Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 20
Saturday


NOT GOOD ENOUGH

READ:
1 Timothy 1:12-17
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Though your sins are
like scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow.
__Isaiah 1:18
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A friend told me recently of a young mother who was trying to explain her father's death to her 4-year-old. The girl wondered where Grandpa was. "I'm sure he's in heaven," the mother answered, "because he was very good." The girl replied sadly, "I guess I won't be in heaven." "Why not?" her mother asked in surprise. "'Cause I'm not very good."

The story saddened me, as I'm saddened when I hear of others who believe they must be very good to get into heaven, especially since we all know deep down in our hearts that we're not very good at all.

Perhaps like this little girl you're thinking about your sins and asking, "What must I do to get to heaven?" The answer has already been given: Jesus, by His death, has paid in full the price of your sins, no matter how sordid, tawdry, or shameful they may be. Your salvation is free.

God promises, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:18). John Donne writes:

Or wash thee in Chris't blood, which hath this might,
That being red, it dyes red souls to white.

No one is good enough to get into heaven. Eternal life is
a gift. Receive Jesus by faith. __David Roper
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```````````````````The perfect righteousness of Christ`````````````
``````````````````````````Is free to everyone,``````````````````
````````````````````But we by faith must take that gift`````````````
`````````````````And trust God's precious Son. __D. De Haan```````
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No one is good enough to save himself;
no one is so bad that God cannot save him.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Timothy 1:12-17*********

12 And I thank Christ Jesus
our Lord who has enabled
me, because He counted me
faithful, putting me into the
ministry, 13 although I was
formerly a blasphemer, a
persecutor, and an insolent
man; but I obtained mercy
because I did it ignorantly
in unbelief. 14 And the grace
of our Lord was
exceedingly abundant, with
faith and love which are in
Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying
and worthy of all
acceptance, that Christ
Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I
am chief. 16 However, for
this reason I obtained
mercy, that in me first Jesus
Christ might show all
longsuffering, as a pattern
to those who are going to
believe on Him for
everlasting life. 17 Now to
the King eternal, immortal,
invisible, to God who alone
is wise, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

As he sought to do with Timothy, paul also desired to pass on a
great deal of instruction to Titus. In his letter to Titus, we read,
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:45). God in His grace
saves those who believe, not because of any righteousness in them
but because of His mercy. The believer has been washed clean
from sin and has been renewed by the Holy Spirit. No mention is
made in Titus 3:5 of the role of faith in the process because Paul's
entire focus was on what God has done, not on human response.
__Dennis Fisher

__Adapted from The Bible Knowledge Commentary