AJ,
Matthew 25
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
1 Corinthians 13
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
John 13
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Where does it talk about salvation in any of these verses here? Think someone is a bit confused with Jesus's teaching on how to live a good life and salvation, as evidenced by your quote, "But when it came to the next question, a code of ethics to observe for the salvation of one's soul -- (this means: what must one do in actual practice in order to save one's soul?) -- Jesus (or perhaps His interpreters) gave men a code of altruism, that is, a code which told them that in order to save one's soul, one must love or help or live for others."
Now if it is Ayn Rand, whatever followers of Jesus this person spoke about, or yourself that says this, whomever, that is definitely NOT what Jesus taught. They're wrong!
You need to make this very important distinction between living a good life, and salvation! Otherwise, you will never understand Jesus's teachings...
A glimpse for you about the real teachings of Christ on salvation:
Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws that govern your relationship with God.
Law 1: God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
God's Love: "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16,NIV)
God's Plan: [Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John 10:10)
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life?
Because .
Law 2: Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
Man Is Sinful: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his own stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken. The self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
Man Is Separated: "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23)
The third law explains the only way to bridge this gulf.
Law 3: Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
He Died In Our Place: "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
He Rose from the Dead: " "Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6)
It is not enough just to know these three laws.
Law 4: We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
We Must Receive Christ: "As many as received him. To them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name" (John 1:12)
We Receive Christ Through Faith: "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9)
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth: (Read John 3:1-8)
We Receive Christ Through Personal Invitation: [Christ speaking] " Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20)
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor it is enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, an act of the will.
The following explains how you can receive Christ:
You Can Receive Christ Right Now by Faith Through Prayer (Prayer is talking with God): God knows your heart and is not concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?
If it does, I invite you to pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
[Taken from the Four Spiritual Laws by Bill Bright]
God Bless,
IGIT |
