Matthew 6:33 Says You Need God's Righteousness

Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

This is one of my very favorite passages of Scripture. Each time that I see a clock, I am reminded of familiar Bible passages. For example: When I see “9:11” I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 911, about time and chance happening to all. When I see “2:20” I am reminded of Galatians 2:20 that says Christ liveth in me. And when I see “6:33” I am reminded of Matthew 6:22, about seeking God's righteousness. What does that mean? Most preachers get the interpretation of this Bible verse very wrong. I love that the Bible has a built in dictionary and commentary, defining and explaining itself. 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:” I love that Bible verse!!!

If you want to go to Heaven dear reader, then you absolute must have God's imputed righteousness. The Greek word for “imputed” means “counted.”

Romans 4:4-7, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 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, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

The Greek word for “imputeth” in verse 6 is the SAME exact Greek word used for “counted” in verse 5. So we can use imputeth and counted interchangeably. God counts a man's faith in Jesus Christ for righteousness. In other words, you don't need any personal righteousness of your own to get to Heaven, and it is a good thing, because you and I have no righteousness to offer God. Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Dear reader, Christ not only died for your sins, He died for your righteousness too! The reason why is because our human righteousness is filth to God. Christ died for all mankind, to pay for our sins.

It is rare to hear neo-evangelicals preach about the imputed righteousness of God. As I just showed you from Romans 4:4-7, a man's childlike faith in Christ is counted by God for righteousness. That is, God imputes His gift of righteousness to us in response to our faith in His only begotten Son (John 3:16). We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, not our own! Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

You see dear friend, you don't have to turn away from your love of sin to get to Heaven, or quit your sinful bad habits, you must be totally 100% absolutely PERFECT! Obviously no human being has ever done that except Jesus, who didn't have a human father. God Himself was Jesus' biological Father. Jesus was born into the world by a supernatural virgin birth, which is the only time such a divine miracle has happened, or ever will happen, in the history of human civilization. Luke 1:35, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” There has only been one virgin birth in history, Jesus.

Please understand that the Roman Catholic church is a religious and theological cult. Catholics are errantly taught that Mary, Jesus' mother, was born without original sin from her conception. First of all, the term “original sin” is not even found in the Bible, it is a wicked fabrication of Roman Catholicism. Second, Mary was a guilty sinner just like you, me and everyone else. Mary was a needy sinner, so she needed to put her trust in Jesus as her personal Savior too, or else she absolutely would have went to burn in Hell day and night forever, without rest or hope. Luke 1:46, “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Mary called her own biological child, Jesus, “my Saviour.”

Dear friend, there is no salvation in the Roman or Russian Orthodox Catholic Churches! Matthew 5:20, “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” There's not a dime's difference between Russian and Roman Catholicism! Both branches of the cult require Sacramental Salvation to get to Heaven, which is 100% unbiblical. You won't even find the term “sacrament” in the Holy Bible. It is manmade tradition.

Mark 7:9, “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” That perfectly describes the Roman Catholic cult. It also perfectly describes the deadly cult at Bob Jones University (BJU) today, who are the fountainhead of the corrupt Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort Greek text, upon which the Devil's modern Bible revisions are all based and influenced. In fact, the Jehovah's Witness' cult, who strongly deny the deity of Jesus, were one of the first groups to embrace the corrupt Greek of Westcott and Hort, because that text brutally attacks the deity of Jesus and the Godhead (aka, Trinity). The modern Bible perversions have been translated from the SAME corrupt Greek text of Westcott and Hort as the JW's New World Translation (NWT).

Dear reader, I cannot warn you enough to RUN away from the modern Bible revisions. They may seem easier to understand, and in many cases will be because of the updated English; however, Satan has cleverly managed to undermine all of the modern versions by attacking Jesus' deity, obliterating the Godhead, corrupting what it means to repent to be saved, et cetera. The modern Bible revisions are deadly! In such cases that the Word of God has been changed, corrupted and turned into a lie, they may seem easier to understand when in fact they are now IMPOSSIBLE to understand, because the truth has been compromised and corrupted into a lie. For example: Look what the Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) has done to pervert Mark 1:15. Although seemingly easy to understand, it is not longer THE TRUTH. So in reality the Bible has become IMPOSSIBLE to grasp and understand, because it is a lie. The Devil is a beautiful liar!

Dear reader, you need God's righteousness to go to Heaven. Thankfully, it is very easy and free to obtain God's righteousness. Romans 10:3-4, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” The moment that you place your trust (i.e., confidence, faith, reliance) in the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus Christ crucified on a cross, buried and bodily resurrected from the dead three days later, you are immediately and forever born-again. What saith the Scripture? ...

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:”

There you have it, THE GOSPEL. I didn't see anything in their about giving up your sinful bad habits? Did you? No, you didn't either. Nor did I see anything in that Scripture passage about getting water baptized, surrendering one's life to serve Christ, counting the cost and paying the price, living a lifestyle of repentance, inviting Jesus into your life, following Christ, making Jesus the “Lord“” of your life, running the Christian race faithfully, changing your life, publicly confessing the name of Jesus, nor anything else. Boy, I'm out of breath...lol. Seriously, the Apostle Paul was given this Gospel directly from Jesus Christ Himself. Galatians 1:11-12, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Amen and amen!

The counterfeit gospel of "Lordship Salvation" is being preached today is after man, not Jesus Christ! Here is a wonderful sermon by my ministry friend, Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, teaching us why Lordship Salvation is NOT the Gospel...

Why Lordship Salvation IS Wrong!

The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty!

Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.

Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work.

If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from?

We must stay true to the simplicity of the Gospel!! Repentance regarding salvation is a change of mind from unbelief to belief!!! We must earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 1:3).

Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.

So please be on guard against today's plethora of hellbound false prophets, who will come to you disguised as preachers in sheep's clothing, teaching that YOU must forsake YOUR sinful past ways, and YOU must surrender all to Christ as Lord, and YOU must live a changed life from now on, hating YOUR sins. Do you see that their false plan of salvation always focuses on what YOU must do?

God's free and simple plan of salvation is something entirely different, in which CHRIST paid for our sins through Calvary's cross. CHRIST shed His precious blood to wash away our sins forever. It was CHRIST alone who paid our debt of sin, and not anything that we could ever do that gets us into the Kingdom of God and Heaven! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!!! Remember, the true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

There are only two types of religion in the world: DO and DONE. You either believe that YOU must DO something to get to Heaven (e.g., turn from your sins, surrender all to Christ as Lord, follow Jesus, live a lifestyle of repentance, do good works, et cetera); or else you believe that Christ has already DONE it all for you on the cross. I'm in the DONE boat with Jesus, how about you dear friend? God only saves those who are trusting to be saved, He doesn't save anyone who is trying to be saved. Salvation is received, not achieved. Do you have God imputed righteousness, which is by God's grace through faith alone in Jesus alone?

Sadly, Evangelist Billy Graham Is Burning In Hell Forever

2nd Peter 2:1-3, “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. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

Evangelist BILLY GRAHAM (1918-2018) is tragically burning in the fires of HELL forever! Graham preaching the Devil's fraud of LORDSHIP SALVATION and WRONG REPENTANCE! It sickens me that stupid pastors today like Bobby and Brad (his son) Moffett at the Satanic FAMILY BAPTIST CHURCH in Pensacola, wickedly promote and bid Godspeed to Billy and Franklin Graham.

NEW PROOF Billy Graham Was A False Teacher

Any fake church is Satanic (just like Jesus called Peter "Satan") when they pervert God's simple plan of salvation to INCLUDE turning away from your sinful ways, which they erroneously think is what it means to "repent" to be saved. THEY ARE OH SO WRONG!!!

Proof Billy Graham Was A False Teacher!

SHAME on any pastor and church who wickedly bid Godspeed to a charlatan like Billy Graham (2nd John 2:11), who errantly taught that there are “Christians” who do NOT accept the fundamental doctrines of the faith. NO ONE is saved who denies any of the fundamentals of Christianity concerning Jesus Christ! Billy Graham was NOT a man of God. He was a lying deceiver to whom wicked Hollywood even honored him with a Star on their 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' in Los Angeles. Mr. Graham was also a Democrat, who supported abortion rights. Abortion is NOT healthcare, it is premeditated first-degree MURDER! What a phony!

Satan Is The Great Imitator!
(and so was his sinister servant Billy Graham)

The Counterfeit Gospel Of Billy And Franklin Graham

Good Works Or Bad Works, Both Are DEAD WORKS!

Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from DEAD WORKS, and of faith toward God.”

There are three types of works: evil (or bad) works, good works and dead works, but they are all works! Works all involve human effort! You can corrupt the Gospel easily by requiring any type of works to be saved. It is a false plan of salvation to require doing good works to be saved. It is also a false plan of salvation to require ceasing from sinful bad habits (works) to be saved. The Bible calls these all DEAD WORKS!

Here are several ways that the Gospel is being corrupted in churches today:

1. Require good works to be saved (Roman Catholics, Mormons and Seventh-Day Adventists teach this)
2. Teach that salvation is by grace through faith, but good works are also necessary (Jehovah's Witness teach this)
3. Require a commitment to cease from bad works prior to faith to be saved (Jack Chick teaches this)
4. Require a commitment prior to faith, to cease from bad works after saved (David Cloud teaches this)
5. Teach that a person's faith in Christ is not valid until good works are performed (Chip Ingram and William Lane Craig teach this)
6. Require a person to stop bad works to be saved (Billy Graham, Ray Comfort, Aiden Tozer and John MacArthur teach this)

There is some overlap in my preceding list. For example: Seventh-day Adventists also teach Lordship Salvation, so they would fall under both categories 1 and 6 above. The point is that they all reject “the simplicity that is in Christ” taught in 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4. The “simplicity that is in Christ” is that you simply BELIEVE the Gospel to be saved. The “Gospel” is three things: Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, He was BURIED, and He physically RESURRECTED three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-6). That's “The Good News,” which is what “The Gospel” means.

You must realize that you are a guilty sinner in God's holy eyes (Romans 3:19). We all deserve to burn in Hell for our own sins (Romans 6:23a, “For the wages of our sin is death...”; that includes the “second death” in the everlasting Lake of Fire mentioned in Revelation 20:6b). A man must see himself as a guilty sinner in the sight of a holy God to be saved, otherwise why would you need a Savior? You must see your need for God's grace, that is, your need for the dear Savior. If you admit your sinnership in God's eyes and believe the Gospel, you are immediately and forever saved!!! God wants to save you, if you'll simply come to Him by faith to be saved. John 6:37, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” We are saved by FAITH alone!!!

There are NO works required nor permissible for salvation. When asked by the curious Jews what “works” were necessary to merit Heaven, Jesus put the matter to rest in John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” There you have it friend—the WORK OF GOD to be saved is to BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ Whom the Father hath sent. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and then He bodily raised-up three days later. This is not a work of self-righteousness; but rather, of the imputed righteousness of God (Romans 4:5-6; Philippian 3:9; Hebrews 4:10-11).

These three elements comprise 'THE GOSPEL':

1. Jesus DIED on the cross for our sins according to the Scriptures,
2.  He was BURIED,
3. Jesus bodily RESURRECTED three days later from the dead (1st Corinthians 15:1-6).

Believe and the work is done!

Do you see my friend how all of these “formulas” (as heretic author C.S. Lewis called them) hinge upon or involve human effort? These are all the “dead works” spoken of in Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” You don't repent from your sins to be saved; but rather, from DEAD WORKS. Repentance is changing your mind about what you want to do to get to Heaven, to what God says you must do to get to Heaven. You must cease trusting in your church to be saved. You must cease trusting in your sacraments, good works, confessional booth, clean living, and manmade methods of trying to merit Heaven. None of these can save a person from Hell. These are all DEAD WORKS!

Religion wants to fit us with glasses, so we'll perceive things through their perspective; but the Lord Jesus Christ wants to open our eyes, so well see the truth. Eternal life is a TAKE proposition, not a GIVE proposition. Salvation will cost you NOTHING; but Discipleship will cost you EVERYTHING (excellent comparison quotes differentiating between the gift of God verses Christian consecration). God will save the vilest sinner who desires to be saved, who comes to Jesus Christ by faith believing the Gospel.

God will save a man who is struggling with sexual immorality, drunkenness, a hot temper or whatever sins. God doesn't require that a man make a commitment, to stop doing those evil works as a prerequisite to being saved. If God did that, then eternal life wouldn't be a free gift. This does not mean that Christians have God's permission to sin, God forbid (Romans 3:31). The first thing that God requires of every new believer is to desire the sincere milk of the Word thereby we may grow (1st Peter 2:2). Job 36:11, “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.”

Pastor Robert Morris Of Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas—A Lordship Salvation Deceiver!

God WON'T save the man who comes believing the Gospel, but thinks he is getting saved because he has decided not to live in open sin anymore. Partial faith in Christ, plus something else, is no faith at all! The unsaved religious man has made a commitment in his heart to follow Christ and live a new. He is sorry for his sins and is passionate about cleaning-up his life of wickedness. He desires to turn over a new leaf and confess Christ publicly everywhere that he goes. He errantly believes all these WORKS are necessary to salvation. Sadly, that religious man is a deceived fool, and is not saved. Do you see how subtle the Devil is? Eternal life is not obtained by doing good works, nor is it obtained by ceasing from bad works. These are BOTH dead works! Salvation is a change of mind from trusting in DEAD WORKS, to FAITH alone in Jesus Christ!

To trust in Lordship Salvation is DEAD WORKS!!! To follow Christ, forsake the world, cease from intentional bad behavior, and make public confession of Christ are all rooted in human effort... DEAD WORKS!!!!!!! Ye must be born again!

Dead Works Are Man's Works

Cain tried to impress God with the work of his hands. Cain worked hard tilling his fields day and night, irrigating and weeding daily. Cain grew some nice crops, a bumper harvest no doubt, and brought the best of the best to offer to God. The Lord instantly rejected Cain's DEAD WORKS!!! They were “dead” because they were based on human effort, and not upon God's redemptive plan for mankind. Isaiah 64:6 warns that all of man's self-righteousness is as “filthy rags” in God's sight. Man's very best is offensive to our holy God.

This is a difficult truth for many people to grasp. You could spend your entire adult life helping, building and sacrificially giving to operate orphanages for poor, helping to feed starving and cloth naked little children, and yet, go straight to Hell to burn in the torments of God's wrath forever in your sins. No amount of good deeds can counter the evil deeds (Ecclesiastes 12:14), manipulative ungodly thoughts (Proverbs 24:12) and idle words (Matthew 12:36), for which all men must give account at the Judgment Seat of God (Hebrews 4:13; 9:27).

Ungodly playboy singer and actor, Frank Sinatra (one of the shady “Rat Pack”), donated $100,000,000 of his amassed earthly fortune upon his death to help suffering children in orphanages. That was a nice gesture, but not one penny of Sinatra's philanthropy can buy him out of the Lake of Fire. Sinatra was a lifelong shallow Catholic, trusting in the sacraments of a Mary-worshipping cult to save him. Sinatra was an outspoken critic against organized religion, but he never professed any faith in Jesus Christ either. By all indications Sinatra died in his sins without having ever personally received Jesus Christ as His Savior. So sad! So tragic! Jesus boldly warned in John 3:7—YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!!!

The following website is one of my favorite doctrinally sound websites (by the late Dr. Hank Lindstrom, 1940-2008), teaching God's awesome simplicity that is in Christ for salvation:

Get God's Gift

On page 114 of the excellent book by Michael Patrick Bowen titled, “I NEVER KNEW YOU,” the author provides an excellent explanation of true Biblical repentance...

“Repent, as Christ meant it to be in terms of salvation, means to change your mind from trusting in what you can do for God to trusting only in what He can do for you.”

SOURCE: Michael Patrick Bowen, a quote from the awesome book, “I NEVER NEW YOU” (p. 114)

Now let's take a look at what the Lord Jesus Christ said concerning WORKS for salvation in John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” The only “WORK” that is required for salvation is that you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! How you choose to live, after you are saved, has absolutely nothing to do with the gift of eternal life; but rather, it determines our rewards in Heaven (1st Corinthians 3:8, 11-15).

Ray Comfort is the most dangerous kind of false prophet, because he hides a LIE between two TRUTHS. The half-truth is the most effective lie, because in part it can be defended with incontestable logic. In fact, it is challenging to expose such false prophets, because most people have difficulty seeing the problem. The issue here is adding human effort to faith, or using human effort as a validation of faith. Human effort has no place in the salvation God offers to man! IT IS A GIFT!!!

Kindly, according to Ray Comfort in the preceding article, a professed Christian who continues in sin may not be saved. The truth is that any professed Christian may not be saved, whether living a righteous life or living in gross immorality. I cannot look at you or anyone else and determine whether or not you are saved, apart from the direct testimony from your own mouth.

Author Mark Twain said: “It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” So true! The Devil is sneaking heresies into our Independent Fundamental Baptist churches by the hour. Don't take my word for it, listen to Pastor Jack Hyles say it himself in these awesome sermons titled: “Fundamentalist Heresy” and “Our Mixed-Up Fundamental Christianity.” Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. God only saves those who are trusting to be saved; God does not save those who are trying to be saved. Either God does the saving, all of it; or else you are not saved at all.

Hebrews 6:1b teaches that salvation involved repentance from 'DEAD WORKS.' So whatever you may have been falsely trusting upon up until now—cleaning up your life of sin, or doing good works, or desiring to depart from sinful activities, or following Christ in obedience, or committing your life to live for God, or water baptism, or speaking-in-tongues, or forsaking the world, or joining church membership, or Sabbath Keeping, or tithing, or confessing Christ publicly, et cetera—If you have been trusting in any of these false securities for salvation—REPENT!!!—that is, change your mind, and STOP TRUSTING THEM FOR SALVATION!!!

Remember, we are saved by BELIEVING, not by REPENTING; but no man has ever BELIEVED who didn't also REPENT! Repentance is an automatic thing. When I witness to people, I intentionally don't even mention repentance, lest I confuse them. If that harelips you like a dog, then please consider that God Himself DIDN'T mention the word “repent” even once in the Gospel of John (the Lord's Gospel tract). John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” In the wonderful Gospel of John we find the word “BELIEVE” mentioned 87 times! We are saved by BELIEVING!!!

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

So we have learned that it is not one's sins that must be repented of to be saved; but rather, DEAD WORKS!!! Who can repent of all their sins? No one! It is gross doctrinal error to add the unbiblical requirement for a person to forsake sinful behavior to be saved. This is a manmade requirement that God does not require. Certainly, God wants and commands each of His children to depart from wickedness, but this is a call to Christians who ARE SAVED, and not to the lost who ARE NOT saved. 2nd Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Ephesians 2:10 says that God saves us unto good works. Hebrews 12:6-8 warns that God chastises and scourges his disobedient children, or else they are not legitimately saved (i.e., were never saved to begin with). So, God doesn't take sin lightly—not for the unsaved nor the redeemed. But you don't change and force the hand of God upon sinners by corrupting the plan of salvation to put pressure on new converts to live holy lives.

Consequently, there are many false conversions in the churches today, where people errantly think they have been saved, but they haven't; because they were lied to, partially trusting in their own human effort to clean-up their life of sin, forsake the world, commit their will to God, follow Christ, and confess Him publicly. None of these are God's plan of salvation, which the Bible calls: “THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). Jesus is precious!!!

“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...” —2nd Peter 2:1

Dear reader, please always keep in mind that the Bible does NOT teach repentance from your sins to get to Heaven, nor does the Bible teach that you must repent so your behavior changes. You don't have to give up your BAD WORKS, nor do you need to start doing GOOD WORKS to prove that you are saved. The inspired King James Bible only teaches repentance from DEAD WORKS, which includes good works and bad works. WORKS have no place in God's simple plan of salvation!!!

Read again the blessed words of our dear Savior from John 6:28-29, John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do. Thank you for reading. Jesus is precious!!!

The Deadly Counterfeit Gospel Of Evangelist William Lane Craig

Galatians 1:8, “ 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.”

On William Lane Craig's ministry website, in the preceding article I shared with you, this is the suggested sinner's prayer that he encourages lost people to pray to be saved...

God, I really need You. I recognize that I am sinful and wretched and in need of Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins. And right now, in the best way I know how, I open the door of my life and invite you to come in and be my Savior and Lord. Forgive my sins, take the throne of my life, and make me into the kind of person you want me to be. I give myself to you.

SOURCE: Question #152 What Does It Mean to Have Relationship with God?

Is any of that Biblical? Let's break it down...

1. Nowhere does the Word of God require for a lost sinner to pray at all to be saved. Jesus said in John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” We are saved by BELIEVING, not by praying. I wish that preachers would stop adding an unnecessary requirement to pray to get to Heaven, when all the Bible teaches to do is to BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Acts 16:30-31). It is okay to accompany one's faith in Christ with a prayer, but it is very important that soulwinner's always explain to a lost person that praying cannot save them, faith does.
2. Nowhere does the Bible require a lost sinner to tell God that they need Him to get to Heaven. I mean, if it is not required to be saved, why add it to what a sinner needs to do to be saved? It confuses the person.
3. Nowhere does the Bible require a lost person to open the door of their life and invite Jesus to come in. - That is false doctrine. A person simply needs to place a childlike trust in the crucified, buried and risen Savior (1st Thessalonians 4:14).
4. Nowhere does the Bible require a lost sinner to make Jesus their “Lord.” Jesus is the Lord, you don't make Him your Lord. The moment that you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, He automatically is your Lord. Whether or not you acknowledge Him and serve Him as your Lord has nothing to do with receiving God's free gift of eternal life, which is through faith alone in Jesus (Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:5-6).
5. Nowhere does the Bible require a lost sinner to “ASK” to have one's sins forgiven. Jesus doesn't forgive sins. You read right. Jesus has already paid for everyone's sins with His precious blood through Calvary's cross. All that God requires for you to be saved, is to to realize that you are a needy sinner and receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that Christ is risen.
6. Nowhere does the Bible require that a lost sinner ask God to take the throne of their life. I am so sick and tired of lying preachers who embellish and add to the Gospel of free grace. If you follow the counterfeit plan of salvation of William Lane Craig, you CANNOT be born-again. God has very plainly laid out the Gospel in His inspired Word, which we read in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4. All of this extra garbage that William is adding is damnable heresy. For a man with an allegedly extremely high IQ of 170, William is a very poor theologian. In fact, William is a hellbound infidel, sad to say. What he is preaching is far from what the inspired King James Bible teaches.
7. Nowhere in the Bible is a lost sinner required to ask God to make them into the person God wants them to be to get to Heaven. Again, this is more junk theology from William Lane Craig, wickedly adding to God's simple plan of salvation. Since this is a suggested sinner's prayer to be saved, William is clearly implying that some sort of changed life is required at some point to be saved. SHAME on Craig!!!
8. Nowhere does the Bible require a lost sinner to give them self to God to get to Heaven. Jesus gave Himself as the sacrificial Lamb of God on the cross, to pay our massive debt of sin that we simply could never pay. Eternal life is received, not achieved. Salvation is a TAKE proposition, not a GIVE proposition. God is freely offering you eternal life, and all you need to do if you want it is to TAKE it by faith. Simply take God at His Word as recorded in the Scriptures concerning Jesus Christ, who died on a cross for your sins, was buried and three days later He miraculously resurrected from the dead. BELIEVE IT, oh sinner, and you are now and forever saved (John 3:16; Romans 1:16; 1st Corinthians 15:1-6).

In William's suggested sinner's prayer, I counted 89 words. But in Jesus' plan of salvation, I only counted 8 words... John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

The inspired King James Bible teaches something VERY different than what William Lane Craig falsely teaches. The Word of God very plainly defines “THE GOSPEL” (which means “GOOD NEWS”) for us, so there is no doubt or room for speculation...

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.”

Dear reader, you alone must decide whom you are going to believe. Will you believe what William Lane Craig preaches—which is a nightmarish and complicated multipoint plan of salvation; or will you simply believe what the Word of God preaches—that all you need is childlike faith in the GOOD NEWS (GOSPEL) that Jesus is only begotten Son of God, the Christ (John 20:31), who died in your place on the cross, was buried and bodily raised up from the dead three days later? I made my decision for Christ in 1980 as a 13-year-old teenager—a decision that I have never once regretted—being born-again into God's heavenly family by faith alone in Jesus (Philippians 3:9). It is so wonderful to be a Christian! It is so wonderful to be able to rejoice, during the worst of times in life, knowing that my name is written in Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life (Luke 10:20). Jesus is precious!!!

I love that precious phrase which Paul keeps repeating (speaking under the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit)... ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES!!! John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” It doesn't matter what William Lane Craig says. It doesn't matter what Dr. John MacArthur says. It doesn't matter what Ray Comfort says. It doesn't matter what I say. All that matters is WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE (Romans 3:4b)?

Please read, ANOTHER GOSPEL by Pastor Harry Ironside.

Why Grace Can Save The Worst Man
(Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold)

God Won't Let You Slide If You're Wrong On The Gospel

John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

I was talking with a professed Baptist Christian recently. She has a family member who is a member of the Church of Christ. Her family member has been pressuring her for years, trying to convert her over to the Church of Christ heresy that says you must be water baptized to get to Heaven. Thankfully, the woman I was speaking with kindly told her family member to stop trying to convert her, or she was going to hang up the phone. The Church of Christ woman ended up hanging up the phone instead, in frustration. Cult members can be pushy!

But what concerned me was what the Christian woman said to me concerning her family member, when I said that we need to pray for her salvation. My friend said that her family member is saved, she is just confused. I kindly corrected her wrong thinking with the Bible, explaining that no one is saved who thinks you must be water baptized to get to Heaven, which is a counterfeit Gospel. My friend replied that God sees her family member's heart and knows that she believes the Gospel. I again needed to correct her with the Bible, explaining that there is only one Gospel, not two or three or more.

Galatians 1:6-8, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 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.”

The Apostle Paul said to the Galatian churches that he marvelled (he was astonished) that they had quickly drifted away from the true Gospel of free grace which he had preached unto them previously. Paul said that they had been deceived, bewitched (Galatians 3:1) to believe another gospel, which is not really another gospel, because there can only be ONE GOSPEL!

In the following Scripture passage Paul plainly defines THE GOSPEL (i.e., GOOD NEWS), as given unto Him by Jesus Himself (Galatians 1:12). Paul said that whosoever BELIEVES this GOOD NEWS, and does not stray away from it (which would prove that they had never been born-again at all), is saved...

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 dear reader, THE GOSPEL. Notice the three elements of the Gospel:

1. Jesus DIED for our sins on the cross
2. Jesus was BURIED.
3. Jesus RESURRECTED three days later from the dead.

This is all ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. This is not religion, which is man's interpretation of the Scripture. This is directly from the inspired Word of God.

Getting back to the two women that I mentioned earlier, one saved and the other lost, the Church of Christ woman who thinks you must be water baptized to get to Heaven is as lost as the Devil. She has never been born-again. How do I know that? I know because there is nothing mentioned in Paul's Gospel (which he received directly from Jesus) about being water baptized to be saved. I just gave you the three parts of the Gospel.

Of course, you do need to know and acknowledge the Bad News too. You must admit that you are a guilty sinner to see your need for the Savior (Romans 3:19-20; 1st John 1:8-10). You need to know what you are being saved from (Romans 6:23). To be saved you must know three things about Jesus:

1. WHO Jesus is - He is the only begotten Son of God, the Christ (John 20:31).
2. WHAT Jesus died for you - He died on a cross for our sins, was buried and raised up the third day (John chapters 19-20).
3. WHY Jesus did it - He did it because we are all guilty sinners, and the penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23), including the second death in Hell fire and brimstone (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).

Anyone who comes to God as a guilty needy sinner, who accepts Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that Jesus has raised up from the dead, is saved. 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

I hope you can now clearly see why the Church of Christ woman I mentioned earlier cannot be a born-again Christian, regardless of how sincere she may be. Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” In Matthew 7:21-23 we read about a group of people who followed Jesus as their “Lord.” They called Jesus, “Lord, Lord.” They boasted of their “many wonderful works” all done in Jesus' name. They boasted of prophesying (preaching) in Jesus' name. These were committed, dedicated and loyal servants of Christ, disciples. Yet, the dear Savior made this horrifying statement to them in Matthew 7:23b, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

You see dear friend, you cannot get born-again by following or serving Christ. You cannot get born-again by getting water baptized, or by keeping sacraments, or by being faithful to attend and serve in your favorite local church. That is religion, not salvation. That is churchianity, not Christianity!

Look at what Jesus said was their problem in Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” They had been dedicated to follow and serve Christ in their own self-righteousness, but they had never submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, which is by faith alone in Jesus. They failed to put their trust in Jesus alone as their personal Savior. The Bible plainly tells us what the will of the Father is in 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.” The only way to become born-again is through faith alone in Jesus as the Christ.

Galatians 3:26-27, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” The word “baptized” in verse 27 does NOT refer to water baptism. The Bible says as many of you as have been “baptized into Christ,” not baptized into water. The transliterated word baptizo from the Greek simply means “to immerse.” The 54 King James Bible translators didn't have an English equivalent for the Greek word baptizo, so they just carried it over without translating it, which is called transliteration. So what verse 27 means is, as many of you as have been immersed into Christ have put on Christ. That is, they got saved.

I love Galatians 3:29, “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Every born-again child of God is a Jew spiritually, part of the promised seed of Abraham. And every unsaved Christ-rejecting Jew (whether he or she be an ethnic, national, cultural or biological Jew) is NOT a Jew spiritually in God's sight. Which means they cannot go to Heaven. Romans 2:28-29, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” The moment that you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, you become a Jew, related to Abraham through the common Fatherhood of God. God is every believer's heavenly Father, including the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Dear friend, if you only put partial faith in Christ, plus something else (whether it be water baptism, turning away from your sinful past ways, following Jesus as “Lord,” living a lifestyle of repentance, running the Christian race faithfully to the end, or anything else), you will go to Hell forever to burn and suffer in torments. I didn't say that, God did in Matthew 7:21-23 and John 6:28-29, 40, 47; Revelation 20:15). I assure you on the authority of the Scripture that God will NOT allow you to slide because you were sincere. The road to Hell is paved with sincerity and good intentions!!! We see this truth plainly in Matthew 7:21-23 in the Bible.

Every Roman Catholic believes that Jesus died on a cross for their sins. Catholics believe that Jesus was buried and resurrected three days later. Catholics know that they are sinners and that there is a penalty for sin, which is death and the Lake of Fire. Catholics believe all that! So why are they not born-again saints? It is simply because they also ADD the Seven Sacraments, the first of which is water baptism. Catholics are foolishly taught that water baptism is the First Sacraments, which they say is the door into the Roman Catholic Church (and they errantly think that the Catholic Church gives salvation). What Satanic garbage!

We read in 1st Corinthians 3:11, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Peter is not the Rock (Petra) upon which the Church is built; the only true foundation according to 1st Corinthians 3:11 is JESUS CHRIST!!! Peter was the petros (pebble), not the Petra (Rock). Shame on the Vatican for teaching manmade commandments instead of the inspired Word of God (Mark 7:7-9). Peter was not the first Pope. There is no historical or Biblical evidence to support that false claim. Peter was just one of Jesus' original 12 Apostles, not better or different than the other apostles.

I tell you, the Church of Christ is of the Devil. They errantly require people to turn away from former sinful ways to be saved. Secondly, the Church of Christ require public confession of the name of Jesus to get to Heaven. And thirdly, they errantly require their members to be water baptized to be saved. None of these things are Biblically necessary or allowed to get to Heaven. The Church of Christ is a religious cult, who preach another Gospel, accursed by God (Galatians 1:7-9).

If you know someone who believes the Gospel, but also trusts in something else, you need to warn them kindly that they are not saved yet. The ONLY way to become born-again is the take God at His Word as recorded in the Holy Bible, believing that Jesus did it all for you. You must cease from all your own human effort (works), and REST completely in Jesus Christ, believing that He died in your place on the cross, was buried and bodily resurrected the third day (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). That is the GOOD NEWS. Believe it and be 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.”

Hundreds of precious passages of Scriptures in the Bible teach us to simply BELIEVE ON JESUS to have eternal life. Yet, the Devil's Church of Christ cult, the Devil's Lordship Salvation cult, and the Devil's Roman Catholic cult, Ken Ham's “turn from your sinful past ways” cult, et cetera—all wickedly take obscure passages of Scripture out of context to bolster up their strawman heresy.

A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one. We have the entire Gospel of John, which mentions the word “believe” at least 85 times. Yet, not one verse tells us to get water baptized to have eternal life. No one in the Old Testament was water baptized to be saved. The repent thief on the cross didn't have time to get water baptized. His hands were nailed to a cross!

The same Apostle John who penned the Gospel of John also penned the Epistle of 1st John. In 1st John 5:13 John says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” Yet, John never mentions baptism in any way, fashion or form in the Epistle of 1st John. Surely John would have said to make sure you've been water baptized, if such a ritual were required to get to Heaven. The truth is that getting water baptized doesn't make you a born-again Christian, any more than walking into a garbage makes you an automobile. You get saved by BELIEVING the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So please, please, please dear reader, DO NOT ADD anything to your childlike faith in Christ alone to get to Heaven. Water baptism is important, don't get me wrong. Baptism is the very first step of obedience for the new believer. But water baptism always comes AFTER a person is saved, never before getting saved (e.g., infant baptism), or as as a step required for salvation. Water baptism is one's public profession of faith in the Gospel. Being dunked under the water and then lifted back out of the water, pictures Jesus' death, burial and bodily resurrection. Water baptism is an outward snapshot of what has just happened inwardly.

I don't like when churches wait 6 months before baptizing converts. That is what the shameful corrupt Harvest Baptist Church on Guam does, they only baptize about four people after 6 months of waiting since their alleged conversion. That is because Harvest Baptist Church on Guam insists on examining someone's life, to see if their behavior has first changed as evidence that their faith is genuine and real. Ladies and gentlemen, that is hardcore Calvinist Lordship Salvation heresy!!!

Since Harvest doesn't preach a free grace Gospel, they are a cult that doesn't lead people to Christ by faith alone. Harvest is a cesspool of Lordship Salvation, Devil's Bibles and Bob Jones University alumni apostates! Sincerity is not enough to please God. In John 3:3b Jesus warned: YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!!! No one has ever been born-again by partial faith in Christ plus something more. If you have to trim your toenails once every million years, plus partial faith in Christ, you are going straight to Hell if you died right now.

Salvation is completely RESTING in what the Old Testament Sabbath Day represented for millenniums, which is Jesus Christ alone. Hebrews 4:10-11, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” I love that! Have you dear friend entered into God's rest? 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:”

Please don't tamper with the simplicity that is in Christ. Just believe the GOOD NEWS that Christ did it all for you through Calvary's cross, dying in our place and raising up three days later, because He loves us. I have heard umpteen people throughout my life tell me that they know God is so loving and sweet, that He would never cast anyone into Hell for all eternity. Believe me, if our great, fair and good God allows hunger, torture, pain, misery and death in this temporal earthly life, then He will allow suffering in the next life in eternity, so says the Holy Bible (2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 14:11).

If you die in your sins (John 8:24), regardless of how sincere you may be, you will go to Hell forever without rest or hope day nor night forever. That is 100% Biblical doctrine.

Faith Without Works

Romans 4:1-7, “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 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, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

No passage in all of Scripture has been so misunderstood as James 2:14-26, "Faith without works is dead" is used again and again by those who would add works to salvation as their proof text. Most Christians don't know how to explain James 2:14-26; therefore, when those who teach falsely use James to prove their point, seldom does anyone ever refute them. Christians need to know the answer.

Do you know how to explain James 2:14-26? Not being able to explain this passage will hinder your effectiveness as a Christian witness. So often the lost will object to the true gospel message by saying, "Faith without works is dead." If you cannot explain this phrase, then you will make no further progress with the one to whom you are witnessing.

A new twist, also false, is to say that if you do not have works that you have no faith and, therefore, you are not saved. Many Christians have been confused and robbed of their assurance of their salvation by this presentation. Works are subtly added to the plan of salvation by this misteaching on the book of James.

First of all, James was written to the saved. James was written to the believers. Notice the phrase "my brethren" in James 1:2, James 1:16; James 1:19; James 2:1, James 2:5; James 2:14; James 3:1, et cetera. James writes to persons who are already saved and the subject is not how to be saved but the Christian life and how to receive rewards in heaven. James is writing to those who are "born again." "Of his own will beget he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James 1:18). The question is not loss of salvation (which is impossible: see John 6:37,39), but the loss of reward. Blessing, not salvation, is what is promised to the doer of God's work in James 1:25.

Salvation is also without exception "the gift of God." "For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Look at 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." Read Romans chapter Five where salvation is called God's gift six times.

James 2:14 talks about "profit." Profit is something earned-something deserved. Salvation cannot be earned and is not deserved. Paul uses the same word "profit" in I Timothy 4:8 where again the topic is reward. "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

James is speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 3:11-15) where reward, gain, profit, treasure or the loss of it is determined. James is saying to a believer that has faith but no works that his faith will not save him the embarrassment, regret, loss of reward that he will experience at the judgment seat of Christ (the judgment of a believer's works for reward or loss of reward).

How do we know that James is speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ? The context of James demands that interpretation. Notice James 2:12, "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." This could only be referring to the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. In James 2:14 we find no believer will be saved (exempted) from the believer's judgment of works. No works will bring about no reward (profit). See II Corinthians 5:10.

Death in the Bible always is used to mean "separation." Physical death is the separation of the spirit and soul from the body (See II Corinthians 5:8). The "second death" is the separation of the spirit and soul from God, in hell forever (See Revelation 20:14). Knowing this definition of death, let us examine the phrase "faith without works is dead."

Knowing death speaks of separation and not cession of existence, let us look at James 2:26, "For as the body with the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." If I were to die physically, my body would drop to the ground but my spirit would go to be with the Lord. "Absent from the body, present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). Would I still be alive? Yes, I have eternal life. But my body would not have any vital signs and would not display any life at all, yet I would be present with the Lord and very much alive.

In the same way, James says, "faith without works is dead." What does he mean? Works are to faith what the body is to the spirit. The body displays the life of the spirit. Work displays faith. The only way I can display that I am alive is with my body (movement, pulse, etc.). The only way that I can display that I have faith is by my works.

If I have no works, does that mean that I have no faith? NO! NO! NO! That would be like saying that if I die physically, I would no longer exist. The truth is that I have eternal life, so though I may lose my body, I am still very much alive. If you have faith but no works, you simply cannot demonstrate to another that you have faith. That is the point James is making when he says, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18).

To be effective, to be able to demonstrate our faith, and to earn rewards, we must have works.
James speaks of justification by works before men. Paul speaks of justification by faith before God. Paul speaks of that which justifies man before God, via: faith alone, wholly apart from works: James of the proof before men, that he who possesses to have justifying faith really has it. Paul speaks of what God sees-faith; James of what men see-works, as the visible evidence of faith. Paul draws his illustration from Genesis 15:6, James from Genesis 22:1-19. James's key-phrase is 'ye see' (James 2:24), for men cannot see faith except as manifested through works."

James teaches salvation by faith without works in James 2:23, "...Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness..." This is a quote from Genesis 15:6 where Abraham gets saved. James 2:21,22 is an illustration from Abraham's life forty years after he was saved. It illustrates, or proves Abraham's faith to others. "Seest thou" James 2:22. In plain English this is saying that you can see by Abraham's willingness to slay Isaac that he had faith.

Salvation is "not of works" according to Ephesians 2:9, "Not of works" means "Not of works." Works have no part in our salvation. Jesus Christ finished the work of salvation on the cross. We can be saved only by trusting His finished work on the cross. We can be saved only by trusting His finished work on the Cross. Why not trust Christ as your only hope of heaven? Then choose to serve Him and receive blessings, rewards, treasures in heaven, profit for eternity.

* Written by Dr. Hank Lindstrom

I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore

1st Corinthians 7:29-31, “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”

Remember, we're just PILGRIMS passing through this awful sin-cursed world of false prophets, bad pastors and dead churches; we're not SETLLERS here on earth! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Dear Christian reader, I encourage you to continue “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2a). Our time on earth remaining is short. Remember, we are Pilgrims just passing through, not Settlers!

This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

This World Is Not My Home (Jim Reeves)

I love that song and think about it often! Jesus, “Beam me Up!” Sorry, I am a big Star Trek fan. It won't be much longer now, I can hear the angels singing on Heaven's transparent golden streets (Revelation 21:21). Even so, come, lord Jesus!

We are surrounded by the wicked on every side. Here is an excellent quote from Pastor E.M. Bounds (1835-1913)...

'The world' includes the mass of humanity that is alienated from God and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ. It involves worldly affairs, earthly things, riches, pleasures, and pursuits that are shallow, frail, and fleeting. These things stir desire, draw us away from God, and are obstacles to the cause of Christ. The divorced or torn relationships between heaven and earth, between God and His creatures, finds its expression in the term 'the world.'” —Pastor Edward M. Bounds, a quote from chapter 7 - 'Overcoming The Enemy Of God,' from the classic book titled: “GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL WARFARE”

Dear reader, make sure you've been BORN AGAIN, prepared to meet thy God.