It is important to stand firm - don't be wishy washy in your faith and your beliefs. Don't be a slave to sin! Romans 6 talks about how sin can rule your life if you let it. Hell is a real place, but it wasn't ever meant for people. Hell was created for the Devil and his Angels. Heaven was made for us - each and every one that calls upon the Lord will find salvation and be able to call Heaven their eternal home. Salvation is a reality that is found all throughout the book of John. It is even offered in the Book of Genesis, but it is found with the offering of sacrifice. We no longer need to offer sacrifice, because Jesus did it for us.
Isaiah 45:22 Make sure you are looking in the right place. You wouldn't go to a gas station for clothes, or to a restaurant for gas. You go to the source - to the right place. To be saved you go to God through Jesus Christ. God said, "Look unto Me" and that is exactly what we must do!
Know you are lost and what it is that the Lord saved you from! We are saved FOR eternal life and were saved FROM Hell and God's wrath. Turn to God and take the right path. 1 Corinthians 15:1 You get saved eternally. No one can take your salvation from you - not even the Devil! The Gospel is Good News that was written for believers, the family of God.
Baptism isn't required for salvation, but it is required for church service, and is an obedient act that pleases the Lord. Jesus walked 25 miles to be baptized, thus setting the example for us.
Think back to people you respect, leaders that you look up to. Those leaders all have one thing in common... humility. A good leader would never ask their team to do something they wouldn't do. And, indicative of a good leader, Jesus never asks us to do something that he himself wouldn't do.
Church membership is precious, it is something to find comfort in and is what God has asked us to seek out. First you must be saved - Acts 8 - to be saved you must profess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he died for your sins. Matthew 16 After salvation you are to seek church membership and for that you must be baptized.
Some people say - I know Jesus - I am saved, why go to church? Sure, you can fellowship with the Lord anywhere, but church is where you grow in your knowledge and love for the Lord. Think about what Jesus has done for you - think of what he endured so that your sins may be forgiven. He doesn't ask a lot in return, serving him as a church member is a small offering. Jesus shed his blood for the church, that is how important it is to Him.
Salvation => Baptism => Service
Once you have accepted the Lord as your Savior then it is up to you to continue being obedient to the Lord. It is easy to fall into the patterns of this world and stop praying, stop going to church - but that isn't what God intended for us. He wants us to be saved then continue growing in our knowledge of Him, continue to worship Him and show our gratitude for all He has done. After all our time here is preparation for Heaven@
We are to abide and occupy here on Earth. Luke 19:12-13 In this passage Jesus is dealing with the subject of stewardship. Occupy means to make good use of the time and to increase and magnify the kingdom of Heaven. Be busy about the Father's business.
This is they key reason as to why we have fellowship and service - it is all to magnify God. When we are face to face with Jesus what do we want him to say? Do we want him to admonish us, or to reward us and think of us as a good and faithful servant? Of course it is the latter!
In the end believing in Jesus is the most important thing we must do here on this Earth. But that is just the beginning - follow the path of service and find the ultimate rewards!
