By David J. Stewart | March 2016

Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.”

       I'm so sick of compromised preachers concerning the gift of eternal life that I want to vomit, and I know God feels the same. I was listening to an evangelist today named Dr. Tom Farrell, of “L.E.A.D. Ministries International.” Their website showcases their luxuriant multi-million-dollar mansion where religious leaders go for training. God deliver us from the affluent snobbery of today's Neo-evangelical Baptist leaders. What a joke that they call it Elijah's Harbor. Ha! The last time I checked the Bible, Elijah didn't flee from Jezebel to a 5-star Hilton vacation resort with a big swimming pool. We need some John the Baptist kind of Christianity again. When money gets involved, it ruins preachers. Research and you will find, that the highest paid percentage of preachers stand the least for God against the evil New World Order. The Bible plainly teaches that our battle as believers is “against the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6:12).

Personally, I detest the affluent crowd—the $268,475 a year^[1] salaried John MacArthurs, and the $622,000 a year^[2] Billy Grahams. Christianity began as a new birth by faith in Jesus Christ. When it came to Greece, it became a philosophy. When it went to Rome, it became an organization. When it spread throughout Europe, it became a culture. But when Christianity came to America, it became a business! You have a right to your opinion and I have a right to mine. I am sick and tired of preachers taking a dozen vacations to Israel. Who has that kind of money except affluent ministers and the wealthy? My problem is that its all done in the precious name of Jesus, which to me is nothing less than exploitation of the ministry for personal gain. The average American, more than half, only earn $30,000 a year,^[3] and they could never afford a trip to Canada, let alone umpteen trips to Israel.

Like I said, the affluent religious elite in America (which includes several thousand pastors), who are in the same boat as millionaire charity CEO's, do the least in the war for God against evil. Oh sure, they do plenty of good works to be seen of men; but they aren't fighting against evil, they aren't contending for the faith, they're not exposing false prophets, they're not fighting against the New World Order and Communism, they're not fighting against the new corrupt Bible versions, they're not fighting against the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation, et cetera. In fact, they are foolishly promoting the agendas of the New World Order by using the new Bible versions, and by teaching the religious lie of Lordship Salvation, and by remaining silent about the same-sex filth in our culture, by promoting the heresy of Zionism, by voting for sex perverts and secret society occultists for U.S. President, et cetera. Sadly, it's today's apostate religious leaders (and that includes most Independent Baptists) who are doing the most damage to ruin America.

It's the preachers with the most to lose financially who fight the least in the war for God against evil! Where are the preachers who expose the Devil's New World Order? Why do Christians have to go to the internet to learn the truth these days, when it's the churches that are Biblically supposed to be “THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH”? (1st Timothy 3:15). The average preacher couldn't care less about such important things. Consequently, many churches are fulfilling Alice Bailey's predication that the churches would be transformed to usher in the New World Order. Hence, the purpose of today's modern Bible version corrupting movement. Occultists Said They Would Infiltrate the Churches (Theosophy, the Church and Lucifer Worship).

I heard a sermon by Dr. Farrell on a local Baptist religious radio today about salvation. In the sermon, he said you're not saved unless “YOU HAVE BEEN CHANGED.” In the same sermon, Dr. Farrell said that a saved person is a changed person, and a changed person declares Jesus as Lord!!! That is unbiblical and subtle. There's not one verse in the entire Holy Bible that requires making, or declaring, Jesus as your Lord to be saved, nor to validate your salvation by doing so. Of course, if you are using the modern satanic counterfeit Bible versions, then the Devil has corrupted Romans 10:9 to teach Lordship Salvation. IT IS WICKEDNESS!!!

I haven't found anywhere that Evangelist Tom Farrell exposes the modern corrupt Bible versions either! I don't trust any preacher who is silent about Satan poisoning today's literally HUNDREDS of Bible versions. Only the King James Bible is trustworthy in the English language today. The plethora of modern Westcott and Hort Bible versions are corrupt. Why Would Anyone Use The New International Version (NIV)? And by the way, there's not a dime's difference between nearly every modern Bible and the NIV, because they all come from the same corrupt work of Westcott and Hort. Many preachers are enjoying a generous $75,000 a year salary and dare not jeopardize their income by standing with the Christian minority (like me) who have the guts to tell the truth. God vomits over lukewarm ministers who straddle-the-fence, never calling false prophets by name as Titus 1:10-13 teaches!!!
 

No Change Is Required For Salvation, Nor To Seal One's Salvation

Look once again at our text passage of Scripture from Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.” Did you understand what you just read? Salvation is obtained by faith alone, so that a person DOESN'T NEED any self-righteousness to have eternal life. Being “changed” is a work! My friend, the honest truth is that the ONLY change which takes place when you get saved is that the Holy Spirit of God comes to live inside your body (1st Corinthians 3:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1st John 3:24). This is known theologically as the “indwelling of the Holy Spirit.”

When a person gets saved, their salvation does not change them one bit. The only difference is that now the Holy Spirit lives inside that person, and all things are become new to them spiritually (2nd Corinthians 5:17). 1st Peter 2:2 tells them to grow in the milk of God's Word, as a newborn baby. Over time, if that new believer is mentored properly by other mature Christians (Matthew 28:19-20), and continues abiding in God's Word (John 15:1-7), they will also mature (Luke 8:15). But if they are left alone spiritually, lacking a healthy church family, chances are likely that they will fall by the wayside, as represented by the seeds in Luke 8:13-14. Only the first group of seeds in Luke 8:12 did not get saved. Ray Comfort teaches that the second and third group lost their salvation, but that is unbiblical. The Bible plainly teaches that the second and third groups had roots, which means they had been born-again (saved), and no one can ever lose God's free gift of eternal life once received.

Dr. Farrell correctly teaches that a Christian may still sin (against God's will), and that a Christian may still sin habitually (against God's will), and that God's convicting presence (the indwelling Holy Spirit) must be present, which Hebrews 12:6-8 confirms. If any believer be not chastised for their sins, he or she is a BASTARD! That is exactly what the Bible teaches...

Hebrews 12:6-8, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Albeit, being chastened (disciplined) and scourged (beaten) by the Holy Spirit is not the same as being changed. I haven't found anywhere that Dr. Tom Farrell exposes heretics Ray Comfort, Rick Warren, John MacArthur, John Piper, Chip Ingram or others who teach the fraud of Lordship Salvation. It appears to me that Tom Ferrell and many other preachers like him, are deliberately trying to straddle-the-fence on the raging battle over repentance in our churches. Instead of taking sides, they remain in the middle of the issue, caught between grace and works. What else can I conclude when I hear Dr. Ferrell teaching that a person is not saved who hasn't changed, and a changed person declares Jesus as Lord of their life? That is a false Gospel. The choice of words that Dr. Ferrell uses makes room for heretics like Dr. John MacArthur in our churches, which is not acceptable. MacArthur is a Calvinist, who adds works to grace for salvation, which is no salvation at all.

Now I love Unshackled radio, and I've been listening to some good ones lately. Albeit, I have a serious problem with some of their episodes, and when I get a number of one, I'll pound it with the Scriptures and expose it. They usually give the episode number at the beginning of the Unshackled broadcast, so if you miss it, that's it, too bad so sad. Anyway, I heard the broadcast, and the man (actor) in the program (not the Pacific Garden Mission gentlemen commenting after the program). The man acting told another other co-actor that salvation doesn't mean writing your name, date, time and place on the back-page of your Bible. He said that salvation requires denying your worldly desires and surrendering to Christ continually for the rest of your life. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. That is a false Gospel.

My friend, you most certainly CAN write your name, date, time and place down in your Bible. I encourage you to do so, and have others do so also, so that you'll be able to remember your spiritual birthdate, just as you do your physical birthdate. I was born-again at the young age of 13. I wish someone had told me back then to write down my name when I was saved. I don't know exactly what year it was, but I know I was about 13. I remember the church, and where I was sitting in church, and the message about the Holy Spirit which the pastor delivered that Sunday morning. I know I was saved that day, because I knew I was a sinner, and I trusted Jesus the best I knew how, believing the Gospel as my only hope for Heaven. From that day until now, over 35 years later, the Holy Spirit has been an ever real presence in my life, and I love Him so much dearly. To think, the Godhead lives in me, and desires to fellowship with me. Jesus saved me, not me myself. It is only by God's imputed righteousness that I am clean in God's eyes, having had my sins washed away by Jesus' precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). Jesus is Precious!!!
 

Heresy Is Creeping Into Independent Baptist Churches By The Hour

Dr. Farrell has a sermon online about salvation that he preached at the Beacon Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. I went to see what the church believes doctrinally. Here is a heretical quote from their statement of beliefs...

Salvation

We believe that salvation is a gift of God's grace; that it is received by: repentance, the renouncing and forsaking of one's sins; and faith, the personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, trusting in His atoning sacrifice at the cross; and that there is no other means of being saved. [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Beacon Baptist Church - Statement Of Beliefs

Forsaking one's sins is a work! Renouncing one's sins is a work! The “simplicity that is in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4) simply means to REPENT, AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!!! (Mark 1:15). To “repent” means “to think differently,” that is, to change your mind from what you want to do to get to Heaven, to what God says you must do to get to Heaven. Certainly, no one has God's permission to continue in a deathstyle of sin (Romans 3:31). Ephesians 2:10 teaches that God saves each believer UNTO GOOD WORKS! God doesn't save anyone to serve them self, live for their belly, and indulge in the pleasures of sin in the world. Yet, most Christians do just that—following Jesus afar off like Peter, remaining idle and doing nothing for the Lord or the Gospel, or loving this present world as did Demas (when he forsook Paul in the ministry), et cetera.

Dr. Jack Hyles 100% correctly and Biblically states concerning repentance...

“Repentance is not some little silly, 'I'm sorry.' Repentance is not simply a fear of God. Repentance is not a monk fasting and afflicting his body in a monastery. Repentance is not remorse because of sin's consequences. Repentance is not penance performed before the pope as you kiss his toe... Repentance is not being sorry for what I've done wrong. It is not confessing one's sins to a priest. It is not just conviction of sin. It is not the signing of a pledge of abstinence. Repentance is that thing when you come before God and see yourself as you are, and see Him as he is, and say with Isaiah 'Woe is me, for I am unclean!'” —Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001), a quote from the timeless MP3 sermon, THE GOODNESS OF GOD LEADETH TO REPENTANCE!

Pastor Bob Gray Sr. at the Longview Baptist Temple church in Texas correctly and rightly preaches . . .

“Repentance means to change your mind—change your mind—change your mind about how you want to get to Heaven to what God says you've got to do to get to Heaven. If you've got to repent of all your sins, you're still headed for Hell tonight.” —Pastor Bob Gray Sr., a quote from the awesome MP3 sermon, Why You Should Be A Part Of A Growing Church

Although Dr. Farrell correctly teaches that repentance means to “change your mind,” he also corrupts the meaning of repentance by adding the requirement to be “changed.” At 23:47 in this video, Dr. Farrell incorrectly teaches that salvation is not repenting TO believe; but rather, repenting AND believing. That is wrong! Biblically, a man repents TO believe. This is why the words “believe” and “believed” are mentioned 85 times in the Gospel of John, but the word “repent” is never mentioned, not even once! You see, the man who believes has also repented. If repentance were a separate step to be saved, then the Gospel of John would have certainly mentioned it!!!

There is a sharp contrast and a raging theological battle across the United States over the meaning of the word “repent” for salvation. Please don't misunderstand, repentance is absolutely necessary to be saved. If a man didn't repent (i.e., to change his mind; to think differently) he would never believe the Good News of Jesus Christ's death on the cross for our sins, His burial, and His bodily resurrection three days later. The wrong idea of repentance is that it is a change of lifestyle. The most dangerous preachers are the one's who are CAUGHT BETWEEN GRACE AND WORKS, teaching that repentance is “a change of mind” that requires a change to validate one's faith. Yes, repentance is a change of mind, but if you add any suggestion or hint that a person's life must be changed, then you've corrupted the Gospel. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the change!!!

The church at Corinth (read 1st Corinthians) was living in horrible sin. They were fighting amongst themselves. They were suing each other in court. They were fornicating. Church members were coming drunk to the Lord's Supper. They were eating meats offered to idols. They were babes in Christ and carnal. What a hellhole! In his second Epistle, the Apostle Paul challenges the church at Corinth to EXAMINE THEMSELVES, to make sure they are truly saved. Notice that Paul doesn't assume they are lost just because they are committing sins. 2nd Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

So we learn that the indwelling Holy Spirit ought to produce a holy life in every believer, but this is not mandatory for salvation, nor is it a requirement to prove that a person is saved. True, a believer who lives in sin may not be saved; but it can also be equally said that a faithful churchgoer who sings in a choir, praises Jesus, carries a Bible, and tithes generously, may not be saved either. Most of the people going straight to burn in Hell are not bad people, they are normal everyday people who have been tricked and blinded by the Devil (2nd Corinthians 4:4).

Thus, my problem with Dr. Tom Farrell's preaching is that he teaches that “a saved person has been changed,” and “a changed person will declare Jesus as their Lord.” Effectively, he is adding works to faith, teaching Lordship Salvation, by requiring a person to change if they are really saved. In other words, Tom Farrell is saying that you are not saved unless you've changed. This is “Another Gospel” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). You cannot straddle both sides of the fence without being exposed as a false prophet. The Gospel allows no room whatsoever for any type of changes. Eternal life is a free gift, which must only be received. God only saves those who are trusting to be saved, not those who are trying to be saved. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Don't ever forget that truth!

Our Mixed Up Fundamental Christianity (an excellent MP3 sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles)

The Teaching Of “Turn From Sin” For Salvation Is Not Found Anywhere In The Bible

I have read numerous writings by Seventh-day Adventist (SDA's) prophetess Ellen G. White. SDA's claim to believe the simple Gospel in their basic literature, which gives the false impression that they are true Christians. However, if you read much further and examine their core doctrines, like the spooky doctrine of Investigative Judgment, then it becomes clear just how unsaved and wicked they really are. SDA's teach the same works-based false plan of Lordship Salvation, as do Independent Baptists today. I just showed you two example with Dr. Tom Farrell and Beacon Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. May I say, Satan wants us to shut-up, but God wants us to speak-up!!!

Repentance is the admission that you are a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God; thus, seeing your desperate need for the dear Savior. Repentance is not forsaking your sinful bad habits! Repentance is not turning over a new leaf. Repentance is not renouncing one's sins. Charles Surgeon taught this heresy, that is, that every sin must be “renounced” and he was wrong! The Bible never uses such a word as “renounced.” Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.” The Holy Bible in Romans 4:5-6 says it all. Human effort (works) have no part in God's salvation of man.

In multiple places throughout the Old Testament, we read that God Himself REPENTED, which simply means He changed His mind. Obviously God cannot sin, so this proves that repentance for salvation does not mean to “TURN FROM SIN.” Repentance is TOWARD God, not FROM Sin. Repentance is changing your own mind from your own way of thinking to believe the Gospel.
 

Beware Of The Today's Popular, Forked-Tongue, Double-Talking, False Prophets

HERESY!!! You don't receive the gift of God by turning away from your sins, which is what “renouncing” means. I don't like that word and never use it to describe repentance, because it is a horribly wrong application (which completely changes what it means to repent). Biblical repentance means to think differently. It is heresy to assume that this means to think differently about the sins in one's life, and to be willing to turn away from such awful living, and to clean up one's ways of evil, and to surrender one's will to Christ's Lordship. Boy, that all sure sounds real good. It does, it really does! But it is of the Devil.

Satan is a beautiful liar! It sounds good to me that to be saved a person ought to be required to turn away from their sinful ways and live holy unto God; BUT THAT IS RELIGION, NOT THE GOSPEL!!! Religion is a road to Hell. In fact, religion is the worst thing that ever happened to this sin-cursed world. Religion is man trying to reach God through human effort, but Christianity is God trying to reach man by the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the cross. To think differently (“repent”) does not refer to a willingness to cease from one's sinful bad habits; but rather, the admission that I am a guilty sinner in God's eyes, and my ways are wrong, but God is right. Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

Kindly, according to the Beacon Baptist Church's official Statement Of Beliefs, you must renounce and forsake your sins to be saved. I dare you to look up the dictionary meaning in any dictionary for the word RENOUNCE. In every case renounce means to give up, forsake, turn away from, to give up a position with no possibility of ever resuming it; to refuse to follow, obey, or recognize any longer. In short, it means to have a radical change of attitude toward one's sins, so that sin from that point on will be despised, hated and shunned. That sounds really good doesn't it. The problem is that it's not what the Bible teaches. A strong believer who renounces sin, and forsakes the ungodly world, is a mature Christian that has grown over time in the grace of God.
 

Warning About “UNSHACKLED” Radio Program Heresy!!!

In episode #3081, about James Blair (aired on January 31, 2010), the following false plan of salvation is awful. In this episode, there's a 3-way conversation beginning at 16:30 time in the audio. The mother, father and daughter are talking. They've just come from church. The daughter is now an adult, and she comments that when she was 13-years-old, she HAD PLANNED to wait until she was 40 years old to get saved, because she didn't want to deal with THE COMMITMENT THAT COMES WITH SALVATION.

Daughter (as an adult thinking back in time to when she was 13 years old) — Because of the commitment that came with salvation, I had planned to wait until I was about 40 to get saved.

SOURCE: Pacific Garden Mission, UNSHACKLED, Episode #3081 (at 16:30 time in audio)

Do you see how Satan messes up people's minds and leads them into the Lake of Fire? Ladies and gentleman, there is no “commitment” required to be saved!!! Eternal life is a free gift, paid for entirely by Christ's work of redemption. God does not require, nor expect, anything of (nor from) us to receive the free gift of eternal life. God is not a fraudster. God is not a liar. God made every human being a PROMISE “to save them that believe” (1st Corinthians 1:21). God made a PROMISE! Titus 1:3, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”

Now the conversation goes back in time to when the daughter was just 13 years old, the morning after she allegedly got saved at a church revival. This is just horrific material being aired on UNSHACKLED...

Mom — You were saved tonight, weren't you?
Daughter — Yes, how did you know?
Mom — [laughs] I could tell by looking at you.
Daughter — That's why we we're late, I had a lot of sin to confess, and I sure feel clean.
Dad — I Couldn't figure out why a 13-year-old girl would have so many sins to confess.
Daughter — I wanted to be sure I was really saved, Dad.
Mom — Now honey, live for the Lord, grow up to be a Sunday School teacher or something.

SOURCE: Pacific Garden Mission, UNSHACKLED, Episode #3081 (at 16:30 time in audio)

What in Hades is that? Is this a joke from Pacific Garden Mission or what? Since when does confessing all of one's sins have anything to do with getting saved. The daughter says she felt very clean from taking the extra time to confess all her sins. Folks, this is satanic Roman Catholicism!!! This is satanic religion, not the Gospel. Woe unto Chicago's Pacific Garden Mission!!!!!!! When the dad joked about his daughter having so many sins to confess, the daughter seriously replied that the reason she did so was to make sure she is saved. Huh? Since when does confessing all your sins, and doing it diligently and thoroughly, ensure that someone is saved? Where is THE GOSPEL? I cannot believe how corrupt UNSHACKLED has become!!!

The reason why the daughter confessed all her sins, errantly thinking that this is how to be saved, is because of the false prophet which poisoned her mind with Lordship Salvation. You can hear his poison message at 15:18 time in the audio. Again, repentance for salvation doesn't mean turning away from sinful behavior; but rather, it means turning away from your unbelief and trusting the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance simply means admitting that I am a guilty sinner in God's holy eyes! Again, you cannot show me even one Bible verse that teaches to “turn from sin” for salvation. Notice that repentance is not from sin, but toward God. Acts 20:21, “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” When a man repents toward a holy God, acknowledging that he is a guilty sinner, and places his faith in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is saved immediately and forever!!! It's that simple!

This teaching from UNSHACKLED in just awful. Perhaps they should rename their theologically-challenged-show to “SHACKLED.” No doubt millions of souls have already been damned to Hell forever, because they refused to believe the Gospel, errantly thinking that they had to forsake sinful living, make a commitment to serve God, forsake all, turn from all their sinful ways, and a bunch of other nonsense that God does not require to be saved. IT IS SATANISM IN THE CHURCHES!!!
 

Repent Does Not Mean “Turn From Sin”

Respectfully, my problem with preachers like Dr. Tom Farrell is that he hobnobs with other churches that idolize Dr. John MacArthur, Evangelist Ray Comfort, Moody Bible Institute (who publish all of John MacArthur's heretical books), R.C. Sproul, John Piper, John Hagee, Billy Graham (Balaam), and umpteen other Calvinist heretics concerning God's simple plan of salvation. Kindly, in my opinion, Dr. Farrell is a fence-straddler, as are most Baptist pastors these days. Instead of taking sides, they attempt to reside in the middle of the debate between grace verses works. Consequently, they get caught between grace and works. John MacArthur and Paul Washer plainly teach works for salvation, which is rooted in Calvinism's Perseverance Of The Saints heresy. These men need to be exposed as heretics concerning the plan of salvation!!!

Repent Does Not Mean “Turn From Sin”

Dr. Farrell has a sermon online about salvation that he preached at the 'Beacon Baptist Church' in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is an Independent Baptist church, but not fundamental. Here is a heretical quote from their statement of beliefs. Notice how they subtly begin by stating THE TRUTH that “Salvation is a gift of God's grace,” but then they inject THE LIE that...

 “IT IS RECEIVED BY: REPENTANCE AND FORSAKING OF ONE'S SINS”

THAT'S UTTER HERESY!!!

We believe that salvation is a gift of God's grace; that it is received by: repentance, the renouncing and forsaking of one's sins; and faith, the personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, trusting in His atoning sacrifice at the cross; and that there is no other means of being saved. [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Beacon Baptist Church - Statement Of Beliefs

Forsaking one's sins is a work!

At 27:50 in the video, Dr. Farrell says that you must “personally ask Him [Christ] to come live in your life” to be saved. This is an added requirement that God does not require at all to have eternal life. We mustn't stray from the “The simplicity that is in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). The Gospel is simple. Believing the Gospel is simple. It is simple to be saved. It is free to whosoever wants it. There is no cost involved. Your price is zero! My price is zero! Jesus paid the high price of our sin-debt, with His precious blood, which he shed on the cross for our sins, and sprinkled upon the heavenly Mercy Seat in the presence of God the Father (Hebrews 9:12, 22-24; 12:24). The PRICE is the blood of Jesus! The PLACE is the heavenly Mercy Seat within the Holy Place.

Please listen to one of my favorite video sermons by Pastor Hank Lindstrom (Calvary Community Church, Tampa, Florida) titled, Is Lordship Salvation A Counterfeit Form Of The Gospel Message? The sermon you hopefully just heard is doctrinally correct, and I stand behind their ministry at Florida Bible College. Thank God for doctrinally-sound preachers, who are a dying breed these days. I'm so tired of hearing the simple Gospel message perverted into a lie by preachers, who are well-meaning and add some additional requirement that complicates God's plan of salvation for man. If a person must makes changes, or allow God to make changes, then the Gospel has become a very complicated personal matter. That's not the simplicity that is in Christ. Damnable heresy is creeping into the churches and religious organizations by the hour!

What Is Repentance Unto Life?

Repentance is the admission that I am as guilty a sinner as God hath declared me to be in His holy Word. Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) said that, and he's 100% correct. Repentance is seeing a holy God as He is, and seeing myself as an undone, guilty, filthy, Hell-deserving, sinner in His eyes. It is the silencing of all of one's boasting of self-righteousness. It is understanding that I have broken God's holy commandments, and that I need the Savior alone to save me. Repentance is seeing our need caused by our sins, so that we run to the Savior.

May I quote the doctrinally-sound beautiful words of Dr. Harry A. Ironside...

"Repentance is the very opposite of meritorious experience. It is the confession that one is utterly without merit, and if he is ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'who gave himself a ransom for all.' Here is firm footing for the soul who realizes that all self-effort is but sinking sand. Christ alone is the Rock of our salvation."

SOURCE: Harry A. Ironside; Except Ye Repent, p. 36)

Clearly, Ironside taught a Free Grace view of the Gospel. Dr. Ironside correctly recognized repentance as the confession that "one is utterly without merit" and that if one is "ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ." Salvation is without works of self-righteousness. Romans 4:5 plainly teaches that a man's faith is COUNTED for righteousness, i.e., the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to one's heavenly record by faith. 

"Repentance is the recognition of my sinnership — the owning before God that I am as vile as He has declared me to be in His holy Word."

SOURCE: Except Ye Repent, by Dr. Harry Ironside, chapter 3

Repentance and faith are inseparable. The Gospel of John mentions the word "believe" 85-times; but the word "repent" is never mentioned even once. In genuine salvation, one who believes on Jesus Christ has repented; and one who repents has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. 

Galatians 3:24-26 says God's Law teaches us that we are wretched sinners in God's holy eyes; and then when the Law has finished its work, it brings us to the merciful Savior to be saved by faith alone. Romans 10:4 says that Christ is the end of the Law to them that believe!!! So effectively, repentance is the removal of whatever hindrance was previously keeping a person from believing the Gospel to be saved. Repentance and faith (belief) happen at the same time (simultaneously). You don't repent first and then say, “OK, now I'm ready to believe.” That's not how it works. It is a falsehood to view repentance unto salvation as a forsaking of one's sins and the wicked world. It is wrong to think of repentance as a turning away from sinful activities, sinful behavior, world entertainments, et cetera. I'm tired of corrupt pastors and religious leaders browbeating everyone with these false ideas—the lie that God won't save a man who intends to continue living a deathstyle of sin.

Must A Christian Live A Changed Life? | Part 2 (MP3 sermons by Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold)

Beware Of Any Gospel That Is Not An Entirely Free Gift, Without Further Obligations

Eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15,18; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10), and a gift has no strings or obligations attached if it's a genuine gift. What if I gave you a Christmas present and you opened it, loved it, and thanked me. It's a radio. But then several months later I stopped by to visit you and asked about that gift. You tell me kindly that you haven't had any time to spend listening to the radio that I gave to you as a gift. Is it still a gift? Yes! Do I have a right to take back the gift because the recipient isn't using it? No, of course I don't! Would I have a right to expect you to turn away from bad habits, since I gave you a gift? No, of course not. Yet, how is it that so many preachers fail to grasp the meaning of a free gift. Romans 5:15 calls eternal life a free gift. A gift can only be taken, freely, without any obligations or expectations.

We are saved solely by faith. Romans 1:17, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” We repent TO believe; not repent AND believe. If repentance is anything more than changing our mind to believe the Gospel, then it is a work of human effort, and a curse according to Galatians 1:7-9, “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

Anyone who teaches that you're not saved unless you've been “CHANGED” is a false prophet!!! It is true that you're not saved if you don't have God's Holy Spirit indwelling (living inside) your body (Romans 8:9). It is the Holy Spirit Who produces changes in the believer's life, and not the believer. The absence of these changes doesn't mean that a person is not saved. It is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit and not obey Him as we ought. Hebrews 12:6-8 teaches that God will chastise His disobedient children whom He loves, and God loves all of His dear children (i.e., those who've been born-again into God's family).

A Warning About “UNSHACKLED” Radio

Salvation Verses Transformation

Again, anyone who teaches that you're not saved unless you've been “CHANGED” is a false prophet!!! The only test of salvation is the presence of the abiding Holy Spirit (which is what the Epistle of 1st John is all about). If you hate your Christian brother or sister without cause, then that is an indication that you may not have the Holy Spirit. If you can live in habitual sin and there is no conviction from the indwelling Holy Spirit, then that indicates you have never been saved. If saved, always saved. The Bible teaches eternal security. Salvation can never be forfeited, lost or intentionally returned. It's impossible to lose one's salvation!