WARNING TO RELIGIOUS PEOPLE!

RELIGIOUS WORKS CANNOT CLEANSE ONE OF SIN!

Matthew 7:21-23 - Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name?  And in Your name, (have we not) cast out devils?  And in Your name, (have we not) done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:  depart from Me, you that work iniquity.

It is not because of their works that Jesus will reject these zealous, religious workers, for their works are good; it is because they are counting on them to qualify them for heaven.  Jesus revealed the only "works" God accepts for admission to His family:  believing in, trusting in His Only Begotten Son!

John 6:28-29 - Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him Whom He has sent.  

In other words, believe in Jesus!  Religious works do not cleanse one of sin; only faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, can make one clean.  According to the Gospel, the message, when believed, has the power to save lost souls.

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (it); to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile; non-Jew).

The Apostle Paul summed up the Gospel message:

1 Corinthians 15:1-6 - Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; by which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:  and that He was seen of Cephas (by Peter), then by the twelve:  after that, he was seen of above (by more than) five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain (alive) unto this present, but some are fallen asleep (have died).

Not only did Jesus pay the penalty for the sins of mankind, He also provided the justification for His Father to make believers righteous (holy, pure, sinless)!

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 - Now then we (believers who share the Gospel with the lost) are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech (plead with) you by us:  we pray, in Christ's stead, be ye (that you be) reconciled to God.  For He (the Father) has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who (Himself) knew no sin (was sinless); that we might be made the righteousness of God (by faith) in Him.

So, our works cannot save us from the penalty of sin.  That is why those who said to Jesus "Lord, Lord," were doomed to an eternity apart from God.  Salvation, being saved from the penalty of sin, is a gift offered to us by God out of His love for us!  His mercy forgives us; His grace gives us eternal life!

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  not of (religious) works, lest any man should boast (so no one but God can get glory for his works).

WARNING:

WHEN WE STAND BEFORE GOD AT THE FINAL JUDGMENT, HE WILL NOT ASK US WHAT WONDERFUL THINGS WE HAVE DONE; HE WILL ASK US WHAT WAS OUR RESPONSE TO JESUS' OFFER OF FORGIVENESS!  THEN HE WILL OPEN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE, AND SEE FOR HIMSELF:  IF OUR NAME IS IN IT, WE WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH HIM; IF NOT, WE WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH SATAN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE!  TRUST IN JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME - HE IS COMING BACK SOON!