Whoever believes will be saved!

(Mark 16:16) “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Now many believe, but what do they believe? Some believe in evolution others believe in some form of esoteric faith, while others believe in other gods. But the reference in this verse clearly warns all who read it that salvation will never be found outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, in fact all those who do not believe in Him will be condemned! It is almost to devastating to even mention let alone discuss, but as it is as real for those who believe in this glorious gospel message, the adverse of the hope is condemnation. There are always two sides to a coin. The denial of salvation through Christ accomplished saving work on Calvary will leave one facing an unthinkable damnation for all eternity. That will brings with it severe consequences and if I was not to mention those consequences them I would be no different to one of the devils allies, smoke-screening the truth, which is one of his damming traits, which he conspires to employ in as many lives as possible until it will be to late. When we pass from life to death there will be no second chances, if we miss this wonderful message of hope in and through the Lord Jesus Christ while we are still alive, we will open our eyes in torment, to what degree I cannot say as I have never been there but there will be a “wailing and gnashing of teeth”. In other words the pain in hell will be continuously painful, and it will have no end to it. But thankfully by the grace of God and by the blood of the Lamb if we believe and are baptised we will never have to face that torment. Christ saves not baptism! But having said that when we have been saved by Him we will look to be baptised (submerged in water) as it is our signature on our repentance document, it is our declaration to the world that we believe on Him and no other! If you say you believe but have not gone through the waters of baptism, I will ask one question, Why not? -“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 3:21)

If you have not been taught correctly concerning baptism, this is one thing, but if you deny your need for it as an obstinate individual, for the sake of obstinacy, that would not be to your benefit. Everything the word teaches us if for our own admonition, it is there to equip us and enable us to stand against the wiles of the devil. Nothing has been penned to fill the empty space on a blank page. Every word and every instruction has been carefully orchestrated by God. Sure, I agree men have written the words, yet under the inspiration of the God the Holy Spirit, if we understand that to be true, who has actually penned the Bible? We must take every word seriously and we must obey God’s instruction in and through His Bible! If we ignore what we are clearly taught, then we will suffer loss! Let us be wise in our application to it. If we have obey and we now have the Spirit of God indwelling our bodies and He has saved us, then we can with assurance look forward to our hope in Him. We all stand upon His finished work, regardless of our standing amongst one another; He views each of us who believe and in the words of C.H.Spurgeon...

“The fatherhood of God is common to all his children. Ah! Little-faith, you have often said, “Oh that I had the courage of Great-heart, that I could wield his sword and be as valiant as he! But, alas, I stumble at every straw, and a shadow makes me afraid.” List thee, Little-faith. Great-heart is God’s child, and you are God’s child too; and Great-heart is not one whit more God’s child than you are. Peter and Paul, the highly- favoured apostles, were of the family of the Most High; and so are you also; the weak Christian is as much a child of God as the strong one.

“This cov’nant stands secure,

Though earth’s old pillars bow;

The strong, the feeble, and the weak,

Are one in Jesus now.”

All the names are in the same family register. One may have more grace than another, but God our heavenly Father has the same tender heart towards all. One may do more mighty works, and may bring more glory to his Father, but he whose name is the least in the kingdom of heaven is as much the child of God as he who stands among the King’s mighty men. Let this cheer and comfort us, when we draw near to God and say, “Our Father.”

Yet, while we are comforted by knowing this, let us not rest contented with weak faith, but ask, like the Apostles, to have it increased. However feeble our faith may be, if it be real faith in Christ, we shall reach heaven at last, but we shall not honour our Master much on our pilgrimage, neither shall we abound in joy and peace. If then you would live to Christ’s glory, and be happy in his service, seek to be filled with the spirit of adoption more and more completely, till perfect love shall cast out fear.” (C.H.Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone