| have only touched on 10 of them at this point. How many preachers, today, are preaching the entire sermon on the mount as a salvation message. They are preaching `easy listening chin music', that won't cost them their popularity, by telling about the price that our Lord told us came with salvation. Something is dreadfully wrong! This isn't to say that we work for our salvation, we don't. Salvation is by the grace of our Lord, but, it isn't free lunch time after we are saved, either. In fact we need to look at what Jesus had to say about it in the balance of the sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:13-16 expands on the thoughts that Jesus put forth in verses 6-12, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.". Here we see that Jesus was restating the need to be witnesses to His gospel. But, in addition the Lord expanded further on that thought. I was taught to use the Roman's Road as a plan of salvation, for leading someone to the Lord. One of the steps along the road was to show them Romans 10:9-10, "That 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.". By pulling those two verses out of context, what Jesus intended has been severely diluted. One would gather from these two verses that all we have to do is confess the Lord once, and that's the end of it, from then on we can coast. That, however, is not the case, as we saw when the Lord went to Elijah in the cave, as we see in further verses in the sermon on the mount, and as we see if we read the entire Chapter 10 of Romans, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For 25 _______________________________________________________________________________ I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? ( that is, to bring Christ down from above: ) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? ( that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. ) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That 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 there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he 26 _______________________________________________________________________________ |
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