I was journaling and heard this, That going to church raising your hand, reading the Bible, and tithing is not salvation. Most people are paying for their salvation thinking that if they volunteer and pay their tithe to the church they are going to means that they are saved. And, no…salvation isn’t free, in the sense that it cost Jesus his life. He paid the price in full so that we could be reconciled to His Father, God.
Why did Jesus say enter through the narrow gate, for the road or gate is wide that leads to destruction and many enter through it, in Matthew 7:13? Many people think that it is easy to do and are told that if you raise your hand you are saved. But it isn’t. The message I heard from God was that just doing devotions, reading the Bible, and tithing isn’t salvation. LIVING out the truths of God, His laws decrees and commandments is true salvation.
When Christ our Lord sacrificed his life, it wasn’t so that we could sit back and relax and say that it is finished because Jesus said it was. That finished or paid in full, was his sacrifice. He made a way for us to return to the Father. To come back into His love and grace. And to live by His laws. I see so many people who think they are saved. They are merely going through the motions and not truly living the way God wants them to live. This isn’t salvation. Love does not hurt others, love doesn’t lie to others. Love doesn’t betray or commit adultery. Love doesn’t steal from others. Love heals, love is faithful, love is patient and long-suffering. There is so much that is captured in the concept of love that we aren’t doing on a daily basis.
Our work is to believe God and obey His commandments. And it isn’t as easy as read the Bible and tithe.
The disciples heard Jesus talk about the rich not being able to enter the kingdom of heaven and said it is hard, who can enter heaven then. Jesus told them through God nothing is impossible. God doesn’t need our money, but the pastor does, and we give to support their ministry. So although giving to support is important to carry on the sharing of the gospel, it isn’t what God thinks is important to our salvation. It is believing in Jesus and that he died on the cross as the Lamb of God, and was risen on the third day. It is being sorry for our sins and living a life that honors God. He doesn’t want a liar to continue to lie, or.a thief to continue to steal, or an adulterous to continue in adultery.
Do you want to be saved, it is truly doing love, it is truly having a repentant heart, saying sorry when we hurt someone, doing our best to right the wrongs that we did in life, and trusting that God’s grace covers the things we can’t repay.
Lord, I pray that your sheep will know your voice, and live by the truths in the Bible not just read it or even memorize it. I pray that they will have truly repentant hearts. Full of your love and kindness. I pray for your grace to cover them. Jesus paid a tremendous price for love. I pray that they will take it to heart how much He loved them and wants them to turn away from sin. Just love one another, amen. Thank you Jesus for loving us and going through the suffering and the cross for us. Forgive us of our sins. Thank you Lord Jesus, amen.