“Four things God wants you to know”

John 3:16

Introduction

1. Government of the church
2. There are 5 instruments (Sets of laws to abide by) that we use to govern our body of believers.
3. If a church cannot show you these instruments…beware of it.
   1. Instrument No. IV – The Church Policy
4. The five instruments are as follows…
   1. Instrument No. I – The Holy Bible and Church CovenantInstrument No. II – Articles of FaithInstrument No. III – The Constitution and By-Laws

• If you become a member of this church then you must live your life as an example to others of how Christ would also live on earth.
• The word Christian means…Christ-like.

I. You Need To Be Saved

A) If not saved

• You cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3…Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
• Plain and simple…if you are saved you will see the kingdom of God. If you are not saved, you will go to hell.

B) All have sinned

• Romans 3:23…For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
• There has not been, nor ever will there be, anyone that will walks upon this earth that is sinless. (Except Jesus Christ)

C) There are none that doeth good

• Ecclesiastes 7:20…For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
• How many of us think that we are good?
• The Bible says that none doeth good.

D) The heart is deceitful

• Jeremiah 17:9…The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
• Before we are saved our heart is continually deceitful because we are of our father the devil.

E) We have all gone astray

• Isaiah 53:6…All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
• It is “our own way” that gets us in trouble.
• It is God way that is required.

F) We are unclean

• Isaiah 64:6…But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses (the things that we think are right in our own eyes) are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
• Without the blood of Jesus Christ to be the “Tide” (laundry detergent), we are as filthy rags!

II. You Cannot Save Yourself

A) Not by doing good deeds

• Titus 3:5…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;
• There are some religions that will teach us that we may go to heaven by how we treat others or by the works that we do in the name of Christ.
• Galatians 2:16…Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
• In this passage of scripture we will see that just by keeping God’s laws will not allow us to go to heaven and escape hell.

B) Offending the law

• James 2:10…For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
• We are not to value one over the other. Everyone is treated equal. If we are guilty of breaking the law (The Ten Commandments) in one offence then we are guilty of breaking them all.
• Why? Because the sin is not breaking God’s law, the sin is not doing as he has commanded.

C) What we think is right, is not right

• Proverbs 14:12…There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
• Many people think… “This is what I think about this verse in the bible and this is what I think it says.” The problem lies in the fact that “We think” when we know that it is what God has said that matters.
• Do you think that God on “Judgment Day” is going to ask us… “What do you think I should do with you according to what you have done?”

D) The road to heaven is a one way street

• John 14:6…Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

• Take note… that “…no man cometh unto the father”.
• Why? Because we are not Holy enough! When we die we all go to heaven but some will not stay after the Judgment. Because they have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and therefore they cannot stand before God because they are not presented as Holy through Jesus Christ and will not receive a Glorified body.

III. Jesus Has Already Provided An Escape Route

A) The only way to get into heaven

• This escape route goes through Jesus Christ.
• I Peter 2:24…Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
• Only by the grace of God can we attempt to live a sinless life. When we approach the throne of Grace to talk to God in prayer…Jesus is there to present us as Holy and acceptable to God.                               

B) Through the works of Christ

• I Peter 3:18…For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
• It is all because of what Christ done at Calvary that even allows us to pray to God, worship God, sing praises to God, etc.

C) This route was made sin for us

• II Corinthians 5:21…For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
• God made Jesus “Sin for us” In other words… God took his Holy son to take on all the sins of the world so that we would not have to suffer like His son.

D) Why was this escape route provided?

• John 3:16…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. 17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
• His great love for the creation that he made in His likeness is why he provided a way out.

IV. By Faith We Accept Him Today

A) Believe

• Acts 16:31…And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
  • If we believe then we can be saved…and that goes for our family (The house)

B) One God, and One Mediator

• I Timothy 2:5…For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

• Mediator; A mediator is a person that stands between to people to settle their differences.
• Christ being our mediator, stands between God and us to explain to God why we are allowed to talk to God, worship God or even be with God in heaven.

C) We first must confess our sins

• Romans 10:9… “ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,”
• Then we must believe in our heart…“ and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,(He hath raised us from a dead spirit) thou shalt be saved.”
• In verse 10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
• If we don’t mean it by our actions afterwards then we will not be saved.

D) Do not postpone your salvation

• II Corinthians 6:2…For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (gave assistance to in time of need) thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
• The last of this verse repeats twice the theme of this verse … “Now is”
• Paul  tells the church at Corinth “Now is the time (the age) and “Now is the day (the very day and not to wait until tomorrow).”
• Why? Because one day, it will be too late… Isaiah 55:6… “ ¶ Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”