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Letter of Introduction (Continued)  The words and phrases such as 'saved, saving your soul, born again christian, etc...' are generally spoken in the form of mockery, made fun of and thrown around as comical expressions in the world. However, there are some people who actually have respect for this subject, knowing in their hearts that there must be more to life than what they do day in and day out and wonder what will happen to them when they die. I recently worked with a man who said to me, "There has to be more to life than this." When we were born we were created with the acknowledgement of God's existence... through creation itself, somehow knowing in our conscience that there is a God and that He is a personal God and somehow know that we need Him. Unfortunately, many people while growing older have calloused this conscious awareness of God's existence to the point they hate God and feel no need for Him in their life. I am with people every day who hate God, curse Him and hate anyone who tries to talk to them about the salvation of their soul and where they are going after they die. Some have become so calloused to the point they claim they do not believe in God at all but then they use God's name in vain. What a contradiction! But I know some of you have avoided callousing your conscience and can still feel the need for God, knowing that you are in bondage to sin and feel the need to be free from sinful addiction. In reality, it is younger people who are not generally interested in the subject about their soul's salvation and/or what will happen to them when they die. Usually it is the elderly or those who have an incurable disease or have a loved one who is dying of cancer or some terminal life-threatening disease who seem to get somewhat interested in this subject. If you are young and think like I did when I was young - that I'd live forever, you might continue to read on through this letter anyway. Depending on how you look at age I was 49 years old when I had my heart attack. That is not really old, you know... to have a heart attack. I recently worked with a man who said to me, "The world can go to hell in a handbasket for all I care". I know not everyone feels this way but many do. In another occasion many years ago, I once knew a woman who told me; "Wayne, I have friends in both places (meaning hell and Heaven) and it really does not matter to me which place I end up". These kind of people most likely will never be interested in what happens to them after this life is over but for those of you who receive this letter and are even partly interested in this subject, this will be of some eternal value for you. I have been asked to write about future events relating to Bible prophecy. I will get to that subject later but for now I want you to read this. If you think you are saved but not really sure or if you have no clue as to what 'saved' means or what it is to be 'saved', then I would suggest that you read this website in its entirety. Since most folk do not take the time nor have the desire to look Bible verses up I will bring them to you! When Nicodemus came secretly to Jesus at night to ask Him something, knowing that He was someone uniquely special, Jesus responded by saying; "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "But", said Nicodemus, "how can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You may hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. "You are a teacher of Israel," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of Heavenly things? No one has ever gone into Heaven except the one who came from Heaven- the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because He has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:3-21 What Jesus said here is the meat of the whole issue about being 'saved'. If you do not feel the need for God and to have a personal relationship with Him then you will not understand what He said here. If you are seeking God He will help you to understand. Let me clear up some of my own word usages in this study now. When I refer to Jesus I'm referring to Him as God for He is God. When I refer to 'the world' I am referring to people who are not saved. In God's eyes there are only 2 classes of people - the saved and the unsaved. As to which category we are in is all that will matter when we die. When I refer to a person who is 'saved' I also mean 'born again christian'. The term 'christian' is a totally misunderstood word. Ironically, most christians actually do not understand it. The term christian means, follower of Christ. It does not mean perfection or to be perfect, sinless, holy, without fault and blameless...it means that a person has been saved from eternal hell and saved from living in sin, a life contrary to what God desires for us. "Saved" is another term that unlearned people laugh at and make fun of. Jesus went around healing people that were sick and delivered them from demonic spirits - (demons which inhabited some people physically back then as they do today) Jesus also taught the people about Himself saying in John 14:6-12; " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said, ' Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.' Jesus answered, 'Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?' Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father." Those who heard Jesus teach this and believed Him for what He said about Himself, later came to be known as 'christians'. "... The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch." Acts 11:26 The difference between people who are 'saved' and people who are 'unsaved' is that people who are 'saved' are people who choose to believe Jesus and what He claimed about Himself and people who are 'unsaved' are people who choose not to believe what Jesus claimed about Himself. | |
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