Lowell Sallee
07/13/15
(Join us this coming Sunday afternoon for our Summer Series. Lowell Sallee, of Anderson, Alabama, will present a lesson entitled "Our Relationship With Our Enemies." This is a part of the overall series' theme "Christian Relationships as Seen in Christ.)
The Gospel of Matthew records, "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am...And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13, 16). Later, on the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter said, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). Jesus is both Lord, having all authority, and Christ, man's only means of salvation. Who do you say Jesus is?
The atheist says Jesus was just a man, nothing more. The atheist does not accept Jesus as the Saviour or as his standard of authority. The atheist denies the very existence of an all powerful and loving Saviour. The Creator of all things says, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psalms 14:1). On that Great Day, the atheist will meet the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who rules the universe and is the giver of Life Eternal "unto all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9).
Denominational preachers love to "talk" about Jesus as their Saviour, even pleading for others to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour", yet these same preachers do not except Jesus as "all authority" (Matthew 28:18). Someone may ask, "Preacher how do you know that?" Friend, just listen to your denominational preacher and then compare that with what Jesus Christ says! Denominational preachers say, "Faith alone with save you, just believe", when God says, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and NOT BY FAITH ONLY (emp LS)" (James 2:24). Denominational preachers say, "You don't have to be baptized to be saved", but Jesus Christ says, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED (emp LS) shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16). My friend, if you are to accept Jesus Christ, you MUST accept Him as your Saviour AND your Lord (authority). Let us OBEY our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so as to be saved!
Many of my brethren in Christ will sing, "Oh how I love Jesus", "Jesus is my everything", and "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know" and yet REFUSE to obey Him as their Lord. My friend, the Lord will not save you eternally unless you repent and obey ALL the Lord's commands! Jesus asks, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say" (Luke 6:46)?
I want to go to heaven when I die and I hope and pray that you do too. If we are to be saved eternally, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).