Saturday, September 8, 2007

God has a Plan, Part 3b

If you want to go to the beginning, Click Here.


Our problem is that our bad deeds and thoughts always outweigh good deeds and thoughts—because the best deeds of a sinner are unacceptable. And so, because man is unable to please God, he must trust in Him and in what He says. It’s a matter of a major step of humility and commitment before God. Take a look at what the Bible and the Qur’an have to say about this solution to sin:

Towrah

Genesis 15:6—Abram (Abraham) believe the Lord, and he (God) credited it to him as righteousness.

II Chronicles 20:20—“Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”

Habakkuk 2:4—“The righteous (Person) will live by his faith.”

Zabur

Pslam 13:5—I trust in your unfailing and steadfast love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psalm 32:1—Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Psalm 85:7-9—Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation…Surely (God’s) salvation is near (at hand for) those who fear him.

Injeel

Romans 14:23—Everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Ephesians 2:8-9—It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Hebrews 11:6—Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Qur’an

Believers 23:109 (Dawood)—“Among My servants there were those who said: ‘Lord, we believe in You. Forgive us and have mercy on us: You are the best of those that show mercy (the most merciful One).’”

Believers 23:109 says in essence that there are people who understand they must throw themselves on the mercy of God because their own deeds are not enough. This is why the Qur’an also says, “Your Lord has prescribed for Himself mercy. Whosoever of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and makes amends, He is All-forgiving, All-Compassionate” (Cattle 6:54).

From these passages we see that believing in and relying upon God and asking Him for mercy and grace brings forgiveness.

Muhammad 47:19—Ask forgiveness for thy (Muhammad’s) sin, and for the believers, men and women. God knows your going to and fro, and your lodging.

From this verse it is clear that no one can escape the need for forgiveness. Even Muhammad had the sin problem based on this verse.

Cow 2:256-257—No compulsion is there in religion…Whoever disbelieves in idols and believes in God, has laid hold of the most firm handle, unbreaking; God is All-hearing, All-knowing. God is the Protector of the believers; He brings them forth from the shadows into the light.

In other words, you cannot force people to accept a a teaching, a philosophy they do not like. Men and women choose to leave idols and believe in God, to lay hold of Him with a sense of commitment—“the most firm handle.” God Himself is your protector, not your good deeds or works. God along is your Savior. He takes people out of darkness (the shadows) into His wonderful light.

House of Imran 3:193—“Our Lord, we have heard a caller (a person calling others to hear, believe, and repent), calling us to belief, saying, ‘Believe you in your Lord!’ And we believe. Our Lord, forgive us our sins and acquit us of our evil deeds, and take us to Thee with the pious (the righteous).”

This verse is plain. In effect it says, “believe and receive forgiveness for past, present and even our future sins.”

I want to pause right here and ask: “How many times have you tried unsuccessfully to change your sinful life, or to conquer a bad habit?” I have tried to and own my own strength, I cannot.

We are all sinners—me, you and everyone else—whether they admit that or not. There are many other sinful people who have succeeded at trusting God to take away their sin and give them a new life. Do you want to be a person who has God’s favor and who trusts in Him alone to forgive your sins? He is the only one who Can. Please consider doing that today. And consider reading the next post here because the 4th principle contains the second half, the need half of God’s answer to our sin problem.

What do you think this means? Please comment by clicking the comment link below. Or, email me at jpound777 (at) yahoo.com if you want to comment that way or have a question.

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