Post by BYT YHWH on May 7, 2005 23:58:11 GMT -5
by John V. Cordaro
'Saved from what?' would be a logical response. The
answer to both questions is found in the Bible. Let's read
what our Creator inspired men to write concerning this
issue.
The prophet Isaiah wrote;
"But your iniquities have separated between you and your
Mighty One, and your sins have hid His face from you, that
He will not hear" (Is.59:2).
Sin has caused a separation between our Creator, Almighty
Yahweh, and ourselves. And what is sin?
"Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin
is the transgression of the law" (1Jn.3:4).
When a person breaks Yahweh's laws he sins and subjects
himself to the death penalty;
"For the wages (payment) for sin is death" (Rom.6:23a).
Our loving Creator has provided a way of escape from this
death penalty if we will accept it. That way is through His
only begotten Son, Yahshua the Messiah.
"For Yahweh so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn.3:16).
"He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
Yahweh abides on him" (Jn.3:36).
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Master
Yahshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that Yahweh hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom.10:9).
A person must believe that Yahshua is the Son of Yahweh
and that he is the only means through which we can be
saved from the death penalty. This is made clear reading
the full text of Rom.6:23;
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Yahweh is
eternal life through Yahshua the Messiah our Master."
How can we receive this gift of eternal life instead of eternal
death?
"If we confess our sins, He [Yahweh] is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness" (1Jn.1:9).
To "confess our sins" means to pray to Almighty Yahweh,
our Creator, expressing sorrow at transgressing His laws
(doing things that displease Him), and having the assurance
that He will forgive our sins. The Bible calls this process,
"repentance." The Apostle Peter said, "Repent and be
baptized, every one of you, in the name of Yahshua
Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38). If one
sincerely repents, he will no longer continue to commit the
same sins that he did prior to repentance. A thief should
steal no more; a liar will no longer lie, etc.
As we continue to grow in the knowledge of the truth and
learn what our Creator's will is and what His laws are, we
will naturally show the result of our repentance and
Yahweh's forgiveness by doing good works.
". . .that they should repent and turn to Yahweh, and do
works meet for repentance" (Acts 26:20).
As Peter said, there is one more thing to do after repenting
of our sins. We must be "baptized" or totally immersed
under water, in the name of Yahshua, as a symbolic picture
of our participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of
our Savior.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Yahshua Messiah were baptized into his death? Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life"
(Rom.6:3,4).
Through baptism, we symbolically illustrate the death of
who we use to be (our "old man") by burying it under water.
We then rise up from the watery grave symbolizing our
resurrection from the dead and a new life in accordance
with our Heavenly Father's will.
This freedom from the death penalty that our Creator is
giving us is a free gift and is possible for all men.
"Yahweh is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness; but is long suffering toward us, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance" (2Pe.3:9).
Repentance and baptism will result in a vibrant faith in
Yahweh and in what Yahshua has accomplished for us by
his death. Without such faith, it is impossible to please
Yahweh as we read in Heb.11:6;
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that
comes to Yahweh must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
Take hold of the free gift of salvation and eternal life that
your Creator is offering to you while it is on your heart and
mind. The cares of this world with all its distractions and
lures will easily prevent you from making such a decision in
the future. Now is the time to decide between life or death.
'Saved from what?' would be a logical response. The
answer to both questions is found in the Bible. Let's read
what our Creator inspired men to write concerning this
issue.
The prophet Isaiah wrote;
"But your iniquities have separated between you and your
Mighty One, and your sins have hid His face from you, that
He will not hear" (Is.59:2).
Sin has caused a separation between our Creator, Almighty
Yahweh, and ourselves. And what is sin?
"Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin
is the transgression of the law" (1Jn.3:4).
When a person breaks Yahweh's laws he sins and subjects
himself to the death penalty;
"For the wages (payment) for sin is death" (Rom.6:23a).
Our loving Creator has provided a way of escape from this
death penalty if we will accept it. That way is through His
only begotten Son, Yahshua the Messiah.
"For Yahweh so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn.3:16).
"He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
Yahweh abides on him" (Jn.3:36).
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Master
Yahshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that Yahweh hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom.10:9).
A person must believe that Yahshua is the Son of Yahweh
and that he is the only means through which we can be
saved from the death penalty. This is made clear reading
the full text of Rom.6:23;
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Yahweh is
eternal life through Yahshua the Messiah our Master."
How can we receive this gift of eternal life instead of eternal
death?
"If we confess our sins, He [Yahweh] is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness" (1Jn.1:9).
To "confess our sins" means to pray to Almighty Yahweh,
our Creator, expressing sorrow at transgressing His laws
(doing things that displease Him), and having the assurance
that He will forgive our sins. The Bible calls this process,
"repentance." The Apostle Peter said, "Repent and be
baptized, every one of you, in the name of Yahshua
Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38). If one
sincerely repents, he will no longer continue to commit the
same sins that he did prior to repentance. A thief should
steal no more; a liar will no longer lie, etc.
As we continue to grow in the knowledge of the truth and
learn what our Creator's will is and what His laws are, we
will naturally show the result of our repentance and
Yahweh's forgiveness by doing good works.
". . .that they should repent and turn to Yahweh, and do
works meet for repentance" (Acts 26:20).
As Peter said, there is one more thing to do after repenting
of our sins. We must be "baptized" or totally immersed
under water, in the name of Yahshua, as a symbolic picture
of our participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of
our Savior.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Yahshua Messiah were baptized into his death? Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life"
(Rom.6:3,4).
Through baptism, we symbolically illustrate the death of
who we use to be (our "old man") by burying it under water.
We then rise up from the watery grave symbolizing our
resurrection from the dead and a new life in accordance
with our Heavenly Father's will.
This freedom from the death penalty that our Creator is
giving us is a free gift and is possible for all men.
"Yahweh is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness; but is long suffering toward us, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance" (2Pe.3:9).
Repentance and baptism will result in a vibrant faith in
Yahweh and in what Yahshua has accomplished for us by
his death. Without such faith, it is impossible to please
Yahweh as we read in Heb.11:6;
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that
comes to Yahweh must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
Take hold of the free gift of salvation and eternal life that
your Creator is offering to you while it is on your heart and
mind. The cares of this world with all its distractions and
lures will easily prevent you from making such a decision in
the future. Now is the time to decide between life or death.