Are You Saved? # 6

Last time we were saying that some people mistakenly believe that they are saved because they GO to CHURCH

Now, going to Church is a good thing – but going to Church doesn’t save us – the reason we go to Church is because we ARE saved!

This time I want to talk about those people who mistakenly believe that they are saved because they BELIEVE in a ‘GOD’

Most people believe in a ‘GOD’, but who or what ‘GOD’ do they believe in?

For the Hindu – Brahman is a ‘GOD’

For the Muslim – Allah is a ‘GOD’

For the Buddhist – Vajrapāṇi, Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara are ‘GOD’s

For some Māori in New Zealand - Io (pronounced: eye-o) is a ‘GOD’ and Ranginui (male) and Papatūānuku (female), are the lesser gods of Heaven and Earth.

(When we sing our National Anthem in English, we sing, ‘God of Nations’. When our National Anthem is sung in Māori, God (English version) is replaced with ‘Atua’ = Māori gods)

For the trendy westerner – their own Higher Power or the Universe is a ‘GOD’

So, what is it that sets apart the Christian’s belief in God from all these other so called ‘GOD’s?

Christians believe that there is only one God and He has ONLY made Himself known to us in Jesus Christ, who is Himself God

Titus 2: 13 ‘we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed’.

Also: John 1: 1; John 1: 18; John 8: 58; John 20: 28; Romans 9: 5; Hebrews 1: 8;

2 Peter 1: 1; Revelation 1: 8, Revelation 22: 13

Jesus Himself said?

John 10: 30 ‘The Father and I are One’

Why is it essential to believe that there is only one God and He has ONLY made Himself known to us in Jesus Christ, who is Himself God

Because we can only be saved by believing that Jesus is God

John 8:24 “Unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

I want to give you some statistics from a Survey completed in 2020 by Ligonier Ministries in the U.S, (the results are also applicable here in New Zealand)

The Survey is called ‘The State of Theology’ and is done very 2 years

One of the results found that 68% of those people who were surveyed believed in a ‘GOD’ but did NOT believe that Jesus Christ was God

At the Conclusion of their Survey, Ligonier Ministries said this: ‘These results reveal an urgent need for clear biblical teaching on the person of Christ...there is much work to be done in this age of confusion, but we hope the findings of this Survey will serve the church in its calling to reach more people with the faithful proclamation of God’s Word’.

Dear friends, the Lord warns us not to believe in other so called ‘GOD’s

Isaiah 44: 8 ‘There is no other God; I am the only one’

Dear friends, there is only one God and He has revealed Himself to us in His Son, Jesus Christ, who is Himself God

Do you believe this?

Furthermore, let me say that we must be careful NOT to compromise our belief in the Deity of Christ in an attempt to appease people who believe in a ‘GOD’ but do not believe that Jesus Christ is God

Let me remind you that there is salvation in NO other name than the Name of Jesus

Acts 4:12 ‘There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.’

Brahman cannot save you – Allah cannot save you – the Buddhist ‘GOD’s cannot save you – Io (eye-o) cannot save you - a Higher Power and the Universe cannot save you

Let me remind you that when gather together and we honor the Name of Jesus, His presence will be with us

Matthew 18: 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

And let me remind you that when we honor the Name of Jesus, we will see miracles

Mark 9: 39 “perform a miracle in My name"

And let me remind you that when we honor the Name of Jesus, our prayers will be answered

John 14: 14 “You can ask for anything in My Name, and I will do it”

I have heard this a lot in public situations where there is a group of Christians and unbelievers having a meal together

Before the meal someone will offer the prayer to ‘GOD’ and end the prayer by saying, “Amen”. By doing this, Jesus is completely left out of the prayer

And let me remind you that when we honor the Name of Jesus, our evangelism will become effective

Acts 9: 15 ‘But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel”’

And let me remind you that when we honor the Name of Jesus, we are exercising our faith against satanic opposition

We need to do that more considering the perilous times we are living in

2 Timothy 3: 1 ‘in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian’ TLB

When we eventually appear in Heaven, the Lord Himself will commend our faithfulness to His Name

Revelation 2: 13 “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My Name, and did not deny My faith”

So, let’s honor His Name

Hebrews 13: 15 ‘Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His Name’

Are you saved?