Savior – Why do we need one? 

Savior – derived from salvare – to save  
Refers to a person who is a redeemer, deliverer, rescuer, who saves someone else from danger, harm, loss, peril, or destruction. A savior is someone who can do for you what you cannot do for yourself.  Jesus, as our savior, helps us achieve salvation, which we cannot achieve on our own. Salvation gets us into the kingdom and keeps us out of hell.  Salvation is the act of being saved from the fires and torment of hell.

Example: From the 1640’s until 1865 when laborers were needed to plant, nurture, weed and harvest the cotton, sugar, and peanut plantations of the deep south, Negro slaves who had been purchased or shanghaied from Africa against their will were shipped across the Atlantic to the South to provide the large workforce to do this. These people were bought and sold just as we handle cattle, pigs or chickens today. The internal slave trade became the largest enterprise in the South outside of the plantation itself.  A Negro slave at that time had virtually no money of his own and was essentially bought and paid for by the plantation owner. He was considered property. He was in servitude to that plantation owner until he could buy his way out of slavery. For most, that was never a possibility. But for some fortunate slaves, someone else came to their rescue; a savior - a relative, a friend, a person who didn’t believe in slavery, and paid the plantation owner whatever sum it took to buy their freedom so they were no longer slaves, but could become free men. The vast majority of black slaveholders were free men who purchased members of their families or who acted out of benevolence to free their compatriots.  They were the saviors of that era.  They did for the slaves what the slaves could not do for themselves. If you will remember history, the civil war was essentially fought over the issue of slavery and human rights and ended with the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all the slaves. But the point is; without a savior, the slave could never escape slavery.

We are in the same boat as those black slaves. Different set of circumstances, same need for a savior if we want to be emancipated from our sins in the eyes of Father Yahweh. We CAN’T get there on our own accord. We have broken every one of His laws; sometimes unknowingly, sometimes accidently, sometimes in anger, sometimes in rebellion, sometimes in sorrow and oftentimes in remorse; but we have done so.  We need someone to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We need to exchange our sinfulness for our Savior’s righteousness in the eyes of the Father or we simply aren’t allowed into His kingdom. If we don’t get into the kingdom, our sins send us to hell. No alternative.

What follows is the most important lesson you will find on this website.
If you have internet access and can go to http://upchucky.com/worship/save.html  click on the small box under the big box that says “Are you a good person” and take the questionaire first before viewing the major presentation. View the major presentation next. When you get done with that please go to  http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch.shtml and click on "Hell's Best Kept Secret". There are several viewing speeds to choose from depending upon your internet connection speed.  It is the best 37 minute explanation you will ever listen to. This is the gospel message as clear and precise and in as short a time period as possible to absorb as you will ever hear it; anywhere.

If you don’t have internet access; the following is what is found in these presentations!  
Please take this seriously, your afterlife depends upon it.

Why do you need a Savior; aren’t you a good person??
Do you think you are good enough to go to heaven?
Almost everyone thinks that they are a good person... and will admit having a bad habit or two....
Have you ever wondered how you might look in God's eye?
Have you ever wondered.... "Am I good enough to go to Heaven?"
How can you know for sure?
You can find out by testing your lifestyle to God's rules.......
The Ten Commandments.
Most people say, "Well, I've broken one or two, but nothing too serious, like murder, etc."
So let's randomly go through God's Commandments and see how well you do...

"You shall not steal."

Have you ever stolen anything (even if it was something small)?
The value of the thing stolen doesn't matter;
petty theft is still theft.
Have you ever taken anything that belonged to someone else (from the office, school, parents, etc.)?
If you have, that makes you a thief in God's view.
Are you Guilty or Innocent ?

"You shall not lie."

Have you ever told a lie? If So....then you are a liar.
How many murders do you have to commit to be a murderer? Just one. But the Bible also tells us that to hold anger or hatred for another is akin to murder.
If you have told even one lie, that makes you a liar.
The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8).
You may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin, but God does.
Are you Guilty or Innocent ?

"You shall not make for yourself any idol."

Who is God to you?
Is he only a god of love and mercy who would never judge anyone and never cast anyone into Hell?
If that's your god, then you're right.
Your god couldn't cast anyone into Hell because he doesn't exist. He's a figment of your imagination.
You've created a god in your own mind that you're more comfortable with. But he’s not the real God who is a just judge. 
You may call it your "personal belief," but God calls it idolatry.
It's the oldest sin in the Book, and the Bible warns that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

"You shall not take the name of God in vain."

Have you ever used God's name or the name of Jesus as a curse word?
If you have, you've taken the holy name of God.... who gave you your life, your family, and everything precious to you..... and used it as a filthy, four-letter word.
Adolf Hitler's name was never despised enough to be used as a curse word!
If you have used God's holy name in that manner, you are a blasphemer and the Bible says "God will not hold him guiltless who takes the name of the Lord in vain."

"Honor your father and your mother."

Have you always honored your parents in a way that's pleasing in the sight of God? Have you always obeyed them, not been disrespectful to them, not talked about them behind their backs?
Ask Him to remind you of the sins of your youth. You may have forgotten them, but God hasn't.

"You shall not murder."

Jesus warned "Whoever is angry with his brother without cause, is in danger of judgment," (Matthew 5:22) and the Bible says, "He who hates his brother is a murderer," (1 John 3:15).
God sees hatred in the heart to be as wicked as murder. We can violate His Law by attitude and intent.

"You shall not covet."

This means we should never desire anything that belongs to another person.
Not their house, nor their car, nor their money, nor their wife, nor their lifestyle, nor anything that belongs to our neighbor. That’s a tough one for most of us.

"You shall have no other gods before Me."

Have you always put God first in your life?
Jesus said to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength...
so much, that your love for your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and even your own life is like hatred compared to your love and devotion for God.
Have you ever failed to put Him first in your life? How many of us can honestly state we put God before our spouse?  Another tough one.

"Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy."

God commands that we set aside one day in seven. In fact, that day is really Saturday, the 7^th day of the week, not Sunday, as is misappropriated by most today. 
Have you ever been guilty of breaking this Commandment?

"You shall not commit adultery."

Jesus warned," You have heard...'You shall not commit adultery.'
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Have you ever looked at another person with lust?
The Bible says that adulterers and fornicators (those who have had sex before marriage) will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Who can say that they are not guilty of breaking these Commandments?
Virtually all of us have broken ALL of them at one time or another no matter how hard we’ve tried not to. 
The Bible tells us that everyone has sinned.
There is nobody that is without sin.....
This is what the Bible means when it says, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."

Can you see your predicament?
You are guilty of sinning against God Himself, and, because you have a conscience, (con-with, science-knowledge) you have sinned "with knowledge."
Isn't it true that every time you lied, stole, or lusted, etc., you knew it was wrong?

Does the fact that you have sinned against God scare you?
It should.
You have actually angered Him by your sin.
The Bible says His wrath abides on you, that you are an "enemy of God in your mind through wicked works."

Perhaps you think God is good and because of his goodness He will overlook your sins?
But if you knew of a human judge who turned a blind eye to the crimes of a guilty murderer or rapist... would you describe him as a "good" judge?
No.......... That would be a "corrupt" judge.

God could never be a corrupt judge.
He will punish all the rapists, murderers, and thieves...
But he won't stop there. He will also punish all liars, the lustful, adulterers, idolaters, and blasphemers.
The place of eternal punishment is Hell.

God does not want you to perish. 
He is rich in mercy and compassion, and has provided a way for you to be forgiven. He has invited you to come to Him for a full pardon and receive the free gift of Eternal Life. You cannot earn it, and you do not deserve it, but God is offering it to you as proof of His love for you.

Imagine you are standing in front of a judge, guilty of multiple serious crimes. All the evidence has been presented and there is no doubt about your guilt. Your apologies and good works cannot erase your crimes; therefore you must be punished. The fine for your crime is $500,000 or imprisonment, but you don’t have two pennies to rub together. The judge is about to pass sentence when someone you don't even know steps in and pays your fine for you! The court accepts the money and declares that you are free to go. The law has been satisfied, your debt has been paid in full, and the stranger’s sacrifice was a demonstration of his love for you. That’s what God did for you 2000 years ago.

The Bible says that the God of the Universe became a man (Jesus Christ), and suffered and died on the cross for your sins and mine so that we could be set free. It's as simple as this.... we broke the Law, and Jesus paid our fine.

"God demonstrated His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us." (Galatians 3:13)

Do you see God’s great love for you? 
Do you see your need for His forgiveness? Do what He commands and “Repent…that your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
You must turn away from sin and turn to God. Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin, and surrender your life to the One who can save you. Jesus died to set you free, and then he rose from death to be your Lord. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If you will confess and forsake your sins (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, God will forgive you and you’ll pass from death to life.

If you are not sure how to pray, read Psalm 51 and make it your prayer.

What does it mean to "put your faith in Jesus Christ?" 
It means to personally trust in Jesus the same way you’d trust in a parachute if you had to jump 25,000 feet out of an airplane. You wouldn’t just "believe" in the parachute; you would put it on! In the same way, the Bible says, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ..." and you will be saved. There are millions of people who "believe" Jesus exists . . . but they have not put on the Savior—there’s a BIG difference. And the difference will be obvious when you “jump” through the door of death.

Today, with all your heart—turn away from sin, and surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Please don’t put it off till later. You may die today and then it will be too late. You may not yet have all the answers to your questions, but better to put on the parachute first and then ask questions, than to pass through the door unprepared, grasping for the parachute when it’s too late.

You can pray something like this—
"Dear God, today I turn from all my sins (name them), and I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me, and grant me your gift of everlasting life. Amen."
There is nothing magic about these words—it is the attitude of your heart that God cares about.

God will transform you from the inside out. You will think and feel differently as you learn to trust and obey Him. God will give you new strength to live right and love Him above all else. Read your Bible daily and obey His Word. You can trust God—He loves you and will always be faithful.

If you've decided to reject the gift of forgiveness and you die in your sins, there is no hope for you. There is no purgatory. The wrath of God abides on you and you will spend eternity in Hell. Please take the time to read below what the Bible says.. (HELL) ....is like.
(Also see the Heaven and Hell Books at www.spiritlessons.com  and my webpages www.detailshere.com/hellisreal.htm  and   www.detailshere.com/hell2.htm ). 

What does the Bible say about Hell?

Hell is a place of eternal damnation for those who rejected the Gospel of Christ..... described as a horrifying place.
Matthew 18:8-9 describes the eternal fire of Hell.
Matthew 3:12 speaks of unquenchable fire.
Revelation 20 describes the lake of burning sulfur and place of perpetual torment.

Hell is a place of constant agony and is set aside for all of those who reject Jesus Christ. No person on earth would willingly walk into hell. But so many people are doing just that. Despite warnings people continue to live in denial and are walking straight into Hell.
If this is you, please consider heeding the warnings of Scripture and answering the call of the Holy Spirit by accepting Jesus as your personal Savior.
1 John 1:9 promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Why would a God of love send someone to Hell?
Many people waver whether or not to become a follower of Jesus because of this question..... How can a God of mercy allow people to go to Hell?
Each and everyone of us is born with a sinful nature. The sad thing is we are destined for Hell.
The Bible says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
But..... What if God has provided the way of escape?
Wouldn't that display mercy?
It is God's desire that no person would suffer an eternity in Hell. The Bible says, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9).

God could not allow sin to go unpunished..... But being merciful, God sent His very own Son to be the final payment for the sins of those who believe. It only takes faith. God gave so much but required so little...... That is the epitome of a God of love.

Will the person who goes to hell cease to exist?

The body of the person who is lost or refused to accept Christ as Savior will be resurrected from the grave. This body will be supernatural and indestructible. It will join with the person's soul for eternity.
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:12-15).

It is a state of dying eternally.... but death will never be achieved. Jesus warned about those headed for eternity apart from God and the second death.

Is Hell eternal?

We are brought into this earthly world as eternal beings. Our life here is simply a stop in God's plan.

We can't even begin to get a glimmer of what Heaven and Hell are really like. The only thing that we can comprehend is that each and every single one was created by God the Father. God wishes that "none of us should perish."

Because of God's great love for us..... his children, He gives us free will.
We are given the choice to either accept or reject....
Just as we want our children to come to us willingly and lovingly, God wants us to come to him that same way.... and as much as we love our children God loves us...... plus infinity.

The choices are either Heaven or Hell. It is that simple and it is "forever"
He doesn't send anyone there.... we choose our final home.
Hell has to be forever because Heaven is forever. What would be the reason for anyone to choose Heaven if we knew we would eventually "get out" of Hell?
Hell is a consequence of a choice we make.

The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:

“Shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2)
“Everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46)
“Weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:51)
“Fire unquenchable” (Luke 3:17)
“Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish” (Romans 2:8,9)
“Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
“Eternal fire...the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 7,13)
Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: “He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone...the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."

___________________________________________________________________

Are you beginning to get the jist of this salvation thing?
Wow – we inherit this sinful nature from the first humans, Adam and Eve, who first sinned in the garden of Eden, so it is our nature to sin even if we don’t want to. God gives us His law to obey if we want to be considered righteous but as simple as these ten little rules are, we just can’t seem to follow them. We end up breaking all of them at one time or another during our lives. We know that if we are not righteous we will not enter the kingdom of heaven when we die.   If we don’t go to heaven, we know we will go to hell.  We know that hell is real and a very, very bad place to end up at, a place of everlasting punishment. There is no purgatory in the Bible where we can work our sins off. What a dilemma!

SOLUTION
Let’s go over this one more time to make sure you get it right!
There’s only ONE solution. No other options.

Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in Heaven?
If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into my kingdom of heaven”? What would you say?  If you don’t know for sure then this section could be the best news you could ever read.

The Bible tells us how we can know for sure that we will have eternal life and will be with God in heaven. 1John 5:13  “These things I have written unto you…that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”

1. Eternal Life is a FREE gift. 
Romans 6:23 “…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

And because heaven is a gift, like any other genuine gift,  it is not earned or deserved.

No amount of personal effort, good works or religious deeds can earn a place in heaven for you. Ephesians 2:8-9  “For by grace are ye saved by faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Why is it that no one can earn his way into heaven?
 
2. Because man is a sinner.  All of us.  Every one of us.
Romans 3:23 “For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Sin is transgressing God’s law, and includes such things as lying, lust, cheating, deceit, anger, evil thoughts, immoral behavior, and more; essentially breaking His ten commandments. 

And because of this man cannot save himself.  If you wanted to save yourself by good deeds, do you know how perfect you would have to be?
Mathew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.”

With such a high standard, no one can save himself.  However, in spite of our sin…

3. God is merciful
And therefore doesn’t want to punish us, and He says….
Jeremiah 31:3  “I have loved thee with an everlasting love”.

But the same Bible that tells us God loves us also tells us that God is just and must punish sin.  He says:
Exodus 34:7 “…(I) will by no means clear the guilty”
Ezekiel 18:4 “ … the soul that sinneth, it shall die”.

We have a problem.
God loves us and doesn’t want to punish us.
But He is just and must punish sin.

4. God solved this problem in the person of Jesus Christ;
Yahshua our Messiah.

Who is he? The Bible tells us clearly He is the infinite God-Man.
John 1: 1,14  “In the beginning was the word (Jesus), … and the word (Jesus) WAS God. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”.

Jesus came to earth and lived a sinless life, but while on earth he died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and arose from the grave to purchase a place for us in heaven.
Isaiah 53:6  “All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned, every one of us, to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him (Jesus), the iniquity (sin) of us all.”

Jesus Christ bore our sin in His body on the cross and now offers you eternal life (heaven) as a FREE gift.  

5.This gift is received by FAITH.
Faith is the key that opens the door to heaven.

Many people mistake two things for saving faith.
a. Saving faith is not mere intellectual knowledge, like believing certain historical facts. The Bible says that even the devil believes there is only one God, so believing that there is one God is not saving faith.
b. Saving faith is not mere temporal faith, that is, trusting God for a temporary crisis, such as family, financial or physical needs. These are good and you should trust Christ
for these, but they are not saving faith.

Saving Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life.
It means resting on Christ alone for what He has done rather than in what you or I have done to get us to heaven.
Acts 16:31  “Believe (trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”.

You have just read the greatest story ever told,
about the greatest offer ever made,
by the greatest person who ever lived;
Jesus Christ.

The question that God is asking you now is:
Would you like to receive the gift of eternal life?

Because this is such an important matter, let’s clarify exactly what this involves.

It means that you need to:
1. Transfer your trust from what YOU have been doing to what Christ has done FOR YOU on the cross.
2. Accept Christ as your savior. Open the door to your heart and invite him in.
Rev 3:20  “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice, and opens the door I will come in to him…”.
3. Receive Jesus Christ as Lord; give Him the “driver’s seat” and “controls” of your life, not the “backseat”.
4. Repent of your sins.  Be willing to turn from ANYTHING that is not pleasing to Him.
He will reveal His will to you as you grow in your relationship to Him.

Now if this is what you really want.
You can go to God in prayer, right here, right now, right where you are.

You can receive God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ right now.
Romans 10:10,13  “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you want to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, then call on Him , asking Him for this gift right now.

Here’s a suggested prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am a  sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But I believe you died on the cross for my sins and arose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Lord Jesus, come into my life and take control of my life. Forgive me
my sins as I forgive others who have sinned against me and save me. I repent of my sins and place my trust in you for my salvation. I accept the free gift of eternal life.

If this prayer is the sincere desire of your heart, look at what Jesus promises to those who trust and believe in Him.
John 6:47  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

Welcome to God’s Family!
Today is your spiritual birthday; a day you will want to remember.
The Bible speaks of those who receive eternal life in these words.
John 1:13  “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God”.

When you were physically born, the day of your birth was attested by a certificate of birth. 
So today, to help you recall what God has done in your life on this important day,
we invite you to sign and keep the following:

Are we done???  Is that all there is to it???  Well, no. It isn’t.

Backsliding
There’s a couple other things you need to know about and do. One thing I want to bring up is a sad statistic. Out of every 200,000 people that make the altar call and ask God to save them and give them eternal life, only about 15,000 to 18,000 keep the parachute on and stay with Jesus and remain saved.  The rest backslide back into their sinful ways and forget all about Jesus; some thinking that grace is a free license to sin now and others because they just become caught back up with the materialistic world we live in and the sinful influences Satan has provided to steal their salvation.  I personally believe a large reason for this is that the people were never taught from the git go the truth about the torments and fires of hell or the truth about how being good does not get them to heaven.  They never went through the presentation you have been shown above.  The evangelists that brought them to that altar call preached about the glory of God, how good God is, how loving God is, how God would not send them to hell; but they didn’t talk at all about how God is a just judge and the punishment for sin is hell.  They preached nice instead of necessity. They didn’t properly explain what the term savior means and exactly why Jesus as our savior is absolutely necessary to our salvation. No savior, no parachute, no heaven, we go to hell; no alternatives. Keep a daily walk with Jesus and don’t be a backslide statistic.

Grace is not a license to freely sin
It is not easy to explain to someone that although our works will not get us to heaven; if we do not show good works by our thoughts, actions, words, and deeds; it simply proves we lack the belief that we have been saved.  James 2:17 says "In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action; is dead".  Whoever has the faith can't help but show it by his/her actions.  Documents on this website that discuss this issue at length are “Saved" , Saved 2 and Saved 3. Please read them.
Logically, eternal salvation is provided for man solely by God's grace through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Man is saved through faith alone in Christ alone, independant of his works, but good works are a necessary result of true faith;   i.e. doing the rest and worship thing on Sabbath, keeping the ten commandments as well as you can, treating your fellow man with respect and forgiving his faults against you, witnessing your faith to others, & being baptized by full immersion are all part of being born again.

Slipping in sin occasionally like a white lie here or a slip of the tongue there, staring too long at a low cut blouse, wishing that yellow corvette across the street was yours, or getting angry with your kids but realizing it and reconciling soon thereafter; these things are expected. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect like He is. We are covered by Jesus’ righteousness as long as we continue to wear the parachute and we pick ourselves back up, quickly repent, and try not to do it again. We keep His commandments as best we can.  We forgive our fellow man when he trespasses against us. We treat our fellow man as we would want to be treated.  This is MOST important in retaining your status of saved. We put our relationship with Jesus above all else. We pray daily. We open our Bibles and study some daily. We don’t just ask Jesus to grant us grace and then put Him on the shelf. 

Baptism
If not already, you need to be baptised; full immersion Baptism to be specific. Full immersion means going completely under the water, just as you see John the Baptist doing at the river Jordan in the Jesus movies, not sprinkling. See the document “Baptism”  for a full explanation of why this is also a necessary requirement to get into heaven.
Christ emphasized, baptism is necessary! It's in the Bible. (See John 3:5).  " I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven without being born of water and the spirit".  See the document “Born Again” on this website  for what being "born again" means.

Baptism demonstrates true repentance. Such repentance is a turning to believe, follow, and obey Jesus Christ, and is the only kind of repentance that will save us. True repentance must lead a person to the waters of baptism. In baptism we identify ourselves with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Jesus died, bearing our sins and paying the penalty for them in Himself. He was buried, taking our old life into the tomb with Him. He was raised from the dead, that He might give to us by the power of God, His new life, a supernatural resurrected life of peace and joy and victory over all that previously bound us. Are there any prerequisites for it? Among the prerequisites for baptism noted in the Scriptures are belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Acts 8:36,37) and repentance (Acts 2:37,38), and being of sufficient age (usually ten or older) to know what Baptism is really all about. Baptism isn’t about being dunked in a pool of water. It is about taking off the old self, getting rid of all sin, and starting anew; giving your life over to Jesus, letting Him have the helm. Letting God’s holy spirit come upon you and show you what to do.  God’s holy spirit working within me allowed me to cast out demons in Jesus’ name; a day in my life I can never forget.  It’s a serious step in your life.

Witnessing to others
Are you ashamed of your new status of being saved? Do you want to keep it a secret?
Do you think your friends will laugh at you if you tell them you asked God to give you eternal life so your spirit doesn’t go to hell when you die?  God never promised easy. In fact He says you will be mocked and scourned because of Him.
Don't keep it a secret because people might think you are a little strange talking about God and what's right and what's wrong. When he tells us to share the good news; he means just that.   I get angered at the people who badmouth the Jehovah's witnesses or Mormons for their house to house tactics.   I certainly don't agree with everything these people had to say to me over the years and I enjoyed showing my ignorance in front of them only to find out later, they were right and I was wrong about many issues. But I have to give them an A for effort in trying to share the "good news"; because many people are just downright mean to them and slam doors in their faces; or issue profane words at them for bothering them, or call them kooks and cultists; it takes a lot of guts and fortitude to continue witnessing under those demeaning circumstances. With that, why would you want to witness about the salvation of Jesus to others?  Maybe a better question is; nowing what you now know about hell; why would you want to keep others from going there?

It is more important that you know Jesus than to know facts about Him! If you believe that Jesus is coming again, you will watch for His coming. If you earnestly watch for His coming you will purify yourself before Him by being obedient to His commandments, loving your neighbor, and witnessing your faith to others so that they might be saved also. You will commit some of your time and financial resources to that end also. The door the five wise virgins who carried extra oil for their lamps entered through is a symbol of the rapture. Remember five of the ten didn't get to enter. They weren't ready. The wedding banquet is the wedding feast of the Son of God and His Bride. Not all Christians get to go to this feast, therefore, not all Christians are part of the Bride of Christ. Only those that have taken the time to get to know Jesus will be allowed in. That is why he said, "I do not know you." These Christians will be left to be refined as gold during the great tribulation that is about to unfold instead of being protected by Yahweh by having His seal or mark during this time period.  (Go to  here   for just what that seal is). Some Christians obey God; and some do all the things the world does, even the evil things. Those who obey now will be rewarded. The rest will discover they should have. 

If you are not praying, giving, and working in the "Harvest Fields" for Christ, YOU DON'T BELIEVE HE IS COMING, no matter what your Church doctrine teaches! If you believe there is a literal Hell, where men and  women go that do not know about eternal life as a FREE gift and the forgiveness of sins, and you are not making some attempt to warn them and teach them about salvation, YOU don't believe He is coming back. Witnessing your faith to others is all a part of knowing Jesus. See tracts for more about witnessing along with sources of witnessing tracts to hand out.

In fact, in the book The Divine Revelation of Heaven by Mary Baxter, which you can read online at www.spiritlessons.com , more specifically at http://www.spiritlessons.com/a_divine_revelation_of_heaven.htm ,
she was shown that angels are actually keeping track of who and how many each of us brings to Jesus through our witnessing efforts. Witnessing to others may not only affect getting into heaven but may well affect what your reward is once there.

What constitutes God's Seal or mark on us??
To be sealed by Yahweh:

Ezekiel 20:20 says : "And hallow MY sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God."
 
Together with the true seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday), these annual Sabbath days constitute the signature (sign) of Yahweh, the Creator of the universe.

Isaiah 8:16 “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.”

Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”

Exodus 31:13 “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.”

Ezekiel 20:12 “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.”

Exodus 13:9 “And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.”

Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them”.

These texts clearly prove that Yahweh's law, and the Sabbath commandment in His law, constitutes the identifying seal and signature He places in the minds of His followers. You will need His protection during the coming tribulation as we are not going to be raptured out of here before it, but WILL be protected by Him during it just as He protected the Israelites during the last 7 of the ten plagues smote against Egypt just prior to the exodus; providing we have His seal or mark upon us in our heads.

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