsts, = let him = come to Me = and drink.
(John 7:38) He who = believes on Me [Jesus], = as the “Scripture” = has said, = "Out of his belly = shall flow = rivers of = living water."
(John 7:39) But He [Jesus] = spoke this about = the [Holy] Spirit, = which = they who believed = on Him = should receive [Acts 2:38]; = for = the “Holy Spirit” = was not yet given, = because Jesus = was not yet glorified [risen from the dead].
Did you see the Key…? He that believes on Me, Christ Jesus… “As the ‘Scripture’ has said.” Many have faith in God and in Jesus… but it is derived from their… ‘Religion’… and ‘not’ from the Scriptures, the Bible, The Word of God. The ‘hand me down faith’… of any relative is ‘not’ the criteria that Christ Jesus had in mind. The Scriptures and ‘only’ the Scriptures. No religion can have the validity of the Scriptures. About now, someone will purposely stop reading this. They simply believe… that you have insulted their Denomination or the Church… with God’s Word.
(John 10:1-2-3) Truly, = truly, = I [Jesus] = say to you, = He who ‘does not’ enter = into the sheepfold = by the door, = but going up by another way, = that one is a thief = and a robber.
(John 10:2) But he = who enters in = by the door = is the shepherd of the sheep.
(John 10:3) The doorkeeper = opens to him, = and = the sheep hear = His voice, = and = He calls = His own sheep = by name = and leads them out.
(John 10:7-8) Then Jesus = said to them = ‘again’, = Truly, = truly, = I = say to you, = I am = the door = of the sheep.
(John 10:8) All = who came before = Me = are ‘thieves’ and ‘robbers’, = but the sheep = did not hear them.
(John 10:26-27) But “You” = did ‘not’ believe = because = “You” = are “Not” = of My sheep. = As I said = to you,
(John 10:27) My sheep = hear My voice [Word, the Bible], = and = I know them, = and = they [obediently] follow Me. [John 15:10]
How about your Religion…? What does it do to make you in ‘right standing’ before God, the Almighty God, of the Bible. Or does that religion, of your “relative?” Will that get you into the Kingdom of God? Unless your “Faith”… is based on the “Scriptures Alone”… it is only a religion. Religion comes from the Latin, meaning to ‘Bind oneself to God.’ In short, to do something to earn favor with God. Keeping the law of God, attending Church services or any of the many religious practices of the Religious. ‘None’ of those can earn you favor with God! In case you think different, How much of ‘religious practices’ is enough? What does your… Church say…?
(1Timothy 2:5) For God = is one, = and = there is = one Mediator = of God = and of men, = the Man Christ Jesus,
(1Peter 1:15-16) but = according to = the Holy One [God] = Who has ‘called’ you, = you also = become holy = in ‘all’ conduct,
(1Pet 1:16) because = “it is written”, = "Be holy, = for I [God] = am holy."
No, Not some… Preacher, Priest, Rabbi or Minister… can get you in ‘right standing’ before the Holy God, the God of the Bible… “Who demands Complete Perfection!” There is only one perfect, and that is Christ Jesus! He is that… “Passover Sacrifice [1Corinthains 5:7]”… pictured though out the Old Testament. He is the “Only Perfect”… fully God and fully Man. He alone has to be our… Payment to God… for ‘our’ breaking of… the Law of God.
(Titus 3:4-to-7) But when = the kindness = and = love of God = our Savior = toward man appeared,
(Tit 3:5) “Not” = by works of righteousness = which ‘we’ = have done, = but = according to His ‘mercy’ = He saved us, = through = the washing of regeneration = and = renewal of = the Holy Spirit,
(Tit 3:6) Whom = He = poured out on us = abundantly = through Jesus Christ = our Savior,
(Tit 3:7) that = being justified = by His grace, = we should = become heirs = according to = the hope of eternal life.
(Romans 3:10) as = “it is written”: = "There is = “none” righteous, = no “not” = one;
Salvation is by Grace Alone… and not by our works. Even your Faith in God is the Gift of God through His Grace. All that we have or could have in Him… is by His Grace, “Un-merited pardon”… that is Not by any work or goodness that we could do or have done. Access to God and the Kingdom of God… is through the Finished Work of Atonement… by “Christ Jesus”.
1. The Holy Spirit Convicts the Sinner… John 16:7-to-11.
2. Jesus enlightens the Sinner… John 1:7-to-14.
3. God commands All Mankind to Repent… Acts 17:30-31.
4. God gives mankind repentance… 2Timothy 2:25-26.
5. No man can come to God… except He first draw him… John 6:44.
6. Each person must be Born Again = by the Holy Spirit of God… John 3:5-6-7.
7. Mankind loves the darkness of sin… John 3:18-19-20.
8. Satan has blinded mankind… 2Corinthains 4:3-4.
9. No good works or law keeping… can save a Person… Titus 3:5 – Ephesians 2:8-9-10.
10. The heart of the person under conviction will respond this way… Acts 9:6.
11. Belief and Confession… bring forth Salvation… Roman 10:9-to-13.
12. Immediately that Salvation is evident by the Holy Spirit… Ephesians 1:4-to-17.
13. Immediately the Holy Spirit comes to resided in that person… 1Cor 12:13 & Romans 8:9.
14. That salvation is permanent… Hebrews 5:9.
15. A real believe has a hunger for the Word of God… Acts 17:11.
16. Salvation is Rejected by Many… Psalms 14:1, Romans one, and many other verses.
Please tell me… how will that “Hand me down Faith”… will help ‘You?’ Perhaps you never have, thought this one through? Or perhaps you have and really, don’t want to ‘deal’ with it…? Sooner or later, perhaps ‘sooner than you think’… you will stand before the “Holy and Just God”… and He will ask you… “What have you done with My Son, Christ Jesus”…? What will you answer Be…? “Well my mother believed…!” That will ‘not’ get you to where you think you are going!
(Romans 10:9-to-13) Because = if = you confess = the Lord Jesus, = and = believe in your heart = that God = has raised Him = from the dead, = you ‘shall’ = be saved.
(Rom 10:10) For with the “heart” = one believes = unto righteousness, = and = with the “mouth” = one ‘confesses’ = unto salvation.
(Rom 10:11) For = the “Scripture” says, = "Everyone = believing on Him [Christ the Messiah, Jesus] = shall ‘not’ = be put = to shame."
(Rom 10:12) For there is = no difference = both of Jew = and of Gentile, = for the = same Lord = over ‘all’ = is rich = to ‘all’ = who call = on Him.
(Rom 10:13) For everyone, = "whoever = shall call = on the name = of the Lord = will be saved."
Thank you for Your EAR! [Job 12:11] Roger //Email// atruth459@yahoo.com
Home Page: http://truth459.blogspot.com/
Ende…!
