Back To The Basics: Sin

Sometimes it is necessary to revisit basic principles.  We get so involved in being deep thinkers and speakers that we leave out some basic things.  When I coach sports I always hammer basic fundamentals.  Today, we are trying to avoid the basics of sin by changing the name of it.  We avoid calling it sin, so we call it "freedom of choice" or "alternate lifestyle" or "convenience" and in doing that we change the word grace to fit our new look at sin.  We change the word grace to "free pass."  That leaves us with a free pass to a freedom of choice or an alternate lifestyle or to live conveniently.  Today, I want to point out that we can change the names of many terms but we are doing that because we do not understand the basics of sin, like where sin started, what it is, etc..  I read a quote and I thought it was very relevant to this subject and it goes like this, "I covet no phraseology that lends respectability to sin.  The sorest injury we can do a man is to lighten his conception of the enormity of sin."~J.H. Howet  I must add here that we can't sugar coat sin, but we can and should expose it as loving as possible!  Remember, a liar is as evil as a raping murderer in the eyes of God.  You don't have to burn down the place the congregation gathers to be a sinner.

Sin started in the Garden of Eden.  Mankind became a sinner because they heard, believed, and obeyed a lie that was preached to them by Satan through the serpent. Gen 3:1-8  Eve was deceived because the lies that were preached to her was mixed with some truth.  That is happening today as well.  Except Satan is using well dressed, articulate, and intelligent men and women to preach his lies mixed with truth.  Adam and Eve were given a simple and plain command that they chose to disobey.  That disobedience brought sin into the world.  Which brought death, or separation from God, into the world. Gen 2:17   

Let's look at a few words that are translated sin to understand what sin is.  First, sin is lawlessness.  One word translated lawlessness means to break, violate, or reject God's law. Sin is to be in opposition of and disregard God's law. 1Jn 3:4  This is exactly what we see in the actions of Adam and Eve.  Remember there was only one tree forbidden tree in that entire garden.  The command was simple and clear "you shall not eat."  You have to hire someone to help you misunderstand that!  God provided a way for them to be saved forever in the tree of life, but He also allowed Adam and Eve to have the freedom of choice: loyalty or disloyalty, obedience or disobedience, life or death.  He is doing the same today.  He has provided a way for us to be saved forever through Jesus Christ, but He is allowing us to choose from the same choices.  This test of loyalty definitely didn't cause the disloyalty.  This test of obedience didn't cause the disobedience.  The disloyalty and disobedience came from a rebellion of Adam and Eve that started in their hearts!  The eating of that fruit, or disloyalty and disobedience, was just a display  of what is their hearts.  

Second, sin is a transgression of God's law.  This word that is translated transgression means to go over or beyond God's law. It is disregarding the boundaries between right and wrong.  This is the word that the elder brother of the prodigal son uses when he is voicing his complaint to his father. Lk 15:29  This is what we do when we try to change the meaning of the grace.  

Third, sin is missing the mark.  The word translated sin literally means a missing of the mark.  Vine's says this word sin is an inward element producing acts.  That is why I say Adam and Eve's sin started in their hearts.  The mark that is missed is God's mark.  All mankind has missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God. Rom 3:23  

I read one time, I believe it was Barclay, and he was discussing the difference between sins of commission and sins of omission.  I want you to know that sin is not just avoiding the wrong, but it is also not doing the right!  We can avoid all the bad and never do any good!  That is just as sinful as doing the bad and wrong in God's eyes!  James says as much in Jas 4:17  

Sin is selfish and that is its essential principle.  The chief characteristic of love is giving.  No matter what it cost ourselves.  The chief characteristic of sin is the exact opposite.  It is getting, no matter what it costs others.  Sin is very alluring.  It has an appealing characteristic to it.  It is very charming and fascinating because it is filled with pleasure.  Often times sin can feel great.  That pleasure may be short lived but is still alluring.  It makes me think of a bug zapper.  I can never figure out how so many bugs fly into that light to their death.  That light is so alluring to bugs that just can't resist.  I would look around see all my dead buddies and say, "Forget this.  I'm outta here!"  Really...   I look around and see my buddies now filled with sin and far too often I fail to say, "Forget this.  I'm outta here."  The biggest reason is because sin is also deceitful.  Sin shows off all its pleasure but disguises its pain, shame, and consequences.  That is exactly what Satan did to Eve!  He listed all the advantages but disguised the consequences and pain of sin.  Satan is a barter, who bargains with things he doesn't have!  That is what he tried with Jesus. Mt 4:1-11  Satan wants us to think of sin as something beautiful and pleasureful.  The beer commercials do the same thing today.  Their product will cause you to do dumb and costly things.  It will make you extremely sick.  It will cause to loose memories of what you did.  It could even kill you.  Yet, their commercials never communicate that.  All we see is fun, pleasure, and beautiful people. If we are not careful sin will make us its slave.  Rom 6:16  

Sin separates us from God. Isa 59:2  It brings suffering.  Eve suffered in childbearing, Adam suffered in labor, the earth suffered in what it produced, and Satan suffered with his head being crushed.  Everything and anything suffers when sin enters the picture!  Sin also brings death, both physical and spiritual.  It may have took over 900 years for Adam's resulting death from sin to catch him, but it did.  Cemeteries all over the place are a reminder that sin resulted in a physical death.  Paul reminds us of the spiritual death that sin produces.  2Th 1:7-9  

Thank you Lord for providing a cure from this sin in Jesus Christ! Rom 5:8-12

He died for our sins, by His wounds we are healed, and He destroyed death and brought life! 1Co 15:3; 1Pe 2:24; 2Ti 1:10  Thank you Jesus!  His blood provides our redemption and forgiveness in accordance with God's grace. Eph 1:7

The cure is provided all we must do is partake.  Antibiotics can't help you if you do not take them.  Christ can't help if you do not obey Him.  Obedience to the Gospel is a must.  God did His part and now we must do ours.  Those at Pentecost understood this and asked, "What should we do?"  Saul understood this and said, "What will you have me do?"  Today, are you ready to let go of sin in your life that is separating you from God and ask the same question as Saul and those at Pentecost?  Sin is not an alternate lifestyle or permissible due to convenience.  It is separating you from God and eternity with Him.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22   

Are You Ready To Escape?

Heb 2:1-3

I find this text as a very sobering one.  It is a strong reminder that we far too often overlook.  Two key words in these few verses, specifically verse one, in the Greek are prosecho (pay much closer attention) and pararheo (drift away).  Vine's defines these words as relating to a nautical sense.  These words literally illustrate a ship "drifting away" or passing by its port because the captain didn't "pay close enough attention" to his course.  How many Christians let the Word drift away due to a lack of diligence?  They will miss their port when it comes time to dock their ship!!  Christians should not allow their lives to drift away from the Word in any situation.  Our first duty is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. Mt 6:33  How many people drift away from that on Sunday afternoon, let alone all week long?  Do we daily fear God and strive to keep His commandments? Ecc 12:13   Are we really counting all things loss to gain Christ?   Phi 3:7,8  Brethren, I fear too many are drifting away from the port and don't even realize it.  

Think of a Christian as a ship.  Many are drifting away because they are not properly anchored.  Christ is our anchor!  Therefore, the strong tides of this world (temptations) are pulling them away.  We lack the care and diligence of strengthening the chain that attaches us to that anchor.  The chain is the study and practice of the Word of God.  We are becoming very negligent in this matter.  The tide pulls, the weak chain breaks, and the ship is now pulled away from the anchor.  The world pulls and the Christian who is NOT diligently studying and putting into practice the Word of God WILL BE SEPARATED FROM CHRIST!  

Have you ever floated on a tube, raft, or boat on a body of water, other than a moving stream?  If you have, did you notice you was drifting?  Probably not!  That is how the author of Hebrews is describing apostasy here.  Often times people do not boldly turn from Christianity, though some do.  Most people slowly drift away. Similar to drifting away on a body of water, the Christian is far away from the starting point.  They have slowly drifted away and when they realize they have drifted, they have no clue where they are.  That is a lost soul my friends.  Many invisible, underwater currents (false teachers) pull away the drifting object (Christians).  

Verse two is as equally sobering as verse one.  Two truths are mentioned concerning the peril of drifting away.  First, is the steadfastness of the Word of God.  The Word is not able to be altered.  What is being said here is the Word of God is sacred and binding.  The Word is not to be despised or neglected.  Many people in the past have paid a hefty consequence for doing these things.  Which takes us to the second truth.   

The second truth is "every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty."  The Sabbath breaker was stoned, a generation of people died in the wilderness from disbelief and lack of trust, and even Moses was not allowed to enter the promise land for disobedience.  WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS TODAY BE ANY DIFFERENT?  Oh yea, we try to abuse God's grace!  You see, transgression is sinning when we know it is a sin, or practicing sin. 1Jn 3:4   Disobedience is refusal to comply with a command.  Jas 4:17  I can't remember where I learned it but I heard it taught like this: transgression is sin of commission and disobedience is sin of omission.  Nevertheless, both classes of sin will receive a just penalty or consequence.  The only way to have that penalty removed or be pardoned is to be anchored to Christ by submission and commission to his Word, Will, and Way!  Consider how Peter mentions the penalty received by those who sinned and how God rescues His submissive and obedient godly people in 2Pe 2:4-9.  

The most sobering of all is verse three.  It ties in the drifting Christian and the sinners consequences.  We can't escape the coming consequences where disobedience of the Word of God is involved.  The most awful consequences awaits the souls that through disbelief (Mk 16:16), neglect (Mt 7:26), and disobedience (2Th 1:8; Rom 2:8) fails to heed God's message through His son.  

A book can be a great teaching tool, but it is useless if it's not opened.  The sun drives out darkness, but we can't see unless we open our eyes.  Medicine can heal you, but only if you take it out of the bottle and apply it!  So it is with Christianity.  Christ did his part and now it is up to us to obey.  Heb 5:8-9    I have blogged on this before.      

How many people reading this will neglect to heed its message.  Neglect will condemn many people at judgment day.  Peter asks about those who neglect to obey in 1Pe 4:17 The answer to that question is found in 2Th 1:7-9  Consider the one talent person.  It was neglect that brought forth his condemnation. Mt 25:24-30  Neglecting to obey the command of loving one another by neglecting to meet their needs will have many "go away into eternal punishment." Mt 25:41-46

I know many of you may be thinking this is the type of teaching that drives people away.  Chad needs to just share how much God loves us.  I believe you already know how much God loves you because he sent His son.  Many people need to hear the warning of not heeding what His son said!  There are too many people in the world that are like Felix!  People are waiting for a better time to respond to the Gospel or will not finish reading this because they are frightened by the possible outcome, but this is the type of message that needs to shared.  See what Felix said in Acts 24:24,25  

Today, are you heeding and obeying the Word of God?  The author of Hebrews said, "...how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"  Are you ready to escape?  Don't neglect the call of God through His son!  Listen and obey the Word of God.  Let right now be the acceptable time.  Let today be a day of salvation! 2Co 6:2

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22        

Not Biblical Illiteracy, But Biblical Laziness

Dt 6:4-9

I read a great article this morning.  It was called "The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It's Our Problem" and I really enjoyed it.  Now enjoying something and being in 100% agreement are two different things.  As Jackie Chan said in the Karate Kid, "Being still and doing nothing are two very different things."  I often try to avoid the phrase "Biblical Illiteracy" because it is not true, in my opinion.  Allow me to explain, illiterate is defined first as not having the ability to read.  Most people are not "Biblically Illiterate" because many people have the ability to read the Bible, they just choose not to.  I see that as lazy as opposed to illiterate.  You don't have to agree with me on that, you have the right to be wrong.  I'm just kidding!  However, I am not ignorant to the second definition of illiterate which defines it as having or demonstrating little or no education.  Many will argue that this second definition proves people to be "Biblically Illiterate" but to that I respond with the fact that we are just too lazy to read and that is why we have little or no education. However you feel about this phrase or definition is irrelevant because I believe most would agree this poison of "Biblical Laziness" or "Biblical Illiteracy" is the main cause of the immoral behavior growth we see today.  Look at this poison at work.

It affects individuals.  Individuals want to think that if they don't know or believe something is sin it can't hurt them or be held against them.  That is simply not true.  If we are driving 55mph in a 25mph zone and do not know we are speeding and get stopped by a police officer do we get convicted of speeding?  WE SURE DO!  This illustrates that rules are rules and laws are laws whether we accept and obey them or not.  God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge in Hos 4:6.  Consider Ps 119 for a moment.  Ps 119:97 refers to loving the Law and it being our daily meditation.  We must make efforts to meditate on God's Word or we will be destroyed for ignorance that is a result of laziness not illiteracy!  Maybe a lack of priorities would be better terminology than laziness.  With out a knowledge of or meditation in God's Word our paths are dark (Ps 119:105), we have no joy (Ps 119:111), and we stumble with no peace (Ps 119:165).  This poison has drastic affects on individuals.

It affects congregations.  Congregations are weak because they lack teachers.  Heb 5:12  This need for teachers makes congregations put in teachers that are not qualified or ready to teach. They quickly become false teachers. 2Pe 2:1-3.  What we have is members of a congregation that lack the knowledge to discern between true and false teachings.  Many congregations hurt because they do not have the knowledge of God's plan for the congregations.  That is why we have Evangelists doing the Elder's work, the Elders doing the Deacon's work, the Deacons doing the members' work, and members doing nothing at all.  This shouldn't be but it is reality because we have our priorities mixed up and we are too lazy to daily meditate and feed on God's Word.  This poison has drastic affects on congregations.

It affects society.  Society's standards of morals are destroyed because good is evil and evil is good. Isa 5:20  We slaughter the innocent with abortions and spare the guilty with no capital punishment.  We reward the wicked drug abusers and sellers like movie stars and athletes while we deprive the good like teachers.  The few good movie stars and athletes are silenced or at least the attempt is there.  Children are deprived good parenting which leads to juvenile delinquents because they are doing what is right in their own eyes. Jud 21:25  This poison has drastic affects on society.

This poison has affected individual people, congregations, and society.  What is the antidote?  The antidote for individuals is in the removal of our laziness and ignorance.  It begins in the homes like the main passage above.  We must learn and teach God's Word in our homes.  We must feed on the Word with daily meditations.  That is how blessings are harvested. Ps 1:1-3  Jesus himself told us blessings come from observing, or doing, his word. Lk 11:28  This will remove the poison from the individuals.

The antidote for congregations is in the proper listing of our priorities.  The fellowship of the saints and the group studies must be at the top of the list.  We must recognize the value of mutual edification.  Heb 3:12-14; 10:24,25  You see, we will reap such rewards when we study collectively with the congregation and daily at home.  This will remove the poison from the congregations.

The antidote for society is the individuals and congregations doing what they are commissioned to do, and that is take the Gospel to the lost.  When the evangelists are evangelizing, the elders are elding, the deacons are deacing, and the members are remembering God's plan for the Church is being fulfilled and society will return to moral living.  Society will benefit when we go, preach, baptize, and teach in Christ's authority. Mt 28:18-20 This will remove the poison from society.

As the article above said in its last paragraph, "This generation must get deadly serious..." about this problem.  

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22      

          

A don't that is often done

Mt 23:13

When I read this verse I often think of Wile E. Coyote.  He was constantly putting obstacles in front of the Road Runner to impeded the Road Runner's progress.  He was actually trying to catch the Road Runner and he had many obstacles to slow him down, in order to catch him.  Wile E. had one obstacle where he painted a mirage of a train tunnel on a rock with the intentions of getting the Road Runner to run into a that rock at full speed.  Every time he tried this, the Road Runner ran through the rock while Wile E. Coyote ran into his own obstacle.    A don't that is often done in the Church is being an obstacle to someone.  As I often say, we can see here that Jesus really didn't speak harshly to the drunks, prostitutes, or thieves.  He may have shared difficult truths with them but usually didn't speak harshly to them.  Jesus spoke the harshest to those who felt they were religious and were nothing of the kind.  Jesus knew that the people who claim to be religious, and were not acting accordingly, would be an obstacle to those coming to Christ.  How are we an obstacle?

First, we are an obstacle when we claim to know the way to Christ and really don't.  I read somewhere one time that this word "woe" can be a compassionate expression of sorrow and/or a strong condemnation.  I see both applying here. Have you ever had a problem and a friend offers you advice?  The problem persists and possibly has gotten worse when you find out that your friend really didn't know how to help you but was claiming they did.  That is frustrating! I'm reminded of the illustration of a person that went to the eye doctor.  Upon arrival and seated in the chair the doctor, after a series of tests, said, "Yep, your vision is in need of correction.  Here, take my glasses."  The patient said, "Excuse me Doctor, but these glasses do not help me at all!"  The Doctor replies, "I can't imagine why.  They helped me for years."  The point is that we can't fix everybody's problems with solutions that work for us.  Often times we are like that doctor.  We see a person with a problem that is outside of Christ.  We tell them that Christ is the way and God will strengthen them. Ps 18:1-3  You may be right, like the doctor, but you better know how to get  them into Christ instead of offering an obstacle like your own personal spiritual glasses.

You see, the Pharisees claimed to know God and His Word, and didn't!  When we do that the truth WILL COME OUT! Mt 9:10-13   We sometimes do the same today.  We attend faithfully, invite others, and claim to now the way.  Then we cuss and cuss, tell dirty joke after dirty joke. REMEMBER LISTENING IS AS BAD AS TELLING!! If we’re claiming to KNOW the way, we better be able to LEAD the way! If we’re claiming to KNOW the way, and NOT LEADING the way, WE ARE AN OBSTACLE TO THOSE WHO ARE TRULY SEEKING!!!  

We also become an obstacle when we refuse to go the way.  Jesus had an ability we can never have.  He had the ability to look into the soul of a person.  He called them hypocrites!  A hypocrite is defined as a person who pretends to have religious virtues, beliefs, & principles.  A PRETENDER!!  Isa 29:13  Don't tell someone the way, show someone the way! 1Jn 3:18  We must produce Christian fruit in our lives.  I always say. "We do not produce fruit to earn our salvation.  We produce fruit to prove our salvation!"  Why did Jesus perform miracles?  He did them to prove who he was not to earn the ability to do more miracles.  If we are going to claim to know the way, we better be going that way!  Ask yourself, "Are my actions, or fruit, giving someone an excuse to not come or drawing others in?"  Mt 12:30  Jesus says if you do not gather with him then you scatter.  It's Friday, if you have done little or nothing this week to gather to Christ you have scattered!  Today, many Christians refuse to forgive those who have wronged them in the past.  Their stubbornness will drive people away.  Their ignorance will separate them from the Lord. Mt 6:14,15  Brethren, if you are going to talk the talk, you better be willing to walk the walk.  Social media is filled with those who post scripture right after a vulgar post or picture.  

Lastly, we become an obstacle when we get in the way of true seekers.  Jesus told the Pharisees, "they shut off the kingdom of heaven" but they did not possess that kind of power.  In a parallel passage it is worded a little more clear of what Jesus meant. Lk 11:52 Jesus said they, "have taken away the key of knowledge"  and that a man can do, if a listener allows them, by the way of false teachings.  We do that today when our actions lead others away!  Paul said to the Romans the Lord was blasphemed to Gentiles because of the actions of the Christians!  Rom  2:24    

Consider when Jesus heals a blind man in Jn 9:1-34.  Pharisees got mad instead of glorifying God!  DO YOU PASS THE BUCK IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIT IN?  Dirty Jokes/texts/emails/gossip at work   DO YOU FIT IN WITH THE WORLD AND STAND IN THE WAY OF THOSE TRULY SEEKING?  The man stood tall in vv25-27 and claimed Jesus!  Verse 34 says they put him out of the Synagogue.  DO YOU STAND UP FOR JESUS WHEN THE POPULAR OPINION IS AGAINST YOU?  DO YOU STAND UP FOR JESUS WHEN THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OR DO YOU GET IN THE WAY OF THOSE TRULY SEEKING THE LORD? 

We must do the Will of God regardless of popular opinion and consequences.  That’s what makes us Christians, not sitting on a pew calling Him Lord.  We must forgive those who wrong us because it is God's Will.  Mt 7:21  Today, be a tool that the Lord can use to show others the way to Him.  Do not be an obstacle.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:  Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22   

 

Christianity is...

Rom 5:8

So I find myself thinking about what makes Christianity, Christianity.  What sets Christianity apart from other world religions?  I thought if we had to enumerate the characteristics of Christianity what would be on that list?  That thought grew into, what would be first on that list?  Personally, I feel it would be love.  I thought of how other world religions only know a vengeful, wrathful God that doesn't really love them, but may be appeased by various sacrifices.  Now, Christianity does not remove the idea of a wrathful God but it does show that He is such a God only to those who refuse to obey.  Christianity reveals a whole other side of God  and that is one of love for a fallen and lost mankind, who delights in mercy.  Jn 3:16  

Christianity teaches a different standard and that is to love one another.  Many teach that "loving" someone means to tolerate all falsehoods in the name of religion and permit every sin of man.  Many believe that is loving someone.  That is is not love according to the Bible.  The Bible describes a love that rejoices in the truth. 1Co 13:4-6  The truth may hurt but it must be taught and it is to be taught in love.  Eph 4:15  Consider this characteristic of love.

It starts with God's love for sinners, rebels, and His enemies, not our love for Him. 1Jn 4:10  The Bible clearly states God loved us first. 1Jn 4:19  It was mankind that had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Rom 3:23  The greatest characteristic of Christianity is love that is displayed through God sending His son to die on Calvary. Rom 5:10

Realizing God's love for mankind results in a returned love from man to God.  The thought of God sending his son to be a sacrifice for us to be with Him should result is a deep love for God. Mt 22:37  Loving God is to love and obey His truth.  Loving God is deeper than hearing the Word of God.  We also must observe, or obey, it. Lk 11:28

That tells us loving God is found in obedience.  Jn 14:15  Love and obedience can not be separated if we are claiming to be Christians.  1Jn 2:5  The problem is we see too many people with their hands in the air singing, "Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus" but not obeying his commands!  Love doesn't stop there.

We also have a love for our fellow man.  Consider what is said in Rom 13:8-10.  When the Bible tells us to love our neighbor, it involves loving those that are not Christians as well as those that are Christians.  

Jesus also told us to love our fellow Christians in Jn 13:34 .  Oh, how we often fail at this command.  We are too busy fighting over music, styles of worship like contemporary or traditional, and who is to be saved.  We get upset when someone who we do not want in the ekklesia is sought after.  Even the disciples argued over who would be the greatest.    We must love one another and look past our differences.  We must start to forgive one another.  Eph 4:31,32  Remember, forgiveness is for you, not the person doing who wronged you.  Our forgiveness of others directly relates to our forgiveness from God. Mt 6:14-15;12  Love is the greatest characteristic of Christianity because it covers a multitude of sins. 1Pe 4:8

Today, share the love God has for mankind with someone.  Share the love you have for God by by living the Word and not just hearing it.  Share the love you have for you fellow man b y producing fruit in you life.  Share the love you have for your brothers and sisters in Christ by looking the faults that we all have.  I am asking you to display the greatest characteristic of Christianity to the world, and that is love!

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:  Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22