Simplicity of Salvation Part 2

As we learned in Part 1 of this series, salvation is a gift from God. It is our decision to accept it or reject it. Once we accept Jesus as our Savior and we have repented of our sins, He is just to forgive us. Our sin is then cast into the sea of forgetfulness to be remembered no more. Unfortunately we are human and as long as we are on this earth the devil will do his best to trip us up. He is our biggest obstacle, other than ourselves, when it comes to forgetting and forgiving the past mistakes we have made. He will even use family and friends to bring up your past to make you think you are not worthy of Gods most precious gift of forgiveness thru Jesus Christ.

Early on you will be like a babe who needs his mother milk. You will not be introduced to the meat of the Word until you have been weaned from the milk. (This is others teaching you). It is very important for new Christians to be "discipled", or taught the word and the ways of God. Without this instruction it is so easy to fall back into the same sinful life you lead before accepting Jesus as your Savior. Don't take someone's teaching as truth. Go to the Bible and find the scriptures and read what the Word of God says. This way you will not get off into teachings that are not in line with Gods Word.

To combat the devils attempt to regain control of your life there are a few things you must do. You need to join with a Bible believing church and get connected to God's people who will love and support you. Read your Bible daily and learn to pray. All of these are key to successful Christian living. You may also have to remove yourself from friends that you once associated with. Because you are a new Christian the devil will try to temp you so you will fall back into your old habits. Don't let him win. He is the author of all lies. His main aim is to lie and to deceive you.

Remember in Genesis when Satan tempted Eve with the fruit of the tree of good and evil. Genesis 3 :1-6 says that Satan entered into the serpent and spoke to Eve saying. "Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of every tree of the garden: but the fruit of the the tree which is in the midst of the garden. God has said You shall not eat, nor shall you touch it, lest you die." In the next verse Satan lies to Eve by saying "You shall not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. As she took the first bite, then shared the fruit with Adam, they knew immediately they had done wrong. In other words they brought sin into the garden. They ran to find cover for themselves because they realized they were naked. Before, their nakedness did not matter. They had complete rule over the Garden of Eden as Gods Gardeners. Once they listen to Satan and did exactly what God told them not to do they were cast out of the Garden for ever, to toil the soil in order to live. This was mans downfall. Sin had entered the perfect world God had made.

Until next time, join yourself with a Bible believing-teaching church, stay in the Word, pray about everything you do and stay close to God.

Part 3 we will be teaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Yours in Christ

Brother Charles and Sister Connie Ritchie