Wise Men Lay Up Knowledge

Proverbs 10:14, “Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”

A wise Christian doesn't wait until problems arise and then look for knowledge. A wise believer lays up knowledge in advance, so that they'll have it when they need it. But also, a godly believer lays up knowledge to help OTHERS, so that when you meet people who are having a rough time, you can help them in the Lord. I love listening to lots of preaching, and the King James Bible, so that I can lay up knowledge for myself and to help others.

By listening to preaching, you're laying up knowledge in advance. I've heard Dr. Jack Hyles (1926-2001) preach many sermons, where he says that the truth he's giving won't help the listener now, but some day they'll remember it and it will save their life or marriage. I have lived to prove Dr. Hyles' advice true! I never imagined during the eight years that I sat under Dr. Hyles' preaching at First Baptist Church of Hammond (1985-1993), that those truths would have a profound impact on my life decades later when my life fell apart, my wife divorced me in 2006, and it seemed that all hope was gone. I've since made it a regular habit to listen to as many of Brother Hyles' sermons as I can collect. I have literally thousands (2,526 so far) of MP3 sermons by Dr. Hyles. They are all precious to me!

Wise men lay up truth for a rainy day. That is why I collect quotes from sermons that I hear, sharing noteworthy truths with others to help them. Quotes are a great way of emphasizing helpful truths! Memorizing helpful Scriptures is another way to lay up knowledge. Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” I memorized Psalm 27:1 this week, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” I love that truth: 'THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE.' And He sure is the strength of our life dear friend, if you will let Him reign in your life!!!

Here's a perfect example of some great knowledge to lay up:
“A man never finds power with God until his life is submitted to God. Can't do it! Can't do it! God's power will not rest on a worldly man!”

SOURCE: Pastor Danny Castle, a quote from the awesome sermon, “How To Have Power With God!” | MP3 Sermon
I love Pastor Danny Castle, he is one of my favorite preachers...
“What we need in this generation, is for about 30,000 churches in the United States to go out of business, and just shut the doors, and let who mean business, get the power of God, and witness to this generation!”

SOURCE: Pastor Danny Castle, a quote from the awesome sermon, “How To Have Power With God!” | MP3 Sermon
Pastor Castle wisely says:
“The more you forsake the world, the more pressure's going to be on you. But thank God, there's a blessing in that—The more pressure, the more power! The greater the pressure, the greater the power. The more pressure that's on a man's life, the more God can put His power on him!!!”
SOURCE: Pastor Danny Castle, a quote from the awesome sermon, “How To Have Power With God!” | MP3 Sermon

I love preacher's quotes! I collect them like baseball cards, valuing sermons more than gold. I mean that literally!!! Pastor Castle preached this great truth... 

“If God's power ain't on a man, he might as well hang it up! That's all there are to it!” 
SOURCE: Pastor Danny Castle, a quote from the awesome sermon, “How To Have Power With God!” | MP3 Sermon
That's great truth Brother!!! My friend, if you'll stay close to the Book of God and the God of the Book, you'll do just fine! Amen! We are fellow travelers to eternity and I care!

As I speak with people in my daily life, and answer e-mails, I try to think of sermons that I have heard, so I can season my words with grace to edify (build up) OTHERS. I often repeat a great quote (amongst hundreds of quotes) that I once heard from Dr. Jack Hyles:
“UNSHAKABLE FAITH COMES FROM HAVING YOUR FAITH SHAKEN!!!” I love that truth! It has helped me, and others, very much. Now I never would have heard and memorized that truth, unless I had listened to preaching!
The Bible says in Proverb 25:19, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.” That truth applies to one's personal life as well. If you wait until the roof caves in on your life, and everything is going wrong, before you search the Scriptures and start listening to preaching, it's like a broken tooth and a dislocated foot joint (which are VERY painful). Don't do that to yourself! Please be wise and lay up knowledge for when the storms of life come.

I love listening to preaching almost daily, so I can LAY UP KNOWLEDGE for me, for my family, for my web visitors, for my friends and others who need help. How can I help anybody if I don't lay up knowledge? The Word of God teaches that, WISE MEN LAY UP KNOWLEDGE!!! We live in a foolish society, where nearly everyone wants to watch TV and be entertained all day, laying up NOTHING! Proverb 18:1, “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”

Here is a great quote that I read in a book by the fiery fundamentalist preacher, Pastor J. Frank Norris (1877-1952):
“What we need is a school that teaches the whole English Bible. What is needed is a school that will take men from the engine cab, from between the plowshares and teach them the Bible. What is needed is a school that is free from modernism. What is needed is a school that will teach a man how to go out with the Bible under his arms, faith in his heart, and in the power of the Holy Spirit begin in a vacant lot and build a church to the glory of God.”

SOURCE: J. Frank Norris, a quote from the excellent book, “The J. FRANK NORRIS I Have Known" (for 34 Years), by Dr. Louis Entzminger.
Here are some truths to burn your heart for God:
Proverb 16:9, ”A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

Psalms 19:7, ”The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace!” —John Wesley

“Speaking the truth in love...” —Ephesians 4:15

“This whole society is rotten and Godless. The wrath of God is upon America.
Mark my word: if God’s Word be true, this nation is headed
for the dust.” —Pastor Tom Malone (1971)


1st Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) made this great statement:
“But I do believe we see the setting of a stage today, when action will begin when the Church is removed from this earth. Now the reason the date's not given here is that the Church is dateless, nameless, timeless. You see, we are heavenly people—have no name, but some of you folk thought it was Baptist, and some others of you thought that the name of the Church was Presbyterian, and even some of you thought it was Methodist, and some of you thought it was Independent; but I have news for you, the Church has no name!”

SOURCE: Pastor J. Vernon McGee, 'THRU-THE-BIBLE,' Hosea 3:4.
“The Lord gave the word: great was the company
of those that published it.” —Psalms 68:11

Don't Spend Too Much Time Listening to Secular Information

Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Do you love knowledge my friend? I really like Mark Dice. He's a great guy from all that I can tell. I believe he is a Christian. But I chose to stop watching his videos regularly (although I still do watch them), because they were waste of my time. Mark's videos are for shallow minds, mostly entertainment, not things that are edifying. The content is not edifying. It's not bad content, it's just not constructive, in my opinion. Politics, Hollywood and the mainstream newsmedia are a cesspool of iniquity these days.

I stopped watching Alex Jones too, although I still subscribe to Infowars. Alex has become so lame, just a sounding voice for President Trump. Alex has completely changed from the freedom fighter he used to be. Alex has sold out to the establishment. Donald Trump is not the answer to America's woes. When all is said and done, the United States will be more closer to the goals set forth by the Luciferian elite when he leaves office. I like Trump, on a personal level, as I do Alex Jones and Mark Dice, but I have been spending my time instead listening to God's men, King James Bible only preachers!!!

My website articles receive about 500 hits each within a week of publishing them, but Mark Dice's entertainment videos receive upwards of a million views a piece. People's minds are so shallow. Mark is making money on YouTube, so he gives simple minds what they want, entertainment. I'm not interested in making money from my ministry, not now, not ever. My reward is in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).

I'm not being critical of Mark Dice or Alex Jones in this article, I'm just saying that I think it's a big waste of my time to listen to them at length. One of the saddest commentaries of our generation is the lack of interest in Bible preaching. While the kooks, quacks and queers of the entertainment industry walk as gods among Americans, Bible preachers are ridiculed, shunned and hated as hate-mongers. THE TRUTH is considered hate to those who hate THE TRUTH!!!

We are living in the age of information. Literally, many people have turned informed into a god.

I Am Crucified With Christ, Yet I Live; Yet Not I, But Jesus Liveth in Me

Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
We are saved by TRUSTING Jesus, by receiving His sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sins, believing that He was buried and then bodily resurrected from the dead three days later. This is “THE GOSPEL.” That's all that God requires to be saved. Then, the first thing God wants us to do as a new believer is to be CRUCIFIED with Christ, by presenting our body as a living sacrifice to live for the Lord (Romans 12:1). The latter is DISCIPLESHIP, the former is SALVATION. Dr. Jack Hyles teaches this wonderful truth in his timeless MP3 sermon titled, “Steps To Sanctification; Or, The Root Of All Heresy!” I hope you'll listen to it, as I know it will bless your soul. This is a truth that needs to be laid up in your heart, as it has been in mind for many years now. Praise God for THE TRUTH!!!

I love the preceding and the following passages of Scripture:
Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Let's break down Colossians 3:1-3 to see what we can learn here shall we:
  • JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN; THEREFORE,
  • WE ARE TO SEEK HEAVENLY THINGS, WHERE CHRIST SITS ON THE FATHER'S RIGHT HAND.
  • WE ARE TO SET OUR AFFECTION (THINK ABOUT) HEAVENLY THINGS, NOT EARTHLY THINGS.
  • WE ARE DEAD IN CHRIST, AND JESUS IS OUR NEW LIFE.
Very few Christians live this Scripture. This is the key to the believer's happiness. No Christian who walks in the flesh can ever truly be happy. What type of heavenly things should we think about? Let's make a list shall we:
  • SOUL-WINNING (Luke 15:10; 1st Peter 1:12)
  • SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST (Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13)
  • LAY ASIDE DISTRACTIONS AND SIN, AND RUN THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US (Hebrews 12:1)
  • LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN BY LABOURING FOR CHRIST (Matthew 6:19-20; 1st Corinthians 3:7-15)
  • CARING FOR AND PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR (Matthew 5:3)
  • THE KING JAMES BIBLE (Psalm 119:89)
  • LOVING AND FORGIVING EVERYONE WITH GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (Matthew 6:14-15)
I've just listed but a few, but the entire Holy Bible ought to be our thoughts. I don't know about you, but I want to saturate my thinking and life with the things of God. The only way for a Christian to be happy in Jesus is to TRUST AND OBEY.

A Christian loves righteousness. Even though we are sinners who struggle with the desires of the flesh, we desire in our spirit to do right (Romans 7:14-25). I love God's promise of a new Heaven and earth, where righteousness will abound:
2nd Peter 3:13, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
Wicked men refuse to listen to the preacher of righteousness, but they cannot escape their Creator in Heaven:
Hebrews 12:25-26, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.”
We all make our choices in life. Some men fear and obey God, who will enter into everlasting peace and blessing. But most men do not fear nor obey God, and will be cast into the Lake of Fire for their unbelief. We do not go to Heaven because of what we do, but because of where we are looking... LOOK TO JESUS! Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Men have always been saved by trusting upon the Lord. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” As you just read, this was the witness of ALL THE PROPHETS!!! People in the Old Testament were saved the SAME WAY we are today, which is by faith. We read in Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (See also Romans 4:3-6).

Bible Preaching Helps Us to Think Right

Psalms 119:9, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
American politics are a major waste of time and resources. The entire Republican and Democratic political system is Luciferian controlled at the top, as corrupt to the core as can be. God controls the government, the government does not control God. Daniel 2:21, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” God has given to Americans the corrupt leaders that we deserve. Psalms 18:25-26, “With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.” With the crooked (froward) God dealeth crookedly. The United States is a crooked and perverse nation, and God has justly dealt with us as such.

Thank God for the small handful of fundamentalist Christians who have not bowed their knee to Baal. Philippians 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” Men of all ages can still have a pure mind and live right in 2017!!! Psalms 119:9, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” If you want to live right, saturate your life with the King James Bible!!!!!!!

You and I need solid Bible preaching!!! I mean Pastor Danny Castle. I mean Dr. Jack Hyles. I mean Pastor Steven Anderson. I mean Pastor Max Younce. Bible preaching helps us to think straight. Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” We all need Bible preaching. We all need to spend time reading, meditating and studying God's Word in the inspired King James Bible. I encourage you, whoever you may be, to spend much more time listening to the King James Bible.

I like listening to Alexander Scourby. I encourage you to listen to lots of Bible preaching. Don't waste your time listening to spiritual casualties, wolves in sheep's clothing, like Joel Osteen, Rick Warren and John MacArthur. I wouldn't give you a plum nickel for a preacher who tries not to offend people. I'm talking about shameful ministers like Ravi Zacharias, who is infamous for always taking the easy way out, delivery vague speeches, kowtowing with Gospel rejecting Mormons, and who has sinfully received honors from the Roman Catholic Church.

Godly Believers Desire to Lay Up Sound Knowledge to Help Others

Proverb 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”
A selfish believer doesn't care about others. We are living in “perilous times,” as foretold in the Holy Scriptures. 2nd Timothy 3:1-2, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves...” I feel sorry for selfish people, and that includes selfish believers. We all tend to be selfish by nature. The Christian life is a supernatural life. This is true because the blessed Holy Spirit is a supernatural Being, Who indwells every born-again believer (1st Corinthians 3:16-17). Most professed Christians are selfish, self-conscience and self-centered. Self has no place in the Christian life. Notice that the center letter of the words “sin” and “pride” is the letter “i.” Self always gets us into trouble. Most believers have “i” trouble.

The Word of God teaches us to become as a fool to become wise. This is an amazing truth. 1st Corinthians 3:18, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” Think about what God is saying. The path to wisdom is to become a fool!!! What does that mean? How does one become a fool? The Scriptures teach that to the unsaved person, the Gospel is foolishness. 1st Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” The heathen world thinks they are wise, but they are fools in God's sight.

The wisdom of the world goes totally contrary to the wisdom of man. Romans 1:22, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” 1st Corinthians 4:10, “We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.” What does this passage mean? It means preachers are hated by the world for telling the truth, but in Heaven's view Christians are wise. The evangelist is despised for stepping on sinner's toes. So we are talking about different perspectives here. From the world's view, those who preach the Gospel are despised as being fools.

But in reality, a righteous man is wise for trusting upon the Lord. The choice to have wisdom is an individual choice. Most people are simple, having neither wisdom nor wanting to be a fool. But effectively, the simple are gullible, just as the fool, because they lack wisdom. You get wisdom from the Word of God, from the Lord. Proverb 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” I fear God. I must give account to God one day for every word that comes out of my mouth (Matthew 13:26). And also, I must give account for every word that I type and upload to the internet. And so must you!

Are you wise? Do you fear God? Do you hate evil? Do you want to lay up knowledge beforehand, so that you will have it when you really need it? You won't always have godly counsel available when you need it. And if you lack wisdom, someone may give you some really bad advice. Behind every pulpit is a human being! You need God's wisdom for yourself, or else you'll be blown about by every wind of doctrine. We are living in a world of fools!!! Please get into the King James Bible.

I am listening to Alexander Scourby read the King James Bible (Revelation, Colossians, Philippians, Galatians and Ephesians) as I type this article. I need wisdom. I just heard a beautiful Scriptures from Galatians 3:8, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Isn't that beautiful? God JUSTIFIES THE HEATHEN... THROUGH FAITH!!! SO much for Lordship Salvation (which is a false gospel). We are saved by BELIEVING, not by repenting.

Repentance is always “toward God,” never from sin, to be saved. That is exactly what Acts 20:21 teaches. Acts 20:21, “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Anyone who teaches that you must repent by turning away from your sins to be saved is a false prophet. You get saved by turning toward Jesus Christ in faith to be saved. Obviously you need to turn “FROM” something in order to turn “TO” the Gospel. But that something you turn FROM is not what saves you, nor is it a requirement to be saved, as many false prophets claim these days. If you place your faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, as payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried and bodily raised up three days later, you are immediately, permanently and forever saved!!!

The man who believes has also repented! This is why we find the words “believe” and “believed” mentioned 85 times in the Gospel of John (which was written to convince men to be saved - Acts 20:31), but the word “repent” is never mentioned even once! 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.” That's really good stuff, I hope you got all that. I learned these things from LAYING UP KNOWLEDGE, by searching the Scriptures and listening to much Bible-preaching.

I love to listen to music as much as anybody, and I do listen to music. But the average American has been listening to the same music—day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, decade after decade—the same songs TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TIMES!!! I'm not kidding, you know it's truth. We all have heard the same songs so many times. A shocking study shows that the average person listens accumulatively to 13 years of music during their lifetime! Goodnight in the morning!!! Think about that... 13 YEARS!!!

Is it any wonder why people's lives are so messed up? Is it any wonder why Americans are so gullible, dumbed-down, woefully ignorant and lacking common sense? I think not! My friend, turn off the radio sometimes! Turn off the television sometimes! If you haven't been laying up knowledge, I HIGHLY recommend that you turn off everything for the next 3 months, and spend as much time as possible wallowing in the Word of God. Listen to lots of Bible-preaching by fundamentalist preachers! Get you some doctrinally sound books from the Sword Of The Lord or Larry Harrison's classic Christian book gallery.

I am listening to a wonderful life-changing sermon right now by Pastor Jack Hyles called: "A Great Secret To Health." The secret to good health is threefold:
  1. a bitter bitterness
  2. a loving love
  3. a forgiving forgiveness
In order to be healthy we have to first have some bitterness. God knows that stumbling blocks can become steppingstones by faith. A young Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) couldn't even pass the test for church membership. The famous preacher, George W. Truett (1867-1944), accidentally killed his friend with a gun in a hunting trip. Evangelist Bill Rice's daughter became deaf as a baby, which compelled him and his wife to start the Bill Rice Ranch (where I attended for two years in a row as a teenager, which changed my life for Christ. I still clearly remember learning this new song at the Bill Rice Ranch in the early 1980's. I played the song's melody on my pedal steel guitar, so you can hear what it sounds like...

Teenager are you lonely, do you need a Friend?
Take Jesus as your Savior, He will lead you to the end;
He'll be your guide, stand by your side,
Teenager, take Jesus Today!

Cast thy bread upon the waters the Bible says, and it shall return unto you! Ecclesiastes 11:1, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”

Satan BLINDS the mind of a lost person, to prevent them from seeing the clarity and simplicity of “THE GOSPEL.” It is our job as God's children to take the Gospel to the lost, and explain the simplicity of God's plan of salvation with them. It is so easy, free and simple to get to Heaven.

We are all guilty sinners (Romans 3:23). We have all broken God's commandments (Romans 3:10-23).

There is a penalty for our sin, which is to spend eternity being punished in the fires and torments of Hell (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8).

But God in his wondrous love made a way of escape. God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins on the cross (Romans 5:8). Jesus paid a debt that He didn't owe, because we owed a debt that we couldn't pay (2nd Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died in our place on the cross. He was buried. Three days later Christ bodily ressurected from the dead. This is the Gospel (the Good news) by which anyone can be saved, if we simply BELIEVE it (Romans 1:16; 1st Corinthians 15:1-4). 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.”
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I Am Very Thankful To God For Google's "Blogger"

Psalms 18:49, “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.” Psalms 100:4, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Ephesians 1:16, “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;” Colossians 1:3, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,” 1st Thessalonians 1:2, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;” 1st Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 2nd Thessalonians 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”

Have you ever noticed how much the Bible emphasizes being thankful to God? I was thinking today about how much I am thankful for Google's "Blogger." Ironically, I have lost 90% of my web traffic since 2015 because of Google's changing of their algorithms. I don't understand how it all works. I just know that my Jesus-is-Savior.com website ministry used to receive about 1,000,000 visitors each and every month, but now that number if visitors is down to a mere 65,000 per month in comparison. That is still a lot of people and I praise God with a grateful heart.

I also appreciate the Google directs people to my ministry, even if it is much less than I used to receive. I used to receive roughly 30,000 visitors PER DAY before 2015. But now in 2021 I am fortunate to receive 65,000 hits in a month (about 2,000 visitors per day). Albeit, I have never focused on the numbers. My attitude when I began this ministry in 2002 (and still is today), is that even if I only have 10 people who give me their heart to learn, I will give them my best and it is worth my time for Jesus Christ!!!

Still, I was becoming discouraged that Google was censoring my articles, whether on purpose or inadvertently due to their stricter algorithm rules. But then one of my loyal web visitors suggested to me that I start a blog. He uses Word Press, which I don't care for much. When I found Blogger, I feel in love with it the first day! If you love to write and express your thoughts, BLOGGER is first class all the way! Whoever designed Blogger deserves a pay raise! Bravo my friends at Google!!! Facebook is a living nightmare, but Blogger is so user friendly and easy to figure out. I cannot recommend Blogger enough to all my blog readers! And it's all completely free, which I very much appreciate from Google.

The only thing that I wish Google would change for Blogger, is to make the blog automatically default to its original URL address, so when my purchased domain name expires (if I die), then all my work won't be lost after I'm gone. For example: I purchased a cool website domain called "Faithalonesaves.org," for this blog. My original name provided by Blogger was "Faithalonesaves.blogspot.com" (which is fine, but I really liked the name I purchased. But if I die in a sudden car crash tomorrow, in a year when my domain expires, my "Faithalonesaves.org" blog won't be accessible anymore. I hope Google will do something to change this in the future. If not I will likely not use the purchased domain anymore at some point, so I can have the peace of mind that all my hard work won't be lost.

Having said all that, I have no complaints against Google. I am very grateful for their Blogger feature. THANK YOU GOOGLE!!! Thank you God for the opportunity to share my beliefs, convictions and Bible knowledge with others, so that God can be a blessing through my humble labors. My only heart's desire has always been to be a blessing to OTHERS. I have never made a single penny from my internet ministry, and I don't plan on ever doing so. My full reward is waiting for me in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-20; 1st Corinthians 3:8).

Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” I love and appreciate that Bible verse. Our blessed Savior is very ethical. So much in fact that He promises to reward even giving a cup of water to another Christian. Mark 9:41, “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”

Did you notice in our various text passages of Scripture, that prayer is often mentioned in connection with being thankful? That is more than a mere coincidence. Thankful men are praying men! Thankful women are praying women! Colossians 1:3, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,” Amen and amen. People aren't thankful because they are happy, people are happy because they are thankful. 

In Romans chapter one, the first step in the downfall of a person's life is a lack of gratitude toward our Creator. Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” I love that phrase: “WHEN THEY KNEW GOD.” Every child knows God in their early years. Every human being KNOWS GOD from infancy, just as does every living creature. Psalms 104:21, “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.” What a sad commentary on the human race, that wild beasts would seek their provisions from God, while we humans often don't. 

I am not bragging, but God knows that I never eat a bite of anything without thanking Him for it. I am so unworthy. I thank God for the taste buds to enjoy food. I thank God for a working healthy digestive system, without which we could not enjoy a delicious meal. God is so good!!! God is more than amazing. Praise Him all ye earth, praise our great and magnificent Maker! When I look up and behold the stars, I am humbled. Did you know when you look at the stars, you are peering back into time, because it takes light centuries and even millenniums to reach the earth from their far away distance from the earth. That is mind boggling!

Dear friend, if you just ponder the universe and how it all began, it screams the existence of a divine Creator. For example: How big is the universe? Can it have an end? If so, what is beyond that end? Since it is scientifically impossible for nothing to occupy a space, it boggles the human mind to try to understand such things. Another mind boggling question is: Where did the universe and time come from? Can something come from nothing? If so, what existed before time, mass and energy? The ONLY logical answer dear friend is GOD!

I marvel that so many people believe in the possibility of alien life, yet they deny the possibility that there is a God. My friend, God is an alien by very dictionary definition!!! There is a God, and He is a good God. Just look at all the blessings that He gives us. 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 is kind to liars, cheats, murderers and every wicked person, but His goodness will end the moment every unsaved soul enters into eternity. Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

I just wrote this blog to express my thankful spirit toward Google and God (not that Google is God...lol). I think it is great that Google provides their Blogger service for free to the masses. That is very kind and generous of them. I regret that my websites are being censored (for whatever reason) by Google, but I've been uploading my older articles to Google's Blogger instead. This is very helpful, because I am not very good at understanding website design. Technology keeps changing. When I began making my website ministry in 2002, everything was pretty much HTML 4. There were hardly no mobile phones back then to surf the internet, which started in 1996 but took time to go mainstream.

I like that Google is honest, "FREE" truly means FREE. I signed up for Weebly because they advertise all over the internet that it is "completely free," but it sure isn't. The limitations imposed unless you pay them make publishing a decent website impossible. They hound you continually to get your money, for their so-called "COMPLETELY FREE" website maker. If you doubt what I say, don't take my word for it, read what others have to say negatively about Wix and Weebly (for their false advertising).

I have spent tens of thousands of hours writing, designing and publishing literally thousands of articles over the past 20 years since 2002. Very few of them are mobile-friendly. I wish there was a way that I could make them all compliant quickly, but there's not. I have to do it the old-fashioned one, editing one webpage at a time. Praise the Lord!!! I just fixed 142 broken links the other day for Lovethetruth.com, and now I am fixing 339 broken links for my website at Jesusisprecious.org. I still have 199 broken links left to fix. One day at a time.

Having said that, I really love and appreciate that Blogger automatically deformats all the junk out of my former articles, with the click of a mouse, and then perfectly formats them to be mobile-friendly. So I am definitely, God willing, planning on moving many of my older ministry articles into Blogger. THANK YOU Google!!! Blogger has been such a blessing to my ministry that I just wanted to give some credit and praise to Google, and moreover, to recommend and encourage that my blog readers make your own blogs. If you have an opinion as a child of God, you should prayerfully consider starting your own blog and share your voice for the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's completely free on Google, unlike the false advertising at Weebly. When I signed up for an account at Weebly, and  created a "free" website and then went to "Publish" it, Weebly demanded money or they wouldn't upload it. What liars!!! Weebly are dirty liars!!! They are greedy and exploit people with false promises of a "completely free website," but they don't really mean what they say. Weebly's owner's don't honor their word. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to contact them, to ask them why they aren't honoring their word. That is how Satan operates, with deceit and half-truths!!! I mean, if Weebly wants to charge money, that is fine, but don't deceitfully lure people in by making false promises of a free website.

I'm so glad that God is not a liar. The serpent (Satan) in Genesis 3:1-5 came to Eve and deceived her, which is what the father of all liars does (John 8:44). When humans play word games, withhold information, call things "free" that have strings attached and limitations—they are behaving like the Devil. Anyway, it means a lot to me that Google is totally upfront and honest, with no strings attached for their Blogger feature. I love it! THANK YOU!!!

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Exposing Pastor James Knox's Counterfeit Plan Of Salvation

Galatians 3:1-3, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

I was saddened this evening as I found a sermon by Pastor James Knox of The Bible Baptist Church in Leland, Florida, titled: “Repent And Believe The Gospel: What Is Repentance?”

“Do you know why it's hard to know if people get saved or not anymore? It's because we've given them this option of salvation without repentance. You don't see a changed life, because no changed life was expected. No changed life was required. Look, you can stop drinking, stop cussing, stop chasing women, stop chasing men, stop chasing both—you can quit all that stuff and die and go to Hell—repentance is not the Gospel. But you're not going to come to God, without any sorry, any guilt, any acknowledgement, any desire, to do something about your sin. You're not going to get saved on those terms. Those are man's terms, not God's terms.” SOURCE: Pastor James Knox, “Repent And Believe The Gospel: What Is Repentance?” (58:22 time in YouTube sermon video)

Dear reader, James Knox is not saved! What a messed up theology he has! He has a wrong mindset toward the Gospel. How can a man be saved, who thinks you must desire to turn away from sinning as a prerequisite to faith? Pastor Knox plainly says that repentance is not the Gospel, nor are we saved by repentance; but then he foolishly says that if you haven't repented of your sin your faith is invalid. Kindly said, he is a confused pastor!!!

Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that God will not save a person unless they feel sorrow or regret for their sinning. James Knox is preaching a counterfeit Gospel which demands more than God requires. God just requires faith. What saith the Scripture? 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.” What saith the Scripture? 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.”

We ought not expect changes from a person to be saved, nor as a means of proving that they are saved later on. We've got a bunch of corrupt self-righteous pastors today, running around attaching works to faith, one way or another. Listen, you CAN trust Christ and still go out and live like the Devil, and KNOW 100% that you're going to Heaven. That is because forgiveness of sins and eternal life are the free gift of God (Romans 6:23). We are saved by GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is imputed (credited) to every believer by faith alone. 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:” Boy, I love that!

Pastor Knox sinfully preaches another gospel:

“People don't mind you telling them they can go to Heaven in 30 seconds; what they mind is you telling them that their religion is wrong and will take them to Hell.” SOURCE: Pastor James Knox, “Repent And Believe The Gospel: What Is Repentance?” (58:22 time in YouTube sermon video)

Although there is some truth to what Pastor Knox just said (regarding forsaking one's faith in false religion to instead trust Christ), he also foolishly applies this to your sins. From listening to the entire sermon it is very clear to me that Pastor Knox is evasive, subtlety teaching his damnable heresy that:

“But you're not going to come to God, without any sorry, any guilt, any acknowledgement, any desire, to do something about your sin. You're not going to get saved on those terms. Those are man's terms, not God's terms.” SOURCE: Pastor James Knox, “Repent And Believe The Gospel: What Is Repentance?” (58:22 time in YouTube sermon video)

Dear reader, DOING SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR SIN is not a part of God's plan of salvation!!! I triple-dog dare you to show me one place in the inspired King James Bible where we are taught to DO SOMETHING about our sin to be saved. It was Christ who DID SOMETHING about our sin, paying for them on the cross with His precious blood:

1st Peter 1:18-19, “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;” 

James Knox attempts to justify his heresy by citing umpteen passages from the Bible about repentance. However, concerning redemption, he woefully embellishes the Biblical Greek meaning of “repent” (metanoia: “a change of mind”) to mean something VERY different! As do many false prophets today, Pastor Knox wrongly understands repentance to mean turning away from your sinning. He makes the fatal doctrinal error of making repentance a separate act from believing. In his sermon, Pastor Knox plainly teaches that repentance happens FIRST, and then faith follows SECOND. That is unbiblical. Repentance and faith are inseparable and happen AT THE SAME TIME. 

The Bible does not require that you first repent, and then believe. Proof of what I say is in the Gospel of John, which does not mention the word "repent" even once. You read correct! The word "repent" is not mentioned even once in the Gospel of John. But we do find the word "believe" mentioned 88 times! Faith alone saves!!! James Knox is a false teacher, an infidel of the Christian faith. According to James Knox, someone who believes on Christ without repenting has experienced a false conversion. ...

At about 18 minutes into the sermon video, Pastor Knox likens salvation to diabetes. He says that saying you're sorry, while drinking 32 ounce Cokes every day won't cure your diabetes. He says exercising in the gym won't help your diabetes, if you're stopping off to eat a half dozen sugary doughnuts on the way home. Sadly, he applies this to salvation, teaching that “If they're not going to give up the things that are the reason they need Jesus, He can't help them. You've got to repent!” (19:56 time in video). This is a false gospel. Pastor Knox is sinfully teaching that you must forsake your sins, for which Christ died, or else God will not save you on those terms.

“Do you know why it's hard to know if people get saved or not anymore? It's because we've given them this option of salvation without repentance. You don't see a changed life, because no changed life was expected. No changed life was required.” SOURCE: Pastor James Knox, “Repent And Believe The Gospel: What Is Repentance?” (58:22 time in YouTube sermon video)

What a confused man! Pastor Knox accuses the free grace only crowd (true Christians like me and Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold) of giving people an "option" to be saved WITHOUT REPENTANCE. Clearly, James Knox does not believe that faith alone is sufficient to go to Heaven. According to Pastor Knox's false teaching, you must also give up your sins to be saved. I hope you see the danger of what he is preaching.

If forsaking a sinful lifestyle were required to get to Heaven, then the Apostle John would have said so in the Gospel of John, but he didn't. John said that people who do evil won't come to the light of the truth to be saved, lest their deeds should be reproved (John 3:20). So if someone believes on Christ, they have repented (i.e., they have changed their mind from unbelief to belief). Who is John Knox to ADD an extra step to God's simple plan of salvation?

It is a counterfeit gospel to teach that a person must repent AND believe. No, the Bible says we repent TO believe. Repentance is never a separate act from believing! That is why the Gospel of John doesn't mention repentance at all. The man who believes has repented. He has changed his mind toward God (Acts 20:21), acknowledging the truth (2nd Timothy 2:25-26). Beware of Pastor James Knox and The Bible Baptist Church he heretically leads.

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The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

1st Corinthians 15:14, “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.”

Christ Died on the cross, was Buried and Resurrected the Third Day

Heresy has crept into many churches today. We are hearing many unbiblical teachings; such as, to be saved you need to “Invite Christ into your life,” or “Ask Jesus to come into your heart,” or “Follow Jesus,” or “Invite Christ to be the Lord of your life,” et cetera. None of these are the Gospel by which we are saved. The apostle Paul said in 1st Corinthians 1:17, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

We are saved by believing the Gospel. 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.” 1st Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” Amen! We are saved by BELIEVING THE GOSPEL! So what exactly is the Gospel? There is no need to guess or wonder what the Gospel is, because God tells us plainly in the Holy Bible:
“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” (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
Something that I love about God is that He doesn't leave us wondering how to be saved. Although the Bible is open to interpretation on many subjects, God has given us clear and concise instructions how to be saved, that is, BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!!!

As we just learned in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, the Gospel is three things: Christ DIED on the cross for our sins. Second, He was BURIED. And thirdly, Jesus bodily RESURRECTED from the dead on the third day. Amen! This is the Good News, which is what the word “Gospel” means. The Gospel is the Glad Tidings of Christ crucified, buried and risen for everyone's sins. Romans 10:15, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” The Gospel brings peace between God and man, by the blood of Jesus. Romans 5:1 and 9, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ... Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Have you been saved my friend? Have you been born-again by the Holy Spirit of God, through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If not, then now is the time... right here, right now! Please, don't go to Hell friend. Simply acknowledge that you are a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God and believe the Gospel. 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. Receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full-payment for your sins, believing that He miraculously raised up from the dead 72 hours later for your justification!!!

Simply believe and the work is done! 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.” God had to make getting saved simple, otherwise simple people couldn't understand it. Bless God, He made salvation so easy and simple that even a young child can believe the Gospel and be 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.”

The only prerequisite to believing the Gospel is that you realize you are a guilty sinner in God's eyes. Notice in 1st Corinthians 15:3 that Christ died FOR OUR SINS. 1st John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” You must know what you are being saved from! You cannot turn north without turning away from some other direction.

Likewise, you cannot turn to Jesus Christ by faith without at the same time turning your back again unbelief, sin, intellectualism, pride, religion, or whatever was hindering you from coming to the light of the Gospel to be saved. This is repentance, a change of mind. Repentance doesn't mean forsaking the world, giving up sinful bad habits, nor does it mean being willing to reform or turn away from one's sins.

The modern English meaning of the word “repent” is to feel sorrow and turn away from sin. However, the Biblical Greek meaning of “repent” is very different, simply meaning “a change of mind.” People change their mind about hundreds of things all the time. There are many reasons why most people won't come to Jesus Christ to be saved. The Bible commands them to repent (think different) and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.

Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” You don't get saved by repenting, you get saved by putting your trust in Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable, like two sides of the same coin. When you believe, you have repented. If you didn't repent, you'd never believe. They happen together, simultaneously. Anyone who separates repentance from faith, requiring you to reform your sinful ways as a step to being saved, is preaching a false plan of salvation! We don't repent AND believe; we repent TO believe!

The Gospel according to the Scriptures is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He was buried and rose from the dead three days later. There is ONLY one true Gospel! ...
Galatians 1:6-9, “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. 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.”
There are many different gospels being taught in churches today, which are perverted and accursed of God. I have shown you the true Gospel from 1st Corinthians 15:1-4.

The word “Gospel” means “Glad Tidings” or “Good News.” Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ. He has paid the price for our redemption.


Gods Imputed Righteousness (Romans 4:4-7)
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The Bizarre Teaching That People In The Old Testament Were Saved By Works

Romans 4:1-5, “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.”

Perhaps the biggest fool who preached the Devil's untruth that people were saved by works under the Mosaic law was Pastor Peter S. Ruckman (1921-2016). Sadly, he has an army of dingleberry followers; such false teachers as, Pastor William P. Grady. This man is a dangerous false prophet who ought not be allowed to speak behind any pulpit. Listen to Dr. Grady for yourself teach that no one in the Old Testament ever had eternal security. Bill Grady teaches a salvation without Jesus. It is hard for me to know that Dr. Grady was one of my Bible professors at Hyles-Anderson College in the late 1980's, for “Biographies Of Great Men.” Dr. Grady is an excellent history teacher, but sucks as a Bible professor!

I cannot warn everyone enough to avoid Peter Ruckman, William Grady (a die hard Ruckmanite), Robert Breaker (a graduate of Ruckman's cult), Bible Baptist Church in Pensacola (founded by Peter Ruckman) and other infidel heretics in the religious world today. These are stooges, not men of God. Robert Breaker is extremely popular on YouTube, who has amassed tens of thousands of followers. In 2016, 2017 and other years Mr. Breaker foolishly set dates for the Rapture, which obviously didn't happen.

Only a false prophet sets a date for Jesus' return, which sadly includes Pastor Steven Anderson! Brother Anderson errantly teaches that the Rapture will happen 75 DAYS after the prophetic event known in the Bible as the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15). Kindly said, that is incompetence in the pulpit. Thankfully, Pastor Anderson is correct on a free grace Gospel, minus his false teaching that praying is the Bible method to be saved. RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!!!

Romans 4:4 plainly teaches that if salvation at any time in human civilization had ever been by works, then God owed that individual eternal life as a debt reward, and it could not have been a gift given freely by grace. We know that salvation has always been solely by God's grace.

Acts 10:43 plainly teaches that “all the prophets” give witness that remission (Greek: aphesis, which means: “freedom”) of sins came only though faith in Christ. It has always been only through faith in the Messiah that anyone has ever received freedom from the condemnation of God, which our sins have brought upon ourselves. There is freedom in Christ dear reader! John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Please reject the strange doctrine that says people were saved by works during the Old Testament, because it is absolutely false. And please avoid any false teacher in the clergy who has succumbed to this Satanic damnable doctrine. Salvation has always been and always will be by God's grace without works. Galatians 1:6-9 is very clear that there has always been only one Gospel, not multiple plans of salvation.

Furthermore, I am tired of hearing liars claim that Peter and James preached a different plan of salvation than Paul and Jesus. It is simply not true; they all preached THE SAME plan of salvation for Jews and Gentiles alike, which is through faith in Jesus Christ. Nowhere does the inspired King James Bible teach that people were saved by works under the Mosaic law, nor that there were multiple plans of salvation. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

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To “Repent Of Your Sins” To Be Saved Is Another Gospel

Galatians 3:24-26, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Every incompetent pastor who errantly teaches that to get to Heaven you must first, “Repent of your sins,” is preaching ANOTHER GOSPEL (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). To tell someone to “Repent of your sins” to be saved is to be guilty of mixing the law with grace, instead of correctly using the law to lead lost sinners to grace (Galatians 3:24-26).

I thank God for doctrinally sound preachers like Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)...

(Pastor Jack Hyles; chapter 7 from 'Salvation Is More Than Being Saved')
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What Is True Bible Repentance To Be Saved?

2nd Timothy 2:25-26, “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Carefully notice in our text passage of Scripture that repentance means to acknowledge THE TRUTH. This has nothing to do with turning from your sins, nor forsaking the world, nor being willing to turn from sin, nor feeling sorry for your sins, nor having a desire to forsake sinful bad habits, because these things constitute WORKS (Jonah 3:10).

Repentance is a change of mind to acknowledge THE TRUTH of two things: 1) You are a needy SINNER, and 2) Jesus is the only SAVIOR. Anyone who comes to God as a needy SINNER, and by faith takes God at His written Word in the Holy Bible—to receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full-payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried, but then raised up three days later—is instantly, irrevocably and forever saved. You have God's PROMISE of it (1st Corinthians 1:21; Titus 1:2; 1st Corinthians 15:1-6).

Most churches today have adopted a Roman Catholic interpretation of repentance, which includes penance, forsaking sinful living and changing one's ways to be saved. The Bible teaches something VERY different. Biblical repentance unto life simply means “a change of mind,” that is, a change of mind about whatever was hindering you from coming to the Lord to be saved. John 3:20 says that sin hinders people from coming to the light (Jesus, John 8:12) to be saved, because people living in sin don't want to be reproved and told they are wrong. When a man repents, he acknowledges that he is a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God, and so now he comes to Christ by faith to be saved.

Repentance simply means that you acknowledge your sinnership and thus need for Christ to save you. 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.” We are saved by believing, not by repenting, but we wouldn't believe if we didn't repent. This is why the words “believe” and “believed” appear 85 times in the Gospel of John, but the word “repent” is never mentioned even once.

A person MUST repent to be saved, but repentance does NOT mean changing your sinful ways and turning over a new leaf for God. Repentance simply facilitates believing. That is, repentance makes believing possible, and they happen simultaneously. Repentance and faith are not the same thing, but they happen at the same time. The man who believes has repented; the man who repents has believed. I am worried about the salvation of umpteen Independent Baptists in our churches today, who have told me that they don't think believing the Gospel is enough to be saved. They have been caught-up into the damnable heresy of Roman Catholicism.

One Baptist man who teaches in a local Bible college said to me a few months ago, “I think there needs to be a little bit more.” That is, he believes it is NOT enough to trust upon Christ's death on the cross for our sins, His burial and bodily resurrection three days later to save us. This is the Gospel (Good News) according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. That foolish man also believes that you must purpose in your heart to stop living in a lifestyle of sin, to get to Heaven. The guy needs to get saved! My friend, there is a fine line between Christianity and the religion of the cults. Grace is not earned, it is offered!

Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) correctly understood repentance . . .
“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. Harry A. 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
All that God requires for salvation is that we receive Christ's death, burial and resurrection as full-payment for our sins. Concerning salvation, “repentance” does NOT mean to cease from sinful bad habits, nor turn over a new leaf, nor make a full surrender to Christ, nor to forsake the world, nor to even be willing to turn away from sinning. A person may do all of these things and yet never have believed the Gospel at all. The Gospel is Good News to simply be believed, and not conditions to be achieved.

Dr. Mark G. Cambron Is 100% Correct On Repentance

Acts 20:21, “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here is an excellent and needful writing by Bible Professor Mark G. Cambron (1911-2000) on the subject of REPENTANCE. Please read the following quote carefully, because Dr. Cambron is one of few theologian who gets it right, that is, he understands the simplicity of the Gospel and that repentance does not mean turning from sin as proponents of Lordship Salvation foolishly teach...
Repentance is necessary for salvation.

The Greek word for repent is metanoeo, which, translated into English is: to change ones mind. It does not mean to turn from sin. That would add works to salvation.

Repentance for salvation means a change of mind from men's ideas of salvation and religion, to an acceptance of Gods only way of salvation.

This results in a completely new creation, not a reformation of the old. The old nature remains as evil as ever after salvation and has not been reformed . . . The old nature can now be controlled by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

God guarantees salvation. This is His gift to us.

God guarantees reward and fruit to the obedient son.

God guarantees chastening and loss of rewards to the disobedient son.

God does not cast out disobedient children, but in some cases, does take them home. He does not permit His children to live as they please without His discipline and guidance.
Many teach repentance for salvation incorrectly, by including some form of human effort or righteousness, such as willingness to turn from sin, or turning from sin. This is heresy and has confused many people. It adds works to salvation and causes many to not understand Gods great gift. It is probation, not salvation. It is completely unscriptural. It is Galatianism and a counterfeit of the gospel.

It is a tragedy that many Christians live shallow Christian lives. The Cambron Institute is dedicated to the task of training Christian men and women in the importance of total dedication and making Jesus the Lord of their lives not to be saved but because they are saved.
Shallow Christianity cannot be cured by adding works to salvation.

Salvation is not the result of what we do, but is by receiving what God has done for us. Acts 13:38-39; Acts 20:20: Galatians 1:8-9; Galatians 2:4; Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:1-3; Galatians 5:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-10; II Corinthians 5:21; John 3:16-18; Philippians 3:9; Titus 3:5-8; II Corinthians 11:13-15.
Professor Cambron taught at Tennessee Temple University for many years, and then went to work teaching at Florida Bible College in Tampa, Florida until his went to Heaven in 2011. Dr. Cambron was exactly right about repentance. The best way to interpret the Bible is to let it speak for itself. There is no mystery what the word “repent” means in the Greek. As Dr. Cambron points out, repent means “a change of mind,” nothing more or less.

What Repentance Is Not

Repentance is NOT a change of lifestyle. I think Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1951) of the Moody Memorial Church said it very well...
“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. Consider further the following awesome quote by Dr. Ironside...
“The Gospel is not a call to repentance, or to amendment of our ways, to make restitution for past sins, or to promise to do better in the future. These things are proper in their place, but they do not constitute the Gospel; for the Gospel is not good advice to be obeyed, it is good news to be believed. Do not make the mistake then of thinking that the Gospel is a call to duty or a call to reformation, a call to better your condition, to behave yourself in a more perfect way than you have been doing in the past …

Nor is the Gospel a demand that you give up the world, that you give up your sins, that you break off bad habits, and try to cultivate good ones. You may do all these things, and yet never believe the Gospel and consequently never be saved at all.”

SOURCE: Harry A. Ironside, from the sermon: What Is The Gospel?
Sadly, Moody Ministries today (65 years after Dr. Ironside's pastorate) has become doctrinally corrupted by false prophets such as John MacArthur (they publish all of MacArthur's new books and have honored him at their Founder's Week for many years). MacArthur plainly teaches a false plan of salvation in his book HARD TO BELIEVE...
“There's no room for passive spectators: words without actions are empty and futile... The life we live, not the words we speak, determines our eternal destiny" (Hard to Believe, p. 93).”
First, it is not hard to believe. The reason why most people aren't saved is NOT because it is hard; but rather, because they love their sins and won't come to Jesus to be saved (John 3:20; 5:40).

Second, the upright life that we try to live as believers is the FRUIT of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and not a part of the ROOT of saving faith. We live right because WE ARE saved, not TO BE saved. The Holy Bible teaches that Jesus Christ lives the Christian life through us. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” The life we live cannot get us to Heaven, because God does NOT accept works of self-righteousness. 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.”

We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (that is, Christ's robe of righteousness), and not our own. I try to live upright because I love my Lord and don't want to grieve Him. I fail horribly sometimes, and it makes me mad at myself, and I get up and ask God to help me to do much better. That's how the Christian life is lived, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Even the best Christians are still sinners who battle daily with the flesh.

(a doctrinally-sound book by Pastor Jack Hyles)

The word “repent” (metanoeo, such as in Mark 1:15, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel”), simply means “a change of mind.” Evangelist David Cloud errantly defines the meaning as “a change of mind that results in a change of life.” That's not what the Bible teaches. Biblically, a changed life is the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which is not required for salvation.

I think Michael P. Bowen, in his excellent defense of the Christian faith titled, I NEVER KNEW YOU, says it best. ...
I am at eternal odds with the false, counterfeit messages of salvation-by-works that are taught from virtually every pulpit today, on every television channel, and on every Christian radio station; however, I am not at eternal odds with the individuals who preach these counterfeit messages. My heart literally goes out to all of them because they simply do not understand Christ’s plan of salvation. They have been lied to by a crafty enemy named Satan, whose sole aim is to take as many people with him to the lake of fire as he can possibly manage to steal away from God using a counterfeit plan of salvation that appears so real, so genuine, and so holy that few ever realize they have been deceived by it. Oh reader, so many of today’s professing Christians who think they are going to heaven when they die are not going to make it to heaven as they had assumed because they’ve been lied to by today’s error-filled gospel messages.

SOURCE: Michael Patrick Bowen, I NEVER KNEW YOU, p. 17; © 2009, Xulonpress.com. Hard Copies Available
A tree without fruit is still a tree with roots. This is evidenced by the parable of the sower and the seed in Luke 8:12-15. Of the four groups, only the first are unsaved, because the Devil removed the seed from their heart before it could sprout into new life. The second and third group represent believers who never mature to bear fruit (leading others to Christ). They never mature into fruit-bearing Christians because of shallow roots, or because they are choked by the cares, riches and pleasures of this life. Ah, but the fourth group mature, having an honest heart, keeping the Lord's Word, bearing much fruit unto Christ (John 15:1-7). Just because the second and third groups don't bear fruit doesn't mean that they are not saved, as Ray Comfort and David Cloud errantly teach.

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