.
Thanks Mike, still well spoken. I could not help but visualize the constant encouragement and direction give by Evangelist in John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. If one scans just his statements to Christian, you see the need to stay on the path, but it’s certainly narrow and difficult.
“…Mr. Worldly-Wiseman is an alien guide, and Mr. Legality a cheat; as for his son Civility, in spite of his simpering [smiling] manner, he is yet a hypocrite and cannot help you. Believe me, there is no substance in such blustering talk that you have heard from this sottish [works intoxicated] man. His only design has been to deprive you of your salvation by means of turning you from the way along which I sent you.””
Through Grace and the Sovereignty of God the Christian will persevere!
by Mike Ratliff
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. John 6:37 (LSB)
What a glorious Biblical truth it is that sinners may come to Christ just as they are! They come on the basis of faith and He saves them all (John 3:16). Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:1-10 that salvation is by grace through faith alone, apart from works. God saves His people this way so that none may boast. This means that no one whom He saves must do any work or attain any merit in order to be worthy to come. No, God saves sinners. However, in “today’s gospel” these wonderful truths have been twisted or extended to say that not only does Christ receive sinners just as they are, but He also will let them stay that way.
View original post 2,123 more words
Rainbow Trout 