Ironworks

  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mark 13:13             The final step of salvation is ongoing throughout the rest of our natural lives. We must remain faithful unto death (cf. Rev. 2:10). The Word of God instructs the first century church, as it does all New Testament Christians, that we must be faithful whether or not it is a good, spiritual-high moment or if it is safe. We must remain faithful even when it might cost us our lives. This was a very real circumstance for the church under the Roman Empire and in many nations today. There are brethren today in countries who face certain death for wearing the name Christian. This is clearly in agreement to what is written above when Jesus made it clear there were expectations of His people. We will be hated because of Jesus’ name; we will face opposition from all sorts of people and religions. Family members, friends, neighbors, and strangers will

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;   but he that believeth not shall be damned.   Mark 16:16 Mark 16:16 is one of many passages that confirm that baptism is one of the five steps in the Gospel Plan of Salvation that is applicable to all men. Some observations in the verse include the fact that both belief and baptism are coequals to be saved. The diagram below shows their correlation as well as the order of both belief and immersion for the purpose of salvation. Belief is an absolute prerequisite of baptism, and this is very well explained in the second section of verse, for it is by disbelief that one is condemned. As it has been noted before, it certainly takes more to be saved than to be condemned. He____________________________________________________/shall be saved             That______________________/believeth                                                                    /and /is baptized He____________________________________________________

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation . Rom 10:9-10 Who are you willing to confess? Did you know that your salvation depends on it? I trust that many of you who are reading this do know this, and others have heard something along those lines but we must not lose sight of what God has required for salvation. Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that this was something that they had done and brought them unto salvation. This was not some cleverly added thing of Paul's own volition but the Inspired Word of God. This was the same thing that Jesus said prior.  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.   Matt10:32   Are you willing to confess Christ? I know it might seem scary to speak out. I