I am the LORD, and there is no other god besides me – a righteous God and a Savior
“I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God. People may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isa 45:5-6, 18, 21-23 cf Phil 2:8-11).
In a multi-religious, post-modern and technologically advanced Singapore, we meet all kinds of people. Generally, they will be nominally Hindus, Buddhists, Roman Catholics, Protestant Christians, Muslims, and Taoists. Others will say they are agnostics, atheists, free-thinkers or irreligious. Many will be in pursuit of financial security, physical well-being and enjoyment of life. However, in God’s eyes, many of them are spiritually lost. Some Christians may not be sure they are saved. Each one will have to give an account of what they have done to God.
Living among so many kinds of people, what are your primary duties from Sunday to Saturday?
- To worship God and to give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! (Psalm 107:1-2)
- To shine as light among men, and do all things for Christ (Matt 5:16; Col 3:17,23)
- To testify of the salvation of the LORD, and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. How is this possible? No one seeks God. Yet by the grace of God, His Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin and the sinner’s need of a Savior. This Savior, Jesus Christ, was crucified with this charge, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Yet by His death on the cross, He permanently fastened the sins of the whole world firmly to the cross. All who believe in Him will be forgiven of their sins. He cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross (Col 2:14).
All who trust in Him will be saved from future judgment for sins. Christ Himself will sit on the Great White Throne and judge all who choose to stand on their own good works, on their own philosophies or religious works.
People need to hear from us. Who will tell them that God is love? Who will tell them that Jesus saves? Who will patiently teach them the truths of God? Who will warn them of future judgment for sins? Who will warn them of eternal doom in the lake of fire? (Col 1:28; Rev 20:15). In the first place, we need to firmly believe that GOD made the heavens and the earth. We need to be steadfast in believing that God has spoken. We need to grow in confidence that the Bible has recorded what God has revealed for all mankind to know Him and believe in Jesus as the righteous God and the Savior.
Let us not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us tell people that Jesus lives and that He is coming back soon, to restore righteousness and set up His Kingdom!
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Act 4:12).
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo