Topic: IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK, BUT WHAT HE SAYS
Bible Reading: Matthew 3:1-10.
Salvation, New life in Christ is not about what you think of it, but what God said about it. It is not something you should assume but what you must be assured of. If you're born again you must be sure of it, and don't assume you're when actually you're not. John the Baptist was preaching message of repentance from sin, and the people of Jerusalem, Judea and all regions around them were touched and they came repenting of their sins and to be baptized of him. Then also came the Pharisees and Saducees to be baptized of John, but they were not ready for any repentance. They assumed that since they are the seeds of Abraham, they need no repentance, that repentance is for the gentiles. But John, confronted them, to make them know that salvation is not what they think but what God said it is. Verse 9 John said "....think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham........". Anytime you have an opinion in your mind contrary to the truth, anytime you meet with truth, that thing in your mind will be your point of excuse. The problem of Pharisees and Sadducees was that they personally have a measurement of their own on what salvation is, different from what God says it is. They believe being the children of Abraham cannot be a sinner, but are cleansed by their righteous deeds and religious rights. This is a deception that goes on in many people today, who have an assumption of what salvation in Christ is, or what being born again is, without finding out what God says about it. Such people always find an excuse to give in other to silence their conscience when they are confronted with truth about being born again genuine experience. You must know that genuine repentance must be seen first in the fruits you are bringing out, and not from what you think you are, by the virtue of position you occupied or things you do in your church. Jesus said by their fruits you shall know them, not by their title, nor their churches.
Therefore, I challenge you today, as Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Corinthian church, in 2 Conrithians 13:5 "EXAMINE YOUSELVES, whether ye be in the faith; PROVE YOUR OWN SELF. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" Don't wait until God has to examine you, that might be too late for you to change, or it might bring a major confrontation between you and the divinity. But when you examine yourself based on what the word of God says about new life, faith that is genuine in Christ. If you do not meet the set standards of the scriptures then is not a life that will be accepted by heaven. Don't based your Christian life on what you think it is, or what people say it is, rather it should be based on what God says new life in Christ is. If your life does not reflect the new life you claim to have in Christ, the simple truth is that you don't have that life. You don't have to fake it, do the right thing and get the genuine salvation. God bless you.
Prayer Point: Pray that God will show you areas of your lives, that need adjustment so as to meet expectations of heaven.
( Courtesy of THE PRECEPTS SEEKERS CHURCH INT'L. Email: pastoryomieniola@gmail.com, phone: +234 806 755 0234
