This is the “chief of sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, with the Gospel Light Minute X Podcast #389 titled, “How a Key Principle of Karate Helps You Understand Getting Your Soul Saved From Hell Through Jesus Christ.” I’m here to remind you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me.
Most people are familiar with Karate, a martial arts form of self-defense. Its origin dates back many centuries ago, when Chinese monks developed Kung Fu. In the 1600s, this system of self-defense was imported to the tiny island nation of Okinawa. Under the dominion of the Japanese Samurai, all weapons were banned to keep the people of Okinawa in subjection. For protection from their oppressors, the native people learned to use their farm tools as weapons, and over time perfected Chinese boxing into its present form we know as Karate.
The creed of all true Karate practitioners is this: I come to you with only karate, empty hands. I have no weapons, but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles, or my honor, be it a matter of life or death, right or wrong, then here are my weapons, karate, my empty hands.
This reminds me of the way of salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, the word “karate” literally means ‘empty hands’. The way of Karate (Karate-do[doe]) is the way for salvation.
Many people believe that to be saved and certain of Heaven, they must do something to earn a place in the bye-and-bye. They think that they must bring something to God before He will accept them. However, the fact is that salvation is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his [God’s] mercy…”
There is nothing we can bring to God that would impress Him and cause Him to accept us. The Bible tells us that “…all our righteousnesses (our best deeds) are as filthy rags;…” in the sight of God. There is absolutely nothing that we can do to gain God’s favor or earn our place in Heaven. No work, whether it is church membership, baptism, giving to the poor, or anything else, can pay our sin debt. We must come to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” There is only One Way to God, and One Way into Heaven. That One Way is a Person — God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
Notice the words to the old hymn, “Rock of Ages”: Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee; Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power; Not the labor of my hands Can fulfill Thy law’s demands; All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone; Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.
You see, when a person realizes their need of God’s forgiveness for their sins and desires to make sure Heaven will be their eternal home, they will have to come on God’s terms: “Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.”
Salvation is “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Rather, it is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The salvation that all people need has been paid for by Jesus Christ, when He died on the cross. This salvation is offered to all men free of charge, if they will repent of their sin and by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Saviour.
The way to Heaven is the way of Karate: empty hands. You must come to God as a sinner, realizing that you are morally and spiritually bankrupt, without any righteousness to call your own, with nothing to offer God. If you will come to Jesus with empty hands, you will not go away empty handed. God will grant you the forgiveness of your sins and give you eternal life.
Everyone in the world approaches God in one of two ways. Most come to God in their foolish pride and say to Him, “Something in my hands I bring,” and are rejected. Then there are those who come to God humbly saying, “Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling,” and God accepts them, because their trust is in His Son and what He did for them on the cross.
If God is speaking to your heart about being saved, why don’t you at this moment lay aside all you are trusting in to get you to Heaven and put your complete faith in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, for your salvation? The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Right now, where you are, you can be saved and know you are ready to meet God. If you believe that Jesus Christ died in your place and rose again from the dead and you are willing to trust Jesus Christ with all of your heart so you can go to Heaven, please pray with me what is called the sinner’s prayer: Holy Father God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I admit that I have sinned against You and that I have broken Your Ten Commandments. I have lied before. I have stolen things before. I have lusted after people and things before. I have dishonored and disobeyed my parents. I have taken Your holy Name in vain. For Jesus Christ’s sake, please have mercy and grace upon my soul and forgive me of all of my sins, my failures, and my faults. As I now believe in Your Holy Son the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that He suffered, bled, and died on the cross for my sins, was buried and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me to repent of my sins past. Help me to turn from my old, evil life and follow You in the new life. For it is in Your Name I pray. Amen.
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Thank you for listening to this Gospel presentation. If you have decided to trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour after listening to this podcast, please email us at gls@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. To find out more about what you need to do after trusting Christ as Savior, visit GospelLightSociety.com and read “What to Do After You Enter Through the Door”.
The tract this podcast is based on is published by Fellowship Tract League, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to spread God’s Word to the world through the printed page and other media. You can order copies of this tract online at FellowshipTractLeague.org.
The Gospel Light Minute X 