Musick-al Note # 179
Everyone needs the comfort, teaching, encouragement and spiritual strength derived from the Word of God. When one fails to study the Bible regularly, they will lose interest in eternal life and never take the time to know it. We must heed the Word to follow Jesus.
“Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and it more abundantly”. He also made it clear that to have that life, a person must accept the teaching of Christ in loving faith and willing obedience to all His commands (John 14:15, Matthew 7:24-27). Everyone should recognize that Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice on the cross to ransom all men from their debt of sin (2 Timothy 2:6). The tremendous gift of having the debt of sin paid (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23) must be received by every person by their following Jesus in faith and in obedience to him. Our response must be more than declaring that we love Him and call Him our Lord (Luke 6:46). We must obey him in all things. A person who believes that Jesus is the Christ and turns from sin to begin a life freed from sin will be baptized into His death and that we are raised by faith in the operation of God, having forgiven us all trespasses.” (Romans 6:3-11). Paul said that baptism makes us Children of God by putting on Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). The doctrine of salvation before baptism makes the death of Christ inconsequential and the command to be buried with the Lord an empty, meaningless ritual.
It must grieve the Lord to hear people declare that they love him then say that his commands are meaningless and do not obey them (John 14:21-26). To accept the teaching of Christ, follow those teachings faithfully and you will be blessed by him. (Matthew 7:13-14, John 10:9-10, John 10:27-30, 14:6, 23-24).
Consider well the teachings of Jesus and the apostles who said that as there were false prophets in Israel, so false teachers will be among believers in Christ (Matthew 7:15, 2 Peter 2:1-3). Paul wrote that false teacher would change the message, causing it to no longer be truth (Galatians 1:6-9). Be careful to follow the truth by following the Word of God..
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 