Title What to Believe
Contents
Hymn: 102 (New Hymn 94) 'There is nothing more precious than the Lord Jesus'
Meditation: We cannot enter the kingdom of heaven by completely obeying all the laws. You can only go through faith in God's grace. If you leave this world tonight, are you sure you will enter heaven?
Confession of Faith: Apostles' Creed
Text: "Therefore, by the works of the law no flesh is justified before him, by the law the knowledge of sin is..." (Romans 3:20-28).
What do you get saved from? We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of the law. This is God's standard. When we stand before God's judgment seat and evaluate our lives, the standard is our faith. Why does God work out salvation through faith?
First, because everyone is a sinner. The basic definition of sin in the Bible means 'to miss the mark'. To 'go astray' means to deviate from God's will and go in the wrong direction. The essence of sin is to hate having God in your heart. Therefore, it is a sin for humans, created to glorify God, to steal that glory.
Second, because sinners cannot save themselves. The reason God gave the law is to break the proud heart that fallen human beings can become righteous like God through their own efforts, discipline, and morals. God makes us realize the seriousness of human sinfulness through the law. Therefore, all human beings have no choice but to confess that they are sinners and cannot save themselves. Because God's standard is 'perfect', but no one is perfect in this world (Matthew 5:48).
Third, Jesus is the only way to salvation. Because God is righteous, he does not overlook sin. Any unworthy behavior will be judged. The result of sin is death.
But Jesus solved the problem of sin and death at once. Jesus paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. As long as we believe in this fact, all our sins are forgiven and we become children of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, please accept Jesus as your Savior, who was crucified and died for our sins. So, I hope you have the assurance of salvation and live happily.
Prayer: God of salvation, give us true faith. Let me look only to Jesus. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Lord's Prayer