A.J. Ogden

Not Mohammad, not Confucius, not the Pope, not the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, not your religion, not your pastor, but the Master, Jesus is his name!

Works and trying to keep the commandments cannot save anyone. In Ephesians 2:8-9 the Bible tells us, “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.” My friend, all the religious works on earth can never save you. All your trying cannot save you. All your struggling to abstain from sin can never save your soul or make you whole. You are a sinner by nature, then by choice, and it will take Jesus and the grace (unmerited, undeserved favor) of God to save you when you repent of your sins.

Salvation is not a reward for the righteous (because there are none righteous). But salvation is a gift for the guilty. Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We are sinners condemned and unclean before God, and completely unable to save ourselves.

Romans 6:23, “For the wages (pay day) of sin is death (Hell for eternity); but the gift (something you do not pay for) of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus has already paid for your sins, purchased your redemption, your salvation at Calvary, when he shed his blood and suffered the Hell you deserved so you could have the Heaven He deserved. What an indescribable gift that was! Amen!

Now if you would have what he bought for you at such a tremendous price, you must cry out to him, repenting of your sins and asking him to forgive you. He will!

Some of the churches are at least half full of people who have a lip profession without a heart possession. In other words they know about Jesus (Satan does too) but have never had a new birth. The local church can not save you. You could be a member, but lost. I was raised in a corn field, but I’m not an ear of corn. You could be regular in your local assembly, say the right words, sing in the choir, but still be lost. You must be born again. John 3:7, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.”