This verse of the week is Luke 7:50 which states, "Then He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.'" Just a few quick points about this verse . . .

First, It is important to understand the context of this verse. In this verse Jesus is speaking to a woman who has committed "many sins" (7:47). Other people in the community are very aware of her sinful behavior (7:39). Luke 7:36-50 tells the story of how she came into a house where Jesus was visiting and began to weep. She then proceeds to wash Jesus' feet with her tears and dry His feet with her hair. She then proceeds to kiss His feet and apply very expensive perfume to them as well. She is making her best effort to honor the Lord Jesus Christ! She does way more than anyone else in the house is doing for Jesus!

Second, it is important to understand that faith alone saves a person. The woman in the story was attempting to do everything she could to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. She washed his feet, dried his feet, kissed his feet, and soaked his feet in her own expensive perfume. She gave Him an awesome pedicure! Just consider the actions of this woman...

She was willing to give everything to Jesus!
She was holding nothing back!
She was "sold out" for Jesus!
She was doing her best!

However, the words of Jesus ("Your faith has saved you. Go in peace") seem to indicate that the woman lacked peace! She was trying her best to please the Lord (good deeds) but she lacked peace.

It seems like there are a lot of people like this woman in the world today. They know they are a sinner. They also know who Jesus is. And they are trying really hard to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. However, at the end of the day they still lack peace. That will always be the case until a person understands that faith alone saves a person! It does not matter how hard a person tries to do good. It does not matter what a person gives to the Lord. It does not matter how sincere a person is. It does not matter if someone is doing more for Jesus than anyone else in the house! None of that will give a person real peace!!! Until a person understand that he/she is saved when he/she just believes in Christ they will lack peace. The following verses may help...

Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

Ephesians 2:8-9, "By grace you are saved, through faith, and that not of yourself. It is a gift of God, not of works, so no man can boast."

If you have placed your faith in Christ to save your sinful soul, then you are saved. Period.


Third, the result of understanding that faith alone saves you is peace. The woman is able to walk out of the house with peace. She does not have to worry about her sin problem anymore. She does not have to weep anymore. She does not have to doubt anymore. She does not have to lay awake in the bed at night anymore. She has 100% assurance that her sins are forgiven and that she has been saved by faith alone. She can now live the rest of her life with unbelievable peace!

The same offer stands for you today! All you have to do is see yourself as a sinner. Understand and believe that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and was resurrected on the 3rd day. Then, place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. You do not have to do anything else. You do not have to labor, work, or build up good deeds. You do not have to hope that you are "saved." Faith alone, in Christ alone, saves guilty sinners. Then you can have peace based on the words of the Lord Jesus Christ!

I hope you have placed your faith in Christ. I hope you live each day with great peace in your heart. If not I hope you turn to Christ today. Place your faith in Him. That's all you have to do!

Pastor Ben.

Poor?

Hello everyone! I sincerely apologize for the looooooooong absence. The verse of the week is Revelation 3:17 which says, "Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" - and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked . . ."

Just 3 quick points about this verse . . .

First, you can see in the verse that people are genuinely deceived. In the text the people are saying "I am rich, wealthy and need nothing." The problem is they do not know they are "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." They are mistaken because they lack knowledge. They honestly believe they are perfectly fine. They honestly believe they are okay. They honestly believe they have nothing to worry about. They honestly believe they have everything they need!

Second, you can see in the verse that people are genuinely deceived about their own spiritual condition. Clearly, this verse is not speaking about how much money one has in the bank. People can accurately assess their physical wealth. The verse is speaking about the spiritual condition of people in the world. Tragically, many people mistakenly believe their spiritual condition is much better than it actually is!

They do not know (or do not really believe) . . .

- Your righteousness is like a filthy rag. (Isaiah 64:6).
- The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. (Jer 17:9)
- There is not a righteous man on the earth (Ecc 7:20)
- There is no one who is righteous (Rom 3:10)
- The whole world is guilty before God (Rom 3:19)

Because people do not know/understand their true spiritual condition before God they walk through life really believing everything is fine and dandy! They honestly believe they are okay. They honestly believe they have nothing to worry about. They honestly believe they have everything they need. They do not know that they have a desperate need! They do not know they have a huge problem!

Third, a person who realizes his poor spiritual condition has a very good chance of getting saved. A person who realizes he is "poor and naked" will naturally look for some help! The good news is Christ offers us exactly what we need! Revelation 3:18 (the verse that immediately follows our verse for the week) pictures Jesus offering the poor/naked/blind person "gold, white garments, and eye salve." In others words, sinners (that's us) are in desperate need but Christ can meet our need! The good news the Bible has is that "Christ died for our sins." Because of his death our sins can be blotted out and we really can be okay!

In summary, it is important to realize that people are not being saved because they do not realize they have a huge problem! A person does not call 911 unless he realizes he has an emergency! As long as people believe they are "okay" they will continue walking down a path that leads to destruction. But, as soon as they see themselves as God sees them (wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked) there is a great chance they will turn to the crucified and resurrected Savior for hope! Desperate/poor/wretched sinners get saved! Rich/wealthy/good people do not!

I hope you have seen yourself as God sees you. I hope you have looked at God's law and understood that you have fallen way short. I hope you have also realized that wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked sinners can not save themselves! Finally, I hope you have seen Jesus as your hope and placed your faith in Him to save your sinful soul!

Pastor Ben.

P.S. I believe Revelation 3:17 can help us understand the words of Jesus, "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God" (Matt 5:3). Every child of God has seen and acknowledged that he is a poor,wretched, miserable, sinner! Then, he has turned to Christ and gained eternal life!