The Five Facts of Life
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Copyright © 1994 James L. Melton
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You Are A Sinner
The first fact that you need to realize in life is that you are a natural-born sinner, a natural transgressor against God:
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.
“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10.
"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5.
Most people have the false idea that we all LEARN to be sinners as we grow older and are influenced by evil, but this isn't true. God's word declares that we are all sinners by nature. We are all transgressors against God.
You Are Going To Die
Death isn't a very popular subject, but it is certainly a very REAL subject. Sooner or later, your heart will beat for the last time, your loved ones will mourn over your passing, and your body will be laid to rest in a grave. It's a fact of life. People die, and the Bible tells us WHY:
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.
Why do people die? People die because people are SINNERS. Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden? It wasn't until AFTER they had sinned that they were subject unto death. God told them in Genesis 2:17 that they would "die" when they ate of the forbidden fruit. Before man had sinned, he was ABOVE death, not subject unto it. Today, however, we are all sinners, because we have all inheirted our sin nature from Adam. We must all die, just as Adam died (Genesis 5:5).
You Will Be Judged
God is the All-powerful Creator, the Supreme Commander of the Universe. He is in complete control of all people, places, and things, so no one should think it unreasonable that God intends to judge all men. We must all give account to our Maker.
"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.
It may be a terrifying thought, but it is still the truth: YOU will stand before God and you will be judged by Him. Every sin that you have ever committed will be revealed--EVERY SECRET SIN! You may have managed to hide many things from your fellow man, but you have hid NOTHING from God. He knows all things, and He will hold you accountable. You WILL be judged.
You Can't Save Yourself
When God judges this world, millions upon millions of people are going to be absolutely SHOCKED to find out that NO ONE--ABSOLUTELY NO ONE--was able to earn their way into Heaven. People have the false idea that they'll be permitted to enter Heaven as long as they "do more good works than bad." The word of God tells us just the opposite:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5.
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6.
The "good works" that you do are only good in YOUR eyes. In God's sight, you are a hopeless sinner, and your works are totally unacceptable. If you are counting on your own righteousness to save you, then you are setting yourself up for a very big disappointment.
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Romans 10:3-4.
The Bible clearly states that we are all cursed with sin, and that we are all totally incapable of earning our salvation by our own righteousness. Friend, unless your SINS are removed, God will NOT accept you. You are hopeless.
Your Only Hope Is the Lord Jesus Christ
When you are ready to accept the fact that you are a lost and dying sinner and that your "good works" are unacceptable to God, then you can begin to see your need for Jesus Christ. He came into this world to lay down His sinless life for YOU--to pay for your sins, because you couldn't. Jesus is your only hope for salvation. Only by receiving Him as your Savior can you enter the gates of Heaven. There is no other way.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
The Lord Jesus Christ has come and PAID for your sins by shedding His own Blood on Calvary. By receiving Him as your Savior, you can be WASHED from all your sins in His precious Blood (Rev. 1:5; Col. 1:14; Acts 20:28; I Pet. 1:18-19). Notice these important words from Romans 5:8-9:
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
Jesus PAID your way to Heaven for you! By receiving Him as your Savior, you will be receiving God's ONLY means of Salvation for you. Are you willing to forsake YOUR righteousness and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, your ONLY HOPE for Salvation? Romans 10:13 says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Are you willing to forsake your own righteousness, and ask Jesus Christ to save you? Why not pray right now and ask the Lord to come into your heart and cleanse you from all sin. He will save you just as He promised. That's a fact. Why not receive Him today? Tomorrow could be too late.
Seven Simple Things You Should Know about Salvation
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Copyright © 1994 James L. Melton
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"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Cor 11:3)
In the above portion of scripture the Apostle Paul expresses his concern about the fact that Satan is in the business of confusing people about the simple salvation that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible makes it clear that God has a very simple plan of salvation for lost sinners. Please keep reading...
Salvation Is Like Taking a Long Vacation
A vacation is a time when people QUIT WORKING and start resting. In Matthew 11:28-29, the Lord Jesus Christ says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
Salvation cannot be obtained by human works. The lost are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by works (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5; Rom. 4:5). No one can do enough works to be saved, for our righteousness is no good (Isa. 64:6). We must STOP working for our salvation and START RESTING in the finished work of Christ! Jesus said in John 19:30 that IT IS FINISHED. There is no more salvation work to be done, for the Lord Jesus Christ has completed it all! Friend, stop working and come to Jesus Christ to find rest for your soul.
Salvation Is Like Being Healed From A Disease
Jesus said in Matthew 9:12-13, "...They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Then we read in places like Romans 6:23, Romans 5:12, and James 1:15 that sin brings forth DEATH. So sin is a DEADLY disease. In fact, it is the most deadly disease of all, for it affects everyone. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Everyone has been plagued by the sin disease, and everyone needs to be cured by the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Salvation Is Like Quenching Your Thirst
In John 4:14 the Lord Jesus said these words: "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Receiving Christ as your Savior is like taking a refreshing drink of water when you are thirsty. You aren't satisfied until you've quenched your thirst, and the longer you have to wait worse your condition becomes!
Proverbs 25:25 says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." The far country is Heaven, and the good news is that Jesus Christ has shed His blood and died for your sins, was buried, and then rose again the third day for your justification (I Cor. 15:1-4). Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ can QUENCH your spiritual thirst!
Salvation Is Like Taking A Bath
Revelation 1:5 says that Jesus has WASHED Christians in His own blood; so, in God's eyes, an unsaved person is like a person who has NEVER HAD A BATH! On the outside you may look all nice and clean, but God isn't looking on the outside. I Samuel 16:7 tells us that "...the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Then Proverbs 30:12 says, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness." Friend, if you've never been really born-again, then you are a SINNER and you need to be WASHED from your sins in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Salvation Is Like Restoring a Relationship
We read in Colossians 1:21, "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled." A Christian is a person who was once God's enemy (James 4:4), but is now in good standing with God, for the relationship has been restored.
Every person born since the fall of Adam in Genesis chapter three has been born into this evil world with a fallen nature, a sin nature, which separates us from God and His heavenly family. We are all natural-born sinners, so there is a need for us to be RECONCILED to God. 2 Cor. 5:17-21. Notice what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 5:8-10: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
So being saved is like reconciling, or restoring a relationship.
Salvation Is Like Making A Fresh New Start
Have you ever made a real mess of things and wished you could just start all over? Salvation is like that. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." To be saved is to be BORN AGAIN, which starts a WHOLE NEW LIFE in Christ! Would you not like to throw away all the sins of your life and start over with a fresh clean slate? Through the Blood of Jesus Christ YOU CAN!
Salvation Is Like Getting Out Of Trouble
A sinner is not only an enemy of God, he is a CRIMINAL against God, and criminals must be punished. Justice demands it. The God of the Bible is a God of JUSTICE. He always does the right thing. This means that you, as a sinner, cannot go unpunished. The Bible says you will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15). In fact, John 3:18 says you are CONDEMNED ALREADY, if you have never been born again! Like a criminal on death row, you are waiting for your punishment. Your only hope is a PARDON, and you can only be pardoned by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Friend, would you like to be saved? Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Why not turn to Jesus Christ and trust Him to save you right now? Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, then find a Bible-believing church and speak with the Pastor about baptism and membership. Don't delay, for tomorrow may be too late.
How I Know I’m Going to Heaven
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Copyright © 1994 James L. Melton
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The Proclamation of God’s Word
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (I Jn. 5:13)
". . . . I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (II Tim. 1:12)
Are you going to Heaven or Hell? Do you know the answer right now, or are you waiting to find out after you die? Unfortunately, most people do NOT know the answer and are waiting to see how things turn out. People are living as though the Bible had never been written. People are living their lives in uncertainty, not considering the fact that God has spoken very clearly about their eternal destiny. What about you? Are you going to ignore God's word, or are you willing to take a few moments to see for yourself that God says it IS possible to KNOW your eternal destiny?
The Power of God’s Preservation
"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (I Pet. 1:5)
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philip. 1:6)
I know that I'm going to Heaven because GOD is preserving me. I'm not preserving my own Salvation. I wasn't saved by my good works (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 4:5), so I do not STAY saved by my good works. I am KEPT by the POWER OF GOD, not by my own power! God is able to keep me from falling (Jude 24), because I'm HIS child and I'm in the palm of HIS hand (Jn. 10:28-29). Ephesians 4:30 says that I have been SEALED by the Holy Spirit of God until the day of redemption! I'm not worried about losing my Salvation. I KNOW I'm going to Heaven because I'm being preserved by God's power.
The Promise of Eternal Security
"I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (Jn. 10:28)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (Jn. 3:16)
I know I'm going to Heaven because God has PROMISED eternal security to all who BELIEVE on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. To "believe" on Christ is to "receive" Christ, according to John 1:12. During the spring of 1979, I repented of my sins and received Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I had been lost in my sins, condemned to Hell forever (Jn. 3:18, 36). Then a man told me how I could be saved from my sins and from Hell by RECEIVING the Lord Jesus Christ. I received Christ, believing that HE ALONE could save me. I trusted in Him totally, for I knew that He was my only hope. I called upon Him to save me and He did (Rom. 10:13, 9-10). He brought me into God's family as a "son of God" (Jn. 1:12; I Jn. 3:2-3). I was a child of the devil, a child of wrath (Jn. 8:44; Eph. 2:2-3), but now I'm eternally secure as a child of God.
If I sin as a child of God, then my Heavenly Father will rebuke and chasten me , just as any good father would (Rev. 3:10; Heb. 12:4-8), but He will not condemn me with the world (I Cor. 11:32). God has promised His children ETERNAL SECURITY.
The Possession God Has Given His Saints
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (Jn. 5:24)
"He that hath the Son hath life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I Jn. 5:12)
I know I'm going to Heaven because God has already given me ETERNAL LIFE . I'm not waiting to receive eternal life-I ALREADY HAVE it as a present possession. Read the above verses carefully and see for yourself that eternal life is IN Jesus Christ, and that you can receive eternal life RIGHT NOW by receiving Christ right now!
When I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, God placed His Eternal Spirit within me and gave me Eternal Life. As a child of God, I'm still waiting to see Jesus, to enter Heaven, and to receive my new glorified body, but I'm NOT waiting to be saved. My soul IS saved, and I know I'm going to Heaven because God has given me Eternal Life.
The Perfection of God’s Saints
"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Heb. 10:14)
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Rom. 4:5-8)
Have you ever heard the expression "nobody's perfect"? That isn't true. In God's eyes, the SOULS of all His saints ARE perfect, because they have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation. Jesus shed His sinless blood to pay for my sins. He OFFERED Himself as a PAYMENT for my sin. He paid my sin debt because I couldn't. By receiving Him as my Saviour, I am also receiving the fact that He has PAID for my sins and that I can now REST in His finished work, because my sins are GONE! My soul (not my flesh) has been made PERFECT through the completed Blood Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I KNOW I'm going to Heaven!
What about you? Why not forsake your own self-righteousness right now and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Why live a life of uncertainty when you can KNOW your eternal destiny? Why not get it settled right now? Receive Christ today. Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Why not call upon the Lord to save you right now? You've seen the promises of scripture. Are you willing to CLAIM those promises by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ today? Tomorrow may be too late.
Friend, if you’ve received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, start looking for a Bible-believing church and speak with the Pastor about baptism, church membership, and how you can start serving God.
The Unknown Soldier
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Copyright © 2000 James L. Melton
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In Arlington National Cemetery rests the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb stands as a national memorial to the thousands of American soldiers who have died in war.
There are thousands of good men who have suffered and died in battle, only to be forgotten by their fellow countrymen. Over 400,000 soldiers lost their lives in World War II, but how many can you name? Over 33,000 men died in the Korean War, but how many can you name? Vietnam brought about the death of some 58,000 American soldiers. Can you name ten of them? Let’s face it: you can name more movie stars and sports figures than you can American soldiers.
The sad fact is that we, as Americans, have taken our freedom for granted with very little appreciation for those who have sacrificed so much, even their very lives, to ensure our liberty. The many thousands of unknown soldiers in our nation’s history will, for the most part, remain unknown. Life will go on, and most of the brave soldiers who have sacrificed for our freedom will be forgotten by most Americans.
However, friend, there is one soldier whom you cannot afford to forget. There is one soldier who suffered, bled, and died for you personally. That’s right. There is one soldier who spent thirty-three years on a foreign battlefield and then died just for you. This good soldier obeyed his orders, left his own home, completed his mission, and then laid down his honorable life just so you could be free.
Who is he? He’s the beloved Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus left his glorious home in heaven to come to this earth and die for your sins. He shed his blood and died to save you from a burning hell. Will you show your appreciation by placing your trust in him, or will you dishonor him by ignoring the great sacrifice that he made for you?
“Why,” you may ask, “did Jesus have to die for me?” He died for you because you are a sinner: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) You were born with a sin nature, just as all men are, so Jesus Christ came to REDEEM you from your fallen sinful condition. Satan is a thief who has led mankind into sin, death, and hell, but Jesus Christ came to lead men back to heaven.
Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus bled and died so that YOU could have ETERNAL LIFE. He was a good soldier indeed!
Now, please notice these inspired words from Romans 5:6-10: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Read it again, please. Friend, Jesus Christ was much more than a good soldier. A good soldier will die for other good men, but Jesus Christ died for his EMEMIES! You, as a sinner in this world, are an enemy of God (James 4:4; Col. 1:21), but Jesus still came and died for you! Jesus is a GREAT soldier! He’s the greatest soldier to ever live.
In fact, God the Father in heaven was so pleased with Jesus Christ that he RAISED him from the dead after three days in the tomb! The Bible says that “ . . . Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” (I Cor. 15:3-4)
Many soldiers have died for their country, but none have ever walked out on death. Jesus Christ came up from the grave - a victor over death - to offer eternal life to all who believe on him. He is now the CAPTAIN of our salvation (Heb. 2:10)! Jesus said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Rev. 1:18)
Do YOU want to walk out on death one day? Jesus Christ has the keys! Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE (John 14:6). Why not confess that you are a lost sinner and that you need a living Saviour today? Why not show your appreciation to the greatest Soldier to ever live by joining his army today? Why not turn your back on the devil and fight the good fight for Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” You cannot save yourself. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash your sins away: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Rom. 3:24-25) Friend, if you could earn your salvation, then Jesus came and died for NOTHING. If God wanted you to “do good” and earn your salvation, then he would have never sent his Son to pay for your sins!
Friend, just as a military victory can establish national freedom for millions of people, Christ’s victory over sin and death can establish SPIRITUAL freedom for you. Because of Jesus, your sins can be washed away and forgiven FOREVER! “. . . Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” (Rev. 1:5)
Why not make Jesus Christ YOUR Captain right now? Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Why not bow your head right now and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart and wash your sins away? You won’t find a better friend anywhere! He DIED for you, and he AROSE for you! Now he invites you to be his very own.
Will you call upon him today, or will you let him fade into the past like an unknown soldier? “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom. 10:13)
Get Baptized, Join the Church,
Live a Good Moral Life, and . . . You Will Burn Forever
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Copyright © 2000 James L. Melton
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No, friend, this is not a joke. God’s word declares that the very best you can do in life will NOT keep you out of a burning Hell! Psalm 39:5 says that “every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” Romans 3:10 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” God’s word never says once that you are supposed to do good things in order to go to Heaven. Sure a Christian should live a faithful and clean life before God, but NOT as a means of salvation. Over and over again God warns us that our human attempts to earn salvation will be rejected! The Bible says in Romans 10:3, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Friend, have YOU submitted yourself unto GOD’S RIGHT- EOUSNESS, or are you still trusting your own righteousness? The Bible says that YOUR righteousness is as FILTHY RAGS in the pure eyes of God! “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)
Friend, don’t fall for Satan’s lie! Don’t think for a minute that YOU can be “good enough” to please the Holy God of Glory! God will not accept ANY sin into His kingdom! All unrighteousness is sin (I John 5:17), and no unrighteous person will enter the kingdom of God. The Bible never says once that you will go to Heaven if your “good works” outweigh your “bad works.” The Devil told you that, not God. God will not accept ANY bad works. God is righteous, so He will accept only righteous people. Are you righteous?
You say, “No, I am not righteous.” If God was willing to MAKE YOU righteous, would you be interested? Would you be interested in FORSAKING your own righteousness and receiving God’s righteousness? If so, then keep reading.
Romans 4:5-8 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Read it again, please. According to what you’ve just read, God can impute (account) righteousness to you! That is, God can make you a sinless person in his sight! How? Keep reading!
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4) Did you see that? Jesus Christ is FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. That is, you can become righteous by believing on Christ. Now get this: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) How can you become righteous? You must BELIEVE to become righteous! You must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, instead of believing on yourself! Notice Acts 16:31: “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
If you could be saved by your own righteousness, then WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO COME AND DIE FOR YOU? No one is saved by their own righteousness. Jesus shed His sinless blood to wash your sins away and make you as white as snow, but YOU must make the decision to trust Him. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Wouldn’t you like to be sinless in God’s eyes? Wouldn’t you like to escape the damnation of Hell by being washed in the precious blood of Christ? “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:8-9) “ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14) “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14)
Friend, Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Why not forsake your own righteousness right now and ask God to wash YOU in the blood of Jesus Christ? He promised to make you as white as snow! Why not receive His precious gift right now? Pray in your own words and tell God that you know you are a sinner and you know that you deserve Hell. Tell Him that you fully believe Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again to be your Saviour. Ask Him to forgive your sins and make you His very own. You have God’s promise! Call upon Him today!
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please send for our free publication, The Best Church for You, at the printed address below.
“Why Should I Receive Christ?”
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Copyright © 1994 James L. Melton
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God Commands You to Do So
God is an all-knowing God, and He knows what is best for us all. He has never made an irresponsible decision, nor has He ever given an unjust command. God is always right--ALWAYS! So He is also right in commanding all men to REPENT of their sins. In Luke 13:3, the Lord Jesus Christ said, "...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." In Acts 17:30 we are told that God COMMANDS all men everywhere to REPENT. God's word states that we are all sinners by nature (Rom. 3:23; Psa. 51:5), and that we can only be cleansed from our sins by repenting of them (turning from them) and turning to Jesus Christ for Salvation:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
"Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6.
God sent His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus paid our sin debt for us. For us, He won the victory over SIN, DEATH, and HELL, and we can CLAIM that victory by RECEIVING Him as our Savior (John 1:12). God has no other Salvation plan. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven; so God COMMANDS us to repent of our sins and receive Christ as Savior. In II Corinthians 6:2, the Bible says that, "....now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." You should receive the Lord Jesus Christ RIGHT NOW, because God COMMANDS you to do so.
You Can Have A Purpose in Life
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." I Corinthians 6:20.
Once a person is saved, he becomes a CHILD OF GOD. He BELONGS to God, and his purpose in life is to SERVE God--to work toward fulfilling God's will on this earth. Jesus said, in Matthew 12:30, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." Right this moment, you are either on God's WINNING side, or you are on Satan's LOSING side. There is no middle ground. You are either fighting FOR the Lord, or you are fighting AGAINST the Lord. By humbling yourself and receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can actually JOIN God's great army and start fighting the good fight. You can become a soldier of Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2:3). You can have the inner joy of knowing that you're saved and that you are ON THE WINNING SIDE! Why, there is no greater honor in this world! You know, many people delight in joining up with various clubs and groups, but YOU can become a member of the greatest group ever! You can get saved and be a member of the BODY OF CHRIST! You can experience the honor of being a Blood-bought saint of God, and you can look forward to meeting the One Who made it all possible! Friend, you should receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, because in doing so, you will receive a PURPOSE for living!
You Can Start Getting Rich
Jesus said, in Matthew 6:19-20, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."
Friend, when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you can start laying up your treasure in Heaven. Basically speaking, when you receive Christ as your Savior, a new "bank account" is opened in Heaven in YOUR name, and the Lord makes regular deposits in that account as you faithfully serve Him. In Matthew 5:11-12, Jesus said to REJOICE when men revile you and persecute you for His sake, because GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN!
Imagine that! You may be dirt poor on this earth, but you can be RICH in Christ! You can have a very large "retirement account." God allows you to lay up treasure in Heaven which will endure forever. You can be RICH TOWARD GOD (Lk. 12:21), but not without Jesus Christ as your Savior. Without Jesus Christ, you are a loser. In eternity, you will have nothing, absolutely nothing, unless you receive Jesus Christ. You may have many things now, but in Hell you'll have NOTHING but pain and sorrow. Only in Christ can you have lasting possessions. Friend, you should receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, because then you can start getting rich.
You Can Escape Hell
In Matthew 25:41, Jesus Himself said that there is coming a day when He will say to the wicked, "....Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Revelation 20:15 says, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Then John 3:36 says that the "wrath of God" abides on everyone who does not have Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you RECEIVED Him as your personal Savior? Friend, without Jesus Christ, you will go to Hell and burn forever! You do not HAVE to, but without Christ you will. He has paid for your sins, and you can have peace with God THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST (Col. 1:20; Rom. 5:1). Ephesians 2:8-9 says that you can be saved by GRACE THROUGH FAITH, not by works. Romans 4:5 says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Friend, do you realize that you are a sinner, and that only Jesus Christ can save you? Do you realize that you must trust HIM ALONE to save you? If so, then why not call upon the Lord to save you RIGHT NOW. The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13). Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Pray and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart and wash away all your sins. The decision is your's, and remember, NOW is the accepted time.
“Smile, God Loves You:" The Biggest Lie Ever Told
Pocket Size Tract—Trifold
Copyright © 1999 James L. Melton
Suggested Donation: 4 cents each
“Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” (Isa. 30:8-11)
Like the Israelites in the above scripture, most people today only want to hear “smooth things” which are pleasing to the ear. The truth is fallen in the street (Isa. 59:14), while lies are promoted. How do crooked politicians win elections? By lying with SMOOTH WORDS! Satan’s first word in Genesis was POSITIVE (Gen. 3:1), so it remains true today that Satan has a POSITIVE message.
How many times have you heard the statement “God loves you” or “God loves everyone” or perhaps “Smile, God loves you?” A great many, right? Now, how many times have you went to God’s word and found confirmation for such statements? Are you sure the Bible says this, or have you just been taught this without scriptural proof?
Someone says, “This is silly. John 3:16 says that God loves the WHOLE WORLD!” No it doesn’t. John 3:16 says that God so LOVED the world (past tense) that He gave His only begotten Son. When the New Testament speaks of God’s love, it either speaks of His love for sinners in the PAST TENSE, or His love for Christians in the PRESENT TENSE. The New Testament does not say that God loves Christ rejecting sinners today.
You say, “But my preacher said that God loves everyone.” Does the Bible say this? Can you find it? The Bible clearly states that God loves some people while He hates others. If your preacher hasn’t told you this, then you should have a talk with him and ask him to consider God’s word:
Psalm 5:5: “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” Does this say that God loves workers of iniquity?
Psalm 11:5: “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.”
Did he say, “Smile, God loves you?”
Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
Proverbs 6:16-19: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
Revelation 3:19: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Is this not a clear indication that God only loves certain people? He said, “as many as I love” not “I love everyone.”
Friend, if you have not received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then please understand that your position before God is not that of a child whom the Father loves! You are a TARGET of God’s WRATH! John 3:36 says, “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.”
Psalm 7:11-12: “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.”
Everyone loves John 3:16, but consider John 3:18: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Friend, don’t fall for Satan’s lie! At Calvary, God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son for you, but you cannot enter into a love relationship with God until you come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. Being a human being doesn’t entitle you to God’s love. You must be a CHILD OF GOD. Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.” (John 3:3)
Romans 8:39 tells us WHERE to find God’s love: “...the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God’s love is IN JESUS CHRIST.
Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking, “So, what’s the point?” The point is that people are being given a false sense of security, thinking that God wouldn’t send them to hell because He LOVES them. In reality, God only loves those who are HIS. If you have not been born again, then you are still in your sins, and you are the object of God’s WRATH, not His love.
Friend, don't allow yourself to be led astray by believing the biggest lie ever told. You can only experience God’s love through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you've never received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, we urge you to do so right now. Turn from your sins and trust Christ alone to save you. God WANTS to love you! God INVITES you to come and be His own child!
Isaiah 1:18 says, "Come now, let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." All men are sinners and need to be cleansed from sin (Rom. 3:23), and that cleansing can only come through the precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:5; Col. 1:14).
Consider Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Your only way to Heaven is through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent of your sins (Luke 13:3) and trust Jesus Christ alone. Claim His promises and trust Him to save you while there's still time. Romans 10:13 says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Why not turn to Him right now? Tomorrow could be too late.
If you have been saved, find a good Bible-believing church and speak with the Pastor about baptism, membership, and how you can start serving God.
The World’s Most Deadly Disease
Pocket Size Tract—Trifold
Copyright © 1998 James L. Melton
Suggested Donation: 4 cents each
Are you familiar with the world's most dangerous disease? Have you taken the time to get the facts about the one disease which is doing more damage to mankind than cancer, heart disease, and A.I.D.S. combined? That's right. There is a disease in our society that infects and kills more people than any other disease in world history! Please keep reading...
The Disease Is Sin
You may never have thought of sin as a disease, but the Lord Jesus Christ DID speak of it as a disease. Jesus said, in Mark 2:17, ". . . They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." So, from God's viewpoint, sin IS a disease.
Sin Is a Universal Disease
There are over five billion people living on earth today, and each one has been infected with sin. The Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ' Galatians 3:22 says that "ALL" have been concluded under sin, and Romans 3:10 tells us that, ". . . There is none righteous, no, not one:" So, although you may not be infected with A.I.D.S. or cancer, you ARE infected with sin because the Bible concludes that we are ALL sinners.
Sin Is an Inherited Disease
You may be asking, "What did I do to deserve this disease? Why am I a sinner?" The Bible has the answer. Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" The Bible says that we were all BORN with a sin nature. David wrote in Psalm 51:5 that he was conceived in iniquity. We did not BECOME sinners by sinning. We became sinners by being born with a sin nature. Because of the sin of one man (Adam), we all inherit a sin nature when we are born into this world. Just as many children today are born with various diseases, we were all born with the sin disease, because we inherited it from Adam, the original human sinner.
Sin Is a Deadly Disease
Although sin is a universal disease and an inherited disease, it is most important to realize that sin is a DEADLY disease. Most people do not think of sin as being deadly, but according to the Bible, it is more deadly than any other illness in the world! Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." James 1:15 tells us that sin brings forth DEATH. People die because of sin. It was not God's original plan for anyone to die, but in choosing the way of sin, man also chose the way of death.
Sin Is a Disease of Bondage
Sin is a disease of bondage because physical death is only the beginning! The Bible speaks of a SECOND death called the "lake of fire" (Rev. 20:14-15), where all sinners will spend eternity being tormented for their sins. Jesus preached often about this place of torment. In fact, He preached more about Hell than about Heaven, because He doesn't want anyone to go there. As a sinner, you are in bondage to the law of sin and death, and you are already condemned to Hell (John 3:18). God is not waiting to determine your eternal destiny at some future date, because it has already been determined. If you ignore your sin disease, you will die and spend eternity in the lake of fire. Friend, if you had some physical illness which placed your life in danger, would you not seek help? Then why not seek help for your spiritual disease, the disease of sin?
There Is Only One Cure for The Sin Disease
You may be thinking, "This is not my fault! I didn't choose to be a sinner, so I should not be condemned to Hell!" You are absolutely right, and God doesn't want you to go to Hell. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, died and paid for your sins so that you could be saved from Hell. He paid for your sins because you could not. By believing on Christ as your personal Saviour, you can have your sins washed away through His sinless blood (Col. 1:14; Rev. 1:5; Rom. 5:9). Water Baptism cannot wash away your sins, for the Bible says that the blood of Jesus Christ washes away sin (Rev. 1:5). Baptism is important AFTER you have believed on Christ, after you have been saved, but it doesn't save anyone. The same can be said about church membership, tithing, praying, Bible reading, and witnessing . All of these good works are important once you are saved, but none of these can save you. Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Friend, you are infected with the world's most deadly disease--the SIN disease--and it is going to damn your soul to Hell forever, unless you take the cure. Just KNOWING ABOUT Jesus will not save you. You must take the cure. Are you going to take the cure by receiving Christ as your Saviour, or are you going to die in your sins and spend eternity in Hell? The choice is entirely your's. Why not pray right now and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart and cleanse you from all sin? We hope and pray that you will receive Christ while you still have the opportunity.
If you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then find a Bible-believing church and speak with the pastor about baptism, membership, and Christian service. If we can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Are You Washed in the Blood?
Pocket Size Tract—Trifold
Copyright © 1999 James L. Melton
Suggested Donation: 4 cents each
Friend, may I ask you a question? Are you 100% sure that you are not going to burn in hell forever? You know, most people think they’ll go to heaven because of their good works, their church membership, their baptism or some other human effort, but God’s word declares otherwise! “There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10), so God does not expect you to EARN your way to heaven. Sure God wants you to live a holy life, and sure he wants you involved in the work and worship of the church, but he never said once that such effort could SAVE anyone. These things have to do with SERVICE, not salvation.
So what DOES save a sinner? I would like for you to read very carefully as we study through several passages of scripture, because from the beginning of time God has been designing a master redemption plan.
First, let’s consider two verses from Genesis chapter three: “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (verse 7) Here we see Adam and Eve immediately after they had sinned against God. They were ashamed, so they covered their nakedness in FIG LEAVES. Did this please God? No, it did not. In verse twenty- one we read “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Why do you suppose God preferred animal skin over fig leaves? Their nakedness was covered either way, so why did God prefer the skins? There’s only one answer: THE BLOOD. No blood had to be shed to make aprons of fig leaves, but God had to kill an innocent animal, probably a lamb, in order to make coats of skins. This pictured the BLOOD of Jesus Christ that would one day be shed for the sin of the world. Revelation 13:8 speaks about “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” That is, the blood shed in the beginning (Genesis 3) pictures Jesus Christ dying on the cross for your sins.
Let’s go to Genesis chapter four. Cain and Able decided to offer a sacrifice to God. Cain offers of “the fruit of the ground” (verse 3) and Abel offers of “the firstlings of his flock” (verse 4). God accepts Abel’s offering, but he does not accept Cain’s offering. Why not? Surely Cain worked very hard in the fields for his crop. Why would God not be pleased with it? There was NO BLOOD shed with Cain’s offering. Abel offered an animal sacrifice, but Cain did not, so God refused his offering. The same is true today. God refuses to save anyone on the merits of their own good works or good intentions. “. . . without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb. 9:22)
Now let’s move over to Exodus chapter twelve. At this point God had just performed many miracles of judgment against Pharaoh and the Egyptians for enslaving and abusing the Jews, yet Pharaoh refused to release God’s people. So the final day has come. God will now strike the Egyptians with one final judgment. He says in Exodus 12:12, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” God is going to kill all the firstborn children in Egypt, as well as the firstborn beasts. To protect his own people, the Jews, God tells them to kill a lamb and put its blood “ . . . on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses . . . “ (verse 7). He then says, “ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you . . . “ (verse 13)
God did not say, “When I see your good works, or your church membership I will pass over you.” God said, “When I see THE BLOOD I will pass over you.” So it is today. God is looking for BLOOD. If you are covered by the BLOOD of Jesus Christ, then you are saved. If you are not under the BLOOD, then you are lost and on your way to Hell. Leviticus 17:11 says, “. . . it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
Now let’s come to the New Testament and see how the blood atonement finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Before Jesus appears publicly, John the Baptist is preaching to the Jews. Then one day John looks up and sees Jesus Christ. Do you know what he says? He doesn’t say, “Why, there’s Jesus!” He doesn’t say, “Behold, the Messiah!” He doesn’t even say, “Behold, the Son of God!” John takes one look at the Lord Jesus Christ and cries out, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The LAMB OF GOD! Friend, a lamb is for sacrifice! A BLOOD ATONEMENT! John was saying that Jesus would be sacrificed for the sin of the world.
In Matthew 26:28 Jesus said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Jesus shed his BLOOD for you!
Romans 3:23-25 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God . . .” Faith in what? He said you need to have faith in his BLOOD.
Romans 5:8-9 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. How are you justified? By the BLOOD of Jesus Christ!
Consider Revelation 1:5, “ . . . Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Friend, if you are saved, it is because you have been washed in the BLOOD of Jesus Christ. There is no other way to be saved from your sins and from hell.
Now consider Hebrews 9:14: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Would you like to know how YOU can come in contact with the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST and be washed from all your sins? It says THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT. If God’s Spirit is speaking to your heart about salvation, then the BLOOD of Jesus Christ is present and available to you RIGHT NOW. There is no other way to become a child of God and escape the damnation of hell. You must be born again (John 3:3) by God’s Spirit, and this can only be done by being washed in the BLOOD of Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Why not confess to God right now that you are a sinner, and ask him to wash you in the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. Claim his word and trust him today.
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