Message from Pastor Leo

April 15, 2009

Religion is a terrible taskmaster.  Religion requires that you do some kind of penance or pay some kind of reparation for the forgiveness of your sins.  Religion makes you work your whole life hoping that you’ll have done enough to appease God by the day that you die.  But how much is enough?  When will you have done enough to earn a spot in heaven?

The Bible says you can not do enough good work to undo your past.  There aren’t enough doors on earth for you to knock on, or enough pamphlets for you to hand out to get your sins forgiven.  There isn’t enough money for you to give to the church to get your sins forgiven.  There aren’t enough good deeds to be done for the poor to get your sins forgiven.  That’s religion.

Christianity is different.  Christianity is not religion.  The promise of the God of the Bible is this… “I will do for you what you cannot do for yourself”.  The Bible says: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. 

God is the one who redeems you.  No matter how hard you work or how “good” you are, you cannot save yourself.  God saves you. 

The Bible says, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7

Does that mean we’re all saved and we’re all going to heaven? No.  It means that God gives all men and women the chance to be forgiven.  The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9. 

God wants to give you the gift of eternal life.  He wants you to live forever in heaven with Him.  And all He requires is that you agree with Him.  Repentance means that you agree you are a sinner and have been living for yourself, and that you’re now turning from your old ways and will instead live for Him.  You confess and believe that He is Lord of your life.

The Bible says: If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:9-11, 13.

      So take action.  Pray and confess your sins to God.  Ask for His forgiveness.  Surrender your life to Him.  Then relax and let the cleansing blood of Jesus wash away your sins.  Rest in the security of His loving arms because you’re saved.  And then read your Bible and grow, so that you can rest in the security of eternal life.  You don’t have to do anything else to earn or justify your salvation.  Just rest and trust God.

The Apostle Paul wrote: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. 2 Timothy 1:12b.  Paul knew He was secure.  He trusted God because he knew God.  He had a personal, intimate relationship with God, and you can too. 

Read your Bible.  Read it for an hour every day.  Pursue your own personal, intimate relationship with the Living God of the Bible by spending time with Him.  He loved you enough to send His Son to die for you.  He loves you enough to offer you eternal life in heaven.  Spend time with Him.  Get to know Him.  Read your Bible.

May the Lord Jesus Christ Be Magnified!

Pastor Leo A. Giovinetti