The Bible is clear that there is a requirement for our lives, in order to be saved come death. That stipulation is for every believer in Christ to endure in their faith till the end.
Now, “be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
I then opened up to Romans 6 and had a woman, that was in the midst of people listening, read a few of the verses about sin.
Romans 12:21 (KJV)
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Because the Bible is the source of truth, let us understand together the truth of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell.
Romans 1:16 (KJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 16:1,2 (KJV)
1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
Truly a church that is on fire for the Lord are also church goers who are loving on, encouraging, praying for, and doing what they can to help one another.
Romans 11:9-12 (KJV)
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
It is because the eyes of the Israelite people are darkened is “that they may not see”. In this, do they walk contrary to God and not even realize it.
When I look at this world I see many people that go to church, do worship and act their part well, where really their lives are often contrary to God.
Romans 9:13-15 (KJV)
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
It is the children of God that God has mercy upon. Those that call upon the Name of Jesus and do what He says will be found worthy.
Romans 4:6-8 (KJV)
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Our own works, no matter how good they seem, do more harm than not. This is why a desire to be led by the Spirit of God, and not ourselves, is so important.
Romans 12:3,4 (KJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Paul surely was a man of God who loved the Lord, even if it meant great persecution would be in his path or his own death.
Romans 8:13,14 (KJV)
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
It is clear that when Jesus says our whole body is in darkness, if He is not a part of it, that this should mean something to us.
Romans 12:1,2 (KJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
To help us understand who has the characteristics of being mighty in all works, our counselor and judge, we will look to another verse from Isaiah.
When we love the Lord Jesus, all of these things become a part of our lives. As we give our lives to Christ, He is able to transform is.
Jesus explained what it takes to follow Him. He said, “he that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
Romans 14:5,6 (KJV)
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike . Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it . He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Romans 8:28 (KJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 13:12-14 (KJV)
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Romans 10:9-11 (KJV)
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Addiction is sin and in Christ, these sins are destroyed, that we may follow Him to the fullest. As mentioned, addictions come in all forms but a growing trend among young people is vaping.
Romans 6:16 (KJV)
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Next up for baptism was Toni. And her having back problems, Gage and I helped her into the water. The three of us men then helped support Toni, as I got ready to baptize her.
Paul’s explanation of baptism should help you all understand the important of this event and why everyone in the faith does it.