COWBOYS FOR CHRIST SETS FORTH TRUTHS

Submitted by: Phil Bulfinch

 

http://www.cowboysforchrist.net/decisions.html

Today I was informed that a good man, an elderly friend, had a massive stroke and was not expected to survive…but I knew from many nights of intimate conversation with him that I should not be worried about his future, even after he passed from this earth.

 

Sure, I’ll mourn his passing for a little time, but not because he is gone from me. Rather, just the opposite…because he had faith in our Lord, and was saved by that faith and belief in HIM, in coming to Christ.

What I believe, and which is repeated by Cowboys For Christ is:

·         Death, as Christians understand it, is a change in the form of life; it is not a cessation of life.

·         Those who have been given eternal life in Christ Jesus will spend a few fleeting moments here on this earth.

·         The rest of eternity is spent in the presence of God.

How do I know this, you might ask?

There is one very, very important decision that each and every person must make some time in their life.  That decision is to accept JESUS CHRIST as their SAVIOR and LORD or not to accept HIM.  No one knows when their life will end, so it is very important to make that decision before it is too late.  I am not trying to scare anyone, cause any worry or alarm, but I am telling the truth.
It isn’t hard, painful or difficult, in fact, it is very easy.  The Bible very plainly tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned.” Also, in Romans 6:23 we are told, “For the wages of sin is death.”  This death actually is referring to eternal death. 
But the last part of Romans 6:23 reads, “But the gift if GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.”  John 3:16 “For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Romans 10:9 & 10 explains how, “That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the LORD JESUS, and shall believe in thy heart that GOD has raised HIM from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” 
And Romans 10:13 includes everyone, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved”. 
When it comes right down to it, more people than would like to admit, believe that there really is a God, but in reality are saying to him, "God, you do your thing and I'll do mine, and let's not bother each other, O.K."  God says, "I can't handle that because I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO LEAVE YOU ALONE."
It is our attitude towards God which separates us from his close love, friendship and benefits.  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Romans 6:23
Becoming a Christian is not a decision in your own will power to be a "do-gooder" or to get all "religious" and therefore hope to earn God's favor. Not even…   
We deserve to pay for our sins in the fires of Hell (Psalm 7:11, 9:17; Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8; James 2:10; Jude 1:7; 2nd Thessalonians 1:8,9).
Good Works Cannot Save!!! Do not ADD good deeds, merit, baptism or church membership to your faith, or else it is no faith at all. 

Trust Jesus Christ alone or you will not be saved! 

Do not rely upon your church. 

Do not trust the Seven Sacraments. 

Do not trust in Mother Mary. 

Do not trust the Pope or your priest because they CANNOT do anything to help you! 

They surely have NO power to forgive your sins. 

They desperately need forgiveness themselves. 

 

Only God can forgive sin, and Jesus is Almighty God. 

The Bible teaches that our best efforts to be good will fall short of God's ideal because man alone can never in himself make himself acceptable to God.  No one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what the law commands.  For the more we know of God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying them.  "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

1st John 5:13 states, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."  What a privilege it always is for me to share with people the wondrous truth of God's Word, that you may KNOW that you have eternal life. 

God loves people!!! 

God wants you to be His Child. 

He will not force you to be saved, you alone must make that decision for Christ.

 

God loves us more than we love ourselves and has a plan to get us sinners back to him.
For God says he will accept and acquit us, declare us "not guilty" if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  We all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.  Yes, everyone has sinned; and fallen short of God's original plan; yet now God declares us, "not guilty"  For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment (the rap) for our sins and to end all God's anger against us.  He used Christ's blood and our faith (trust) as the means of saving us from his wrath. 

 

There is nothing you need to give up to be saved…only your unbelief! 

Though some people would like to make you think you have to stop sinning to be saved, it is simply not true.  If this were the case, we would all burn in Hellfire, because even the best Christians still commit sin. 

 

This is THE thing I most often tell those I encounter in the farm and ranch community!

 

Our eternal salvation is based upon our faith in Christ's work of redemption to forgive our sins; and not upon anything we can do to merit salvation.  No one can merit (i.e., earn) salvation, for it is the FREE GIFT of God (Romans 5:15; 6:23), paid for by Jesus' precious blood (1st Peter 1:18,19). 

 

Salvation is of the heart; not the mouth. 

Many professed 'Christians' today are running around leading people in prayer to invite Jesus into their heart. 

 

The issues of sin, condemnation, and judgment must be dealt with. 

 

Inviting Jesus into one's heart, or making a commitment to God, is not salvation.  RATHER, salvation is a dirty rotten sinner, who realizes his or her guilt, and justly deserved penalty of Hellfire, coming to Jesus Christ in faith for forgiveness and salvation. 

 

There are many folks today, who profess the name of Jesus, who have no remorse whatsoever over their homosexuality, abortion, or worldly living. 

Something is wrong. 

Although a person does not have to forsake their sins to be saved, a genuine born again Christian will experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 12:8), and a changed life should manifest itself. 

This is exactly what the Apostle James meant when he said in James 2:18... "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

 

God can see the faith in our heart; but men cannot, so they look at our works alone.

 

To be saved, you need to have your sins forgiven, and ONLY Jesus can forgive them. 

To be forgiven, you must first realize your guilt and condemned state of sin, and then TURN (repent) in faith to Jesus Christ to forgive those sins and save you eternally.  Mark 1:15, "...repent ye, and believe the gospel." 

 

Carefully notice that Mark 1:15 speaks of repentance to "believe the Gospel"; and not, repentance from committing sin.  To repent is to "turn" to Jesus Christ for salvation.  God works a spiritual change in a person's heart once they are in Christ; not before... "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 

 

The change is NOT a prerequisite to be saved; but comes through the power of the Holy Spirit once a person is in Christ (i.e., saved). Does a person have to give up their sins to be saved?  The answer is "No."  Although even one sin can keep a person out of Heaven (James 2:10), there is only one sin that can prevent a person from being SAVED, and that is the sin of UNBELIEF.  For we read in Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  This is a promise from God.

God's word is an unbreakable contract he has made available to us.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16            

If a guy were to offer to pay a cowboy's entry fees for the rest of his rodeo career, the cowboy would never receive the benefits of that offer unless he believed the man enough to go down the road and claim it. 

It matters not what words you use, just as long as you realize your guilt as a sinner, and then believe in your heart on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.  Salvation is of the heart; not the intellect.  It is a matter of trust.

This is a PROMISE from God.  If you will simply call (i.e., TRUST) upon the name of the Lord Jesus, you WILL be saved.  How much "faith" do we need to be saved?  JUST ENOUGH faith to "call."  Jesus died on the cross for you and me. The word "call" in Romans 10:13 simply means "to trust upon." 

When you call upon Jesus in faith to forgive your sins, He has promised to forgive and to save you.  Forsake your false religion and turn (repent) to Christ alone for salvation.  Cease from trusting in your own good works.  Trust upon Christ's finished work of redemption.

By the same KING of FAITH/ACTION we can claim eternal life and real forgiveness of sins.           

Jesus said himself, "But as many as received him, to them gave HE power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life…" John 3:36

John 6:40 says, "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which SEETH the Son, and BELIEVETH on him, may have everlasting life: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY."

Right now, this very minute you need to make that decision for eternal life and by praying this prayer and truly believing you can accept the LORD JESUS CHRIST as your LORD and SAVIOR.  The late great D.L. Moody once said, “GOD has put salvation within the reach of everyone, because all you have to do is believe.”

 

To each and every one of you, the reason for the season is that Jesus came in human form to save each of us…

 

Bless you all, and pay it forward while you still can!

 

Phil Bulfinch

Orilla de Rancho Cielo

PO Box F

Pala, CA 92059