Life without Christ Is Vanity

17And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:17-22).

Introduction

How important do you see your wealth and riches? Do you see them with high regard and value? Do you regard them as the most important in your life? Friends, I suppose we have the same answer to these questions that all wealth and riches of this world are nothing without Christ. There are greatest and absolute needs of every human being in this world, regardless your race, nation, intelligence, and wealth. There are two things we need to know from this passage we just read.

I. The Need to know God (vv. 17-20)

In this passage, we notice a certain man came to Jesus. Who is this man? When we harmonize the three accounts about this man we observe things about this man. I would say he was a rare young man.

(a) Firstly, he was a young man; a young man in the prime of his age (Matt 19:20). It was very good for a young man to have a desire to know the way to heaven.

(b) Secondly, he was a rich man; a rich man in the fullness of his wealth (Mark 10:22).

(c) Thirdly, he was a ruler; a ruler in the prime of his authority (Luke 18:18). At least these three things make this man so unique in comparison to all of us here and many people in this world. He was rich. This is most wanted by all people. They study and work very hard in order to be rich. He was a young man. Many people are rich and yet they are very old and are not able to enjoy their riches. He was a ruler, a leader; someone who has respect and honour from people around him. Do you not think this man above all of us here and many people around us? What more does he need in this life? The world is seeking this kind of position. Everyone wants to be like him. But this man can represent many people in this world.

(d) Fourthly, by observation, we notice that he was very ambitious and zealous man. He ran. He kneeled before the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember friends, he was a leader, a rich man and a young man. And Jesus Himself was not walking alone, but followed by His disciples and the multitude and yet this man was very confident and ambitious on what he has committed to know. He was not like Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night, perhaps because of the fear of the people. He has all confidence on him. He was deeply anxious to receive an answer to his question and also he had great reverence for Jesus.

(e) Furthermore, he came to Jesus in order to know the way to eternal life. Up to this point we see this man was absolutely perfect. He is a rich man, young man, leader, ambitious and has a desire to know the way to heaven. Many people when they are rich they never think about God anymore. There are many Christians who work so hard in order to be rich and when the Lord blesses them with wealth, they indulge in their works and riches. Their priority was not the church and service to God but works and money. When they become rich, they obtain respect from the world and appointed to be leader and have a say in society, all the more, they forsake the church and the Lord.

This man was so great. He kneeled down before Christ, and the multitude because he realised that though he has all these wealth and position, deep down in his heart, he realised that there was no assurance of salvation in him. Deep down in his heart was uncertainty about the future. He did not know what would happen in the future after this life. Since Jesus was so different in His teaching, someone who has authority in His preaching and teaching. Perhaps by comparison with the rest of the rulers in his time, he felt he was on the top level. Perhaps those rulers have given him the assurance for his devotion to the law and teachings of the Judaism. Then he wanted to make sure what this special Teacher said concerning him.

Thus, having kneeled before Jesus as a sign of his humility, perhaps he saw Jesus as an eminent prophet and teacher, but not knowing Him to be the Son of God. He said, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Based on the content of this question, this man believed the certainty of the future state; that there will be life after this present life on earth.

Hearing his question, Jesus did not directly given an answer but rather Jesus asked him back, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God.” Jesus here does not deny that He is good and that He is God. However He asked this question in order to question this man whether or not this man understood what he was saying. Jesus was simply saying here that “There is only one which is good namely God Himself. If you call me good, then you must have known me that I am God.” In other words, “If you call me good which is the title should be rendered to God, then you must have known and acknowledged me as God.” Of course this man did not acknowledge Jesus as God.

I believe when Jesus asked this question, this man was shaken in his theology. He was a ruler, a Pharisee who was supposed to know the Law, the prophecies concerning the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Messiah. But he did not. Then Jesus continued in verse 19, “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.”

I believe the reason why Jesus asked these six commandments because these are the most common commandments broken by the Jews. The first four commandments, being related to God Himself, they would try their best to keep them. However having heard Jesus’ statement, what was this man’s answer? Verse 20, “And he answered and said unto him, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth.”

According to the standard or sense or interpretation of the law by the Pharisees which demand only the gross outward act, not the inward lust and motion of the heart. Perhaps he was right that he already observed them very well as the outward obedience to the Law and this made him think well of himself but not according to the standard of God. If this man could say that he had observed them from his youth, can you imagine what would be his answer if Jesus asked about the first four commandments? Most probably he would say, absolutely master, that is my life and soul. [But nothing is better evidence of our unfeigned love to God than the sincere performance of our duty to our neighbours. Love to man is a fruit and testimony of our love to God; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1Jo 4:20]

Friends, we are pleasing God not according to the standard given by man or church organization. We must measure spiritual things based on Holy Scriptures as our final authority in life, practices and faith. This man was not saying the truth. His heart knew it and Jesus knew it and you know it through the Holy Scriptures. No one can do the commandments of God perfectly “if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is deed in vain” (Galatians 2:21).

Friends, life without knowing Christ will be meaningless. You know your hearts whether you know Christ and His commandments. You may not be as young as this man, you may not be a rich as this man, you may not be a ruler as this man, you may not be so ambitious as this man, but if you know Christ truly, you are much better than this man because Christ is living in your hearts. Christ gives you assurance, joy, hope and the desire to please Him. The fact that you are different from this man because you know Christ as your Lord and Savour then your life is meaningful.

The second point we need to know so that our lives might not be meaningless is the need to forsake all things for God’s sake.

II.The Need to forsake all things for God’s sake (vv. 21-22).

Jesus knew the heart of this man that he was not honest at all in response to Jesus’ statement when he said, “all these have I observed from my youth.” Nonetheless, Jesus continued as to give an answer to his question. Just imagine the reaction of this man when Jesus began to answer him, “one thing thou lackest.” However, that one thing which was lacking was the whole things he possessed. Jesus said, “go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

There are six commands that Jesus said here, (1) go thy way, (2) sell whatsoever thou hast, (3) give to the poor, (4) having done these three things, Come, (5) take up the cross, and (6) follow me. These commands do not mean that every rich man must sell all his possession, and distribute to the poor, and having done so, being now very poor, come and follow Jesus. This does not mean that in order to be a disciple of Jesus one must disown his property, and be very poor.

Jesus knew the problem of this man. This man loved his wealth more than God. He loved his riches above all things. To show that you really are disposed to keep the commands of God, go and sell your property. See whether you love God more than you do your wealth. By doing that, you will show that your love of God is supreme; that your obedience is not merely external and formal, but sincere and real; the thing, now lacking, will be made up.

This is the true self-denial, in renouncing the sin of covetousness, and the inordinate love of worldly wealth. We ought to be willing to forsake all for God’s sake which is dear unto us in this world. He was not like Zaccheus after hearing the good news from Jesus, he stood and said unto Jesus; “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). He was far from it. He dared to forsake all respects and honour from the multitudes being a ruler of the people, and knelt before Christ but not forsaking his wealth. To him, wealth is everything. How true it is as Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Paul also was rich in self-righteousness like this man, but cheerfully sacrificed all, that he might follow Christ (Philippians 3:6-9).

Jesus knew the problem of every man who came to Him. Jesus gave a different command to different people. The test of discipleship that Jesus gave was different to different people. There was a time where Jesus said to someone who desired to follow Him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). To another man, Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). Or as to another man, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Jesus knew the heart of everyone who came to Him.

Jesus knew that this man was not willing to forsake all things for God’s sake. It was too hard for him to do so. He wanted an easy way. Perhaps, he was thinking that Jesus would ask him to give money that he might have eternal life. Or he might think that he could gain this eternal life by performing some meritorious acts. In so doing he thought that eternal life is a reward of doing good works, since other rulers in his contemporaries might have given a stamp on his performance. But whatever thought he might have in mind was already known to Jesus because He is God who knows everything under the sun. This ruler was called upon to make his choice whether he would love Christ or the world, whether he would serve God or mammon.

This man went away with grief. He was very sad. He came to Jesus with much ambition and spirit but he went away with sorrow and sadness. Friends, we should make clear that there is nothing wrong to be rich. The fault lies not in riches but the heart of the person that counts riches as supreme.

Friends, do you have things that hinder you from loving Jesus? Do you have in your life a habit that you cannot forsake and yet hinder you to the fullness of ministry in loving and serving Jesus?

Conclusion

This man had begun well by acknowledging his spiritual destitute and by realising that his life was meaningless. He came to Jesus. It was right. It was the best, but he was not willing to know God and willing to forsake all for God’s sake.

You have begun well by coming to the church or the Bible College to be trained and equipped ourselves for the ministry ahead of us that the Lord will provide for each one of us. It is the will of God that we will be grounded in the truth as we are moulded during the study here. It is the will of God that we may know God and His Son Jesus Christ more and more as we study His Holy Word daily here. It is our prayer that we might know God and His Words deeper.

In the ministry there are many difficulties, problems, people, misunderstanding that come along that may cause to quit us from ministry. If we are not firmly known your God, you will forsake Him and His ministry. This does not mean, when we follow and know Christ there will be no problems. Problems will be still there, but we shall find joy in serving God and handling the problems. Make sure you know your God.

The question I need to ask now is, will you end well by giving your hearts for Jesus and serving Him for the whole of your life? Or do you have deep in your hearts as you are studying right now, something that hinders you from committing your life unto the Lord? Amen.

The Gospel of Christ is the only absolute truth (Gal 1:6-10)

INTRODUCTION

Every minister of the gospel is delightful to see his flocks to grow in the knowledge of God and longs to see them growing in faith and be faithful to God and His Word. On the other hands, it brings sadness and bitterness when his flocks depart from the truth and embrace the wrong doctrine or heresy. Such as this, it ever happened in the ministry of the apostle Paul in the church of Galatia. Paul expressed his hearts when he said, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).

When we try to make a comparison between the church of Galatians and Corinthians we notice that there is a great different in the way Paul saw the problem. We know in the church of Corinthians occurred many problems though this church actually was blessed by God with many spiritual blessings or gifts, yet the same church faced a lot of problems such as the issue of adultery, of marriage, of food offered to idols, of Holy Communion etc. However one thing we notice that Paul was still giving thanks to God for the church of Corinthians despite of these issues. Paul said, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.” This depicts to us that God was merciful to forgive the Corinthians when they came to God for confession and repentance.

But when we see the book of Galatians we cannot find such statement in the beginning of the letter but rather Paul expresses his disappointment for they have departed from the true Gospel of Christ and embraced a different gospel. What happened with the church of Galatians? The Galatians have embraced the claims of the world. They have departed from the Gospel of Christ and taken another gospel which is not the gospel. For this reason Paul wrote the church of Galatians to respond to their errors and to state the absolute truth of the Gospel of Christ. Firstly, Paul wanted to declare to the Galatians that apart from the Gospel of Christ there is no Truth.

I. Apart from the Gospel of Christ there is no Truth (Gal 1:6-7)

It seems that shortly after Paul departed from Galatia the heretics came to destroy the faith and steadfastness of the Galatians on the true Gospel of Christ. Paul expressed this in Galatians 1:6 when he said, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” Paul was so disappointed with the Galatians. He marveled because they so soon departed from the truth which in the time of Paul was still with them, they firmly declared that they believed the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

Paul said that the Galatians have embraced ‘another gospel.’ What is another gospel here? It is the teaching that believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is not sufficient for salvation but Christians still need the Law of Moses such as circumcision added into the grace of God in order to be saved. In other words, the Galatians were asked to go back to legalism of the Judaism. This is the rejection of the shedding blood of Christ once for all. However the sad thing was that the Galatians were persuaded and embraced this wrong and unbiblical teaching. The Bible clearly teaches that Christ is the one way of Salvation as Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Paul absolutely had taught the Galatians the whole counsel of God as he did to the Christians in Ephesus (cf. Acts 20:24-32). There is no doubt on the theological persuasion of Paul. He knew that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour.

What Paul had taught to the Galatians is only the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that contains the absolute way of salvation. Jesus clearly said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). Paul also said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). The point here is that salvation is only obtained by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). There is no place of good works for salvation. Good works are required from believers not to add merits unto salvation but as the evidence of their salvation. Good works must be practiced and become a custom of believers as the products of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers and of the process of sanctification.

What had happened in the church of Galatia was very serious. That is why Paul could not thank the Lord for the Galatians as he did for the Corinthians. Paul could only express his disappointment and anger, hoping that the Galatians might come back to the Lord because there is no truth apart from the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Friends, if the church of Galatia which was founded by the apostle Paul himself can be influenced by the heretics, how much more in our days? In our generation there are so many groups of Christians who claim to have the true Gospel of Jesus Christ but in daily practice and teaching they are far from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. The heretics such as Jehovah Witness and Mormon will work hard to achieve their goal and destroy the faith of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are the preachers of another gospel which is not the true gospel.

How about the churches around you? Are they teaching the correct teaching of the gospel of Christ? Sad to say, many so-called the big churches around have taught another gospel and embraced another Christ which is not the Christ of the Bible. In fact it is common among the Charismatic churches describing Christ as different from which is in the Bible. The Charismatic churches are teaching that the elements of the Lord’s Supper: bread and wine, were treated as magic elements that can help and heal the sick. The teaching of the wrong doctrines will be more as the coming of the Lord Jesus nearer (2 Timothy 3:1-9). It is the fact in our generation that so-called Christians have preached and promoted another gospel such as the gospel of Judas and so on. In so doing these churches have stumbled many people because the gospel they promote is contrary to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly the gospel of Christ is the only absolute truth and there is no other.

The second point is apart from preaching the Gospel of Christ is anathema.

II. Apart from preaching the Gospel of Christ is anathema (Gal. 1:8-9)

When Paul knew that some Galatians had embraced another gospel, he wrote this statement in which no one would desire to here. Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). And again in verse 9, he reaffirmed it by saying, “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

We know that Paul has some friends during his missionary journeys such as Timothy, Barnabas, Silas, Luke, and others. And Paul clearly said here if anyone from among them who preaches any other gospel, Paul pronounces the accursed. Paul takes it serious of those who preach another gospel. Even ‘an angel’ from heaven, if this angel preaches another gospel which is different from what Paul has preached, it is also accursed. Of course, there is impossible for an angel to preach another gospel in our generation because those wicked angels had fallen together with Lucifer. There is no wicked angel in heaven. The angels who are in heaven right now are good angels, messengers of God, serving God faithfully. But what Paul means is that no one can escape from the curse if preaching another gospel apart from the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word ‘accursed’ comes from the Greek word ‘anathema.’ The literal meaning is ‘given up to the curse and destruction, accursed for God’s sake.’ In other words, it is something is being given up to divine condemnation (cf. Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 16:22). If this word is applied to man it means that man is given to God for destruction. A person who preaches another gospel is accursed and worth for destruction by God Himself.

One example in the Old Testament is Achan. When the Lord led the Israel to conquer the city of Jericho, the Lord said that the city is accursed to the Lord, “And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord” (Joshua 6:1). Furthermore, the Lord in verse 18, “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it” (Joshua 1:18). The Lord was the One who spoke this word and the Israelites ought to take heed. But Achan ignored the commandment of God and he took the accursed thing unto himself. Joshua 7:1 says, “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.” As a result of Achan’s disobedience, he was stoned to death together with his family and belongings because he took the accursed things to the Lord.

What a dangerous thing to be involved in the accursed thing! Those who preach another gospel are accused before the Lord. They are under the condemnation of God and they are worth for destruction. True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must not ever join or have fellowship with those accursed preachers who preach another gospel. Christians must make a clear cut from heretics. Christians should not entertain those who hold to the wrong doctrines.

However, the fact in the church today is the pastors and preachers dare not to separate from those who preach a different Gospel. They want to be labeled as unloving pastors. As a result, they compromise with errors and they are hand in hand with the heretics, the enemies of Christ. Paul gave an instruction to the Christians in Rome that they might not have fellowship with those heretics. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18). It is the responsibility of the pastors mark those heretics because they were trained in the Word of God and they know the different doctrines from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is no place of those who teach a different gospel in the church. The true church of Christ must separate from those who preach the anathema gospel. Paul warn the Corinthians on this matter when he said, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Christians who truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ must take the stand that honoring God and His Word. The church of Jesus Christ must not comprise her pulpit with those who preach heresy because the message they bring is the accursed message and they too are accursed. The only absolute truth the church must preach is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The pastors of the church must not sacrifice the church for fame by inviting those famous heretics to speak to their church members.

The third point is apart from pleasing Christ is man’s pleaser.

III. Apart from pleasing Christ is man’s pleaser (Gal. 1:10)

Imagine how is the response of those Galatians who have joined the Judaism or planning to join or whose family members have joined the Judaism when they heard the writing of Paul in verse 8-9. Unhappiness and hatred would be kindled because it is not a very popular statement. A person is not willing to be pinpointed that he is wrong though reality he is wrong. He wants all people to be quite about it. He does not want others to talk about it or even to say bad thing about it. This is the common attitude. Many people have this attitude, “If you do not like it then, do not say anything about it.” However to Paul it is not right because the message the Judaism brought to the church of Galatia is the heresy and contrary to what Paul received from God. It was his responsibility to warn, rebuke and correct the Galatians because he was the spiritual father to them. A good father must correct, warn and rebuke disobedient sons.

Listen what Paul said in verse 10, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Paul clearly stated his ultimate and final purpose in the ministry that he is the servant of Christ. Being a servant of Christ, his duty and responsibility is to please Christ as his Master. No matter what the consequences are, Christ must be pleased even to the extent he must suffer for it because Paul knew that he has only one Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul acknowledges his position before the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 1, when he said, “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” He knew that he was an apostle that belongs to Christ and his responsibility was to do what Jesus Christ commanded him.

Paul was not man’s pleaser. In fact Paul also rebuked Peter for what he had done among the Gentiles Christians in Antioch. Paul wrote, “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles” (Galatians 2:11-15). Peter was rebuked for the mistake he did in Antioch, though he was an apostle of Christ. Paul’s only desire was that he might glorify and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ in his life and ministry.

Every servant of God must follow the step of Paul who had courage to stand for the truth without fearing anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The problem in the church today is so many pastors, evangelists and preachers who do not have courage to stand for the truth and rebuke those who teach error willfully in the church. They are afraid to rebuke others, thinking that it is unloving to rebuke people. They rather try to be pleasing in the sight of many people than in the sight of God. But apostle Paul not only rebuking those who have done wrong or followed the world, even mentioned and written their name in the Holy Scriptures for the things they had done. Look at Demas, being a fellow teamwork of Paul in the ministry, yet when he left the ministry, Paul said, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10). In 2 Timothy 2:16-18 Paul also wrote concerning people who did not believe on the resurrection, “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.” Whoever has taught the heresy is the object of rebuke, not to destroy the persons but that he may know his errors and confess and repent from their sins. Paul realized that it was his duty to do so. The pastors and preachers do not have a choice but to rebuke and correct those who have taught the wrong doctrines and disobeyed the word of God.

The question is raised; do you have courage to rebuke those who teach the wrong doctrines in the church? Does your pastor dare to rebuke or correct members of the church who teach other gospels? Or do you have courage to correct your Christian friends who hold to the wrong doctrines? Or do you let them die in their errors?

CONCLUSION

Friends, it is a responsibility of the Christians to defend the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ because the Lord has entrusted His word to His church that the church might proclaim His absolute truth to the world. The world may promote another gospel which is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ because the world wants to destroy the church. We have the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ which is the only absolute truth. We must not have fellowship those who preach the accursed gospel, the heresy. We must not be man’s pleaser but let us be the men of God who endeavor to do what the Lord has given to us in His Gospel. Let us be firmed that the Gospel we have in our hands is the only Truth.

Let us remember, firstly, Apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is no Truth. Secondly, Apart from preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is Anathema. And lastly, Apart from pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ is man’s pleaser. Amen.

Christ is the way of salvation

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6)

INTRODUCTION

When we say that Christ is the only way of salvation, we should not be surprised that many people are not happy, because it means there is no salvation in other religion. Many people will say, Are you saying that those who devote their lives and try their best to live according to their religion will not have salavation?

Our only reply is that there is salvation apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, whether the person dies for his own religion he will not be in heaven. This is the absolute truth we have as true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our text this morning says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Everyone desires to go to heaven but they are on the wrong way. What all people need they want to have what the apostle John said in Revelation 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

All relgions describe heaven as a place which is extraordinary, as a good place. And all people want to go there but no one will reach heaven accept by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ will never see heaven. Man may work hard to reach heaven as commanded by his religion but all these will be in vain.

Prophet Isaiah tells us, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). All good works, dedications that man have, will never please God because man is undone before God. All man under the condemnation of God, and no one obtains salvation because of hard hard.

The apostle Paul also said, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:10-11). If so, does God plan all man to die in their sins? Does God desire that all man perish? Of course not, for God has planned for the salvation of man when Adam fell into sins.

God knew that man does not have any hope of eternal life except God himself gives the way. For that reason God gave promises to His prophets for the coming of the Great Prophet, the Messiah, the Annointed One. Christ is the Saviour of the Word in whom we trust. How did Christ save sinners from their sins and iniquity?

I. God appointed Christ as a reconciliation between God and Man (Rom 5:10-11)

We know that man is sinful, and because of sin, man can not enter heaven, man is the enemy of God. We are not the friends of God but His enemies. As long as sin is reigning in the heart of man, man is still under the control of sin and he is against God and enemy of God. Since Adam untill today, sins have controled the heart of man. Man cannot have peace with God through all heardworking that he does in his lifetime is in vain.

But God with His soverign wisdom, knew that man can not save himself from damnation of sin. Man will be still in sin though he tries to please God. God planed to save sinners like us. He gave a promise of the coming the messiah right after fall in the first book of the Bible (cf. Genesis 3:15) and revealed progressively to the nation of Israel that the Messiah, the Christ will come to reconcile us, sinners.

And in the fullness of time Christ comes, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). What man is not able to do, Christ did for us that the wrath of God might not be given to us. Jesus is not a sinner like us, but He was willing to do the requirements of God in order to appease God with man. He filfilled the commandments of God righteously during His earthly life and ministry.

However Jesus was not only fulfilling what the law required but He himself offered as a Lamb sacrifice, Passover Lamb. Jesus Christ came to reconcile us to God that we might have peace with God through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ at the cross. God had appointed Jesus Christ to die on the cross that we might have peace with God.

And God did this while we are still the enemies of God. As Paul said, “For if, when we were enemies, we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10). Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ he is no longer an enemy of God but God calls him as a friend of God and an adopted son of God, an heir of God’s kingdom.

God appointed Christ to reconcile man with God that we might have eternal life. Jesus Christ is the way of salvation. Apart from the reconciliation Jesus did for us we shall never have peace with God. Apart from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ we are condemn to hell.

God not only appointed Christ as a reconciliation between God and man, God also appointed Christ as the Mediator between God and man.

II. God appointed Christ as the Mediator between God and Man (1 Timothy 2:5)

What is a mediator? A mediator is a person who stands in between two people or groups of people. A mediator must understand and represent both parties.

Let us illustrate it this way: Right now I am speaking to you in English. When I preach the inerrant, infallible and preserved Word of God in English, some of you understand it very well. But in the midst of you there are Chinese speaking brethren who do not understand English. And in order for our Chinese speaking brethren to be benefited from the message I preach, we need an interpreter who can understand English and also Chinese. Our interpreter is called a mediator in that sense because he stands in between two group of people.

In the same way, Jesus Christ is our Mediator. He understood the nature and condition of man because He came to this world as fully Man. He knew what temptation was, for He was tempted and yet not sinned. Jesus came to this world through the virgin birth as predicted the Holy Scriptures.

He lived in this world for 33 years. He grew up just like us. He ate and drank. He walked and spoke. However He did no sin. He is not a sinner but the Holy One. If Jesus is not fully Man, He cannot be our Mediator. The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:5 said, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

On other hand, Jesus Christ is also God. He understood the holiness and justice of God. He understood the demands of God for sinful man. Therefore He is our Mediator to appease us to God on our behalf. Jesus is God-Man. Whoever wants to come to God must come through the Lord Jesus Christ because God has appointed Christ as the Medioter between God and Man, the Saviour of the world.

Just like the High Priest in the Old Testment, God appointed the High Priest as a mediator between God and the Israelites, and whosoever had sinned, he must come to the High Priest that he might bring him before God. Therefore whosoever does not come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ he does not have salvation. Christ is the way of salvation.

Luke wrote it this way, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And Jesus himself said, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

God did not only appoint Jesus Christ as the Mediator, but also He appointed Him as the Substitute of man.

III. God appointed Christ as our Substitute (1 John 2:2; 4:10)

A substitute is someone who takes someone’s position on his behalf. This can be illustrated in this way. The law in this country is whosoever takes the life of someone, his life will also be taken. This is the demand of the law. Imagine someone has appointed to die as a consequence of his sinful deed.

The judge has decided that man must die and be hanged. But on the other hand, the same judge loves him so much, he desires to save him from the penalty. But in order to save this sinful man, murderer, the judge must have someone else to be hanged on his behalf. The judge cannot release him unless someone stands on his position.

God is our judge. He has decided that sinners must die, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23). But because of the great love of God toward us, He sent His only begotten Son to die on our behalf, to replace us. He is our Substitute. We are supposed to die on the cross to bear the punishments of the sins we have committed. The apostle John wrote, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). John also wrote, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Friends, unless we know that Christ had died on our behalf and believed in our hearts we will never have the assurance of salvation. Christ is the only way of Salvation.

CONCLUSION

Friends, do you know the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you truly believe and trust Him with all your hearts and mind? Unless you believe Christ is the way of salvation, you will die without eternal life and you are the same with those who worship idols.

Jesus said to you this morning, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).