PETER'S WARNINGS

See 2 Peter 2:1-22:  "There shall be false teachers among you..." Just as false prophets arose in Israel, Peter warns that false teachers will arise within the visible church. The greatest dangers often come from within, not merely from outside the church. False teachers do not usually announce themselves as deceivers. They "privily shall bring in damnable heresies." They introduce error gradually, mixing truth with falsehood until the Gospel as well as Souls are corrupted. Satan attacks the church not only by persecution, but also by deception. Therefore, every teaching must be tried and tested by the words of God. Jesus warned: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing." (Matthew 7:15)

The greatest heresy is slighting and rejecting Christ:  "even denying the Lord that bought them." False teachers reject or twist God's words and distort the Gospel truth about His saving ATONEMENT. They profess Christianity outwardly while opposing the Gospel in doctrine or practice. The greatest danger is not merely false opinions but a false Christ.

Only The Lord Jesus Christ saves sinners. There is no other sacrifice for Sins, but God manifest in the flesh. There is no other Mediator between God and men, but the Man Christ Jesus. When you reject Christ, you reject the only way of salvation.

Many Souls will follow after false teachers. "Many shall follow their pernicious ways." Peter does not say only a few folks will be deceived, but MANY. False teaching often becomes popular, because it tells human nature what it wants to hear: Salvation without inward regeneration and repentance; heaven without holiness, blessing without obedience, religion without THE CROSS. Popularity is never proof that a message is from God.

False teachers often seek after filthy lucre: "Through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you." One of the religionist's chief motives is Greed. Instead of shepherding Souls, they exploit them. Instead of preaching Christ, they use religion for personal gain. Religion is a means of enriching its leaders rather than preaching Christ.

God's judgment never fails: The angels that sinned, even mighty angels were not spared. God is perfectly holy; No one is above His judgment. In Noah's day, the worldlings ignored God's warnings. They mocked Noah, and judgment came suddenly through the Flood, and took them all away. Yet God preserved Noah and his family. Sodom and Gomorrah were also examples of God's judgment upon persistent wickedness. God's justice is not imaginary. Hell is very real,  because God is perfectly HOLY. God's longsuffering to us-ward and gentle patience should never be mistaken for approval.

God knows how to rescue His people:  "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." Lot lived in an exceedingly wicked city called Sodom. Lot's righteous soul was vexed day after day because of the sin around him. A true Christians does not become comfortable with his sins. Christians can struggle against sin, but their hearts grieve over their inward evil, rather than celebrating and excusing it. God never forgets His own:  He preserved Noah through the Flood. He rescued Lot out of Sodom. Likewise, Christ preserves all Souls who trust Him.

Future judgment is Certain: "to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." The final judgment has not yet occurred. Some scoffers wonder why evil seems to prosper. The answer is that God is patient, and His patience has an appointed end. Every Soul will stand before Him; No sin will remain unjudged. Judgment is certain for the lost Soul. Judgment on Sin fell upon JESUS at the Cross of Calvary; if you are in Christ, you are safe from the wrath to come.

Pride and self-will mark the ungodly: False teachers walk after the flesh, live for sinful desires, despise God's authority, presumptuous and self-willed. False religion exalts falsehoods and self. True Christianity exalts Christ Himself, the Lamb of God. False teachers seek followers for themselves. The Gospel points sinners to Jesus Christ alone, the one and only Savior.

God is holy and will judge all sin. False religion and false teachers cannot save.  Noah's ark pictures Jesus Christ, the Soul's only place of refuge from God's righteous judgment. As Lot was delivered from Sodom before its destruction, so all Souls that are in Christ will never face God's condemnation, for "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Whom are you following? Do not follow popularity, impressive personalities. Do not follow religion merely because it is ancient, widespread, or a family tradition. Trust Jesus Christ, Who said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). The Soul who rejects Christ remains under the wrath of God (John 3:36).

Those who trust in JESUS have their sins forgiven by God's Precious Blood, are made righteous before God, made free from Sin, and are kept by His power until the day of redemption, whe they see Him face to face. Flee from falsehood, cling to the truth of the gospel, and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, for He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by HIM (Hebrews 7:25).

Sincere Christians always struggle with their Sins, but the religionist enjoys his sins. The religionist deliberately corrupt God's truth, exploit others, and live in unrepentant wickedness.  

False teachers walk after the flesh; they do not walk in the Spirit. "But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness." This is the root problem: false teachers live according to their sinful nature rather than submitting to God. They sensuality, impurity, self-indulgence, rebellion against God's authority. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6) The false teacher's heart is continually controlled by the flesh, refusing repentance, and ignoring the need for the new birth. Saving faith is not intellectual; Regeneration (Titus 3:5) results in a changed direction of life.

Pride is a mark of false teachers: "Presumptuous are they, selfwilled." False teachers are arrogant and reject correction. They refuse to submit to God's authority. The closer a Soul walks with Christ, the more aware they become of their own need for His Grace-Divine Help.

Spiritual blindness leads to eternal destruction: "Speak evil of the things that they understand not." False teachers to rabid animals acting only on instinct. They mock Gospel Truths they neither understand nor desire to understand. Their ignorance is not just intellectual—it is moral. They refuse the light God has given. A hardened heart can reach the point where Truth is ridiculed instead of received with humility. Please respond to God's Gospel while your heart is still tender.

Sin promises pleasure, but pays with death:  "They shall receive the reward of unrighteousness." Sin always offers immediate pleasure, but it never reveals its final payment, at the last. The worldling delights in open sin—even in the daytime without shame. The wages of sin is death, but The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). You must choose between the fleeting pleasures of sin and the everlasting safety found in Christ.

False teachers deceive from within the church: "Spots they are and blemishes...while they feast with you." Worldlings often associate with Christian believers for personal advantage. Outwardly they appeared to fit in; but Inwardly they remained unchanged, unregenerate, gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. Merely attending and/or joining a church (modern day social club/community support center) does not make a person a Christian. The New Birth from the Holy Spirit is most essential.

Unrestrained lust enslaves the Soul: "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin." Your evil desires slowly become masters over you. Your sinful habits are no longer occasional failures, but settled patterns. The false teachers are "beguiling unstable souls." False teachers especially prey upon those who are spiritually immature. The devil often attacks those who are not rooted and grounded in God's Words. Christians are called to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ.

The love of money corrupts the heart: "An heart they have exercised with covetous practices." Their hearts have been trained and skilled in greed. Religion has become a lucrative business in 2026. Instead of serving Christ, they serve money and self. "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). The sin is not possessing wealth, but loving it instead of God. Balaam compromised truth for worldly gain. Balaam knew much about God; He even spoke God's words. yet Baalam loved the reward of unrighteousness; his heart desired wealth more than God Himself; his own donkey rebuked his selfish madness.

Bible knowledge alone cannot save. A person can know many biblical truths while still loving his sins inwardly. God looks not merely at our words, but He looks on the heart. False teachers: love themselves; Christ loved sinners, and laid down His life for them. False teachers seek money and mansions; but Christ freely gave Himself. False teachers deceive others; Christ is the Truth. False teachers lead Souls down the path to destruction; Christ leads to eternal life. False teachers exploit the weak; Christ seeks and saves the lost. False teachers serve the flesh; Christ perfectly obeyed the Father. False teachers use people for personal gain, Jesus laid down His life for His sheep.

Am I following Christ or merely following religious people? Do I love God's truth more than worldly pleasure? Is my heart becoming humble or proud? Am I growing in holiness or becoming comfortable in my sins? Do I treasure Christ above wealth, reputation, and earthly success?

Christ Jesus came into the world "to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). His precious blood can cleanse every sin. His grace can break the power of sinful habits. His Spirit gives a new heart that desires Christ and holiness.

Souls who humble themselves before Christ, submit to His Righteousness, repent of their sins, and trust in His finished atoning work on the Cross find mercy, forgiveness, regenerated Soul, renewed heart, and life eternal. But if you persist in rejecting His Gospel truth; be warned, God's judgment is certain. The safest place for your soul is to flee to the Lord Jesus Christ and remain steadfast in His Words.

False teachers cannot satisfy the thirsty soul: "These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest..." A well without water promises refreshment, but leaves the thirsty very disappointed. A cloud driven by the wind promises rain but gives none. False teachers make impressive promises, but they cannot give what the soul truly needs—forgiveness, peace with God, eternal life, or a new changed heart. Only Jesus Christ, The Water of Life Himself, can satisfy the thirsty soul. JESUS said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto ME, and drink." (John 7:37) Every religion or philosophy that does not lead to Christ ultimately leaves the soul empty.

Eternal Judgment is imminent: "...to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever." Those who persist in rejecting God's truth and leading other Souls astray will not escape God's justice.

False teaching appeals to sinful desires: "They speak great swelling words of vanity." False teachers often are very eloquent, intelligent, and persuasive orators. But their words are vain—empty of saving truth. Instead of calling Souls to repentance and directing them to Lamb of God, they appeal to the desires of the flesh.

The Gospel humbles sinners; False religion flatters sinners. But The Gospel of the Grace of God is the Good News, that God freely saves guilty sinners through the FINISHED Atoning work of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh. JESUS must save your Soul entirely by His Grace, you receive Him willingly with your heart inwardly, through childlike Faith in GOD'S BLOOD, apart from any human merit or works. God is perfectly Holy; You are a sinner; You cannot save yourself. Christ alone can save a sinner like you. You must repent of your selfishness and self-righteousness, believe the Gospel, and receive Christ.

False teaching always says the opposite: Follow your heart; You need not deny yourself; God accepts you without repentance and receiving Christ; Sin is not that serious; God is not that Holy.

Sin always slowly enslaves the Soul with the small cords of iniquity, but at the last, your sins are like heavy chains you must drag around. "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption."

False teachers promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to their own sinful corruption. "For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." Whatever controls a person's life, becomes his master, such as lust, self, greed, pride, anger, alcohol, drugs,  money, popularity, Self.

Jesus offers your Soul His freedom and peace. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) The gospel does not merely forgive sins, but it also breaks Sin's dominion over your heart, soul, and mind. 

Saving faith is not merely agreeing with facts about Jesus. It is personally relying upon Him as Lord and Savior. Faith looks away from self and rests entirely in Christ. Mere Bible knowledge is not saving faith. "If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." You can have real exposure to the gospel, know things about Christ, and experience some outward moral change. But you become entangled again in your sinful habits. Bible knowledge alone is not the same as DIVINE regeneration from the Holy Spirit. You can attend church, understand Bible doctrines, admire Jesus, reform your outward behavior, and yet never be truly born again of the Spirit of God. Your latter end will be worse than your beginning. Greater light brings greater responsibility and accountability.  To knowingly reject the Gospel and slight the Son of God is an exceedingly serious matter. "Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." (Luke 12:48)

Turning away from known truth is a fearful thing:  "It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness." When you deliberately turn from the Gospel after knowing about it, you increase your guilt. Hebrews 10:26–29 also warns against despising Christ after receiving the knowledge of the truth.

The Bible reveals what religious human nature is truly like: "The dog is turned to his own vomit again." "The sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." The animals never experienced a change of their beastly nature. The dog returned to his vomit, because he was still a dog. The sow returned to mire, because she was still a pig. Human external cleansing is not enough. Religious reform is not enough. The heart itself must be changed inwardly by the regenerating, cleaning, renewing power of the Holy Ghost through the Lord Jesus Christ. "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7) Christianity is not merely becoming a better person. It is receiving Christ, and the Divine Nature inwardly from the Spirit of God. Cast away empty religion and flee to Christ Christ. Christ alone satisfies the thirsty soul. Christ alone gives true freedom from the bondage of sin. The Holy Spirit alone changes the heart. Christ alone grants eternal life. Mere religion, Bible knowledge, morality cannot save an immortal Soul from damning sins.

Beware of false teachers who promise what only Christ can give. Do not confuse human eloquence with Divine Truth. Do not mistake outward morality for the Spirit's New Birth. Do not return to the sins from which God calls you to flee. Never presume upon the knowledge of the gospel while refusing to receive, trust, and obey Christ. Remember that rejecting greater light brings greater accountability before God.

Jesus Christ receives all guilty Souls who humble themselves and  truly come to *HIM*. JESUS does not merely wash the outside; He gives you a new heart deep within (see Ezekiel 36:26). He does not merely reform your behavior on Sundays; He makes you a new Creature all week long. (2 Corinthians 5:17). He does not merely offer you religious advice; He offered up Himself as the Crucified and Risen Creator, the Saviour of the world.

Do not settle for just an outward profession of religion, or temporary moral reform. Come to Christ Jesus Himself. Trust in His finished work on THE CROSS, rest in GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD ATONEMENT made by the LAMB OF GOD HIMSELF, and receive the New Birth by/from the Holy Spirit; let the Spirit of God Regenerate and Renew you within. Then the change is not merely external and temporary, but inward and ETERNAL, because "if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

THE *SINGLE* EYE

The Eye Represents the Direction of the Heart: "The light of the body is the eye." The eye is the lamp through which light enters the body. Spiritually, it represents: the heart's focus, the mind's outlook, the soul's desires, what the heart treasures most. Whatever captures your heart will shape your whole life. The direction of your heart determines the direction of your life.

A "Single Eye" Speaks of an Undivided Heart: "When thine eye is single..." The word "single" carries the idea of being: focused, sincere, undivided, pure, wholly devoted. A single eye is fixed upon Christ Jesus. The Single Eye first seeks Christ's Righteousness and the kingdom of God. It desires above all: Christ Himself, the truth of God's words, purity and holiness, God's glory, and Christ's honor. This is a good and honest heart which is not divided between God and the world. Wholehearted devotion to Christ, and not divided loyalties. Singleness, Sincerity, and Simplicity helps lead blind souls to Christ. The Holy Spirit must WASH and RENEW your heart within (Titus 3:5); No Religion can ever get beneath the surface where the real YOU exists. You can try to transform yourself with religion (2 Cor 11:13), and never actually be changed within, and then go to Hell.

Christ Jesus is to Be the Object of Our Vision. A single eye looks directly to Jesus Christ. The single eye says: Christ is all my Righteousness. Christ is all my Wisdom. Christ is all my Treasure. Christ is my Life. The more we look to Christ, the more His light fills our hearts. As the Bible says, we are transformed inwardly as we behold the glory of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).

A Heart Fixed on Christ Is Filled with Light. "Thy whole body also is full of light." When Christ guides the heart, His truth illuminates: our conscience, our thinking, our desires, our decisions, our private and public behavior. His Words become "a lamp unto my feet." Spiritual light flows from God's words and from fellowship with Christ.

The "Evil Eye" Represents a Corrupt Heart: "When thine eye is evil..." The evil heart is controlled by: selfishness, greed, envy, unbelief, worldly desires, spiritual blindness. Instead of looking to God, the evil eye looks continually to self. Instead of seeking God's glory, the "evil eye" seeks personal gain. An "evil eye" reveals a heart that has turned away from God.

Darkness Spreads Through the Whole Person: "Thy body also is full of darkness." Jesus says that spiritual blindness affects the whole person. Darkness clouds your judgment, conscience, desires, values, and decisions. A person may think he sees clearly while remaining spiritually blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with JESUS heard these words, and said unto Him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Self-Deception Is One of Sin's Greatest Dangers: Jesus says, "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" This is one of the most stern warnings in Scripture. The greatest danger is not knowing you are blind. It is believing you see when you do not. This was the tragedy of many religious leaders. They possessed scriptural knowledge, yet rejected Christ. Religious knowledge without Christ still leaves your soul in pitch black darkness.

What you Treasure shapes your Eternal Destiny: In Matthew 6, Jesus connects this parable with treasure. Where your treasure is, your heart follows. If your treasure is: worldly wealth, vain pleasures, reputation, and self, then your Soul remains in darkness. If your Treasure is Christ Himself, your life is filled with light.

You Cannot Serve Two Masters:  A divided heart cannot truly follow Christ. Jesus says: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." The single eye belongs entirely to God. The "evil eye" attempts to serve both God and the world.

Only The Gospel Opens Blind Eyes:  The natural heart is spiritually blind. Only Christ can give you sight. Jesus came into the world: to open blind eyes, to bring light into darkness, to reveal the Father, to freely give eternal life. Only The Holy Spirit opens your eyes to behold the glory of Christ and His Finished ATONEMENT.

The Gospel teaches: Your heart is naturally darkened by Sin. You cannot enlighten yourself. Christ came to bring divine Light into your darkness. Through faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit opens your eyes. Christ becomes the treasure of the heart; As we behold Him, our lives are increasingly filled with His truth, holiness, and love.

The "single eye" represents a heart wholly devoted to God, fixed upon Christ, and filled with the light of His truth. The "evil eye" represents a heart dominated by selfishness, envy, greed, unbelief, and worldly desires, resulting in spiritual darkness.

Jesus says that the direction of your heart determines the condition of your whole life. If your heart is centered on Christ, His light fills your soul. If your heart is fixed on self or the world, darkness spreads throughout your life. Turn your eyes to Christ, for He is the Light of the world, and seek Him with an undivided heart. In Him alone, the darkness of sin is overcome, and in Him alone, you receive the Light of Life.

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

*THE EVIL EYE*

The "Evil Eye" in Mark 7:22 is not referring to some curse or superstitious spell that someone casts on you. In the Bible, the "Evil Eye" is an expression describing a corrupt heart filled by envy, selfishness, greed, jealousy, and ill will toward others. It reveals an inward attitude that looks upon others with resentment rather than love and good will. Jesus includes the "Evil Eye" in His list of sins that proceed "from within, out of the heart of men" (Mark 7:21), showing that sin issues from the heart before it is ever carried out in outward words and actions.

The Evil Eye reveals a Heart of Envy: An evil eye begrudges the blessings God has given to others. Instead of rejoicing in another person's prosperity, success, opportunities, or gifts/talents, it resents them. The evil eye asks: "Why should they have what I don't?" and "I deserve that more than they do." Envy is the opposite of Charity, which "envieth not" (1 Corinthians 13:4).

The Bitter Root of an Evil Eye is Selfishness: In the Bible, the eye often represents the direction and desires of the heart. A person with an evil eye sees everything through the lens of self-interest. Instead of asking, "How can I bless others?" The evil eye asks,"What can I get out of this?" The "evil eye" is a vile weed that grows naturally in the human heart. 

The Evil Eye is filled with Stinginess and Greed: In the Bible, an "evil eye" can describe a person who is unwilling to be generous. Conversely, a "good eye" describes someone who gives freely. For the Bible says in Proverbs 22:9: "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor." Here, a "bountiful eye" represents generosity. The bountiful eye's exact opposite is an "evil eye," which clings selfishly to possessions.

The Evil Eye Is Resentment Toward God's Grace:  Jesus used this expression in one of His parables. In Matthew 20:15, the landowner asks: "Is thine eye evil, because I am good?" The workers resented the master's generosity to others. Their "evil eye" was a jealous spirit that could not rejoice in another person's blessing. Spiritually, this warns us against becoming resentful when God shows mercy or kindness to someone else.

The Evil Eye Reveals a Corrupt Heart:  Jesus places the evil eye alongside sins such as: deceit, pride, blasphemy, covetousness, wickedness. This reveals that envy and selfishness are not "small sins." They spring from the same evil corrupt heart that produces every other form of evil. The problem is not just with what the eyes want to see, but what the heart desires.

Only Christ Jesus can give you a new heart within and stay your evil impulses, selfish inclinations, and vile desires: The gospel addresses the root of the problem. Instead of an evil eye, Christ gives believers a new heart that learns to: rejoice in God's blessings to others, to be generous, to love rather than envy, to seek God's glory rather than self-exaltation. The Holy Spirit produces contentment where envy once ruled and generosity where greed once reigned.

The "Evil Eye" in Mark 7:22 refers to a heart of envy, jealousy, selfishness, greed, resentment, and ill will toward others. It is an inward attitude that begrudges God's blessings and seeks its own advantage rather than the good of others. Jesus includes it among the sins that flow from the human heart, showing that it is a moral and spiritual problem, not merely an outward action.

On the other hand, the GOSPEL, the Power of God unto Salvation, transforms the heart inwardly. Through Faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit teaches you to be content with God's provision, generous toward others, grateful for God's grace, and to be able to rejoice when God' blesses others. This shows the character of Christ, Who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a RANSOM for many" (Matthew 20:28).

*FEAR GOD*

When there is no fear of God, people live as though: God does not matter; God does not see; God will not judge; God has no rightful authority over them. This is the essence of sin and ungodliness: to live independently of the Creator. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Human nature does not fear God, so it excuses sin, it minimizes sin, it sensationalizes sin, it normalizes sin, it has pleasure in sin, it rejoices to do evil, it loves sin, and it even celebrates sin during PRIDE MONTH.

The Fear of the LORD is a holy fear and respect for God that causes us to hate evil, beginning with the evil that still remains within our own hearts. It is a sincere desire to flee from sin, because sin is committed against the God Who is infinitely holy, good, and very worthy of our sincere love. The Fear of the Lord reminds us to be Kind to God, and makes us dread offending our gracious Father, grieving the Holy Spirit, and bringing reproach upon the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fear of the Lord produces honesty and purity because we recognize that we live continually in God's presence.

You were created for one supreme purpose: to glorify God and delight in Him. The more deeply you know His holiness, mercy, and love, the more you will hate the sins that dishonor Him. As our love for God grows, our love for sin diminishes. The wisdom that is from above is "first pure," and the fear of the Lord leads us to pursue that purity. As we turn from evil and seek to walk in obedience, we enjoy sweeter fellowship with God and the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

Remember to always ask God daily for Him to put His fear into your heart, so that you will not depart from HIM. (Jeremiah 32:40) The Fear of God helps us to Remember God and stay in fellowship with Him.

The fear of God causes believers to ask: "Will this honor God?" "Will this please my Savior?" "Will this grieve the Holy Spirit?"

Without the fear of God, the questions become: "What do I want?" "What makes me happy?" "What benefits me?" Self replaces God as the center of your life.

Sinful man naturally ignores God's holiness. He invents a god like himself—less Holy, less Just, less Great and Glorious, and therefore easier to ignore and contain to a building or day or ceremony. 

The Cross of Christ teaches us both the greatness of God's love and the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Our sins were so serious and evil that nothing less than the suffering and sacrificial death of the eternal Son of God Himself could atone for them. Every temptation resisted, every sinful desire forsaken, and every act of obedience is a grateful response to the Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us.

To fear the Lord is to love what He loves and to hate what He hates. It is to depart from evil, pursue holiness, delight in His will, and seek the glory of His name above all else. It is not the terrified fear of a slave before a cruel master, but the reverent love of a redeemed and adopted child who longs to please his heavenly Father. We do not obey God in order to earn His favor, but because, in Christ, we have already received His grace. Our obedience is the fruit of His saving love, not the price of it.

Ultimately, the fear of the Lord is not a servile terror that drives us away from God, but a reverent, loving awe that draws us ever nearer to Him. It teaches us to trust Him completely, worship Him sincerely, and walk humbly before Him. At the cross we behold the perfect harmony of God's holiness, justice, mercy, and love. There we learn to fear Him rightly—with humble reverence, grateful faith, joyful obedience, and wholehearted worship. As the Scripture says, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity."

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom. To fear God is a holy reverence for God's infinite majesty and holiness. It is a hatred of evil, especially the sins within our own hearts. It is humble submission to His Word, loving obedience to His commandments, and the fulfillment of the purpose for which we were created—to glorify God. The Fear of the LORD is a safeguard against temptation, a fountain of spiritual life, and a guide that leads us away from the snares of death. It walks hand in hand with God's mercy and truth, shines brightly in the life of every mature believer—as seen in Job—and is perfectly compatible with the comfort, joy, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The fear of the Lord is the joyful attitude of a heart that treasures God above all else and longs to honor Him in every thought, word, and deed.

SEND THE LIGHT 6

Human nature is inclined to make an idol out its own empty thoughts and silly experiences, or idolizes some other lost sinner's vain imaginations and opinions of other deluded barbarians. But Now once in the end of the world hath JESUS appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of Himself. Christ's sacrifice is the greatest act of condescension, mercy, and infinite love ever displayed. In JESUS is an inexhaustible treasure of grace, peace, forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. Everything your soul could ever need is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Except the LORD JESUS CHRIST is your Soul's FOUNDATION and RIGHTEOUSNESS, you labor in vain to build your Soul's rickety shanty.

How long will you REFUSE to humble yourself before JESUS CHRIST? Christ graciously dispenses His love to needy sinners; He delighteth in Mercy. Your filthy thoughts are offensive to God, and arouse the wrath of God towards you daily. The wrath of God remains and stays upon the Soul that continue to neglect and reject the Son of God. Beware of your evil heart of Unbelief, for your persistent rejection of Christ will eventually drive your Soul right off into Hell where you belong.

The Gospel is not "do and live," but "LIVE, and then do," not of merit or reward, but Free Grace and Bleeding Love which produces holy living as the direct result of gratitude to JESUS. The Gospel Message is not, "Do this and that and the other in order to live," but rather, "Receive Christ Himself and His LIFE, and then walk in grateful obedience to HIM." Salvation is never earned by human merit or rewarded for good works. It is the free gift of God's Grace, purchased by the shed Blood of THE SON OF GOD. Good works are not the cause of salvation but the grateful response of a heart that has been redeemed. 

This Man Christ Jesus receiveth sinners, and He delights to save the ungodly, to forgive the guilty, and reconcile rebels back to God by HIS BLOOD. It would delight JESUS most of all to save your Soul now. Delight yourself in the Almighty Savior of sinners; Acquaint yourself with the Friend of Sinners. Trust in JESUS, Who is the One and Only Savior, and the perfection of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and the Beauty of HOLINESS. Only The CROSS OF CHRIST can forever put away all your sins and guilt. Your sins are obnoxious to God and have gotten you into double trouble with the ALMIGHTY, and only JESUS can get you out. You have an inward tendency to evil, inward dark depravity, carnal propensities, and corrupt inclinations. You possess an evil nature with corrupt desires, sinful inclinations, and a heart that cannot make itself righteous.

The great searchings of the heart by the LAW'S Light exposes your sins and directs you to the Lamb of God for Mercy. The Law cannot save the Soul, but it reveals our desperate need for the One who fulfilled it perfectly. It strips away every false hope of self-righteousness and points us to Jesus Christ alone.

My Redemption is only purchased by GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD shed by The Lamb of God. My Regeneration is only by the Spirit of God. My Justification is not by works, but only by the Righteousness of Christ. My Salvation from first to last is all by the Grace of God, and not by any works I have done. 

Before the infinite majesty of God, "all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing." Yet this same God extends a gracious invitation to guilty sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ calls, "Come unto Me." His invitation is sincere, free, and full of mercy toward all sinners will come in repentance and faith.

If any man thirst, let him come to JESUS, Yet only the Holy Spirit can awaken within the heart a true thirst for Christ Himself. Such spiritual thirst has become rare: It is like flowers blooming in winter or roses growing in the desert. If you are stuck in the roundabout of your sins, look to Jesus this very moment, call upon Jesus for Mercy now. Sin has made you mad, and you refuse to own the thirst which devours your Soul. You've heard of Sin and its danger, but you will not forsake your sins, for your conscience is dead in a coma. You've heard about hell, but you jest about it eternal terrors. Your heart has become very calloused with sinning over the years. You insanely risk an Eternity of woe and wrath for the sake of poor transient sinful pleasures. When you hear of Christ and His free Pardon bought with GOD'S BLOOD, that is nothing to you. You go your own way after the trifles of time and seek the pleasures of sin for a season. The great Realities of Eternity that lie just beyond this brief existence of yours do not interest or trouble you in the slightest. 

A spiritually thirsty Soul is a rare sight nowadays. You give yourself up to enjoy brutish barbaric lives of an animal. Your whole existence is focused on the shadows of this benighted world, never thinking of the day of Judgment that will come suddenly upon your immortal Soul. You've committed grievous sins and indulged in shameful vices, but the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF GOD washes away the filth within the human heart. (1 Corinthians 6:11) Your immortal Soul needs the immortal Savior Who grants Eternal Life freely. You have committed specific crimes against God, and an eternal death warrant has been issued by the Judge of All the Earth with your name on it. There's a soul-destroying entity within you called SIN. Your inward part is very Wickedness. The greatest enemy within you is Sin itself, a corrupt power that has poisoned every part of your nature. By your daily sins you continually provoked the righteous wrath of God, and apart from Christ there remains for you only the fearful expectation of judgment. An awful doom awaits you; the inevitable hour of your Doom is imminent: You need the BLOOD of the Most High God to shelter your Soul from the wrath to come. 

This is the Thirst the Spirit of God produces within the Soul: a deep dissatisfaction with oneself, a grievous burden on account of sinning and wronging God, a wretched emptiness and longing to be forgiven, a pining to know the Savior, for only JESUS can meet your pressing needs. This is the cry of a soul that has finally discovered it cannot save itself and now looks to Christ alone for Mercy. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy that thirst. Only He forgives sins, grants perfect Righteousness, reconciles sinners back to God, and freely gives everlasting life to all sinners who believe in HIM alone.

Stop adoring and admiring yourself, and look away from all your works, ceremonies, creeds, doings, feelings, and every false refuge; Look at once to THE CROSS OF CHRIST; Look alone to The Lord Jesus Christ who bled out His sinless Life, and willingly gave Himself as the perfect ATONEMENT for your sins against God. He alone is the Friend of sinners. Don't merely listen to the Gospel, study the Scriptures, or admire Bible doctrines. But go on to Trust JESUS with thine heart; Advance on to Believing, Receiving, Trusting JESUS Himself. Don't just listen and learn about Bible doctrines and fill your mind with knowledge, but fail to come into a real and living union with Christ Himself through Faith in His Blood. 

The true essence and substance of the Gospel of Christ is Precious Faith in GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD shed by the Precious Lamb of God on THE CROSS OF CALVARY. The life and power of the Gospel is Christ Jesus, the sinner's only hope; only Trust HIM and enjoy free eternal Life. JESUS' Substitution fully satisfied the divine justice of God, bore the punishment that sinners deserved, and accomplished everything necessary for your salvation. The POWER of the Gospel is found not in religious performances (do's and don'ts), but in the living Christ Himself. Trust Him, and you will have everlasting life on the spot.

If you're a worthless sinner at the gates of hell, with nothing to recommend you to God, with no good works, or good feelings about yourself, never fear, there's still hope for you, Simply Trust to the merits of Christ, Receive by Faith His ATONEMENT made by His own Bloody Death, and your Soul is immediately and eternally saved, all your trespasses are freely forgiven for Christ's sake, your inward nature will be changed, and you become a new creature in Christ Jesus by the power of the Spirit of God. Entrust your guilty Soul to JESUS - fully, simply, sincerely, and without reserve - Once and for all Trust JESUS. Cast your Soul entirely upon Him. Rest not in your faith, but in the Living Savior to whom your Faith clings.

Your unfitness and unworthiness is not a barrier that keeps you from Christ; it is the very reason you need Him. Come to JESUS confessing your poverty of spirit, your guilt, and your helplessness. Come empty, and He will fill you with His Grace. Come thirsty, and He will give you the Water of Life. Come weary, and He will give you Rest. Come burdened with sin, and He will pardon you completely.

The Gospel is very simple: I thirst, I come, I drink, I swallow, I receive, I am satisfied inwardly by the Water of Life, Christ Himself. You are invited, entreated, persuaded, pleaded with, but you love sin, and you still refuse to yield and submit to JESUS' Grace and Love. You stubbornly trust in your own righteousness, and refuse to seek God's Mercy in Christ Jesus. Look out of your dark Self, and look unto JESUS, and He will save you, for He is Rich in Mercy - No Strings Attached. Look completely away from your feelings, experiences, works, sacraments. Look alone to JESUS at once Who shed GOD'S BLOOD on the Tree and made Full ATONEMENT and paid the utmost RANSOM for your Sins. Hasten to accept JESUS' invitation, do not hesitate to Come to JESUS. All your hope of getting to heaven must depend on the LAMB OF GOD. Your Hope-Trust-Confidence must be fixed upon JESUS Himself. On JESUS' sure and bare words, repose your weary Soul. 

The Lord Jesus is lovingly inviting you to come to Him today. He entreats you through His Words; He calls to you through the Gospel. Yet you continue to resist His mercy and cling to your sins. Do not remain in the darkness of self-trust. Look away from yourself and look unto Christ. He is rich in Mercy toward all who call upon HIM.

Do not trust your feelings, for they are as fickle as the weather outside. Do not trust your experiences, for they cannot save. Do not trust your works, your self-morality, your religious ceremonies, or your outward profession. Trust only the Lord Jesus Christ, who offered Himself up on the Cross as the perfect Sacrifice for your sins. By His precious blood He made full Atonement, satisfied divine justice, and paid the Ransom that guilty sinners like you could never pay for themselves.

Do not delay. The invitation of Christ stands before you today. Come to Him while His gracious call is heard. Every hope of heaven rests upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Let all your hope, confidence, and trust rest upon Jesus Christ alone. Take JESUS at His Word; Rely upon His promises; Rest your weary soul upon His finished ATONEMENT. For "him that cometh to ME, I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37), and "he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (John 3:36).

This vile world is constantly cramming its nonsense, idols, and vanity into your blinded mind and calloused heart. This present evil world has many passing brainless amusements, endless distracting entertainments, empty pleasures, carnal excitements, vain pursuits, and childish toys to help fix your mind on temporal nonsense and off of Eternal Realities. This vain world stirs up your evil heart makes your mind and heart bewildered, helpless, weary, heavy-laden, lost, ruined, guilty. The world's evil system promises happiness, yet leaves the heart empty. It promises freedom, yet keeps sinners in bondage. It offers entertainment for the moment, but cannot give you peace with God. Don't forget, There is only one RESTINGPLACE for your poor Soul, and that REST is in Christ Himself. Apart from Christ, the human heart remains very weary, burdened, guilty, and lost. Sin leaves the conscience restless and the soul without true HOPE. No amount of wealth, pleasure, success, toys, religiousness, or self-improvement can ever remove your guilt or give your Soul everlasting life.

Come and welcome to the LAMB OF GOD, Who takes away the sins of the world, and Who delights to have mercy on sinners. Come directly to HIM at once without any further excuses or delays. Do not wait until you think you are better, for you can never make yourself worthy. Come just as you are—a guilty sinner in need of mercy—and trust in Jesus Christ alone. Delay no longer sinner, trust only in the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD. JESUS will receive you graciously on the spot. JESUS said, the sinner that comes to ME, I will in no wise cast out. The poorer you are, the filthier you are, the welcomer you are at JESUS' Feet. You are most Welcome at THE CROSS now. JESUS welcomes all sinners, and He is eager and ready to forgive and have Mercy. JESUS will supply your needy Soul with everything you can possibly desire. Christ does not receive sinners because they are worthy. He receives them because He is full of Grace and Mercy. He lived the perfect life you could never live, and upon the CROSS He offered up Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin. By His shed blood He made full Atonement for you. His Righteousness is freely given to everyone who trusts in Him.

Jesus Himself promises, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." No sinner who comes to Christ in faith will ever be rejected. The greatness of your sin is not greater than the greatness of His Mercy. The more deeply you feel your need, the more you will discover the riches of His Grace.

The Cross of Christ is open to every repentant sinner. There at the Cross you will find Forgiveness instead of condemnation, Peace instead of guilt, Hope instead of despair, and Everlasting Life instead of eternal death. Come to Jesus today. Trust Him with your whole heart. Rest your soul upon His finished work alone. He delights to forgive, He delights to save, and He delights to show mercy. In Him you will find everything your soul has been searching for, for Christ Himself is the fullness of God's Grace, the Righteousness of God, and the only Savior of sinners.

Sin is hardening, corroding and devouring your helpless Soul. It is a dreadful existence to be a slave to Sin, dead in your trespasses, and dead to God. Life Eternal is way too Valuable to be earned by a sinner, too Precious to be bought, too Divine to be made by a sinful wretch. Earning ETERNAL LIFE is totally out of the question. A dead Soul cannot earn the forgiveness of sins; the very idea is absurd. Put your entire Trust in GOD'S BLOOD. The wonderful operation of the Spirit of God; this is the genuine work of God that you need deep within you today. The Priceless Bible contains the Gospel Message, but you will not read it; you are treading on dangerous ground, blindly wandering on a spiritual mine field. The eyes of Faith look only to JESUS, may your longing and hopes all be centered in JESUS, and may all your steps follow JESUS. 

Sin is not a harmless mistake—it is a cruel and evil master. It hardens your heart, deceives and blinds your mind, corrupts and sears your conscience, and destroys your Soul like a merciless cancer. Apart from Christ, every sinner is spiritually dead, separated from the life of God, and unable to free himself from sin's power. To remain under the dominion of sin is a fearful condition, for "the wages of sin is death."

If you are trusting in your own goodness, your religious duties, or your works at all to make you acceptable to God, your trust is very misplaced. Eternal life is far too precious to be earned by sinful people. It cannot be bought with money, deserved by morality, or obtained through human effort. Forgiveness is God's free gift, purchased at the infinite cost of Jesus Christ's Sacrifice of Himself on the CROSS.

A soul that is spiritually dead cannot earn God's favor any more than a dead person can give himself life. That is why salvation is entirely by God's Grace. Jesus Christ has already done everything necessary to save sinners. By His perfect life, His atoning death, and His glorious resurrection, He accomplished and FINISHED the work of Redemption once and for all.

Therefore, do not trust in yourself. Trust in Christ alone. Rest your entire hope upon the precious blood that Jesus shed for sinners. His ATONEMENT is all-sufficient to cleanse every sin/crime you've committed, satisfy God's divine justice, and reconcile your Soul to the Father.

The greatest work you need is NOT an outward change, but an inward one. Only the Holy Spirit can give new Life to your heart that is dead in sin. He opens blind eyes to see the beauty of Christ, awakens the conscience, grants repentance, and creates saving Faith in the soul. When the Holy Spirit is at work in your heart, you begin to be aware of your true inward condition and eternal danger, you begin to inquire for a way of escape from your guilt, begin to labor under a sense of your sins, inward corruptions, and unfitness, you understand your true need for the Savior, and you begin to sense your unworthiness and nothingness.

God has graciously given us the Scriptures, which proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Do not neglect this priceless treasure. Read the Bible with a humble heart, for it reveals the Savior and points guilty sinners to the only Way of eternal life. Whatever you may be depending upon apart from the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus Christ, Away with it All.

Look to Jesus with eyes of faith. Let your hope rest in Him alone. Let your heart be drawn to Him, your confidence fixed upon Him, and your emptiness filled by HIM. For JESUS alone forgives sins, gives peace with God, and grants everlasting life.

When Christ saves a sinner, He does more than pardon his guilt. He gives a new heart, new desires, new appetites, new loves, new hates, new affections, new motives, and a new direction to walk in the newness of LIFE. The same Savior who justifies the sinner also transforms them through the power and working of the Spirit of God.

May the Holy Spirit, the Great Convincer, Who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, open your blinded eyes to behold the glory of Jesus Christ. May He make you wise unto salvation, open your deaf ears, and incline your heart to listen, believe, and hearken to the the Glorious Gospel of Christ, and enable you to RECEIVE with joy the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is mighty to save all sinners to the uttermost that come unto God by HIM.

SEND THE LIGHT 5

Precious Faith from above relies alone on Christ Jesus, without any other dependence but Christ Crucified for sinners. Christ Crucified is the only password that will gain you access to God's Grace. The only Remedy for sin-sick wretches is GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD. JESUS is the INCARNATE GOD Who loved and died for sinful man. He took the Curse of my Sins upon His Soul, and He delivered me from the Curse. You indulge secretly in vices, but you magnify the faults of others. The hypocrite labors to keep a respectful profession with many convictions before man, and then secretly transgresses. Your wandering heart lusts after forbidden things; thou shalt not covet; defraud not. Every sin you have secretly and silently committed in God's sight will be declared before the whole world in the great day of Judgment. Human nature is very self-righteous and then spits in the face of Christ behind closed doors. Your main business is to seek Christ Crucified for yourself. 

You are a sinner, lost and ruined; Self-righteous but secretly sinful; You cannot help yourself. You're in extreme danger out of Christ. There's not a speck of righteousness in you. Your immediate business is to cast your Soul on this precious promise and faithful saying: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. JESUS came to save sinners; therefore, He came to save you. Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you REST. Look unto ME, and be ye saved. The neglect of Christ is enough to ruin your Soul here in Time, and enough to damn you in the hereafter. Poor perishing sinner, trust JESUS now with your Soul. God manifest in the flesh was crucified for the sins of the whole world, especially yours. Eternity should concern you more than Time. Your immortal Soul should concern you much more than your perishing body. Go directly to JESUS, conscious of your lost estate, seek God's great mercy, confess your deadly damning sins, earnestly and sincerely plead the Blood of JESUS to cover your Soul. Salvation is the work of God's hands, not man's. Your dead Conscience and sinful Soul must be throughly washed and purged by the Blood of The Almighty; Trust only in the freely imputed Righteousness of Christ. 

Look away from Self to Christ; Look away from all your feelings, doings, and be brought to Rely wholeheartedly on the Finished Blood Atonement of The Lamb of God, Christ Jesus. Put your Soul in His tender care. Your sins can only be freely pardoned through JESUS' Blood. His Cross is your Soul's only hope and refuge. Your Soul must be purchased and saved by the Righteousness of Another and by Blood Divine; eternally Ransomed by Emmanuel's Blood. Go directly to the CROSS for Mercy, where the Blessed Redeemer loved and died and sinners. Lay hold on Eternal Life from JESUS dear wounds and bleeding side. Your Soul must be saved by GOD'S BLOOD. 

THE WAY OF CAIN

Way of Cain                      Way of Abel

Rejected                                 Accepted

Cursed                                    Blessed

Fugitive                                  Pardoned

Vagabond                              Reconciled

Self-salvation                       Faith

Evil works                             Righteous works

Child of the devil                 Child of God

Fruit of the ground              Firstlings of the flock

Envy                                       Love

Of that Wicked one             Of that Blessed One

Very wroth                            Very GLAD

Confusion                             Assurance

Religious                               Righteous

Works of Self                       Blood of a Substitute

Proud                                    Helpless

Hell                                       Heaven

Good works                         Grace

Human merit                      Divine Mercy

Vain imaginations              The Truth of the Gospel

Human efforts                    Substitute's Death

Self-righteous                     Sinful

Man's Religion                   God's Salvation

Do                                         DONE

Earning                                Trusting

His own way                       God's way

Work, presume                   Trust, Know

Self                                        God

Self-justification                 God's Justification

Did it his way                      Submitted to God's way

Justice                                  Mercy

Toil                                       Trust

Things                                  Person

Doubts, fears                       Assurance, Boldness

Carnal reasoning                Divine Revelation

Vain imaginations              God's Thoughts

Human traditions               Holy Scriptures

Philosophy                           Gospel

Human proxy                      Substitute

Human merit                       Divine Grace

Work-monger                      Blood-Truster

Provocation of God             Acceptance with God

Enemy of God                       Peace with God

Cain was a tiller of the ground; Abel was a keeper of the sheep. Both believed in God, both knew of the Atonement by Blood from their father Adam. They were not left to their own ideas of how to safely approach their Maker. Cain presumptuously approached God with his own works, but Cain was no atheist; He believed in the existence of God. Cain was conscientious and was interested in approaching the living God. But he tried to approach God in his own way apart from the words of God. Cain dreamed up his own way of self-salvation. No shed blood, No atoning sacrifice of an innocent Substitute for his sins, but with something that represented the work of his own hands. The plowing of the wicked is Sin. Cain was more diligent; he came to the altar first; he knew where to come; he know when to come; he knows what to bring (Gen 3:21). Cain was the first inventor of an evil religion.

Cain is a self-righteous intellectual agnostic pleading innocence on the grounds that some heathen natives somewhere in some concrete jungle in the inner cities of Chicago or Baltimore don't know anything about something or other. Cain comes to the altar his own way according to his own imaginations, experiences, feelings,  beliefs, and conscience seeking to gain God's favor through his own efforts. He comes with a cart full of works which he has labored and sweated to get, given his offering of his own free will as an offering of thanksgiving to God. Cain has faith and works, but God still cursed him. Cain rejected God's ways, and insisted on his own way; Cain stubbornly worshiped God on his own terms which is idolatry/witchcraft and hardened his own heart. Instead of coming God's way, Cain went his own way. "I'm basically a good person; God will accept someone as good as me for sure, if he accepts all those hypocrites down there at that church; I will come to God through my own goodness and on my own terms; My works should be good enough; I believe a man ought to earn his own way; I will decide how God accepts me; I'll make it there my own way; God will have to accept my way; I try to live a good moral life and pay my bills; I belong to a church and go there when I can." The Gospel says, "Come to God through GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD alone, which was shed by The Lamb of God, for JEHOVAH was made flesh at Bethlehem."

Cain had much outward Religion without a changed heart inwardly. Cain was very religious; He believed in God; He brought an offering; He worshiped, yet he remained unconverted. He appeared religious while defiantly rejecting God's authority and way, promoting himself, and substituting his own way for God's.

The way of Cain is to work to get your salvation, earn and establish your own righteousness, and hope for the best. Religion is what a man does to try and justify himself, and Salvation is when a sinner realizes he cannot justify himself before God, and simply trusts what God manifest in the flesh has done on THE CROSS for sinners. Adam and Eve accepted a free gift (the skins of a Substitute) from God to clothe their nakedness, but Cain refuses this way. Cain believes in God, like all devils do, but he does not BELIEVE GOD, so he brings his own kind of offering. Cain could get any BLOOD out of his turnips on that day. God refused to accept Cain's fruits and vegetables as a Payment for his sins. God turned down Cain, and God turns down every self-righteous sinner that comes before HIM with their own works. Religion is always the shortest and quickest way to Hell. Religion will damn you; but SALVATION from Christ will Save you. Religion is a thing; Salvation is a PERSON (Matthew 1:21). Religion is man's doings, and Salvation is God's Doings (Titus 3:5). Cain had plenty of religion, but not a drop of Salvation. Man's way is religion by himself; God's Way is Salvation through the Lamb of God. He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Never trust human righteousness for it is a very damning thing.

Abel approached God by Faith, by God's words. Abel brought the first born lamb of his flock. Cain represents self-made religion, the efforts of human hands. Abel symbolizes Redemption by Innocent Blood. There must be an innocent life given in the place of the guilty sinner. There are two ways today: The way of Cain, and the Way of Calvary. The Way of Calvary is the only safe way to God through the Works and Blood of the LAMB OF GOD. The only Way to Heaven is through FAITH IN GOD'S PRECIOUS BLOOD. The sure way to Hell by trusting in any of your works. God could care less what "religion" you pick to follow; they all wind up in hell where they belong. 

The entire world is divided into two congregations: the Congregation of the Righteous, and the congregation of the wicked. Is the Gospel just a religious story to you? When did JESUS actually become your personal Substitute for your sins committed against God? The protection of the LAMB is a personal choice that you must make on your own. Your parents or your priest can't do it for you. Salvation is a personal Transaction that occurs between you and God. The only way to approach the HOLY GOD of the Bible is by the payment of the Blood of the Lamb of God. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a RANSOM for All sinners. JESUS is the LAMB OF GOD that was slain in order to REDEEM your Soul to God by HIS OWN BLOOD.

Cain prayed something like this: Now, Lord, I come before you today, worshiping You according to my own thoughts, and I know that my momma and daddy told me that their sins are paid for by the blood of Lamb's, but Lord, I have brought you the most beautiful grapes. I grew them myself, pruned the vine, kept the foxes out, sprayed them for bugs, picked them in the hot sun, and shined them up for You. The juice in these grapes are blood red, and they look a lot like real blood. I know you are a God of love and have no pleasure in vengeance and bloodletting. Lord, please, in your infinite empathy turn these grapes into blood and enable to live a better life." But the fire of God did not fall on Cain's sacrifice. God crushed Cain's hopes of being "good," and living IT. Cain was trusting his religion to save him, his own self-righteous works. God never has and never will give assurance of Salvation to anyone who is trusting something from his own doings to save him. Evil human nature loves to attempt to earn merit or favor with God. You must forsake forever your works, and put your wholehearted trust in the PRECIOUS BLOOD ATONEMENT of THE GOOD SHEPHERD - JESUS was the Offerer and the Offering for Sin in One sinless Person. Religion can never give its followers absolute and certain knowledge of eternal safety after death. 

Abel prayed something like this: God be merciful to me a sinner. Lord, please take this lamb's life and blood in my place. I am a sinner needing an Atonement for my sin and guilt. I put my faith in the blood of this innocent lamb, that you provided to me. I should love you enough to die for you, considering how good you've been to me up until now, but I am no good, and I am afraid to die in my sinful condition. Lord, I should honor you all the time, since you are the Lord of heaven and earth, but I don't. I forget You all the time, and wind up sinning against You. I put myself first most of the time. But here I am again, asking for your Mercy through this innocent lamb. Lord, this is one of your precious creatures, You made him, sustained him, nourished him, and I have only tended to what is Yours. My momma and daddy said You killed lambs like this back in the garden of Eden to spare them. I hope you will accept this innocent lamb for me. Take this lamb's life and blood instead of mine. I deserve to die for my sins, but will you please accept this bloody substitute in my place, and save my Soul for Thy great mercies' sake? Thank you for being such a Gracious and Merciful God to such a sinner like me." All of a sudden, the fire fell from heaven, and consumed Abel's innocent, excellent blood sacrifice. 

The way of Cain sounds something like this: God has done a great deal for you, but you must do the rest, so that you might be saved. You have to live it, and hope you get to Heaven in the long run. You do one part, and God will do the other part. This is only a delirious and damnable dream. This is a very popular doctrine in man's self-made religions. This way flatters human nature very much.

But Christ Jesus says, "I will do the whole for your soul, come unto Me, fall down at My feet, give up your doings, let Me undertake for your sinful, helpless case; Let Me be your SURETY. Confess your sinfulness, for you are undone without My Mercy and Grace. You have nothing to offer Me, you are nothing, and you will never be anything more than nothing. I don't want anything from you besides your Sins; I will take you just as you are; Do not try to fix yourself up, because you can't; You are filthy and lost without Me; Do not try to come to Me with any of your righteousness; never try to better yourself and try to add to My finished work; I am the Savior of sinners, not the righteous; please come to Me for all your Soul needs."

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS. The only sacrifice from a sinful man that JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU requires here in 2026 is The Sinless Lamb of God's PRECIOUS BLOOD; for Only The Lamb of God is without blemish and without spot. And ye know that JESUS was manifested to take away our Sins; and in HIM is no sin. The heathen carries his god on his own shoulders (Isaiah 46:6-7); but the Living God carries His children on His shoulders (Luke 15:5-7).