Who Will Be Saved?

Victory Can Be Yours!

Article #13

            There is a great account found in chapter ten of the book of Acts.  This is a tremendously important message of Cornelius seeking God, and of God, preparing Peter to put aside prejudices that he might present the gospel to the Roman centurion and his household.  God set up the circumstances in which Peter could present the gospel; the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The gospel which Peter presented must be revealed before an unbelieving sinner can be saved.  The unbeliever must understand what Christ has done for him.  For it is by the grace of God through faith that we are save.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”(Eph. 2: 8, 9)  Where does that faith come from?  “So then faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10: 17)  Cornelius had to believe in Jesus Christ through faith in order to become a child of God, which he did.  This is a great illustration of the magnificent grace of God in carrying out His perfect and simple plan of salvation.

            There is another message contained in this same account of Cornelius.  Cornelius was, “a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continuously.” (Acts 10: 2)  Cornelius was an extremely religious person, but he did not have Jesus Christ in his life.  Regardless of his continual prayer and his generosity, without a saving knowledge of, and belief in Jesus Christ, there can be only eternal condemnation.  Even a religious person without Christ is lost.  Before a person can enter into the Kingdom of God, he must believe, “He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” (Rom. 4: 25)  Good works are not enough.  Regular church attendance or church membership is not adequate.  Being a good person does not do it.  The only way is, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” (Acts 16: 31)

            There are millions of people in the world today, who are devout religious people like Cornelius.  People who attend church regularly, give generously, and work feverishly in the church, but who do not have a personal relationship with the Lord.  This is, to a great extent, failure on the part of the church.  This failure is by pastors and lay people who put too much emphasis on appearance and ceremony rather than on Christ.  But, the ultimate responsibility is on the individual.  It is not necessarily a good person who goes to heaven; it is only one who believes in Jesus Christ.  Conversely, it is not necessarily a bad person who goes to hell; it is everyone who rejects Jesus Christ.

            Therefore, Jesus said, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks find, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”  (Matt. 7: 8)  Jesus was speaking of an eternal treasure which can only be found in Him.  If you are not absolutely sure that when you die you will go to heaven, then do as Cornelius.  Seek the Lord diligently and He will be revealed to you.

            You, too, can have victory in Jesus!  More will follow.

Lowell Parrish