Lesson 809

(Lesson 809)(11-12-13) Today's lesson comes from Matthew 16:5-12;

"And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

This should be a very powerful lesson to those who claim to be Christians today, yet still hang on to the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who believed that one must strictly adhere to the law to be saved.

There are many who refuse to preach the saving grace of God as being free, and in simple form as it was prescribed by Jesus Himself and subsequently preached by His Apostles.

They insist on adding the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees by placing all manner of unnecessary obstacles in the path to eternal salvation.

To receive the promise of eternal salvation one must ONLY do what Paul so plainly told the prison keeper when asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Paul did NOT tell that man to go and confess all his sins to some other sinner! Paul did NOT tell that man to go immerse himself in water! Paul did NOT require the man to never sin again. Paul said "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou SHALT be saved, period!

Jesus said, "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:7-11)

If a lost person simply gives him/herself over to the saving grace of God through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God, he/she IS at that moment saved, and has become one of the sheep for which Christ died. There are NO other requirements.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)~