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SOME MESSAGES
Institute For Creation
Research (what honest
scientists are saying)
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Are you redeemed and assured of Heaven?
One can know. Study this page and the Feature pages listed to find answers, and then pray to God to show you. See the Gospel in Brief below on this page. .
Redemption speaks of being rescued (saved) and reconciled to God, who paid a great price for us; and it tells of great blessings in Christ, and eternal hope with Him and in His glorious reign as "King of kings, and Lord of lords".
Redemption Way is about heaven and hell; also salvation of the soul; assurance of eternal life; blessing; judgments; man's course; the Lord's sacrifice, kingdom reign, glory, and purposes, etc. Such papers are posted here at times. Contact the Site Manager for further information on these subjects.
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36)
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THE GOSPEL IN BRIEF
Understanding The Blessing
A Few Verses To Consider: God is holy (Psa.145:17), and no sin can come into His presence (Hab. 1:13). Man is born in sin so needs a new (spiritual) birth (Psa. 51:5; John 3; Rom.3; Rom. 5:12; Rom.10), and he must realize that (Lev. 10:10; I Cor. 2: 14; Eph. 2:3). Christ died for the un-godly (Rom.5: 6-8), rose again (I Cor. 15: 3-4), and if one truly believes on the Lord Jesus Christ he shall be saved from all sin (Acts 16: 27-34; Heb. 10:17- 23). There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus (Rom.8:1), and He that possesses the Son of God is sealed by the Holy Spirit and now possesses eternal life (John 3:16, 36; I John 5: 11-13). Isn't that nice to know? Does the reader truly know God's Son ---the Lord Jesus Christ? (John 17:3).
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REDEMPTION WAY:
Bible Counsel - Section B
An Impossible Thing
"It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted (clearly heard) of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit (being awakened by God ---'quickened' and learning of the truth of it), and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come (eternal issues), if they shall fall away (reject it), to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh (rebellion), and put Him to an open shame." - Hebrews 6:4-6.
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A songwriter has said: "If I gained the world but lost the Savior, were my life worth living for a day? Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort in the things that soon must pass away? If I gained the world but lost the Savior, would my gain be worth the toil and strife? Are all earthly treasures worth comparing with the gift of God, eternal life?" -Echoes Of Grace Hymn. The Word of God says: "...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.6:23).
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A Relationship With God
WHAT DOTH HINDER ME?
In Acts 8:36, the Ethiopian man said: "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" One who professes to believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only hope for man for eternity, ought to confess Him and be baptized to identify himself with Christ, and take his place as a disciple. A disciple is a follower, and that is the least one can do for mercy and blessing.
Joshua said to Israel: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Josh. 24:15), and Elijah said: "How long halt ye between two opinions"? (I Kings 18:21). The Lord Jesus said: "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father, which is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32). We read in Romans 10:8-10 that the word of faith is in our mouth and in our heart, and we need to believe and also confess Christ. Ordinances and rituals cannot save; neither can religious works. One should read all of Romans 10.
Now notice, we are talking about individual responsibility, and not only the work of redemption by the Holy Spirit. We are talking first about honoring God and obeying Him. See also Acts 8:12-16, which shows that confession and baptism, like circumcision for Israel, brings one into the sphere of mercy, blessing, and privilege here in this world; though not redemption and eternal life. The Israelite still had to offer sacrifices and worship for accept-ance by God. The follower (disciple) of Christ today still must possess the sacrifice (Christ Himself) for the new birth and eternal life. It is the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven (profession and privilege under the government of God), and the Kingdom of God (possession of the Christ of God and eternal life). One ought to understand this.
One might be stirred up about the things of God (as Acts 26:28) and might desire to be blessed of God. That one must be obedient to the Word and confess the Son, and one must not stop short of receiving Jesus Christ into their heart by faith for eternal life. Is one a possessor of Christ or only a professor of Christ? We cannot save ourselves, but we can come unto God and receive His Son (see Titus 3:5; I John 5:9-13). God will then bring that one into the Kingdom of God and make that one a "child of God" by the Holy Spirit.
Individual responsibility for salvation is to see from the Word of God that we are all sinners before a holy God and need to be saved, and see that Jesus Christ, God's Son, died on the cross for our sins; and then receive Him into the heart with thanksgiving. One also desires to make the point here of blessing for all honorable souls, who will seek to honor God through His Son.
We are not talking here about the so-called "second blessing" that certain Christians speak of. They believe one might be saved now if they stop sinning---called "sinless perfection"; then one needs "baptism of the Holy Spirit" for spiritual blessing in their lives, they say. There is no sinless perfection for man in the tabernacle of flesh (our bodies), and the Holy Spirit only baptized (overwhelmed) on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 at the founding of the church. Thereafter, believers are added to the church individually by the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit. For a "born again" believer there is no so-called “second blessing”. We are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). We only need to receive Him and live in the good of it.
At the judgment of this world, the so-called Christian nations will receive mercies for honoring the Lord (Matt.25, especially verse 32). God will honor them (nations and individuals) that honor Him (I Sam.2: 30), for He is the God of all creation (Ezek. 18:4). The world hopes for peace and goodwill among men, yet they do not seriously acknowledge God and receive His Word. That is the least they could do to enjoy peace in this scene ---yet they still need Christ to be “born again” for eternity. - R. L. DeWitt - 1/00; rev. 4/01
One will hear teaching and diverse ministry along our pathway from many sources . One should always test it by the Word of God (see John 5:39; Acts 17:11; II Tim.2:15; II Tim.3:16; Titus 1:9). Whether it is profitable often depends, too, on our state of soul. This paper is prepared with much care and prayer to be a help and honor the Lord. Comments and questions are welcome.
