Three things holding you back
from being saved

Three things holding you back from being saved. What is keeping you from making the decision to being saved? The Number one cause of people not being saved is fear. What is the definition of fear? Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid exists. When a person’s life is changed because they accepted Christ, they fear rejection from losing the companionship of family and friends. There was a situation recorded in the gospel of Matthew; These are the words of Jesus, Matthew 10:34-39 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace. I came to bring trouble. (35) I have come to make this happen: 'A son will turn against his father. A daughter will turn against her mother. A daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law. (36) Even members of your own family will be your enemies.' (37) "Those who love their father or mother more than they love me are not worthy of me. And those who love their son or daughter more than they love me are not worthy of me. (38) Those who will not accept the cross that is given to them when they follow me are not worthy of me. (39) Those who try to keep the life they have will lose it. But those who give up their life for me will find true life. Number two is-Losing the pleasure of the world like having power, money, and sex. Matthew 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Then Jesus shares another parable in Luke 12:13-21 One of the men in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, our father just died and left some things for us. Tell my brother to share them with me." (14) But Jesus said to him, "Who said I should be your judge or decide how to divide your father's things between you two?" (15) Then Jesus said to them, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. People do not get life from the many things they own." (16) Then Jesus used this story: "There was a rich man who had some land. His land grew a very good crop of food. (17) He thought to himself, 'What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.' (18) "Then he said, 'I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns! I will put all my wheat and good things together in my new barns. (19) Then I can say to myself, I have many good things stored. I have saved enough for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!' (20) "But God said to that man, 'Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So what about the things you prepared for yourself? Who will get those things now?' (21) "This is how it will be for anyone who saves things only for himself. To God that person is not rich." Colossians 3:5 So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts control you, and wanting things that are wrong. And don't keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as worshiping a false god. James 5:1-6 You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you. (2) Your riches will rot and be worth nothing. Your clothes will be eaten by moths. (3) Your gold and silver will rust, and that rust will be a proof that you were wrong. That rust will eat your bodies like fire. You saved your treasure in the last days. (4) People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries. (5) Your life on earth was full of rich living. You pleased yourselves with everything you wanted. You made yourselves fat, like an animal ready for the day of slaughter. (6) You showed no mercy to good people. They were not against you, but you killed them. Number three is-Not knowing what death is like. Is there consciousness in the afterlife? Paul the apostle gives us some details. 1 Corinthians 15:11-58 So then it is not important if I told you God's message or if it was the other apostles who told you—we all tell people the same message, and this is what you believed. (12) We tell everyone that Christ was raised from death. So why do some of you say that people will not be raised from death? (13) If no one will ever be raised from death, then Christ has never been raised. (14) And if Christ has never been raised, then the message we tell is worth nothing. And your faith is worth nothing. (15) And we will also be guilty of lying about God, because we have told people about him, saying that he raised Christ from death. And if no one is raised from death, then God never raised Christ from death. (16) If those who have died are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. (17) And if Christ has not been raised from death, then your faith is for nothing; you are still guilty of your sins. (18) And those in Christ who have already died are lost. (19) If our hope in Christ is only for this life here on earth, then people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else. (20) But Christ really has been raised from death—the first one of all those who will be raised. (21) Death comes to people because of what one man did. But now there is resurrection from death because of another man. (22) I mean that in Adam all of us die. And in the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again. (23) But everyone will be raised to life in the right order. Christ was first to be raised. Then, when Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raised to life. (24) Then the end will come. Christ will destroy all rulers, authorities, and powers. Then he will give the kingdom to God the Father. (25) Christ must rule until God puts all enemies under his control. (26) The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. (27) As the Scriptures say, "God put everything under his control." When it says that "everything" is put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself. God is the one putting everything under Christ's control. (28) After everything has been put under Christ, then the Son himself will be put under God. God is the one who put everything under Christ. And Christ will be put under God so that God will be the complete ruler over everything. (29) If no one will ever be raised from death, then what will the people do who are baptized for those who have died? If the dead are never raised, then why are people baptized for them? (30) And what about us? Why do we put ourselves in danger every hour? (31) I face death every day. That is true, brothers and sisters, just as it is true that I am proud of what you are because of Christ Jesus our Lord. (32) I fought wild animals in Ephesus. If I did that only for human reasons, then I have gained nothing. If we are not raised from death, "Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we die." (33) Don't be fooled: "Bad friends will ruin good habits." (34) Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you don't know God. I say this to shame you. (35) But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?" (36) These are stupid questions. When you plant something, it must die in the ground before it can live and grow. (37) And when you plant something, what you plant does not have the same "body" that it will have later. What you plant is only a seed, maybe wheat or something else. (38) But God gives it the body that he has planned for it, and he gives each kind of seed its own body. (39) All things made of flesh are not the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have yet another kind. (40) Also there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the beauty of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the beauty of the earthly bodies is another. (41) The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon has another kind, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty. (42) It will be the same when those who have died are raised to life. The body that is "planted" in the grave will ruin and decay, but it will be raised to a life that cannot be destroyed. (43) When the body is "planted," it is without honor. But when it is raised, it will be great and glorious. When the body is "planted," it is weak. But when it is raised, it will be full of power. (44) The body that is "planted" is a physical body. When it is raised, it will be a spiritual body. There is a physical body. So there is also a spiritual body. (45) As the Scriptures say, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam is a life-giving spirit. (46) The spiritual man did not come first. It was the physical man that came first; then came the spiritual. (47) The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. (48) All people belong to the earth. They are like that first man of earth. But those who belong to heaven are like that man of heaven. (49) We were made like that man of earth, so we will also be made like that man of heaven. (50) I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Our bodies of flesh and blood cannot have a part in God's kingdom. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. (51) But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. (52) It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we will all be changed. (53) This body that ruins must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die. (54) So this body that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, the Scriptures will be made true: "Death is swallowed in victory." (55) "O death, where is your victory? Where is your power to hurt?" (56) Death's power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (57) But we thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (58) So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don't let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted. Look at this story. Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: (20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, (21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. (22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (23) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (24) And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. (25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: (28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. (30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. (31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Now that you have seen three reasons for not getting save, will you stop procrastinating and turn your life over to Jesus? Join one of our clinics for a life changing experience. Do it Now!