If some activity promises lots of money, or plenty of pleasure,
or superior mental and physical abilities, then many people today
would say "Go for it!" But because it offers what you want doesn't
mean the way that is suggested for you to get it must be OK!
Here are some things that promise pleasure, satisfaction or
prosperity but the Lord Jesus Christ condemned them: "..From
within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality,
theft, murder, adultery, greed…and folly. All these evils
come from inside and make a man ‘unclean'."
1*.
Jesus also said, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to
come, but woe to that person through whom they come." What about
the person who would "cause one of these little ones to sin"? Does
he deserve to be put in jail? Jesus said, "It would be better for
him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied round his
neck"! 2*.
It is very serious in God's sight for anyone to discourage
children from obeying and trusting their Creator and Saviour, Jesus
Christ. 3*.
Because Jesus calls every wickedness "sin", 4*. and sets a very high standard of living
for His followers, His true teachings are still not popular
today.
Jesus taught, "If your brother .. sins against you seven times in a
day, and seven times comes back to you and says, `I repent,'
forgive him." The disciples knew right away that only God could
make it possible for them to live like that. They said to the Lord,
"Increase our faith!" 5*.
What is faith? It is not just knowing something to be true.
"Faith without deeds is useless." 6*. For example, you might know all about
aeroplanes, but that is not having faith in one! If the
aeroplane is to be useful to you you would have to
put your faith into action and trust it to fly you to your
destination!
Of course it is not your faith that makes the aeroplane work, but
it by your act of faith that it becomes useful to you.
In a similar way, it is not your faith that makes salvation
possible. It is Jesus who made salvation possible when He
became one of us and willingly took our place and our punishment
for sin. It is only when YOU put your faith in Jesus as
your only Priest and Saviour that you will have, and enjoy,
the forgiveness Jesus offers.
The person who goes to someone else, or something else, to try
to get forgiveness shows his faith is NOT in Jesus! Your
faith is proved and made complete by what you do. 6*.
And it is not how big your faith is that counts, it is having your
faith in the right thing. Jesus taught that if your faith in God is
even "as small as a mustard seed.." 7*. it is enough to discover the power of God.
Although all true Christians living by faith have God working for
them, 8*. yet they
can only say of themselves, `We are unworthy servants; we have only
done our duty." 9*.
Read in Luke chapter 17, verses 1-10 and see that real faith works and is seen by what the believer
does.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Mark 7:21-23.
2Luke 17:1-2. Matthew
18:5-10.
3 Matthew 18:5,10.
Ecclesiastes 12:1. 2nd Timothy 3:15.
4 Luke 3:3. 7:37-49.
5 Luke 17:3-5.
6 James 2:20, 22.
7 Luke 17:6.
8 Romans 1:17.
9 Luke 17:10.
