"E X C E P T" - 2

John 3:3

Refer back to "Except - 1" -- "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." --- John 3:3.

The word "except" equates out to meaning "unless" in English usage, it seems to me. Our first text is found in Luke 13:3, 5; both verses are the same, and that makes us know it is doubly important to consider. The texts break down into this:

(a) "I tell you", it makes a difference who says what. If Jesus says it is so, it is right without a question.

(b) "except ye repent" clearly establishes that repentance is a necessity.

(c) no repentance, and "ye shall.....perish".

Repentance, is a recognition of our becoming aware of our sins and their consequences. The gospel being heard, and the Holy Spirit enlightening, thus leads us to be repentive, Ephesians 1:18, Acts 20:21. Please notice the order: repentance and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said ". . . verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.", Matthew 18:3. Acts 3:19 records Peter as saying "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out . . .".

Jesus spoke of us being drawn thru the spoken word and calls us to abide in Him and states they cannot bear fruit except they do, John 15:4.

Paul counsels along the same line in 2 Corinthians 13:5, saying "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your selves how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates.", 2 Corinthians 13:5. Reprobate means a castaway, or rejected.

We have seen that it is imperative that we must by repentance and faith, come to Christ. The Lord has only one way of salvation. You have it, or you don't; there are not more ways of salvation. The Baptists, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Gentiles and Jews must be saved in the same way, there are no exceptions. DDH.