Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
At certain seasons of the
year, we find many religious celebrations being conducted. We find that the
natural man wants to be religious and at times will do many things thinking that
he is performing an act of worship unto God. But the Word of God teaches that
religion is not salvation! The Word of God teaches that you can be religious and
miss heaven!
Our text teaches us that
there is not salvation in any other name than the name of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God. Our text teaches us that there is non other name given under
heaven whereby we can be saved. You are saved by Jesus Christ or you are not
saved!
How clear and concise: There
should be neither confusion nor contradiction. There are many names under heaven
in which we can find religion; but salvation can be found in one only; and that
is the name of Jesus Christ.
There is no salvation in
priests, prophets, penance or prayers, but only in Christ. You may have your
service and sacraments, churches and charities, tears and treasure, ritual and
reformation, but all are powerless to produce eternal life. The Word of God
tells us in 1 John 5:11,12, "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life
is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath
not life."
Men and women are willing to
give head knowledge to the claims of Christianity, but they refuse to accept in
their hearts the Christ of Christianity.
Men and women are willing to
take the high place in the work and ritual of the church; while refusing to take
the low place of guilty sinners needing a sinners salvation.
Men and women are willing to
believe in the moral precepts of God's Word, as based on the Ten Commandments;
while refusing to believe in, rest on, and receive God's Son as Saviour to their
souls.
RELIGION is the
improvement of the old nature. SALVATION is the imparting of a new nature
through receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. The Word of God tells us in
John 1:12, "As many as received him (Christ) to them gave he power to
become the sons of God."
RELIGION clothes us
with the robes of our own righteousness and God tells us in Isaiah that our
righteousness is as a filthy rag. SALVATION clothes us in the perfect
righteousness of Christ, which alone can make us acceptable in the sight of God.
God's Word tells us in Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."
RELIGION is what man
does for God; SALVATION is what God does for man. Isaiah 53:6 tells us, "All
we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
Lord hath laid on him (Christ) the iniquity of us all."
RELIGION says:
Something in my hand I bring. SALVATION says: Nothing in my hand I bring.
Ephesians 2:8,9 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."
RELIGION is trusting in a work we do. SALVATION is trusting in a work
that has been done. Hebrews 10:10, "By the which will we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
RELIGION depends on
our behaving. SALVATION depends on our believing. Acts 16:31, "Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
RELIGION says we must
act our best. SALVATION says we must accept God's best. Romans 6:23,
"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." RELIGION
depends on the sufficiency of character. SALVATION depends on the
Sacrifice of the Cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power
of God."
RELIGION is striving
for a better attainment. SALVATION is secured through a perfect
atonement. 1 Peter 1:18,19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
RELIGION tries
to bring us from darkness to light. SALVATION does bring us from
death unto Life. John 5:24, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but
is passed from death unto life."
RELIGION says we must
be found in God's house. SALVATION says we must "Be found in him
(Christ), not having" our "own righteousness which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of Christ." Philippians 3:9.
Again I remind you of our
text: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
My dear friends, do
you have religion or salvation? If you only have religion, then
you will miss heaven and spend eternity apart from God and His Son in a place of
torment. If you have salvation, you now have the promise of eternal life
with God and His Son forevermore.
