Niagara Falls

Mary and I are in Canada for three weeks.
I have been invited to speak at the International Baptist Conference being hosted by Jarvis Street Baptist Church, Toronto. Fiday - Saturday 13th-14th Ocotober.
I am due to preach at Jarvis Street and give some addresses in the Seminary.
Please keep me in your prayers for this.

We are staying with old friends who live not too far from Toronto. They were members of the church where I was Vicar over 40 years ago!!
They took us to see the Niagara Falls last Saturday - tremendous!

This is one of the photos I took.

Today - Tuesday 10th October is Mary's 70th birthday!!

Wotablog

Visit to Indonesia

View of Mt Bromo at sunrise.
This was a spectacular view of Mt Semaru (in the distance) and the crater at Bromo. (lower left)









I thought you might like to see me in my 'tourist gear'. (Perhaps not! ) It was very cold at that altitude, but we changed into this gear to descend the mountain and hit the heat at lower altitudes.



Here Mary and I were viewing the volcanic crater at Mt Bromo with Mt Semeru in the background at Tengger-Semeru National Park in East Java.

We were based at Sarabaya in East Java and visted Bali Island, Solo in Central Java and the earthqake region at Yogjakarta where we made contact with and American missionary - Peggy Lowry, who has been working there for 25 years.
I was invited to preach on two Sundays at a church in Gresik, near Surabaya. We were received with much love and the fellowship proved very precious. We shall long remember our visit.

Return from Indonesia

Mary and I have recently returned from a three week visit to Indonesia.

We have great memories of a fantastic visit - with wonderful Christian fellowship.

Hope to share more here soon.

Watch this space!!

Frederick

Saved by grace alone?

It is perhaps time for me to use this Blog again and see if I can stir up a bit of discussion and debate.

Let me put a provocative question - "If a person thinks he or she is saved by putting his or her faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, is it possible that they are trusting in something they have done and therefore have something in which to boast? (Romans 4:2)

This being the case, they are not saved by grace alone. They have turned faith into a work. But salvation is ALL of grace!
This is not meant to be a trick question. I have a genuine concern for those who are convinced Arminians, who believe that their "decision for Christ" is the ground of their salvation.

Your comments invited.
Frederick

It is quite a time since I started this blog, but haven't used it yet. Comments from any visitor will be very welcome.

The Gospel in a Nutshell

With the new interface, Blogger is much easier now.
As an opening shot - I include "The Gospel in a Nutshell"

SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE
The Gospel In Brief
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."
- Acts 16:31
The good news of salvation in Jesus Christ can be summarized as follows:
1. SIN.
Man is a sinner who constantly disobeys God's law, and thus is condemned to God's eternal punishment because of his sin.
2. SALVATION.
There is salvation for those who believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son who suffered God's punishment in place of sinners.
3. SERVICE.
Believers in Jesus Christ are thankful for the salvation they have in Christ as a free gift, and so live lives of service to God.
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
- Acts 4:12

Consider this message very carefully, because it is really a matter of life and death - eternal life in Christ, or eternal death in hell.
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him."
John 3:36
Salvation from sin and from the punishment due to sin ? with God's total forgiveness and the promise of eternal life is the gift of God to all who will believe. This gift is totally of God's grace (unmerited favour) and by the gift of faith. It cannot be earned by good deeds or good works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 ?For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.?


Sin
God created man good.
Genesis 1:27,31 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ... And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
God demands perfect obedience from you.
Matthew 22:37-39 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
We have all sinned through Adam.
Romans 5:12 Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned.
You are born in sin.
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
You are guilty of sin.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
1John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
You are totally sinful and unable to do good.
Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.
Romans 3:10 None is righteous, no, not one.
Sin must be punished by God.
Romans 14:12 So each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Gal 3:10 Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them.
Sin leads to death and hell.
Romans 5:12 Sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death.
2Thessalonians 1:9 They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.
You cannot save yourself from sin in any way.
Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Thus also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Romans 8:7-8 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.


Salvation
God showed His love by sending His Son Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1John 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
1John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world.
Christ suffered and died in the place of sinners.
Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Matthew 20:28 The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
1Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous.
There is salvation for all who believe in Christ.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
We are forgiven and cleared of all guilt by faith in Christ.
Acts 10:43 Every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
Romans 3:21-22,24 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. ... they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Salvation is a free gift of God by grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God-- not because of works, lest any man should boast.
God calls sinners to repent and believe in Christ.
Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Romans 10:13 Every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.


Service
By His grace, living our lives in the service of God will be our response to Him for salvation in Christ.
Psalms 116:12,17 What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me? I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
1Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.


We are saved so that we might bring glory to God, by the life of Christ in us.
Luke 11:28 Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!
John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Romans 12:1-2 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ephesians 1:4 He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
1John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.


We shall want to pray.
Romans 12:12 Be constant in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1Th 5:17 Pray constantly.


We shall want to read God's Word.
Psalms 119:97 Oh, how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.


We shall seek to join a local true church.
Hebrews 10:25 Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We shall seek to witness to our Salvation by being Baptised (immersed) in water
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he who has not believed shall be condemned.

Matt 28:19 Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:


We shall want to tell others about Christ.
Mark 5:19 Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.
1Peter 2:9 ...declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.


Yours in His grace,

wotablog

see: www.grace-gospel.org for more help