CHRISTMAS AND SALVATION (LUKE 2:10-11)

From the Board of Elders

Dear Members in Christ,                                                                      

Christmas and Salvation

“... behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2: 10-11

Christmas will be celebrated the world over next month on the 25^th December 2022. As God’s children, let us not forget the reason for Christmas. It is about the greatest gift that man can ever received in his lifetime before his life journey on earth is done. Yes, the moment man is born, man has an expiry date stamped on his timeline. Picture this: man is no different from the manufactured goods in the factory production line. Every product has either a short or long expiry date when it comes off the production line, so is man. Once it is expired, it is disposed off!

Yes, man can extend his living years with modern science but he still has an expiry date and is not able to live forever as long as he is in his physical mortal body! His body is corrupt and “from dust he comes and to dust he shall return” (cf. Genesis 3:19). His physical body perished but his soul is immortal and continue to live for eternity. The question is where does his soul go to? Answer: The righteous soul goes to His creator in Heaven and the unrighteous to Hell (cf. 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10). Hell is a place of unquenchable fire, pain and sorrow where the “worm dieth not” (cf. Mark 9:44) and the soul is tormented, suffers and cries out for all eternity!

The Good News: Man can choose where to go prior to his departure (death) from this earthly life. As an analogy, it is like having a flight ticket in the departure lounge at the flight terminal. He has either a ticket to Heaven or to Hell. There is no turning back at the departure hall! There is no possibility of not embarking on the flight to the final destination neither can he exchange nor get a new ticket at the departure lounge! The ticket he holds is non-changeable and non-transferable. It is a one-way ticket!

The Message of Christmas: Christmas is a time to remember that God in His mercy and grace offers man the choice to acquire the flight ticket to Heaven. God loves man that He sent His only begotten Son to die for man’s sin (cf. John 3:16) in order that man can go to Heaven. Man has only to accept the offer of salvation in believing that he is a sinner. Man has to acknowledge his sin, repents and accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his own personal Saviour. By doing so, man will have a flight passage to Heaven otherwise to Hell. Definitely, without doubt, it can be safely said that it is every man’s treasured desire and joy to be in Heaven when the journey on earth is done! Don’t you?

Message to the Unbeliever: May you see the mercy and grace of God and accept Him as your personal Saviour without delay. Put aside your pride, arrogance and resistance if you have been refusing or rejecting God’s offer of salvation thus far. For the day and time wait for no man. Life is fragile. Man does not know when his life on earth will be extinguished. It is like a vapour. “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14. Thus a man’s life is fragile and could be “snuffed out” at any moment even right now! Do not miss out the ticket to Heaven. Simply believe God’s promise of salvation. Acknowledge your sin, repent and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour. Make today as your day of salvation! The ticket to Heaven, with your name written therein, is yours to possess!

Message to the Christians: Let us pray that many unbelieving friends and loved ones will exercise their wisdom to choose the path to Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Let us reach out and share the good news of salvation to all. Do not be like the gentiles where Christmas is purely for earthly entertainment, joy and feasting devoid of the divine message and the offer of eternal life by the Creator.

Do prepare yourself with a ready mind and the Christmas gospel message to share with your unsaved friends and loved ones this Christmas season. Get the gospel tracts, Christian books, DVDs of hymns as gifts. Do visit CJBPF’s book room where all these are available. Pray and go! Reach out to lost souls!

Conclusion:

1) To the unbeliever, may this Christmas bring you the joy of salvation. Believe “… how that Christ died for our (man’s) sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) and you will be saved. Yes, this is the simple message of salvation. Make your decision today!

2) To the Christians let not your heart be earth but heaven bound! Let us reach out this festive season to lost souls to bring them to Christ. Let us invite them to Church to hear the gospel message. Let us resolve to do more for the Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom. Must we go empty handed to meet our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Let us store up our treasures in heaven. This should be our immediate resolution and hearts’ desire to serve God.

3) The choir is practising hard to present praise items to God. The Philemon group will also be having carolling prior to the Christmas day. Do come and join to rejoice in this Christmas gathering. Christmas falls on the Lord’s Day. Do invite your loved ones and friends to hear the Christmas message. May hearts be edified and lost souls saved. To God be the glory.

Blessed Christmas to all.

In Christ,
Eld. Choe Tong Seng