Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Deuteronomy 12:31–32
“It’s not that simple,” the cultist says to the believer. “You can’t come boldly before the throne of grace. You’ve got to prove your sincerity.”
In Moses’ day, the Canaanites proved they were sincere seekers of their gods by literally burning their sons and daughters. Five-foot-high iron idols dedicated to Molech were constructed with a hole in them in which a fire would burn, causing the idol to become incandescent. Sincere worshipers would place their firstborn child on the red-hot arms of these idols in the valley of Tophet, also known as the valley of Gehenna, which is another name for hell.
Every cult and false religion is based upon man working his way up the ladder of sincerity, good works, and obedience to a system. Christianity alone is not based upon man working up to God, but God reaching down to man. “For by grace are ye saved,” Paul declares. And what is grace? It is unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. It is a gift of God, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).
What must a man do to be saved? Simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30–31). Period. “It is finished,” Jesus said (John 19:30). My standing with God is not about what I do to prove my sincerity, but about what He’s already done to prove His love and mercy. And all that’s left is for me to respond to His free gift of salvation.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon.
"A Pillar By Day" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the Old Testament books of Genesis through Deuteronomy.
If you would like your own copy of "A Pillar By Day" you can order one from the SearchLight Store.
In Moses’ day, the Canaanites proved they were sincere seekers of their gods by literally burning their sons and daughters. Five-foot-high iron idols dedicated to Molech were constructed with a hole in them in which a fire would burn, causing the idol to become incandescent. Sincere worshipers would place their firstborn child on the red-hot arms of these idols in the valley of Tophet, also known as the valley of Gehenna, which is another name for hell.
Every cult and false religion is based upon man working his way up the ladder of sincerity, good works, and obedience to a system. Christianity alone is not based upon man working up to God, but God reaching down to man. “For by grace are ye saved,” Paul declares. And what is grace? It is unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. It is a gift of God, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9).
What must a man do to be saved? Simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30–31). Period. “It is finished,” Jesus said (John 19:30). My standing with God is not about what I do to prove my sincerity, but about what He’s already done to prove His love and mercy. And all that’s left is for me to respond to His free gift of salvation.