GOD'S MIRROR

Perhaps you have found yourself on one side or the other of the following conversation.... "Hi, my name is Dorian Knocker, a member of Faith Baptist Church.   I would like to invite you to one of our services." "Oh, that's nice of you, but I'm already a Christian and attend another church." "Then you already know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?" "Well, actually I don't believe you have to go that far.   As long as a person obeys the Ten Commandments and doesn't go around looking for trouble.   That should be good enough." "But the Bible says a person must receive Christ and be born again.   Keeping the Ten Commandments will not get anyone into Heaven." "Then why did God give us the Ten Commandments in the first place?"    Many would consider this a valid question.   After all, in the Old Testament God says obey the Ten Commandments, yet in the New Testament He says receive Christ.   Which one is it?   Actually the two are inter-related.    Let's start with the Ten Commandments.   These were originally given to man in the Old Testament (Exodus 20) and they were given for a purpose.   This purpose was not to get anyone into Heaven, but rather to show man his need for Jesus Christ.   To explain how I'd like to illustrate with an everyday object - a mirror.    I've often wondered what it would be like if there were no mirrors.   Without one a person couldn't get a purely objective description of what they looked like.   At best they would have to rely on someone else's description; but since "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", a person asking "Am I attractive?" would receive different opinions.    The same thing would happen if there were no absolutes to right and wrong and someone asked "Am I a sinner?"   This is why the Ten Commandments were given.   They serve as "a mirror" by which man can look at himself and see himself as a sinner before God. "What shall we say then?   Is the law sin?   God forbid.   Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."   Romans 7:7    The law referred to here is not only the Ten Commandments but the Bible as a whole.   Without the law, determining right and wrong would be a matter of personal opinion.   However, the law shows us what sin is. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."   Romans 3:20 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." I John 3:4    The law is like a "mirror" that shows us what sin is.   At the same time it shows us that we're sinners and guilty before a just and holy God. "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."   Romans 3:19    Let's be honest.   No one has ever kept the Ten Commandments.   Every one has lied at one point or another.   People often steal.   For example, when they cheat on their income tax or insurance claims. Most of the time we justify it, but it is still sin by definition.   The purpose of the law is not only to show what sin is and that all men have sinned before God, but also to show man that something is inherently wrong with him.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.    Man has a shortcoming when it comes to holiness and righteousness.   He has a sin nature.   This means that man sins by nature.   This is why he cannot keep the Ten Commandments.   THEY GO AGAINST HIS NATURE.   In fact, trying to keep the Ten Commandments seems very unreasonable and is even impossible to man. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Romans 3:10.    Maybe you are wondering by now, "How does this all tie in with having to accept Jesus Christ as personal Saviour?"   The following dialogue between God and man should bear this out. God: You can't enter Heaven or stand in my presence unless you are righteous and sinless.   (I          Corinthians 6:9-10) "(9)Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?   Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10)Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."   (I Corinthians 6:9-10) Man: Okay, what must I do to become righteous? God: Just keep my holy standard as described in the law and you will be righteous.   (Romans 2:13) "(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."   (Romans 2:13) Man: How close to that standard do I have to be? God: Perfect!!   "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."          James 2:10 Man: What?!   That's impossible.   I can't go an entire lifetime without breaking your commandments          once!   That's unreasonable, it's against my nature! God: That's because of your fallen state.   In fact, your condemned already.   "For the wages of sin is          death;" Romans 6:23. Man: But I never stood a chance!   I can't keep the law, I need a saviour!!    This brings us to Jesus Christ.   The law as a mirror having shown man. . .         *   That he is a sinner         *   That he, in a fallen state, has a sin nature         *   That his sin has condemned him already    . . . is meant to make man realize his need of Jesus Christ as Saviour: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."   Galatians 3:24    It's sad to think that the very law that is meant to make man realize his sinful state and consequent need of Christ is the same law that is serving as a stumbling block for many who act self righteously.   Maybe you come from a church background that teaches you to simply keep the Ten Commandments.   But please realize that it is impossible to keep them.   God gave them to man to show him how hopeless it is to try to gain Heaven without a saviour. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" Romans 8:3. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."   Galatians 2:21    Please read the plan of salvation on the opposite [below] page and if you have any further questions feel free to contact us or pay us a visit at the address listed on the back [below].

HOW TO ACCEPT CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOUR FIRST THE BAD NEWS: 1.   We must realize that we are lost, sinners that are spiritually dead. * "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."   Luke 19:10 * "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. * "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."   John 3:3 * "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."   John 3:6 2.   As spiritually dead, lost sinners, God's judgment and wrath are upon us. * "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27. * "For which things' sake [sin] the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience [sinners]:" Colossians 3:6. 3.   Our good works can't stop this judgment and wrath.   God demands death as payment for sin. * "Not of works..." Ephesians 2:8,9. * "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Romans 3:10. * "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."   Ezekiel 18:4 * "For the wages of sin is death;" Romans 6:23. NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!! 4.   God is willing to accept someone else's death in our place.   That someone is Jesus Christ. * "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."   I Timothy 2:5-6 * "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   Romans 5:8 5.   Jesus has bought salvation for us and now God can offer it as a gift by grace. * "Ye are bought with a price;" I Corinthians 7:23. * "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 How does someone accept this gift?   Through repentance and faith. REPENTANCE: means to change your mind and adapt an attitude of not sinning against God. FAITH: means to simply take God at His Word, i.e., believe the verses you have just read. * "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."   Acts 20:21 * "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."   Romans 10:13 6.   Upon being saved and born again spiritually, we become converted to a new creature in Christ. * "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."   Matthew 18:3 * "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."   II Corinthians 5:17

CALVARY BAPTIST
CHURCH

2030 West Main Street
Valley City, North Dakota 58072

Speaking the truth in love
Ephesians 4:15

701.845.9220

Schedule of Services

Sunday Morning Worship . . . . . 10:30 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service . . . . . . . 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Bible Study . . . . . . . 7:00 p.m.

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