THERE IS TRUE HOPE, IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE
I did not write this letter to you as one far away. That is, I am not writing this to you from somewhere in Beverly Hills, or some other town in Rich-Ville, USA. I am writing this as one who is your brother. I am in the trenches with you. I am from among you. I live where you live, emotionally, financially, and physically. When I see you suffering, I suffer. When you hurt, I hurt. I see you in pain and hopelessness. I see you, as you walk around high from drugs and alcohol. You stay in this condition because you don’t like how you feel when you are not. I have something that you need. Though, It might not seem that way initially, but you need to hear what I have to offer. It actually isn’t mine to give, nor is it mine to keep back from you. It is costly, but you can’t buy it. It can be all you ever really need, and all yours right now, if you want. What I offer to you, my brothers and sisters, is the knowledge of true salvation that comes from Jesus Christ alone. You see, salvation is not mine to give. No man can give it to you. But, I can give you the knowledge that you need to make the right decision so that you can obtain it for yourself.
What Say Ye?
Now, I know what most of you are saying to yourselves. There are Some that are saying, "I know Christ already, I go to Church ‘such-and-such’, where pastor ‘this-and-that’ preaches. He is the best preacher!" Others are saying, "I know people in Churches and you are the biggest hypocrites!" Yet, others are saying, "God knows my heart!"
To the person who feels that people in the church are the biggest liars, and hypocrites, we are. For that I am sorry. I apologize to everyone who has been hurt, and caused to go astray, by someone who professed a relationship with the Lord. The truth is, we are still human. The message of Christ and Him crucified, needs to always be larger than the messenger. I must always pale in comparison to His truth. So, no matter how many mistakes I make, His word always remains true. Simply because it is His word and we are saved by that, and no act of man. Even in my obedience, I can only be so, because of Him, and His spirit.
The truth is some of us are faking a relationship with the Lord. We say, " Praise the Lord" in service, and you watch us cuss so-and-so out. The truth is Jesus Christ is truth, regardless of how wrong or how right we are. Our hypocrisies, does not change who Christ is and what He did for us. The truth of it is, that our hypocrisies are still OUR shortcomings and sinfulness, and not the Lord’s, so stop using man as an excuse not to serve the Lord!
To the person who says, "God knows my heart," you are so very correct in that thought. Do you want to know what God says about it?
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.
And;
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Jesus also says these words;
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Simply put, what is on the inside of you, what is in your heart- is what will come forth. If you really loved Him, you would keep His ways, and seek to follow in His footsteps. If your Heart really belonged to God, then you would seek His ways and not your own. Our hearts, our ways and our righteousness are all as filthy rags.
Isa 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Without the redemption of Christ, there is nothing loving about us, or our hearts.
Narrow is the Gate and Narrow Is The Way
Repenting of our sins (being sorrowful, asking God’s forgiveness, and turning from them), accepting Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross for our sins, confession and baptism, is only the beginning of salvation.
Mat 7:14 because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
You see, there is a narrow (or straight) gate, and there is a narrow, (or straight) way (or path). Repentance, confession and baptism is the gate that leads to salvation. But, there is a way that is rarely spoken about that is described in scripture as being narrow, straight, hard, and few there be that find it. The Gospel of Matthew 24:13 says he that endures until the end, the same shall be saved, and yet we overlook these scriptures. That is the trick of the enemy. The devil does not care if you spend your days and nights in church. He does also! He does not care about your confessions. He does that also! Don’t take my word for it.
Mark 5:6-8
6. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7. And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
We find scriptures such as this through the Gospel, where the demons knew him.
Act 16:16-18 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."
18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
Even though this young lady was actually testifying that Paul was proclaiming the truth and the way of salvation, this was actually a demonic spirit, that was cast out as well.
Demons are but angels that rebelled, so they not only know him, but they knew him intimately. Do not think yourself high minded, because you have a knowledge of Christ.
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Knowledge of Christ, or even acknowledgment of him, is not all that God requires of us. So while it is the first step, it is not enough to insure our entrance into heaven. God requires our entire heart. He wants our heart, mind and soul (emotions)
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
I am in no way trying to add anything on to God’s grace and salvation. I am not preaching a "works" salvation! What I am saying, is that we must move on in our walk in Christ, from just a confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. There must be a constant surrendering of oneself to His Lordship!
You can have real hope, and real peace, only by abiding in Jesus Christ and having Him abide in you.
+Rev. Lewis