by HARVEYOPP | Jul 24, 2015 | Scott Henry
“Nor is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The truth of the Gospel is that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone and outside of Him there is only damnation. John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” This is not popular teaching in a society that thinks there are many saviors and many ways to obtain peace with God. But the question is never, “What does our society think?” The question is ALWAYS and ONLY, “What does Scripture teach?” And Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” In other words, Jesus Christ is the ONLY Savior of sinners.
Listen to our text: “…for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” God the Father, in mercy, gave His Son as THE ONLY WAY of salvation through the cross, and the cross of Christ was not a tragic mistake. The cross was eternally planned of God … that His Son would take the place of all those whom the Father gave to Him (John 6:37; 1 Peter 1:20). Christ would deliver them and pay their debt by taking their place and suffering their condemnation so that they may say, “Jesus paid it all! All to Him I owe. He has washed me white as snow.” And by His Word and Spirit, Jesus works in the heart of those for whom He died causing them to become burdened and weary of their sin. And by His love, grace, mercy and Holy Spirit, Jesus draws them to Himself where He washes them in His blood and makes them white as snow. This is the good news of God’s Word. There is salvation in no other name save the name of Jesus Christ.
How do you get to heaven? Only in Jesus Christ! Are you weary and heavy laden from your sin? Are you looking for spiritual rest? Run to Jesus! He will pardon all who trust in Him! Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” What can wash away our sins? According to God’s holy Word, there’s only ONE answer: Nothing but the blood of Jesus! In Him ALONE is perfect peace and rest! “Nor is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Trust Jesus this day and live!
by HARVEYOPP | Jul 17, 2015 | Scott Henry
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels…” (Matthew 25:41).
Scripture tells us in many places that all who trust in the Savior Jesus Christ receive all His benefits and one of the benefits of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said in John 5:24 that everyone who believes in Him has passed from eternal death into eternal life. You see, the only people who go to Heaven are those who are washed from the filth of their sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, and this only happens when you are united to Christ by true faith. The Apostle John, writing to the seven churches in Asia Minor, said in Revelation 1:5-6 that “Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler over the kings of the earth, who has loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood…” Heaven is where believers have perfect communion with God. It’s a place of everlasting rest for the saints where sin, sorrow, suffering, and death no longer exist.
But in Matthew 25, Jesus not only speaks about Heaven, but He also speaks about Hell. And if you read the Bible you will soon find out that Jesus spoke more about Hell then He did Heaven. Jesus said that Hell is a place of everlasting torment of both body and soul in the lake of fire prepared for the devil, his demons, and all unbelievers … “where the worm does not die and neither is the fire quenched” (Mark 9:46). “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). What a sobering thought! Does your heart tremble over the sobering truth of Hell? The world just laughs about Hell and speaks of it as a myth. Others say Hell is something in this life, and they refer to the suffering and miseries they go through in this life as Hell; they call it “Hell on earth.” But when you come to God’s Word you find out that Hell is a real place and it’s not on earth, and it’s certainly not something to joke about.
Hell is a place of eternal torment for every man, woman, and child who would not trust Jesus Christ for the salvation of their soul. Hell is a truth from Scripture that ought to awaken everyone who reads the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Where will you awaken after you die; Heaven or Hell? “But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Rev. 22:15). The ONLY way you can escape the eternal torment of Hell and be ushered into the Kingdom of Heaven is by trusting Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins. So, the question is, are you trusting Jesus? “Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:29-31).
by HARVEYOPP | Jul 13, 2015 | Scott Henry
“For the living know that they will die…” (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
The death of a loved one, a friend, or a relative ought to cause each of us to stop and reflect upon our own mortality. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). The death of a fellow human being ought to cause each of us to cry out to God like the tax collector in the temple: “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” (Luke 18:13). When we experience the death of a friend or family member it is not the time for the stiff upper lip. It’s not the time to be angry and lament, “Why did this happen?” It is not the time to bury your head in a bottle and try to forget all about the corpse in the coffin. It is not the time to screw up false courage and say, “I am not afraid to die!” When we attend the funeral of a loved one it is time to face our own mortality. It’s a time to reflect on the meaning of life. It’s a time to ask yourself the hard questions regarding your sin and guilt before a thrice holy God. It’s a time to be honest with yourself and confess that your conscience continually accuses you of breaking all of God’s commandments. What then will happen to you as a law breaker when you stand before the judgment seat of God? How will you escape the penalty that your lawless deeds have merited, which God says is eternal Hell?
For the living, the graveside of a loved one is a time of God’s longsuffering and patience toward you as you are forced to face the questions of mortality, eternity, sin, forgiveness, judgment, mercy, grace, repentance, and the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, it’s a time to look into the face of Jesus and ask yourself what you have done with God’s Beloved Son, the Savior of sinners. Death is a time when self-deception is exposed and the mask of hypocrisy is ripped from your face and you are laid open and bare before the God of heaven and earth, who holds your very breath in His hands.
We all need God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) who have broken God’s Law and we all know we will soon die and face our Creator. “For the living know they will die…” (Ecclesiastes 9:5). “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27). Denying these truths is simply an act of self-deception. As it is written: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:18-19).
Did you notice the words in Hebrews 9:27, “…but after this the judgment”? How are you planning to escape the judgment of God against your sins? The Bible is clear regarding the forgiveness of sins … Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of forgiveness with God (John 14:6). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many” (Heb. 9:28), and all who trust in His perfect law-abiding life and sin-atoning death have the full forgiveness of sins and are reconciled to our Holy God through the perfect satisfaction, holiness, and righteousness of Christ. As it is written, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).
Don’t be deceived … death and judgment are a breath away for all the living. Solomon, a man who was granted by God the greatest wisdom a sinful man has ever possessed, wrote the following words concerning death: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them” … “Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 6-7). It’s for this very reason that the psalmist prayed in Psalm 90:10-12: “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Therefore, dear ones, I “implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). Run to Jesus while there’s still time, while you still have breath and time to repent of your sins and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7). Jesus said, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). The Apostle Paul declared, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31) Call out to Jesus for grace, mercy, and forgiveness for He has promised rest, righteousness, and forgiveness to all who come to Him by faith. As Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).
by HARVEYOPP | Jul 3, 2015 | Scott Henry
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5).
Psalm 42, which was written by the Sons of Korah, aptly applied to the life of King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel. David had many occasions of heaviness of heart because of the constant turmoil in his life. He suffered the cruel persecution of Saul who hunted him like a wild animal; he suffered the betrayal of his trusted friend Ahithophel; David suffered the heartache of his son Absalom who rebelled against his rule as king; and besides all these things, David had to deal with the daily remembrance of his own sins, and all these things are enough to overwhelm the strongest child of God. David was a man with sinful passions like us. He was not always on the mountain-top of joy, but spent many seasons in the slough of despond. However, David did not give way to despair, nor was he swallowed up by his sorrows. Rather, he responded like a rational creature, created as God’s image, by speaking to himself in order to discover the cause of his depression. He said to himself, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” David sought to know the reason for his despair. This is often the first step toward recovery from a heavy, depressed heart. As we all know, murmuring and complaining gets us nowhere. There needs to be serious self-examination as we ask ourselves the plain question, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” What good is giving way to despair? To sit and sulk and feel sorry for yourself is not “redeeming the time” (Ephesians 5:16), nor does it produce the joy of the Lord.
Whatever the reason for your depressed soul, Psalm 42 brings the only cure when it says, “Hope in God.” Whether your trouble arises because of your finances, your family, your friends, or your own sin, Psalm 42 declares the only cure, “Hope in God”, for He lives and reigns forever over the whole universe. Hope in God because He is the One who fed two million Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. Do you think His arm is too short to care for you and your family? God sustained Elijah in the time of famine — can He not also supply your needs? “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30). The immediate outlook of our circumstances may be dark, but the promises of God to every believer dispel the darkness of despair. Our God is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Therefore, “Hope in God.” Get your eyes off the circumstances of life, and set your focus upon the God who ordains, orders, and controls every circumstance. Remember that “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). Remember that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5). Therefore, “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5).
by HARVEYOPP | Jun 26, 2015 | Scott Henry
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Notice the Apostle Paul wrote that “all things work together for good to those who love God.” What does it mean to love God? Love for God is an abiding condition of the heart created by God’s grace and Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:5: “…because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” So, first of all, love for God is something that God must work in us by His grace. We read in 1 John 4:19 that we love God because He first loved us. Love for God, in its essence, is not a love for God because of all that He gives, but love for God, first and foremost, is love for all that He is, love for Him, love for His person, love for His character, love for His perfections. It’s adoration for God as God. We see this love expressed in Psalm 63:1: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”
You see, love for God is esteem, reverence, and worship of God for who He is … the righteous, holy, just, loving, merciful, sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God of the universe who has mercy on whom He will have mercy and hardens whom He hardens. To love God is to love Him for who He is and not simply for what He gives. Those who love God say with Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”, and their confession agrees completely with the words of Habakkuk 3:17-18: “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
What about you? Do you love God in the depths of your soul for who He is or only for what He gives? There are many people in churches all across the land who profess that they’re Christians, but as soon as God sends trials, sorrow, suffering, or sickness upon them they turn their back on God. You see, these hypocrites want the blessings, but not the God who gives the blessings. To love God is to desire, treasure, adore, and delight in God; to love Him is to be satisfied with Him! When trials, sorrow, suffering, or sickness come upon us we demonstrate our love for God when we sing with the hymn writer: “Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain; sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain, when they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee; More love to Thee, more love to Thee!”
by HARVEYOPP | Jun 9, 2015 | Scott Henry
“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word that you may grow thereby…” (1 Peter 2:2).
The Lord guides His people by the light of His Word and the blessed Holy Spirit, who enables us to understand, believe and love the Scriptures (John 14:26), which alone are truth (John 17:17). The Word of God supplies believers with just and holy principles to direct our affections and actions. Those who study the Scriptures in humble dependence upon the Holy Spirit are taught to make true judgments of everything around them and are subsequently conformed, moment by moment, into a humble spirit of submission to the will of God. The Word of God dwelling richly in the believer is the preservative from error and the light to our feet (Psalm 119:105). The Word of God dwelling in us keeps us from being “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…” (Ephesians 4:14). By treasuring up in our minds the doctrines, precepts, promises, and principles of Scripture, believers grow in spiritual wisdom and maturity, which enables us to judge right from wrong with certainty (Heb. 5:14). By Holy Scripture and the Holy Spirit, the Lord leads believers in the right way, preserves us from the snares of the Devil, and satisfies us that He is and forever will be our guide even unto death. Are the Scriptures treasured in your heart? Do you take delight in feasting on God’s Holy Word? Do the words of John Burton’s hymn dwell richly in your soul?
Holy Bible, Book divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine:
Mine to tell me whence I came; Mine to teach me what I am.
Mine to chide me when I rove, Mine to show a Savior’s love;
Mine thou art to guide and guard; Mine to punish or reward.
Mine to comfort in distress, Suffering in this wilderness;
Mine to show by living faith, We can triumph over death.
Mine to tell of joys to come, And the rebel sinner’s doom:
O thou holy book divine, Precious treasure thou art mine.
So often we are discontent with the things we have and when we obtain more material things in order to satisfy the longing in our soul we quickly learn that the hunger continues. This is because our heart’s longing can only be satisfied by the Word of God. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4: “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” The Word of God is the only food for our soul and it’s what every believer lives by. Scripture alone brings truth, joy, comfort, peace, and satisfaction to our soul. Is your soul discontent? Do you have a longing that’s never satisfied? Your ONLY solution is to feed on the Word of God. The longing can only be satisfied by “letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16). I’m certain you’ve fed your stomach within the past 12 hours, but what about your soul? Have you had your portion of God’s Word today? “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby…” (1 Peter 2:2).
Recent Comments