to the question,
what must i do to be saved?
the gospel replies,
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (acts 16.31)
to the further question,
how can i believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?
you must,
1. know yourself to be a sinner
2. know Jesus Christ as God who became a man and
came to earth to die for sinners
3. abandon all self-righteousness
and self-confidence and
cast yourself wholly upon Him
for pardon and peace
4. exchange your natural enmity toward
and rebellion against God
for a spirit of grateful submission
to the will of Jesus Christ
through the renewing of your heart by the Holy Ghost
and to the further question,
how am i to go about believing on Christ and repenting?
for i have no natural ability to do these things
the gospel replies,
1. look to Christ, speak to Christ, cry to Christ JUST AS YOU ARE.
2. confess your sin, your impenitence, your unbelief
and cast yourself on His mercy (His ability to withhold the judgment and punishment you justly deserve)
3. ask Him to give you a new heart,
working in you true repentance (seen in a deep sorrow for and a forsaking of all known sin) and firm faith.
4. ask Him to take away your evil heart of unbelief and
to write His laws within you,
that you may never henceforth stray from Him.
5. turn to Him and trust Him as best you can and
continue to pray for grace (spiritual ability from God)
to continually turn from sin and trust Him more fully
6. use the MEANS OF GRACE expectantly
looking to Christ to draw near to you
as you seek to draw near to Him....
WATCH (be in an alert state of prayer based on what is currently happening within and around)
WAIT (in times of deep struggle KEEP LOOKING TO HIM for the help you desperately need)
PRAY (turn every incoming thought into a prayer, telling Him, petitioning Him about everything)
READ AND MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD, the bible
WORSHIP (acknowledge with praise who He is, as He reveals Himself in the bible)
COMMUNE deeply, regularly with those who are truly saved (as they evidence this in their lives)
OBEY THE WORD OF GOD (deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus Christ to the death)
....AND SO CONTINUE
UNTIL YOU KNOW in yourself
BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT-
that you are a changed being,
a practicing 'grieving over and turning from your sin' believer and
that the new heart you desired has been put within you.
-THAT YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
remember the start. the need to call upon Christ directly is the very first step.
let not conscience make you linger
nor of fitness fondly dream
all the fitness He requireth
is to feel your need of Him
so do not postpone action till you are better, but
honestly confess your badness and
give yourself up
here and now
to Christ
who alone can make you better
and wait on Him
til His light rises in your soul,
as the scripture promises it shall do
anything less than this direct dealing with Christ
is disobedience to the gospel.
such is the exercise of spirit to which the gospel summons it's hearers:
'i believe (Lord), help Thou my unbelief'...this must become your cry.
ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. for everyone how asks, receives and he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. matthew 7.7-8
Jesus' answer to the question, 'Lord are there just a few who are being saved?
STRIVE to enter by the narrow door;
for many, I tell you,
will seek to enter
and will not be able. luke 13.24
most of the above taken from the forward to 'the death of death in the death of Christ' by john owens
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