Galatians 3:2, “This only
would I learn of you, Received ye
the Spirit by the works of the law,
or by the hearing of faith?”
I've learned some interesting things over the years from Focus On The
Family (FOTF) radio. For example: I was at work years ago (probably
around 2005) working on my machine and heard this statement from Dr. James
Dobson, which I have never forgotten... “So often what we think about our
self is not based upon what we think, or even what other people think about
us, but what we think other people are thinking about us.” That's
deep, but true!” There is much good from FOTF.
Albeit, Dr. James Dobson is NOT a born-again
Christian. I say that kindly. You don't get saved by turning away from past
sins, opening the door of your life, receiving Jesus as “Lord,” counting the
cost, or following Christ. Here is a quote from the Focus On The Family
website. This is their suggested prayer to God to be saved...
“Lord Jesus Christ, I need You. I agree that I am a sinner and have sinned
in my thinking and speaking and acting. Thank you for dying on the cross for
my sins. I have counted the cost of following You. I repent and turn away
from my past sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior
and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make
me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.”
SOURCE: Dr. James
Dobson, Focus On The Family; Coming Homes: “An
Invitation To Join God's Family”
Ladies and gentleman, this is not the
Gospel set forth in the holy Scriptures. If you visit the preceding link to
Focus On The Family's website, you'll read further heresy, more unbiblical
requirements to be saved. For example: On their website they talk about
starting a “personal relationship” with Jesus. My friend, there is nothing
taught in the Bible about starting a personal relationship with Christ to be
saved. In fact, Judas, one of Christ's very apostles, had a close
relationship with the Lord, but still perished in his sins and went to Hell
forever!
Also, here is another errant quote from the Focus On The Family
FOTF website:
“You can come home, too, if
you're ready to make that commitment. You can become a Christ follower right
now simply by opening the door to Jesus and trusting Him as Lord and
Savior.”
SOURCE: Dr. James
Dobson, Focus On The Family; Coming Homes: “An
Invitation To Join God's Family”
WRONG! Where does the Word of God ever tell
anyone to “make a commitment” to be saved? It doesn't! Where in the holy
Bible are we told to “become a Christ follower” to be saved? The Bible never
says that! Where does the Bible require trusting Jesus as one's “Lord” to be
saved? It doesn't! Folks, this is straight out of Hell false doctrine!!!
You simply need to receive Jesus as your Savior
to be saved. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
So let's make a list of all the unbiblical
things Focus On The Family (FOTF) have ADDED to the Gospel to be
saved:
- Turn away from past sins
- Open the door of your life
- Receive Jesus as your “Lord”
- Count the cost
- Follow Christ
- Start a personal relationship
- Make me the person you want me to be
- Make a commitment
- Pray
Here is another disturbing quote from the
Focus On The Family (FOTF) website:
“...a Christian is simply an
individual who has felt the need to come home. You can come home, too, if
you're ready to make that commitment. You can become a Christ follower right
now simply by opening the door to Jesus and trusting Him as Lord and Savior.
It's so easy a child can do it. But it's also hard because we first have to
realize that we cannot do it on our own.
Once you've counted the cost and decided that you're ready to give your
heart to Jesus...
SOURCE: Dr. James
Dobson, Focus On The Family; Coming Homes: “An
Invitation To Join God's Family.”
So let's make an updated list of all the
unbiblical things Focus On The Family (FOTF) have ADDED to the
Gospel to be saved:
- Turn away from past sins
- Open the door of your life
- Receive Jesus as your “Lord”
- Count the cost
- Follow Christ
- Start a personal relationship
- Make me the person you want me to be
- Make a commitment
- Pray
- Feel the need to come home
- Give your heart to Jesus
Folks, I've already pointed out ELEVEN extra
requirements that Dr. James Dobson has ADDED to “the simplicity that is
in Christ,” which is the Gospel (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). God only
requires one thing to be born-again, besides realizing that you are a needy
sinner in His sight (you must know what you are being saved from), and that
is to BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ!!! Acts 16:30-31, “And brought
them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.”
The Gospel Defined
So what is the Gospel? I'm so glad that you
asked. The holy Bible defines “the Gospel” for us:
1st Corinthians 15:1-6, “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: And that he was seen of Cephas, then
of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at
once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen
asleep.”
There you have it—Christ DIED on the cross for
our sins, He was BURIED, and He miraculously and bodily RESURRECTED three
days later. If you BELIEVE this, personally, making it your only hope for
Heaven, you are saved. Christ died, that's history; Christ died and raised
up for me, that's salvation!!! Salvation is not doing your best, it is
having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. God
will not save anyone who is trying to be saved, He will only save those who
are trusting to be saved.
Luke 8:12,
“Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh
away the word out of their hearts, lest they should
believe and be saved.” Matthew 16:13, “When Jesus came
into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom
do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art
John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and
said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I
also believe with Peter that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the living God. I hope you do too my friend, because your eternal
destiny depends upon it!
What I am sharing with you is a VERY different
Gospel than what Dr. James Dobson is teaching. The Scriptures plainly teach
that we are saved solely by “BELIEVING” on the Lord Jesus Christ...
John 3:36, “He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that
sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth
on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the
last day.
John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
Amen! We are saved simply by BELIEVING!!! If
you acknowledge that you are a guilty sinner in God's sight (Romans 3:19),
and you receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins,
believing that He died, was buried and physically raised up the third day,
you are immediately, securely and permanently saved. Please read, “WHAT
IS THE GOSPEL?” by Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1951). END
