Which will you do? When you bow before King Jesus will it be for salvation or condemnation? Those are the only two choices offered to us. The former is a choice you make here on earth; the latter a command you will have to obey. Why? Paul tells us:
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“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.†(Philippians 2:9-11)
The “therefore†is there for Christ’s obedience to the cross, not denying the cross or scorning its shame. Jesus’ shame came from men; His glory and exaltation from the Father.
My dear friends, we all have a choice to make right now…this morning as you read this. Have you bowed your knee before Jesus asking for and receiving salvation? Have you accepted the glorious gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? You can’t earn it; no one could pay the horrible price Jesus paid. Believing or saying anything contrary to this truth is merely human boasting:
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“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.†(Ephesians 2:8-9)
If you have not bowed your knee before Jesus I pray you will do so today. Do not wait another day! You are not promised today, the next day, or even your next breath. Won’t you bow your knee to Jesus Christ and confess Him as Lord? Do it before it’s too late. The only other choice is to do it to receive condemnation. Warren Wiersbe writes:
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“One day all will bow before Him and confess that He is Lord. Of course, it is possible for people to bow and confess today, and receive His gift of salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). To bow before Him now means salvation; to bow before Him at the judgment means condemnation.â€
You may not believe and confess Jesus Christ as Lord, but all will one day. There are no dead unbelievers, but for some confession means condemnation. But it doesn’t have to for you; it can mean salvation if you will do it today. Have you? Won’t you! When Jesus was here on earth He taught this lesson. So many thought salvation came through their religious system and not the delivered Messiah. Hear Jesus’ words:
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“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’†(Luke 16:19-31)
I have heard so many say if only God would show them a miracle, show Himself true, that they would believe. Jesus in His parable teaches otherwise. The rich man and his brothers had their own Bible and they did not believe the Truth; they surely would believe someone risen from the dead. Why? Because Jesus had already brought some back from death and others did not believe. He Himself would rise from the grave and be witnessed by over 500 people and still people refuse to believe. If you are looking for irrefutable proof you will never find it because that would not be faith.
So my question for you is: are you a believer now or will you wait until you die and it be too late?
Will you bow now for salvation or later for condemnation?
In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4
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Copyright © 2011 David Jeffers
Tags
Bible, Christianity, Evangelism, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Sin