NOW THAT YOU ARE IN MILITARY SERVICE
By Dr. Michael G. Marshall
International Representative/ Missionary/ Armed Forces Baptist Missions
So you are in military service. You are a member of the best trained and equipped military in the world. We are proud of you and are grateful you are serving our country, keeping America free. You are following in the steps of others who have gone before you from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Great men like George Washington, John Paul Jones, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, and President John F. Kennedy and others have proudly worn our country’s uniform. Your name now resides among those who have and currently are bravely serving our country’s military. You are now part of the rich heritage of the United States Armed Services.
What should you do now? First, you should concentrate on training and preparing for your immediate task in life as a serviceperson. So what else should you prepare for? Have you ever considered preparing for life after death? Not wanting to be morbid, but sometimes serving in our armed forces requires giving all in accomplishing your job. This may occur in combat or in unfortunate circumstances during training or in life in general. Life is filled with examples around us that life can be short and end quickly for some. It will end for all of us someday, but for some, it may be sooner than others. So how does one prepare for securing his or her life for heaven and having a life worth living down here? It really is quite simple and you can get in on it. Here is what the Bible, God’s Word, tells us about the subject:
MAN’S CONDITION IS SINFUL
God’s Word tells us that all men are sinful. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So all of us in sinful.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN IS DEATH
We are also told that since we are sinners the wage or consequence of our sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Notice death is guaranteed but eternal life comes through Jesus Christ.
THERE IS A TIME OF JUDGEMENT FOR OUR SIN
Hebrews 9:27 tells us “And as it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment.”
THIS JUDGMENT CONDEMNS US TO A TERRIBLE ETERNITY
Everyman’s works outside of Christ is considered useless for salvation.
“And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
GOOD WORKS CANNOT GET US INTO HEAVEN. IT IS FAITH IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST, NOT OUR GOOD WORKS OR RELIGIOUS RITES OR AFFILIATIONS, THAT SAVE US FROM THIS TERRIBLE ETERNITY.
Ephesians 2:8, 9 tells us. . . “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man boast.”
THERE IS GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!!!
God has made a way for you and I even though we are sinners and deserve eternal punishment. He does not want us to perish. I Peter 3:9 “God is not slack concerning is promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to usward not willing that any should perish but that all may come to repentance.”
GOD LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE MADE A PLAN TO FULFILL HIS HOLY DEMANDS THAT SIN BE PAID FOR AND SAVE MANKIND FROM HELL
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
CHRIST DIED IN OUR PLACE FOR US. THEN, HE CONQUERED DEATH AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE
I Corinthians 15:3, 4 “… 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.”
HOW DO I GET GOD’S PROVISION SO I CAN BE FORGIVEN OF MY SIND AND BE SAVED FROM HELL AND HAVE HEAVEN AS MY ETERNAL HOME?
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:9,19 “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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
YOU CAN KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAVED
I John 5:11, 12 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
REALIZE YOU ARE A SINNER AND NEED SALVATION, BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART, TRUST JESUS ALONE TO SAVE YOU
I SUGGEST YOU ASK BY PRAYING TO HIM NOW.
SUGGESTED PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner. I believe Christ died for my sins and then rose from the grave. I ask forgiveness for my sins and ask you to save me from hell and give me eternal life. I believe you are the Savior and I now am counting on you and you alone to save me - not my good works or religious rites I have performed. I pray this now in Jesus name. Amen.
By Dr. Michael G. Marshall
International Representative/ Missionary/ Armed Forces Baptist Missions
So you are in military service. You are a member of the best trained and equipped military in the world. We are proud of you and are grateful you are serving our country, keeping America free. You are following in the steps of others who have gone before you from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Great men like George Washington, John Paul Jones, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, and President John F. Kennedy and others have proudly worn our country’s uniform. Your name now resides among those who have and currently are bravely serving our country’s military. You are now part of the rich heritage of the United States Armed Services.
What should you do now? First, you should concentrate on training and preparing for your immediate task in life as a serviceperson. So what else should you prepare for? Have you ever considered preparing for life after death? Not wanting to be morbid, but sometimes serving in our armed forces requires giving all in accomplishing your job. This may occur in combat or in unfortunate circumstances during training or in life in general. Life is filled with examples around us that life can be short and end quickly for some. It will end for all of us someday, but for some, it may be sooner than others. So how does one prepare for securing his or her life for heaven and having a life worth living down here? It really is quite simple and you can get in on it. Here is what the Bible, God’s Word, tells us about the subject:
MAN’S CONDITION IS SINFUL
God’s Word tells us that all men are sinful. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So all of us in sinful.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN IS DEATH
We are also told that since we are sinners the wage or consequence of our sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Notice death is guaranteed but eternal life comes through Jesus Christ.
THERE IS A TIME OF JUDGEMENT FOR OUR SIN
Hebrews 9:27 tells us “And as it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment.”
THIS JUDGMENT CONDEMNS US TO A TERRIBLE ETERNITY
Everyman’s works outside of Christ is considered useless for salvation.
“And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
GOOD WORKS CANNOT GET US INTO HEAVEN. IT IS FAITH IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST, NOT OUR GOOD WORKS OR RELIGIOUS RITES OR AFFILIATIONS, THAT SAVE US FROM THIS TERRIBLE ETERNITY.
Ephesians 2:8, 9 tells us. . . “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man boast.”
THERE IS GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!!!
God has made a way for you and I even though we are sinners and deserve eternal punishment. He does not want us to perish. I Peter 3:9 “God is not slack concerning is promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to usward not willing that any should perish but that all may come to repentance.”
GOD LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE MADE A PLAN TO FULFILL HIS HOLY DEMANDS THAT SIN BE PAID FOR AND SAVE MANKIND FROM HELL
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
CHRIST DIED IN OUR PLACE FOR US. THEN, HE CONQUERED DEATH AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE
I Corinthians 15:3, 4 “… 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.”
HOW DO I GET GOD’S PROVISION SO I CAN BE FORGIVEN OF MY SIND AND BE SAVED FROM HELL AND HAVE HEAVEN AS MY ETERNAL HOME?
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:9,19 “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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
YOU CAN KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAVED
I John 5:11, 12 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
REALIZE YOU ARE A SINNER AND NEED SALVATION, BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART, TRUST JESUS ALONE TO SAVE YOU
I SUGGEST YOU ASK BY PRAYING TO HIM NOW.
SUGGESTED PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner. I believe Christ died for my sins and then rose from the grave. I ask forgiveness for my sins and ask you to save me from hell and give me eternal life. I believe you are the Savior and I now am counting on you and you alone to save me - not my good works or religious rites I have performed. I pray this now in Jesus name. Amen.