Your Soul Condition Is Our Commission
Dear Friend,
We open the thoughts before us with the question, "Are you saved?" We have been made to realize that, for many today, this question leaves some doubt, some mystery in their mind.
If you read in the paper that someone was saved from drowning, you understand what it means. If you read that someone was rescued from a burning building, you also understand that a life was saved.
Please allow us to explain what we mean when we ask the question "Are you saved?" We are talking about one being rescued or "saved" from the ulimate soul's destination in a devil's hell. For many the agonies and torments of hell are not understood.
Again please let us use God's word, the Bible, to give the Biblical account of what hell is like and what it will be like for the lost individual.
Matthew 25:41: "Then sall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Here Jesus gives this glimpse of hell as a place of everlasting fire, prepared for the devil (satan) and his angels. It was never God's will for man to go there. However, man by his own freewill chooses to go to this place called hell.
Luke 16:23,24: "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." In this scripture we find Jesus, during his personal ministry, gives us the picture of a man who had everything but salvation and in death he went to hell. Here the Biblical picture of hell is a place where man was in torments (plural) and also suffering from the flames of hell.
Mark 9:43,44: "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Here again we see hell as a place of fire but now it is also described as a fire which cannot be put out. Also we see another torment "where their worm dieth not." If we see this as we should, it means personally each has a worm-eating body that never goes away.
Matthew 8:12: "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Here is recorded three things about hell. First, it is a place of darkness, even though there is fire there. In other scriptures we are told that brimstone is associated with the burning. Those in the know tell us when brimstone burns all you see is black smoke; hence, no light from the fire. Second, it will be a bitter place fire the weeping that will be there. Third it is a place of agony so great that the gnashing of teeth means there will be such pain that man will be grinding his teeth together.
Revelation 20:14,15: "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." From this previous scripture may we once again take knowledge of the fact that the final state of unsaved man is an eternal separation from the Good Lord - never, never again having the opportunity to be saved.
Now briefly, in this life Jesus throws out the lifeline that if man will receive it, he will be saved.
What is the Lifeline? I John 1:7 reads: "And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." The Lifeline is the fact that Jesus died; paid a sin debt that man could not, that man could be saved.
John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but my me." Here Jesus plainly states if a person has any desire to escape the agonies, the pains, and the eternal sufferings of a devil's hell, Jesus is the way.
Dear friend, our good works is not the way to heaven. Isaiah 64:6: "And all our righteousness is as filthy rags." Good works will not save us.
Baptism will not save us. Baptism, according to the Bible, is an outward show of what Christ has done inwardly for us when we were saved. May we look at Rev. 1:5: "Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Sin-cleansing us a blood-washing through the blood of Jesus and not a water-washing.
Church membership does not save anyone. The church was commissioned to bear the Good News that Jesus Saves; was not commissioned to save.
HAVE YOU BEEN SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS ? If you have any questions about your need of salvation send us an e-mail or stop by at Adonai Missionary Baptist Church.
BECAUSE OF JESUS YOUR SOUL CONDITION IS OUR COMMISSION !
