Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Oct 6th, 2012 Not Guilty – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning! Are you glad you’re saved? Whenever I read Proverbs chapter 6, I always thank the Lord for my salvation. You see, there are three verses in this chapter that would make me cringe. Those verses are Proverbs 6:17 through 19. They contain a list of our attributes that the Lord hates. God’s Word says: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Before July 23, 1995, I was not 100% sure that when I died I would go to heaven. Every time the sixth day of the month would roll around, I would dread reading this chapter. If I was standing before a judge, and the charges were read, it would have sounded a little like this…

“You have been found guilty of the following charges. Of having a proud look – GUILTY! Of having a lying tongue – GUILTY! Of having hands that shed innocent blood – GUILTY! Of having a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations – GUILTY! Of having feet that are swift in running to mischief – GUILTY! Of being a false witness – GUILTY! And of sowing discord umong the brethren – GUILTY!”

Do those verses in Proverbs chapter 6 make you cringe whenever you read them? Are you 100% sure that you are going to heaven? Let me give you the best advise ever given to me. This advice came from Dr. Bob Gray, at the invitation after the evening service on July 23, 1995. I had asked him a question about my salvation. The simple advice he gave me has stuck with me all these years. This is what Dr. Gray told me. He said, “I can’t tell you whether or not you are saved, but if you are not 100% sure, you need to take care of it now.”

And that’s what I did. Our salvation, where we will spend eternity is something we all need to take care of. Twice in Ezekiel chapter 18, God plainly tells us that the soul that sinneth, it shall die. And we all have sinned. Romans 3:10 and 3:23 tell us this: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” and “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”

And then we have to deal with 1John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

This just means that if you say you are not a sinner, you just called the only Righteous, True, and Holy God, a liar. That would make you the liar. Revelation 21: 8 tells us, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

But Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, including the sin of telling lies. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

And this is the promise that Jesus gives us… “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 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.” (John 6:37-40).

You are not guaranteed tomorrow. The Bible tells us that now is the time of salvation (2Corinthians 6:2). Tomorrow may be too late to call on the name of the Lord and ask His forgiveness. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Then, when the devil points his crooked finger at you, and with a sinister voice cries, “Guilty! Guilty!”; you can here Jesus say, “My blood paid for that.”

Then God the Father will pronounce your sentence: “Not guilty. Enter thou into the the joy of thy Lord!”

Peace. (2 Corinthians 5:17)