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The Amish Voice 7
Dear Amish Voice:
I feel sad that some people
think that they can earn their salvation and fear
not entering into Heaven. Ephesians 2:8
-9 tells us that our salvation is truly a
gift and not of our own works.
Songs and prayers repeated only from the head
do not please God. God is not impressed with
vain repetitions and man-made traditions. The
Pharisees also had them and Jesus rebuked them
for it. Man looks at the outer appearance, but
God observes our hearts. We need to pray and
sing from our hearts!
It is sad when I see the distance and lack of
feelings and love shown for the children by some
parents. It is so sad the way some seem to turn
on their children if they leave. The Bible says we
are to forgive 70 times 7. Can you imagine Jesus
ignoring us and refusing to be with
us because we do not wear a robe
like He did, or read the Bible in
our own language instead of
Hebrew? Christian parents should
want to guide their children and
raise them in the admonition of the
Lord and show them how much
God loves them and the most
precious and painful sacrifice
Christ made for them so they could
be saved.
Ephesians1:13 says that after we trust in Christ,
we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise
until our redemption. I didn’t say it. You didn’t
say it. God said it. Ephesians 3:12 says we have
boldness and access with confidence by the faith
of Him. You cannot be confident if you are
constantly worrying about your salvation. I am
thankful that I can sing praises from my heart.
David was filled with songs that he sang to the
Lord, as seen in the book of the Psalms. God
wants daily individual communion with us. After
all, He died for each one of us. The veil of the
temple was rent from top to bottom showing that
it was of God and not of man. It was to show us
that because of Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection, we now have access to enter boldly
before the throne where Jesus is making
intercession for us.
To try to do anything of ourselves would make
Christ’s sacrifice void. He has given us a great
gift, but people stumble over it because they put
too high a value on themselves, instead of
admitting that they can do nothing of
themselves.
Repetitions and traditions which are not
scriptural date at least all the way back to the
Pharisees. Why would Christ go
through all that He did if we could
redeem ourselves with our own
actions? Our Abba (Daddy) Father
loved us so much that He sent His
only begotten Son to do for us what
we could not do (Romans 8:31-33).
Philippians 1:6 says,
“Being
confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Salvation is, from start to finish, from first to
last, the work of God Himself in us. He sought
us, He found us. He began the good work in us
and He keeps us. How prideful of us to think
otherwise!
I John 5:13 says,
“These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of
God; that you may know that you have eternal
life and that you may believe on the name of the
Son of God.”
—K.J.
Dear Amish Voice:
You
have some good literature,
but one thing I
would like to point
out is: You sound
too sure of the salvation
part. “Once saved always
saved” is not Biblical. Yes,
we hope (hofnung) we’ll
get to Heaven, but we need
to not be too sure (that is,
God needs to judge and
decide). As the Bible says,
Many will say Herr, Herr
(Lord, Lord) and will be
disappointed when the
Lord says, “Depart from
me for I never knew you.”
Some people will think
they are serving the Lord,
but are serving self more
than they even realize.
“Gehavsam sei ist besser
don opher” (Obedience is
better than sacrifice). May-
be we think we are doing
great things for the Lord
(sacrifice) but neglect to be
(obedient) to staying in our
place in the church. God
(first), Man (the head of
the wife), and then Wife is
to be a keeper at home is
the Biblical order. Ouz
liebe (out of love),
—Mrs. Miller
Reader Questions and Comments
Dear Readers: we welcome your comments and questions. Below are a couple
letters that we recently received, containing different points of view.
life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1
John 5:13).
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us (Titus 3:5).
It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
(Hebrews 9:27).
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him (1Corinthians 2:9).
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