The Lord’s Church
There is one other thing that concerns our salvation I would like for us to look at in the Bible. In response to Peter’s confession to Jesus in Matthew 16:16 that, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God". Jesus then says in Matthew 16:18, "On this rock I will build My church." To whom was this church to belong? "My" is possessive, which shows the church belongs to Jesus. How many churches did Jesus say He was going to build? He said He was going to build "My church", which is singular not plural. There is only one true church because the Lord only promised to build His one church. In the Bible the word "church" never refers to a material building, but to the people.
In Ephesians 4:4-6 there are seven ones listed: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Just as there is only one God and only one Lord we also see there is only one body. The Bible says there is only one body; so what is this one body? In Ephesians 1:21-22 we find out what this one body is, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body." Here we see the Bible says the church is the body. So if there is only one body and the one body is the church, then there can only be one church that belongs to the Lord. There is only one church in God's plan for saving man. One might as well believe in more than one God as to believe the Lord has more than one church. The one body, the one church, is not composed of any of the many differing denominations of our day.
In Colossians 1:18 in speaking of Christ, we read, "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He may have the preeminence." Here again we see the body (singular) is the church (singular). Again the Bible tells us the Lord has only one church. We also see that in all things Christ is to have the preeminence. For Christ to have the preeminence in all things, we must follow Christ in all things and not follow man. If we follow men in some things then Christ does not have the preeminence in all things.
Since Christ only built His one church, we need to ask from where did all these other churches come? The only answer is they were built by men, so men could "attend the church of their choice", and not God’s choice. We read in Ephesians 5:23, "Christ is the head of the church, and he is the savior of the body." Christ is only the saviour of His one body, His one church. He is going to only save His one church, the only one for which He died. One cannot be saved outside of the Lord's one church. If one is not in the Lord's one true church, he is lost.
We have seen in the Bible that the one body is the one church, which the Lord built. We have also seen that Christ has only promised to save His one body, His one church. What then is going to happen to the hundreds of different kinds of denominational churches we see in existence today? Again let us let God answer this question. In Matthew 15:13 Jesus said, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted." What will happen to all those churches God did not plant? They will be rooted up. This is what God has said He will do. This is frightening. I want to make sure I am in the Lord’s church, the only one He is going to save.
In Psalms 127:1 we read, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." No one has the right to start a church or religious organization that is different from the one Jesus built. But we see hundreds of different kinds of churches men have built, each with a different creed. Man did not build the Lord's church. We must recognize the difference between the church the Lord built and the many counterfeit churches men have built. What will happen to the people who are in the many different denominational churches? They will all be lost. If you are a member of a denomination then you are not in the saving body of Christ, and you will be lost. Why not be a member of the church that Jesus built, the church of Christ so you can go to heaven? This is a sad but serious situation; one that concerns me greatly and causes me much grief and sorrow to see honest people, who are honestly mistaken, laboring in vain. This is a supreme tragedy.
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Questions Lesson 22
The Lord's Church
(Part A)
(click on the button of the answer of your choice)
1) (Matthew 16:18) How many different churches did the Lord say he was going to build?
Many so we could attend the church of our choice.
More than 500.
My (possessive) Church (singular), in other words one.
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2) Christ built only His church.
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3) (Ephesians 4:4-6) There are how many bodies?
One.
One hundred.
One thousand
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4) The Lord has many bodies.
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5) (Ephesians 1:21-22) What is this one body?
There is not one body but many bodies.
All the different kinds of churches.
The (Lord's) Church.
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6) The Lord only has His one body, the church.
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7) (Colossians 1:18) Christ is the head of
The body, the church.
Many different kinds of churches.
No church.
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8) Christ is the head of all different kinds of churches.
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9) (Ephesians 5:23) Christ is going to save
His body which is His Church.
All the different religious bodies (churches).
No church.
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10) Christ is the Saviour of the church He established.
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11) (Matthew 15:13) Those plants (churches) which God has not planted
God will accept.
God will water and cultivate.
Shall be rooted up.
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12) Those who are in churches which God has not planted shall be lost.
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13) (Psalms 127:1) If the Lord has not built the house
They labor in vain who build it.
It doesn't matter if the Lord has not built it.
Those who labor in it are accepted.
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14) People labor in vain if they are in a house the Lord did not build.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Amazing Grace of The Joy of Jesus
Amazing Grace Lyrics
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
Prayer: We pray in the name of Jesus for all people to apprehend the Power of God and The Holy Spirit in the full Joy of Jesus,Forever. A-men...
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
Prayer: We pray in the name of Jesus for all people to apprehend the Power of God and The Holy Spirit in the full Joy of Jesus,Forever. A-men...
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Greatist Gift Scripture for Life
Ephesians 1
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus,[a] the faithful[b] in Christ Jesus:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Footnotes:
a.Ephesians 1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.
b.Ephesians 1:1 Or believers who are
c.Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. 5 He
d.Ephesians 1:9 Or us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he
e.Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs
f.Ephesians 1:17 Or a spirit
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus,[a] the faithful[b] in Christ Jesus:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Footnotes:
a.Ephesians 1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.
b.Ephesians 1:1 Or believers who are
c.Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. 5 He
d.Ephesians 1:9 Or us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he
e.Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs
f.Ephesians 1:17 Or a spirit
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Happy Father's Day The Joy of Jesus
The True Father:
The Lord's Prayer Words
(traditional)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
The Lord's Prayer Words
(traditional)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
Friday, June 18, 2010
God Never Fails
Psalm 136
God's Love Never Fails
1Praise the LORD! He is good.
God's love never fails.
2Praise the God of all gods.
God's love never fails.
3Praise the Lord of lords.
God's love never fails.
4Only God works great miracles. [a] God's love never fails.
5With wisdom he made the sky.
God's love never fails.
6The Lord stretched the earth
over the ocean.
God's love never fails.
7He made the bright lights
in the sky.
God's love never fails.
8He lets the sun rule each day.
God's love never fails.
9He lets the moon and the stars
rule each night.
God's love never fails.
10God struck down the first-born
in every Egyptian family.
God's love never fails.
11He rescued Israel from Egypt.
God's love never fails.
12God used his great strength
and his powerful arm.
God's love never fails.
13He split the Red Sea [b] apart. God's love never fails.
14The Lord brought Israel safely
through the sea.
God's love never fails.
15He destroyed the Egyptian king
and his army there.
God's love never fails.
16The Lord led his people
through the desert.
God's love never fails.
17Our God defeated mighty kings.
God's love never fails.
18And he killed famous kings.
God's love never fails.
19One of them was Sihon,
king of the Amorites.
God's love never fails.
20Another was King Og of Bashan.
God's love never fails.
21God took away their land.
God's love never fails.
22He gave their land to Israel,
the people who serve him.
God's love never fails.
23God saw the trouble we were in.
God's love never fails.
24He rescued us from our enemies.
God's love never fails.
25He gives food to all who live.
God's love never fails.
26Praise God in heaven!
God's love never fails.
Connovacation: Our prayer and faith is in the love of God in Christ Jesus is our complete Joy. We trust in God even during the most troubling times. We pray for you that your love will increase everyday by faith. Jesus gave His life on the cross, shed His blood for our sins. God raise Jesus from the grave. Jesus will return with all power, honor and glory to made all things right. This is our prayer in the names of Jesus. A-men
God's Love Never Fails
1Praise the LORD! He is good.
God's love never fails.
2Praise the God of all gods.
God's love never fails.
3Praise the Lord of lords.
God's love never fails.
4Only God works great miracles. [a] God's love never fails.
5With wisdom he made the sky.
God's love never fails.
6The Lord stretched the earth
over the ocean.
God's love never fails.
7He made the bright lights
in the sky.
God's love never fails.
8He lets the sun rule each day.
God's love never fails.
9He lets the moon and the stars
rule each night.
God's love never fails.
10God struck down the first-born
in every Egyptian family.
God's love never fails.
11He rescued Israel from Egypt.
God's love never fails.
12God used his great strength
and his powerful arm.
God's love never fails.
13He split the Red Sea [b] apart. God's love never fails.
14The Lord brought Israel safely
through the sea.
God's love never fails.
15He destroyed the Egyptian king
and his army there.
God's love never fails.
16The Lord led his people
through the desert.
God's love never fails.
17Our God defeated mighty kings.
God's love never fails.
18And he killed famous kings.
God's love never fails.
19One of them was Sihon,
king of the Amorites.
God's love never fails.
20Another was King Og of Bashan.
God's love never fails.
21God took away their land.
God's love never fails.
22He gave their land to Israel,
the people who serve him.
God's love never fails.
23God saw the trouble we were in.
God's love never fails.
24He rescued us from our enemies.
God's love never fails.
25He gives food to all who live.
God's love never fails.
26Praise God in heaven!
God's love never fails.
Connovacation: Our prayer and faith is in the love of God in Christ Jesus is our complete Joy. We trust in God even during the most troubling times. We pray for you that your love will increase everyday by faith. Jesus gave His life on the cross, shed His blood for our sins. God raise Jesus from the grave. Jesus will return with all power, honor and glory to made all things right. This is our prayer in the names of Jesus. A-men
Thursday, June 17, 2010
What a Friend we have in The Joy of Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Bible Study Today with The Joy of Jesus
Doing God’s Will
The Bible must be our only authority in religion if we want to please God and go to Heaven. People must give up all the various false doctrines that propagate the many different kinds of denominations and go back to only the Bible. There were no denominations in the New Testament times and there would be none today if only the Bible was taught and practiced. There would only be the Lord's one true church, the church of Christ.
How then do we make sure that we are among the few who are saved and not among the many who are lost? Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness". If you believe and call Jesus, "Lord, Lord", you are still lost if you have not done what God says. If we are not obeying God, we are practicing lawlessness. If we ever hope to go to heaven, we must do the will of the Father. This is the only way. Not the will of men, but God’s will. Not our own will, but God’s will. Just because we call Jesus our Lord, this will not save us.
We cannot go to Heaven by just calling Jesus, "Lord, Lord". Jesus says in the above scripture, on the Day of Judgment, many will be pleading with him, calling him Lord, Lord, and reminding him of the many wonderful works they had done in His name, but He will say unto them, "I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness". Why? Why? Because they had not done the will of the Father in heaven. Oh, they thought they had, but they hadn’t. They had done their own will or the will of men in their many differing denominations. This will be the worst thing that will ever be said to an individual, when the Lord on Judgment Day says to the majority of people, "I never knew you; depart from Me". The majority of people will be told this and be punished forever in Hell. There will be no appeal to this decision. There will be no second chance. We have to get it right the first time.
These people in the above scripture seemed to be honest, but they were honestly mistaken as the majority of people are today. The people seemed to be sincere. There will be many surprised but lost people on the Day of Judgment who thought that it doesn't really matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. To believe this is to believe a lie of Satan. If it doesn't matter what you believe, then it doesn't matter if you believe at all. Apparently many were good people, because they had "done many wonderful works". But they had not done the will of the Father who is in heaven. Man generally wants to do things his way and he doesn't really care what God thinks. We cannot obey God without doing what God says to do, when God says to do it, how God says to do it, and for the reason God says to do it. Nothing is more important than pleasing God by doing His will so that we can go to Heaven.
We learn from the above scripture, that we don't go to Heaven by doing the will of men, or by doing what we think is right. The only way we can go to Heaven is by doing the will of the Father, and that will is found right in our Bibles. Do we really know what the will of the Father is so that we can be sure of going to Heaven? This is too important a matter to assume we do know or to take someone else’s word for it. One must know what the will of God is before he can obey it. Do you really know what the Bible says that God wants us to do in order to be saved?
What must I do to be saved? This is a very important question. Many people would answer this question in many different ways. The many different denominations give many different and conflicting answers. Only God's way is correct. The Bible is the only reliable source we can go to for our answer, since it is our soul that will be lost if we follow man's advice. Our obedience to Christ is a very serious decision and must not be taken lightly. It must be on the Lord's terms as laid out in the scriptures and not on our terms.
We have already seen in Matthew 7:13-14, 21, only few will be saved, and many will be lost, and only those who do the will of the Father can go to Heaven. We read in 1 John 2:4, "He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." "A liar" is pretty strong language. A person is lying to himself and everyone else who says he knows and loves God, but does not keep God's commandments. We know that a liar cannot go to Heaven (Revelation 21:8).
We must do all of God's will, so that we can go to Heaven. There is no other way. We must do all of what God has commanded us. Our Lord says in Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” We must do all things God has commanded us. We cannot pick and choose and take a verse out of context but we must take all of what the Bible says. We cannot be pleasing to God by dreaming up our own plan of salvation as to how God is going to save us. We must follow His plan and only His plan if we expect Him to save us. Our salvation in Heaven is too great to lose, because if we don’t go to Heaven we will spend forever and ever in a burning Hell. Many people don’t really believe this, but they all will one day.
No single condition, that God imposes, can be ignored. God has no non-essential commands. When we don't obey a command of God, we have just broken it. Many people think that God will save them, no matter if they follow God's specific instructions on what they must do to be saved or not. We must obey God by doing what God says to do, when God says to do it, how God says to do it, and for the reason God says to do it. What then is God's will, so that we can go to Heaven and not have to endure eternal punishment forever and ever? We will find the answer in the Bible in the following lessons.
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Questions Lesson 9
Doing God's Will
(click on the button of the answer of your choice)
1) (Matthew 7:21) How do we go to heaven?
By doing our will.
By doing man's will.
By doing God's will.
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2) All who call Jesus their Lord will be saved.
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3) (Matthew 7:21) Those who call Jesus, Lord, Lord
Will all go to heaven.
Many of which will not go to heaven.
Will all be pleasing to the Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) On Judgment Day many will be vainly pleading with Jesus to be saved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) (Matthew 7:23) What is the worse thing one can hear on Judgment Day?
Welcome to heaven.
That heaven has no more room.
Depart, I never knew you.
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6) If we haven't done the will of God, we will not go to heaven even if we have done many good works.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) (1 John 2:4) If I say I know and love God, but I do not keep His commandments,
I am telling the truth.
I am a liar.
God will overlook it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) One is telling the truth if he says he loves and knows God but does not keep His commandments.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bible must be our only authority in religion if we want to please God and go to Heaven. People must give up all the various false doctrines that propagate the many different kinds of denominations and go back to only the Bible. There were no denominations in the New Testament times and there would be none today if only the Bible was taught and practiced. There would only be the Lord's one true church, the church of Christ.
How then do we make sure that we are among the few who are saved and not among the many who are lost? Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness". If you believe and call Jesus, "Lord, Lord", you are still lost if you have not done what God says. If we are not obeying God, we are practicing lawlessness. If we ever hope to go to heaven, we must do the will of the Father. This is the only way. Not the will of men, but God’s will. Not our own will, but God’s will. Just because we call Jesus our Lord, this will not save us.
We cannot go to Heaven by just calling Jesus, "Lord, Lord". Jesus says in the above scripture, on the Day of Judgment, many will be pleading with him, calling him Lord, Lord, and reminding him of the many wonderful works they had done in His name, but He will say unto them, "I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness". Why? Why? Because they had not done the will of the Father in heaven. Oh, they thought they had, but they hadn’t. They had done their own will or the will of men in their many differing denominations. This will be the worst thing that will ever be said to an individual, when the Lord on Judgment Day says to the majority of people, "I never knew you; depart from Me". The majority of people will be told this and be punished forever in Hell. There will be no appeal to this decision. There will be no second chance. We have to get it right the first time.
These people in the above scripture seemed to be honest, but they were honestly mistaken as the majority of people are today. The people seemed to be sincere. There will be many surprised but lost people on the Day of Judgment who thought that it doesn't really matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. To believe this is to believe a lie of Satan. If it doesn't matter what you believe, then it doesn't matter if you believe at all. Apparently many were good people, because they had "done many wonderful works". But they had not done the will of the Father who is in heaven. Man generally wants to do things his way and he doesn't really care what God thinks. We cannot obey God without doing what God says to do, when God says to do it, how God says to do it, and for the reason God says to do it. Nothing is more important than pleasing God by doing His will so that we can go to Heaven.
We learn from the above scripture, that we don't go to Heaven by doing the will of men, or by doing what we think is right. The only way we can go to Heaven is by doing the will of the Father, and that will is found right in our Bibles. Do we really know what the will of the Father is so that we can be sure of going to Heaven? This is too important a matter to assume we do know or to take someone else’s word for it. One must know what the will of God is before he can obey it. Do you really know what the Bible says that God wants us to do in order to be saved?
What must I do to be saved? This is a very important question. Many people would answer this question in many different ways. The many different denominations give many different and conflicting answers. Only God's way is correct. The Bible is the only reliable source we can go to for our answer, since it is our soul that will be lost if we follow man's advice. Our obedience to Christ is a very serious decision and must not be taken lightly. It must be on the Lord's terms as laid out in the scriptures and not on our terms.
We have already seen in Matthew 7:13-14, 21, only few will be saved, and many will be lost, and only those who do the will of the Father can go to Heaven. We read in 1 John 2:4, "He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." "A liar" is pretty strong language. A person is lying to himself and everyone else who says he knows and loves God, but does not keep God's commandments. We know that a liar cannot go to Heaven (Revelation 21:8).
We must do all of God's will, so that we can go to Heaven. There is no other way. We must do all of what God has commanded us. Our Lord says in Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” We must do all things God has commanded us. We cannot pick and choose and take a verse out of context but we must take all of what the Bible says. We cannot be pleasing to God by dreaming up our own plan of salvation as to how God is going to save us. We must follow His plan and only His plan if we expect Him to save us. Our salvation in Heaven is too great to lose, because if we don’t go to Heaven we will spend forever and ever in a burning Hell. Many people don’t really believe this, but they all will one day.
No single condition, that God imposes, can be ignored. God has no non-essential commands. When we don't obey a command of God, we have just broken it. Many people think that God will save them, no matter if they follow God's specific instructions on what they must do to be saved or not. We must obey God by doing what God says to do, when God says to do it, how God says to do it, and for the reason God says to do it. What then is God's will, so that we can go to Heaven and not have to endure eternal punishment forever and ever? We will find the answer in the Bible in the following lessons.
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Questions Lesson 9
Doing God's Will
(click on the button of the answer of your choice)
1) (Matthew 7:21) How do we go to heaven?
By doing our will.
By doing man's will.
By doing God's will.
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2) All who call Jesus their Lord will be saved.
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3) (Matthew 7:21) Those who call Jesus, Lord, Lord
Will all go to heaven.
Many of which will not go to heaven.
Will all be pleasing to the Lord.
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4) On Judgment Day many will be vainly pleading with Jesus to be saved.
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5) (Matthew 7:23) What is the worse thing one can hear on Judgment Day?
Welcome to heaven.
That heaven has no more room.
Depart, I never knew you.
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6) If we haven't done the will of God, we will not go to heaven even if we have done many good works.
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7) (1 John 2:4) If I say I know and love God, but I do not keep His commandments,
I am telling the truth.
I am a liar.
God will overlook it.
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8) One is telling the truth if he says he loves and knows God but does not keep His commandments.
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