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Should I accept Jesus into my heart?

GOD’S GRACIOUS PLAN OF SALVATION

 

From time to time, at least twice a year, I try to present to my readers God’s gracious plan of salvation as set forth in the New Testament.  Since it has been several months since I have posted this, I thought that now, early in the new year, would be a good time to do so.  Nothing in this will be new to most of my readers, but I hope that they may use it as an evangelistic tool and forward this edition of “Hugh’s News & Views” to friends, neighbors, and family members who are not New Testament Christians.  Think of the joy that would come if just one soul learned the truth, obeyed it, and was saved!  We must all be faithful in sharing the gospel and its saving truth with as many as possible.

 

A number of my readers have never obeyed the gospel and are therefore in a lost state (II Thessalonians 1:6-10).  I have a deep and sincere love for them and their souls and a compelling desire to share God’s wonderful plan of salvation with them.  I want all of them to hear and understand the pure gospel of Christ, as opposed to a perverted gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).  I want all of them to know God’s simple plan of salvation as opposed to corruptions of that plan by the doctrines, commandments, and traditions of men (Matthew 15:8-9; II Timothy 4:3-5). The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” is a travesty of what God’s word teaches about salvation.  I urge all to read all the passages cited in this essay. 

 

Salvation begins with the recognition that one is a sinner, and therefore lost and in need of salvation (Romans 3:23; Titus 3:3).  God, in His matchless grace (His graciousness), gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as the atonement for our sins (John 3:16; Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ died, was buried, and was raised from the dead that we might be saved.  This is the gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-5).  And it is this gospel that is God’s power to save those who will believe and obey it (Romans 1:16-17; Romans 6:16-18).  Now follow these Bible steps.

 

HEAR THE GOSPEL.  Christ commissioned the teaching and preaching of the gospel in all nations to every creature until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).  No one can be saved without hearing the gospel.

 

BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.  The gospel is God’s power to save those who will believe it (Romans 1:16).  Without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who comes to God must believe that He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).  Christ declared, “For if you do not believe that I am He (the Messiah, the Savior of the world, hf) you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).

 

REPENT OF ALL SIN.  God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).  To repent means to change one’s mind, leading to a change of actions and a change of spiritual direction in one’s life.  If one is in Nashville, TN and wants to go to Knoxville but finds himself on I-40 West headed toward Memphis, he must turn around and head in the opposite direction.  Spiritually, one must do this with reference to the direction of his/her life.  That is repentance.

 

CONFESS FAITH IN CHRIST.  One must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37 [KJV]).

 

BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN.  Christ made baptism a condition of salvation from sin.  He said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16a).  In the New Testament sinners were told, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin” (Acts 2:38).  Baptism is an immersion in water (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12).  Those who have only been sprinkled or had water poured on them (either as infants, children, or adults) have not been scripturally baptized.  Those submitting to human substitutes for God’s divine ordinance and those being immersed to “unite with the church” but not in order to receive the remission of their sins (or some biblically synonymous reason) need to make their calling and election sure (II Peter 1:10-11).

 

LIVE A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE.  Add to your life the Christian graces (II Peter 1:5-9).  Avoid the works of the flesh and manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).  Always abound in the work of the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58).  Be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

 

These are the divine actions that every accountable being must take in order to be saved from sin, enter into a right relationship with God, be added to the one church (body) of Christ, and maintain a right relationship with Him.  Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). I want all to understand and obey God’s wonderful plan of salvation.  Remember: “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man given in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

 

Hugh Fulford

 

Drive-thru Covid-19 vaccine clinic in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

When You Need Help

One day last week, The Medical University of South Carolina teamed up with
two local hospitals to conduct a drive-thru Covid-19 vaccine clinic in Mount
Pleasant, South Carolina. More than 1,000 people registered to receive the
vaccine.

Just as the clinic began, something went wrong with their computers,
grinding the registration process down to a halt. The line backed up to the
point that people had to wait an hour to receive the vaccine.

The mayor of Mount Pleasant needed some help. Who could he call to help
facilitate the process of coordinating the drive-thru so that they could
administer the vaccines more efficiently?

How about Chick-fil-A? They seem to be experts in the drive-thru business.

The mayor called manager Jerry Walkowiak from the Chick-fil-A restaurant
which was across the street from the church parking lot where the clinic was
being held. Walkowiak used his expertise in organizing the drive-thru,
cutting down wait time to 15 minutes.

The mayor tweeted a video on Friday of Walkowiak directing traffic as he
stood in the rain with an umbrella and wrote, "Chick-fil-A manager Jerry
Walkowiak donating his professional drive thru experience to help our
vaccination program in Mt Pleasant today."

"When you need help, call the pros," he went on to write.*

Two applications:

1. Everybody needs a little help at times. Don't be afraid to ask. Ask
someone that you trust. Ask someone with some valuable experience in
dealing with your problem. Ask someone who will give you Godly counsel.
There should be no shame in asking for help. We all need it from time to
time.

2. Be available to help others. When asked for help, Walkowiak responded
immediately. He was willing and available. That's something that you and I
can do: be willing and available to help someone in time of need.

The Bible says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

The law of Christ is the law of love (see John 13:34-35). Jesus taught the
law of love and He embodied it.

Jesus helps bear our burdens. He's willing to take your greatest burden
(sin) and nail it to the cross so that you don't have to carry it anymore.
In fact, He already did it. He died on the cross for your sins and mine, so
that we can have the forgiveness of our sins, fellowship with God, and the
gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:7).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His
Word (1 John 1:7-9).

We can't bear the burden of sin; we need help. Call on Jesus by accepting
His offer of salvation and eternal life. "And now why are you waiting?
Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the
Lord" (Acts 22:16).

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "SC mayor calls on Chick-fil-A to help with COVID
vaccine traffic backup: 'Call the pros'" by Talia Kaplan, Fox News,
www.foxnews.com.