Bible verse of The Day – 1-24-24

Luke 23:43 (NKJV) 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Today you will be with Me in paradise.

This short sentence spoken by Jesus makes a huge statement about salvation.

We have all heard at one time or another that salvation comes by responding to an altar call, or by speaking specific words, inviting Jesus into our heart.

While this might not necessarily be wrong, it is confusing at best.

Salvation is simple. Humans complicate it.

Jesus was within hours of His own death. He was hanging on a cross next to two criminals who were also being put to death by crucifixion.

One criminal mocked Him. The other defended Jesus, recognizing His innocence and surrendering to Him, and then asking Him to remember him when he came to His kingdom.

He recognized Jesus for who He was, the long-awaited Messiah, and surrendered to Him right there on his cross.

What did Jesus do?

Did He tell the criminal that he needed to walk an aisle and accept an invitation to be saved?

Did He tell him that he must be baptized to be saved?

Did He tell him that he must confess his faith in Christ to others to be saved?

Did He tell him that he must pray “the sinner’s prayer” to be saved?

Absolutely not.

The man had already proven his faith in Jesus by His repentance and the words he spoke. The change in his heart had already taken place.

Luke 23:40-42 (NKJV) 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Faith in Christ is a matter of the heart.

It is a choice we make within ourselves, as we recognize our own sinful state, to embrace the gift of salvation offered to us by God in His mercy and recognize the redemptive power of the shed blood of Christ, all in a split second!

In that moment, we move from death to life.

Tradition may say otherwise. It may tell us we need to do A, then B, and then C to be saved.

Let us be careful not to place boundaries on salvation that God did not create.

Acts 16:30-31 (NKJV) 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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