Saturday, November 16, 2024

"A THIEF, A RULER, AND YOU"


 The man is surely the most popular thief of all time. He has been the subject of countless sermons. He is the man upon whom millions have staked their salvation.

You may ask, "Why would anyone stake their salvation on a thief?" It is really kind of strange, but it is what many have done. The thief is the man in Luke 23:39-43. He died alongside of Jesus.

He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

There is no doubt about this man's eternal destiny. Jesus declared that the man would be with Him in Paradise. Saved! Case closed!

But why is this man popular? It is because of what he did not do. It is rather obvious that he did not come down from his cross to be baptized. And that's what folks are staking their salvation on! Jesus commanded baptism when He gave the great commission in Mark 16:16: "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved."

But it is objected that "The thief was not baptized to be saved; therefore, I don't need to be baptized to be saved. I want to be saved like the thief was saved."

Do you think that is the proper use of the story of the thief? If you do, I want you to think about another man--a rich young ruler. He is found in Matthew 19:16-22.

This ruler asked, "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" After discussing God's commands with him, Jesus told him, "Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven."

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I want to be saved according to what Jesus told this man"? Why does no one argue that way? Because it would mean giving up all their stuff!

However, to argue that you want to be saved according to what Jesus told the ruler makes every bit as much sense as arguing that you want to be saved like the thief.

THE FINAL WORD

There is something that is neglected in both cases mentioned above. It is the principle found in Mark 2:1-12. In this case of a paralyzed man who was healed by Jesus, you quickly learn that Jesus forgave the man's sins. 

The key to understanding cases like this is found in verse 10 where Jesus said "the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins." That's it. Jesus could forgive sin; while on earth He could forgive sin in any way He chose. He had the power!

But Jesus is not on earth today. He is in heaven. He still has power to forgive, but He forgives by means of the terms He gave in the great commission. You remember, don't you? ...that thing about "He who believes and is baptized..."?

Now, what about you? Don't make the mistake of staking your salvation on the thief, or the rich young ruler. Trust Jesus. Believe His word. Obey Him. He promises salvation to all who will follow Him ... all the way to the water!

Thursday, November 14, 2024

“IMPORTANCE OF DOCTRINE”


Doctrinal knowledge is the foundation of true religion. It is here asserted, not merely that doctrinal knowledge is of great importance in religion, that it enlightens, strengthens, and confirms the Christian in his duties and his hopes, but that it is the foundation of true religion, — that, without which the thing cannot exist, and all pretension to it is either delusion or hypocrisy. This will be sufficiently evident to every reader who candidly considers the following facts.

The duties of the Bible are founded upon its doctrines. What God has required his creatures to do, He has not arbitrarily required but required for good and sufficient reasons. These reasons are found in the doctrines which He has revealed. 

The duty of loving God is founded upon the doctrine that He is supremely good. If He was not a good Being, it could not be the duty of creatures to love Him. And if He was not the best of all beings, it could not be their duty to love Him supremely.

The duty of repentance is founded upon the doctrine that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If mankind are not sinners, they have nothing to repent of. And the question respecting the extent of their sinfulness, must obviously settle the question respecting the extent to which repentance is a duty.

The duty of faith in Christ depends upon the doctrine that he is the true Messiah. Unless He is, as He claims to be, the Son of God, unless He actually "made his soul an offering for sin," and unless "He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him," it cannot be the duty of perishing sinners to trust in Him as their Saviour.

The duty of submission to the will of God under trials, depends upon the doctrine that God governs the world in righteousness. If there is any event which takes place without His agency and in opposition to His wise and holy purposes, we cannot be under obligation to be reconciled to it. True submission to the will of God under trials, is nothing more or less than submission to these things, so far as the design and hand of God are in them.

It is generally agreed that prayer is a duty. But this cannot be a fact unless the doctrine of our dependence upon God is true. If there is any respect in which we are not dependent on God, in that respect it cannot be our duty to pray.

It is our duty to love our neighbor as ourselves, to love our enemies, to pray for them, and to do them all the good in our power. But all these duties are founded upon the doctrine of disinterested affection. If it is right, as some pretend, to make our own interest or pleasure the principal object of our regard, it cannot be our duty to love others as ourselves. If, as is often asserted, mankind is incapable of exercising a disinterested affection, it cannot be their duty to love their enemies; for it is impossible that a known enemy should be embraced by any other than a disinterested affection. 

Written in 1832: Anonymous