2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
All it takes is just one insect, one bacteria or one small virus to end our life, and then eternity. Truly, life is short, Hell is hot and eternity is a long time! Oh, listen my friend, whoever you may be, don't risk spending eternity in Hell. If atheists like Bill Maher are right, then we've all got nothing to lose; but if the Bible is right, then Bill Maher and other unbelievers like him have EVERYTHING TO LOSE FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!
The holy Scriptures warn us...
Revelation 20:10-15, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Have you obeyed the good news of the gospel? I hear a lot of nonsense on religious radio these days about “asking Jesus into your heart” or “giving your life to Christ” or “having a relationship” with Jesus to be saved. However, none of those are the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible very plainly teaches what the “gospel” means in 1st Corinthians...
1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
The good news that saves, to them that believe, is that Jesus is the Christ Who DIED, was BURIED and then RESURRECTED AFTER THREE DAYS from the dead. Anyone who receives the gospel as full-payment for their sins is saved. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Phooey on all the mumbo-jumbo talk nowadays in churches about inviting Jesus into one's heart, making a commitment to live for Christ, praying the Jesus' prayer, turning over a new leaf, having a relationship with the Lord or being water baptized into the Church. These are all false teachings concerning salvation. These do NOT constitute the gospel message. As we just learned from 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, the gospel is composed of three elements: Christ's DEATH, BURIAL (officiating His death) and His literal, bodily, RESURRECTION from the dead after three days.
The unsaved world adamantly denies Christ's resurrection, claiming that He was not miraculously born of a virgin. Thus, they claim that Jesus could not have been God in the flesh. They further attempt to discredit the Lord's deity (that He is almighty God), by portraying Jesus in the Jewish Talmud as a bastard (illegitimate) son resulting from a Roman soldier brutally raping Mary. This is how intensely many Jews still hate their Messiah 2,000 years later after their ancestors crucified Him to a tree. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, Whom God sent to be the Saviour of the world. Do you believe? Do you believe that Christ died, was buried and then raised up by God after three days from the dead? My friend, if that's your hope for Heaven and you are trusting the gospel as your only way to Heaven, then you're well on your way home to Heaven to be with the Lord.
The Gospel Is Delicate And Easily
Corrupted
Now don't corrupt the gospel by ADDING anything to it. And don't subtract from it. People who say that they have “a relationship” with Jesus are in trouble. They're subtracted the death, burial and resurrection. Where's the gospel message? May I remind you that Judas Iscariot also had a very close relationship with Jesus as one of His very Apostles; yet Judas had a Devil Jesus said in John 6:70 and went to Hell in his sin of unbelief.
Matthew 27:1 says that Judas even “repented,” and it's the same exactly Greek meaning of repentance that the Lordship Salvation crowd are pushing on everybody to get saved, that is, teaching that to be saved requires being sorry, remorseful for your sins and having a desire to do better. That's exactly what Judas experienced. Judas was sorry he got caught betraying the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. Judas tried to return the money, but the Pharisees called it “THE PRICE OF BLOOD” (Matthew 27:6) and refused it, so Judas threw the coins on the floor and ran away in emotional distress. Judas panicked, not being saved, not knowing the ways of the Lord. Although Judas walked with Jesus for years, his mind was consumed with money, cares, pleasures and this world. Judas had learned nothing from Christ, because he never wanted to learn. Judas could have repented, but He wasn't saved and consequently didn't think about repentance toward God as a Christian would. Oh how oftentimes Jesus had taught the crowds that He was sent to SAVE SINNERS!
“Obedience unites us so closely to God that it in a way transforms us into Him, so that we have no other will but His. If obedience is lacking, even prayer cannot be pleasing to God.” ―St. Thomas Aquinas
Beware Of Sincere, But False Teachers
I recently spoke with a religious man who teaches in a Baptist Bible college. As we casually shared thoughts on the Bible, we inevitable got to the subject of the plan of salvation. He mentioned John MacArthur. I said, “I've heard of him.” Boy, was he in for a lecturing! As I taught the gospel message, the gentleman said that he had a problem with some of my thoughts on salvation. He said that he didn't believe a person could merely believe and be saved.
I explained to him that eternal life is a free gift from God. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” A “gift” means a gift, and there can be no merited requirements or conditions if it is genuinely a free gift. God asks NOTHING from us to be saved. It is a gift. A gift need only be received...
John 1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Whether the Pharisaical crowd likes it or not, the Bible teaches easy-believism. Yes, it is easy to be saved! Abram (Abraham) believed the Lord and it was COUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” This means that no self-righteous works are required to be saved; but rather, merely having faith in the Messiah is COUNTED by God in place of a lifetime of righteousness. Many people falsely claim, like Chip Ingram, that Abraham's salvation was validated in God's eyes when Abraham offered up Isaac. That's not Biblical. Abraham offering up Isaac had NOTHING to do with his salvation. Abraham's faith was COUNTED for righteousness, period, end of story! Abraham proved his willingness to obey God in Genesis 22:8 when he offered up Isaac. But Abraham was saved back in Genesis 15:6 when he believed upon the Lord.
To say
that Abraham's salvation was not verified until his faith was tested is to
falsely teach that being born-again is a drawn out process (which it is
not). This is exactly what the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) cult
teaches, that is, that Christ in His Investigative Judgment (a
doctrine exclusive to SDA) determines who is worthy to be saved or not. My
friend, neither you nor I have ever been worthy, nor will we ever be worthy,
of God's wondrous mercy, love and grace in Christ Jesus.
Public Enemy Number One: Lordship Salvation
Our churches are filled with false teachers these days. I meet so many people who have been drawn into the John MacArthur and Ray Comfort cult in California. “Lordship Salvation” is of the Devil. This is the false teaching which says a person cannot be saved unless they confess “Jesus is Lord” and are willing to forsake the heathen world and sinful bad habits. That's a false plan of salvation. You don't make Jesus Lord, HE IS LORD! When you receive Jesus as your Savior, He is also your Lord.
I recently heard Pastor Chip Ingram on the radio perverting the gospel. He was teaching that faith in Christ is not valid unless that person believes “TO THE POINT” of forsaking their sinful ways. This is the opposite of childlike faith. If a person must forsake sinful bad habits to be saved, then salvation is VERY DIFFICULT AND HARD for sinners. The truth is that we don't live right TO BE saved; but rather, we live right because WE ARE saved. SONSHIP is salvation, but FELLOWSHIP is discipleship.
Do you believe that God refused to save Rahab the harlot until she first agreed to stop whoring around? How about Samson? Judges 16:1, “Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.” As you just read, God's man appointed to judge Israel was a whoremonger. Does that mean that Samson was not saved? Of course Samson was saved, but he was backslidden in sin (and he paid with his eyes, dignity, life and the lives of many other people).
The entire doctrine of Lordship Salvation is retarded, trying to force people to live the crucified life to have the saved life. It doesn't work that way my friend. You get saved by trusting Jesus Christ for what He did on the cross, believing that He died, was buried and raised up from the dead after three days. And then God works in our life through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to conform us to the blessed image of His dear Son. Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Notice that the Bible doesn't say God predestinates us to salvation; but rather, to be conformed into Christ's image. God in His foreknowledge knew who would be saved, and it is those whom He foreordained to be conformed into the character of Jesus. God the Father desires for every believer to one day be like Jesus. Jude 1:24, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”
The heresy of Lordship Salvation totally bypasses the need to grow in grace, which takes time and is a lifetime process. No Christian can boast of having arrived. 1st Peter 2:2-3, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” It is just as unreasonable to expect a new convert to live a consecrated Christian life as it would be to expect a newborn infant to run a marathon. God saves us AS WE ARE, in our wickedness and shameful condition. Romans 4:5, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth THE UNGODLY, his faith is counted for righteousness.” The only type of people that Jesus saves are THE UNGODLY!!!
1st Timothy 4:10, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because
we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men,
specially of those that believe.” Amen! As you just learned, Jesus
is the SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN!!! Your salvation is already paid for. The
following Bible verse teaches that Jesus has BOUGHT salvation even for false
prophets that deny Him. 2nd Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets
also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the
Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction.” God is so good to wicked men who blaspheme Him.
Luke 6:35, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children
of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to
the evil.”
God's Imputed Righteousness
The reason why we KNOW that mere faith is enough for salvation is because of a beautiful Biblical word... “IMPUTETH.” Romans 4:6, “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.” Isn't that precious!!! God attributes Christ's righteousness to our record by simple childlike faith in the gospel. Let's face it, when we are speaking about “the gift of God,” we are talking about God's IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is by faith in Christ Jesus.
We are saved literally by GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS!!! Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” If you grasp this important Biblical truth about Christ's imputed righteousness, then you understand completely why it is damnable heresy for anyone to dare say that simple faith in the gospel is insufficient to save a sinner. By the way, check out THE EVIDENCE BIBLE by Ray Comfort under Romans 4:5 and he doesn't even comment on the Scripture nor the word IMPUTETH. It doesn't agree with his works-based theory of salvation.
John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” If we believe on the Lord Jesus we are saved immediately, permanently and irrevocably.
Furthermore, don't ever let someone deceive you to believe that salvation is conditioned upon your continued faith and obedience. This is the damnable heresy taught by the Salvation Army. Good works cannot save us, nor can bad works make us unsaved. If saved, always saved! You don't perform works—neither before, nor as part of, nor afterwards—to obtain eternal life, for it is the free gift of our marvelous, good and generous God in Heaven. God is good and greatly to be praised for all His blessings, magnificent Creation and kindness to humanity. We are all blessed. We are all so unworthy of goodness from a holy God.
Deuteronomy 6:12, “Then beware lest thou forget the
LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the
house of bondage.” We treat the Lord so horribly and selfishly.
Americans have the most blessings to be thankful for, yet we show little or
no appreciative to honor and glorify God. We Americans complain more than
anyone else in the world. Go figure! We have become spoiled as a society,
forgetting that it was God Who gave us our liberties, freedom and a nation
to be proud of at one time (Deuteronomy 6:12). Today, I love and honor my
country,. but I fear my government and utterly ashamed of our moral cesspool
of iniquity.
Please, Just One Drop Of Water!
“Please”
the rich man begs... “please, send Lazarus with a drop of cold water to
relieve my suffering.” This is a clear
indication as to what the wicked can expect in Hell... unbearable thirst
caused by the tormentuous flames. Isn't it tragic, that most people
today refuse to listen to even ONE sermon, or give a soulwinner ONE minute
of their precious time. No one has time for God anymore. Americans are absolutely saturated with idolatry, even naming one of our
most popular TV shows... AMERICAN IDOL. We not only sin against
God in America, we even name one of our biggest cities... SIN CITY. Woe unto America!
If you have rejected Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you're not afraid of Hell, you will be... YOU WILL BE! ... “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.” —Isaiah 2:11
