“Our Daily Bread” http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie http://www.harvest.org/devotional

“Homily Grits Devotional” http://www.homilygrits.com/

Mark 12:34… Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him. (NKJV)

There are many people believing in their own minds that they are a Christian… But just like the scribe Jesus was speaking to in the opening scripture…they are not quite a Christian in God’s eyes…

Jesus had just answered the scribe’s question, concerning what Jesus considered to be the most important commandment of all… We see Jesus’ answer in…Mark 12:29-31…and previously, in…Matthew 22:34-40… We then see the scribe’s response to Jesus’ teaching, in…

Mark 12:32-33… So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (NKJV)

“Jesus saw that he answered wisely”, in the opening scripture… But just knowing what Jesus’ 2 most important commandments are…and obeying them…is the difference between believing in your mind that you are a Christian, and a heart that has been regenerated by God, in order to be justified by God’s grace, and a redeemed child of God in His eyes…

There are many churches which teach that one must adhere to all of the laws set down by the church, in order to become a Christian… Some of these laws include the need to attend church every week…to be baptized as an infant…and to confess one’s sins before man… But God’s inerrant and infallible Word, the Bible…teaches us something entirely different…in order to be justified as a Christian in God’s eyes…

The apostle Paul pens this, in…Galatians 2:16… knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (NKJV)

My friends, we can in no way earn our justification in God’s eye’s for entrance into heaven, by any good works that we do in the name of the Lord… No amount of church attendance…Bible studies…church committees we serve on…or our generosity at church or to other needy charities, is going to earn us a position in heaven when we die…

Jesus warns us of this false works based church doctrine, in this hopefully eye opening scripture, recorded in…Matthew 7:21-23… “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (NKJV)

So what is “the will of My Father in heaven” that Jesus tells us in this scripture, is necessary…in order to “enter the kingdom of heaven” ?? God gives us His Word, for His children to use as the means to share the “good news” message of the cross…the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…

The apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear, that it’s not good works which saves the sinner… It is God’s grace alone, through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…

Ephesians 2:8-9… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)

And I believe this saving faith is given to the unbeliever, when they are drawn in by God the Father…John 6:44… No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (NKJV)

The apostle Paul pens a warning, for those who never come to Christ through saving faith in believing in Him, after hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, in…

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9… in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, (NKJV)

Do you have a one on One personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ ?? Have you heard the “good new” message of the cross ?? Have you asked God to forgive you of your lifetime of sins, by confessing them to Him with a contrite heart and godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:9-11)…as you repent of your sins, and turn to Christ…seeking Him to become Lord and Savior of your life ??

This is “the will of My Father in heaven” that Jesus tells us in…Matthew 7:21-23…is necessary in order to be deemed righteous in God’s eyes… See (1) at the end for more on God’s grace through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your living and powerful Word would cut right to the very core of the soul of those that are not yet justified by Your grace…to be accepted into Your heavenly kingdom of heaven when they die… I pray Father, that You would draw these unredeemed souls to Yourself (John 6:44), and that hearts would be regenerated by You, so that they would indeed become a Christian in Your eyes… I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills

Related articles:

1) Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44… https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/