When A Free Gift Is Not Really A Free Gift

Romans 5:17-18, “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

A gift is not really a gift when Bob Jones University teaches about salvation. I have listened to dozens of sermons this week, preached to the students of Bob Jones University from 'The Daily Platform.' In my humble opinion, it is a disgrace what Evangelist Steve Pettit has done to destroy Bob Jones University spiritually. I was shocked the other day when I heard Dr. Pettit teaching Lordship Salvation to 2,700 impressionable students. We've got a whole generation of devils coming up in America, who will corrupt the churches because of the Satanic influence of BJU!

I read an article this week by 'Psychology Today' titled: “The 5 Types Of Gift Givers.” Bob Jones University's false gospel would describe the third type of false gift giver—“THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING”...
“The Wolf likes gift-giving to be even-steven—especially in terms of money spent—so beware of possible posturing or pouting if he or she is disappointed.”
SOURCE: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tech-support/201312/the-5-types-gift-givers
Here is a heretical quote from Bob's Jones Statement of Faith:
With regard to the doctrine of Soteriology: 
We believe Scripture teaches that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Eph. 2:4–10; Rom. 3:21–26; Titus 3:5) and apart from any human work of righteousness (Phil. 3:9). God offers this salvation freely to all men who are willing to repent and turn from their sins (Acts 3:19, 17:30) and place their full faith and trust in the atonement Christ made by His finished work on the Cross (Luke 24:46–48, Heb. 9:11–15, 10:10–14). [emphasis added] 
SOURCE: BJU Statements of Faith
As you see, Bob Jones University are 'THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING,' who teach that God demands something in return from you for His free gift of eternal life. They say you must be willing to repent and turn from your sins!!! BJU falsely says that God requires an exchange, something in return, you must pay the price of repentance from your sins! Ladies and gentlemen, the Devil is running Bob Jones College today!

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. Would Be Ashamed Of Bob Jones College Today

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) himself taught something very different than what the college teaches today! Dr. Bob Jones Sr. taught salvation through simple faith in Jesus Christ, none of this “turn from your sins” crap that heretics' Steve Pettit, John MacArthur, Bob Jones University, Ray Comfort and Calvinists are all teaching! Dr. Jones rightly says:
“God gives you eternal life when you take Him. Eternal life is wrapped up in Christ. 'He that hath the Son hath life.' There is just one difference between a Christian and a sinner. A Christian has Christ and a sinner does not have Him. That is the only difference. All you need is Jesus. It is all in Jesus! If you will take Him, He will blot out all your sins. If you take Him, He will give you a new nature. If you take Him, He will go with you along the journey of life. He will be with you when you are tempted. He will put arms of power around you and give you the victory. '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.” —Dr. Bob Jones Sr., “Things I Have Learned: Chapel Talks,” page 223; Bob Jones University Press, ©1945
I have read the entire book by Dr. Bob Jones Sr. titled: “THINGS I HAVE LEARNED,” and there is nothing about “turning from sins” to be saved. The last chapter of the book is titled, “HOW ARE WE SAVED?” There is no mention of “repenting of your sins” or being “willing to turn from your sins” to receive the free gift of eternal life. The foolish Bob Jones University crowd have been BEWITCHED!!! (Galatians 3:1-3). Oh foolish Bob Jonians, who hath bewitched you, that you should follow another gospel? Oh foolish Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, whom I dearly love so much, who hath bewitched you that you should believe another gospel? Galatians 4:16, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”
“Salvation is not a bargain, it is a gift... Sin is not accepting the gift!”
(Dr. Jack Hyles, a quote from the great MP3 sermon, “The Gifts Of God Are Everlasting Life And Eternal Life”)

God Is A Genuine Gift Giver

Psychology Today lists, “The 5 Types Of Gift Givers.” The Lord is 'The Genuine Giver.' Psychology Today says this about 'The Genuine Giver'...
“If you are lucky enough to have one or two of these folks in your life, it’s time for rejoicing. The genuine giver has actually thought about you and what would give you pleasure.” 
SOURCE: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tech-support/201312/the-5-types-gift-givers
What did Jesus say? John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Bob Jones University is 'The Thief.' Jesus warned us about 'The Thief' in John 10:1, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” God is 'The Genuine Gift Giver,' who wants to give everyone eternal life, to give us pleasure. Bob Jones University is doing the work of Satan, falsely claiming that God is 'The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing,' who demands that you be willing to pay the price of forsaking your sinful behavior, in exchange for His gift. Do you really believe that God is a 'Wolf In Sheep's Clothing?' Do you believe that the gift of eternal life requires an exchange for your sinful bad habits?

Eternal life is a free gift, with no strings attached. There are no obligations. Dr. Steve Pettit sinfully teaches that you “MUST PERSEVERE” (his exact words) in holiness, ministry and service to others to get the “award” of Heaven. That's exactly what he calls Heaven, an “award.” What a false prophet! Heaven is not an award, it is a free gift! When corrupted BJU chapel speakers talk about “grace,” they don't get grace!!! Nobody gets grace who teaches that Heaven in an “award” for those who faithfully “run the race” and “persevere” to finish it! BJU is preaching another gospel!!!

All that is required is that you come to God by faith as a needy sinner, to accept His free gift, by receiving the resurrected Savior's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins. You don't have to be willing to turn from your sins, which would be an exchange, and not really a gift! God is a genuine gift giver, and not a wolf in sheep's clothing!


(Dr. Jones said he'd blow the college up!)

(Dr. Steve Pettit is a damnable heretic!)

(The Gospel is very specific and easily corrupted!)

(Dr. Bob Jones Sr. got it right)
“It's not the size of my faith that gets me to Heaven, it's the object of my faith!”
 —Pastor Ralph 'Yankee' Arnold; a quote from the MP3 sermon, “Where Is Faith?
 

The Gift Of Eternal Life Is Not A Trade Or Exchange

Ephesians 2:8-10, “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Many false teachers are saying that getting saved requires you to give up your sins, and to surrender everything to Christ as your “Lord, which is another gospel. The Bible does not teach that nonsense. Here is a helpful quote from Pastor Jack Hyles, refuting the false doctrine of Lordship Salvation:
“Lordship salvation would make salvation a trade or a deal or maybe even a bribe.  It would take away the simple reception of Christ for eternal life and would become God giving us something if we give Him something.  God would say to us, 'You give Me something; I'll give you something.  We will trade, and you will be saved.'  Salvation is not my giving God something and God giving me something; salvation is God giving me something and my receiving it. Romans 6:23, 'For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.'” —Pastor Jack Hyles, “Lordship Salvation” (chapter 11 from his book: “Salvation Is More Than Being Saved”)
In his popular 1988 book titled, “The Gospel According to Jesus,” Pastor John MacArthur even heretically uses the word exchange concerning being saved:
“Thus in a sense we pay the ultimate price for salvation when our sinful self is nailed to a cross. . . . It is an exchange of all that we are for all that Christ is. And it denotes implicit obedience, full surrender to the lordship of Christ. Nothing less can qualify as saving faith.” [emphasis added] —Pastor John MacArthur; The Gospel According to Jesus, p. 140
Salvation is not an exchange! Receiving the free gift of eternal life is not a trade. John MacArthur is preaching another gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works! 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. Salvation is received, not achieved! Religion is man trying to reach God through human effort, but Christianity is God trying to reach man by the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the cross.

Please beware of anyone who teaches that God requires something FROM YOU in return, or as a condition, of receiving His gift. I was disgusted the other day while listening to Pacific Garden Mission's popular radio program called 'UNSHACKLED.' Pacific Garden Mission is troubling Chicago with their perverted gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works. Don't take my word for it, read this sickening transcript from UNSHACKLED:
Program #3625 - Aired in 2020 (the story of Cydanni Ade; she takes a stroll on the beach and meets a stranger, to whom she starts discussing her struggle with truth.) Here is some of their interaction....
Cydanni Ade: “I know, you're going to tell me He [Jesus] loves me unconditionally, and wants to be my Savior.” 
Stranger On The Beach: “Yes and no!” 
Cydanni Ade: “What?” 
Stranger On The Beach: “He does love people, but Him becoming your Savior HAS CONDITIONS!” 
Cydanni Ade: “I've always heard He loves everyone unconditionally.” 
Stranger On The Beach: “Then, why does He call us to repent? If God loves everybody unconditionally, then you can do whatever you want, and believe whatever you think.” 
Cydanni Ade: “I know that's not true!” 
Stranger On The Beach: “Right! So, God placed an absolute condition, by which He requires, commands all people everywhere, to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ, and live for Him!” 
Cydanni Ade: “Huh.” [emphasis added]
SOURCE: Program #3625 - Aired in 2020 (the story of Cydanni Ade)
Dear reader, there are NO CONDITIONS of salvation, except to freely RECEIVE God's free gift! You don't even have to “ask” God to forgive you! That's right, you don't need to ask God to forgive your sins, because Jesus has already paid for them with His blood. That is why God is offering eternal life to everyone as a free gift! The debt has been paid in full. Your sins have been completely paid for, and all you have to do is receive God's gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Just take it by faith! You don't have to ask God to save you, because He is already asking you! He simply wants you to receive His gift, by taking Him at His Word as recorded in the Scriptures.

Kindly said, another big time heretic today is Dr. Steve Pettit (president of Bob Jones University since 2014). Dr. Pettit is subtle in his words, deceptively changing the Word of God into a lie. Read what he says:
“...faith in Jesus is not just an intellectual conviction, it is a personal commitment. Paul says, we have believed in Jesus, and the word 'in' literally means 'into' ...I am taking my life, my eternity, my destiny, everything, and I am placing it into Christ.” [emphasis added] —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741)
This is not true! So if you intellectually believe the Gospel you are not saved? That is what he says, that you must MAKE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT to Christ to receive God's gift. How do you have faith intellectually, but not be saved? That makes no sense. What saith the Scripture? 2nd Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Notice carefully that the Bible does not say Paul made a commitment to Christ; but rather, he committed the keeping of his soul into Christ's hands. The word “commitment” means “a deposit” (trust), which Dr. Pettit gets correct. We are depositing our trust in Christ for salvation. However, Dr. Pettit is perverting the Gospel when he says that we must deposit “everything” into Christ to be saved:
“I am taking my life, my eternity, my destiny, everything, and I am placing it into Christ.” [emphasis added] —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741)
That is not the Gospel of free grace! If I am required to place EVERYTHING in my life into Christ to receive His gift, then that is really a trade, because I am obligated to give Him something too! I am so sick of this Lordship Salvation garbage!!! I love Dr. Pettit and his family, and all the family at Bob Jones University, and my former beloved church family at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam (before they excommunicated me in 2014 for telling the truth, as I am still doing now in this article). Eternal life is the free gift of God. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) got the Gospel right! Dr. Bob said, “The gift of eternal life is wrapped in the wonderful package of Jesus.” Boy, I love that! If you want God's gift of eternal life, then you must accept it in the package of Jesus Christ! Dr. Bob Jones Sr. said in 1944 that he would blow Bob Jones College to smithereens (MP4), if he could in 50 years, if they ever let an infidel like Dr. Steve Pettit come in and rob the saints of their faith!

The Gospel means GOOD NEWS! It is the Good News that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. He was buried, and three days later He bodily resurrected by the miraculous power of God. Jesus is the sinless only begotten Son of God, the Christ (John 20:31), who paid your debt of sin, and mine (2nd Corinthians 5:21), so we could freely have eternal life as a gift (Romans 6:23). How awesome is that? You and I are guilty sinners (Romans 3:19-20). As such, we are also needy sinners! We need redemption. We need a Savior! It is absolutely impossible for anyone to save them self. No human being has ever done so, because all have sinned against God (Romans 3:23). 

We have a wonderful Savior, who has already laid down His life for every ungodly sinner (Romans 5:6-9). If you will receive Him this moment Oh sinner, receiving His sacrifice upon the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He is bodily risen from the dead, and that is your only hope for Heaven and eternal life, then you are saved! SIMPLE BELIEVE ON THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS!!! John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” 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.” Do you believe friend?

Here is an awesome quote from Dr. Jack Hyles, refuting the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation:
“In conclusion, notice the vanity and pride involved in one testifying to his salvation who believes in Lordship salvation.  He is saying, "I have made Jesus my Lord."  That means that Jesus controls his life and he is totally yielded.  My, what a statement for a person to make about himself!  On the other hand, notice the humility in the person's testimony who says, "I am saved because I received Christ as my Saviour."  He is talking about a salvation that he did not merit.  He did nothing to receive it except receive it.  It was a gift.  Whereas, if we had to give something to God to get something in return, he and God made a trade and his salvation is earned.” —Pastor Jack Hyles, “Lordship Salvation” (chapter 11 from his book: “Salvation Is More Than Being Saved”)
Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are a gift from God. It is no different than a Christmas present resting under the Christmas tree on December 25th, with your name on it, just waiting for some lucky dog to open it. You lucky dog you!

Beware Of The “Living A Lifestyle” To Be Saved Fraud

KING JAMES BIBLE (KJB) - 1st Corinthians 15:2, “By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.”

ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV) - 1st Corinthians 15:2, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION (GNT) - 1st Corinthians 1:18, “For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power.”

I intentionally quoted three different revisions of the Holy Bible, to show you why I hate the modern Bible revisions, and only use the inspired King James Bible. Notice that the ESV (which Bob Jones University uses, sells and endorses) reads, “ARE BEING SAVED,” whereas the accurate King James Bible says, “ARE SAVED.” Now there's a big difference between “ARE SAVED” and “BEING SAVED.” Getting saved is instantaneous, not a process. Beware of the deadly Lordship Salvation crowd today who deceitfully preach about salvation by grace through faith, while simultaneously preaching that you must “surrender everything” to receive the free gift of eternal life. For example: President of Bob Jones University, Dr. Steve Pettit heretically says:
“I am taking my life, my eternity, my destiny, everything, and I am placing it into Christ.” —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” ('The Daily Platform,' chapel sermon #741)
That is not the Gospel of free grace. Salvation is a TAKE proposition, not a GIVE proposition Salvation is received, not achieved! You don't have to give your life and EVERYTHING to Christ to be saved. That is complicated Lordship Salvation, not the simple childlike faith of John 3:16. There is a very deadly teaching which has become prevalent in many churches and Bible colleges nowadays, which teaches that you must LIVE A CERTAIN TYPE OF LIFESTYLE to be saved.

One of the most deadly false prophets today is Evangelist Ray Comfort, who actually uses the phrase “LIVING A LIFESTYLE” while witnessing to a woman. In the following YouTube video clip, look at the BIG LIE Evangelist Ray Comfort tells this poor deceived woman passenger on an airplane. Kindly, Ray says that “repentance” means “LIVING A LIFESTYLE THAT PROVES THE REALITY OF YOUR REPENTANCE!” And then he adds, “IT'S A CONTINUAL THING!” Read for yourself what Mr. Comfort horribly teaches this woman, in this transcript from the Living Waters video:
“So if the plane goes down, you'd end up in Hell! There are two things you have to do to be saved. Do you remember what they are? I told you what they are—You've got to repent and trust the Savior! ... God's offering you everlasting life upon your repentance and faith in Christ. Who in his right mind wouldn't say, 'Whoa! That's a good offer!' (The curious woman asks what it means to “repent”?)... Have you ever said you're sorry to someone you did something wrong to? That's all repentance is—You've sinned against God; it's a matter of saying, 'God, I'm sorry,' and then LIVING A LIFESTYLE that proves the reality of your repentance. That's what repentance is, it's a continual thing! God, 'I'm sorry, but I'm not going going to lie or steal or blaspheme Your name ever again. It has that attitude! And the second thing—trust in Jesus!” [emphasis added] Evangelist Ray Comfort, “I've never killed anyone” (MP3 clip from video).
What a heavy, heavy burden to place upon a sinner!!! Jesus came to save us from our sins (Luke 19:10), not we from ourselves. Dear reader, I triple-dog dare you to show me even one verse from the Holy Bible that teaches that “LIVING A LIFESTYLE” is required as part of being saved. You cannot! Ray Comfort is a theological liar! Now my friend, “a double-dog dare” is serious business, but a triple-dog dare is something you don't want to mess around with! I triple-dog dare you to show me even one Bible verse that agrees with these false statements by Ray Comfort. Biblical repentance regarding salvation is a simple change of mind, nothing more or less.

The Gospel of John is God's Gospel track. 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.” PLEASE DON'T MISS THAT! God authored the Gospel of John specifically so “that believing ye might have life through his name.” That means we don't need any other Scripture than what is found in the Gospel of John to be saved. Where in the Gospel of John are we taught that, “LIVING A LIFESTYLE,” is necessary to receive eternal life? You cannot! Mr. Comfort is a bold-faced theological liar! Ray is ADDING to the Gospel, perverting it! This means Mr. Comfort is accursed by God. Galatians 1:9, “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.” I didn't say that, almighty God did!

Our Baptist churches are in big trouble nowadays. Heresy is flooding in by the hour!!! Satan is always trying to corrupt the Bible, corrupt the Gospel, corrupt the preacher, and corrupt the churches, so he can corrupt people and prevent them from being born-again. The chapel sermon I heard today was a completely different story than the other day, titled “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741). At 18:15 time in the sermon Dr. Pettit makes these horrible statements on how to be justified:
“So I want to ask you, have you come to a genuine acknowledgment before God almighty of your sinfulness? Secondly, you have to change the way you view yourself. We call that 'repentance.' And repentance is sort of saying a 'No' and a 'Yes.'  It's a turning AWAY FROM and a turning TO. What am I turning away from? I'm turning away from my own self-righteousness. I'm to turning away from depending on me, and all that's involved in me—self-righteousness, self-will, self-assertion, living my own life—I'm to turning away from that way of thinking. And then finally what do I have to do? I'm to put my trust, or my confidence, in Jesus alone.” [emphasis added] —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741)
What you just read is of the Devil. Jesus told the Apostle Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23b). So I say to Steve Pettit, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” What saith the Scripture? Acts 16:30-31, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The Bible teaches something very different than what Dr. Steve Pettit is teaching! Steve Pettit says you must turn away from living your own life to be saved. That is a doctrine of devils! That is LIVING A LIFESTYLE to be saved!!! Kindly said, Steve Pettit is a devil-dog preacher! My eternal destination is not based upon how I live my life, it's on whom that I trust to save me!!! Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.

The folks at the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam are upset with me, because I am exposing their hero, Steve Pettit. Harvest broadcasts Bob Jones University's (BJU) 'The Daily Platform' program on their local KHMG 88.1 FM radio station. The people of Micronesia are being corrupted by Harvest Baptist Church, as I just showed you. This junk theology is being aired throughout the islands! This is another gospel, not the simplicity that is in Christ (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). 

According to Dr. Steve Pettit, it is not enough to admit you're a sinner and believe the 'GOOD NEWS' of Christ crucified, buried and risen; but also, Mr. Pettit adds an additional step of surrendering your life to Christ! That is how he errantly redefines faith. That is the same garbage which Dr. John MacArthur teaches! Folks, God does not require you to turn away from “LIVING MY OWN LIFE” to be saved. What Dr. Pettit is doing is combining discipleship with salvation, front-loading the Gospel. It's like expecting a newborn baby to run a 26 mile marathon! Here are some excellent quotes differentiating between discipleship and salvation

I love you dear friend with God's unconditional love, and I don't want anyone to go to Hell forever. Our holy God demands justice, and you will spend eternity paying for your own sins in Hell, if you die in them (John 8:24). I'd much rather die in the Lord (Revelation 13:14). Anyone who comes along preaching that you must live a lifestyle of repentance (as does Ray Comfort), or faithfully run the race to the finish (as does Steve Pettit), or says you must follow Jesus no matter what the cost (as does John MacArthur) is preaching ANOTHER GOSPEL of the Devil.

Christ Died For Our Sins According To The Scriptures

1st Corinthians 15:3, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”

I love what the Apostle Paul said—ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES! That is why I very often say, “What saith the Scripture?” It doesn't matter what I think, or what you think, or what anybody else thinks, all that matters is what God thinks! Romans 3:3-4, “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Just because someone refuses to believe God's Word, doesn't make it untrue! Just because a man refuses to accept the reality of Hell, doesn't make it a myth! The Bible says let God be true, but every man a liar. I don't know about you my friend, but I agree with God!

Our churches these days are absolutely overrun with the heresy that you must “turn from your sins to be saved, or be willing to turn from your sins” to be saved. The Bible calls them all liars! The Apostle Paul made a big deal of the fact that he was quoting THE SCRIPTURES! What saith the Scripture? Paul said that Christ died for our sins, “according to the Scriptures.” That is the truth! CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE!!! That is the truth of the Gospel. Jesus died, was buried and resurrected three days later, “according to the Scriptures.” Jesus DIED FOR OUR SINS, “according to the Scriptures.” The Bible does not say anything about being required to TURN FROM YOUR SINS to receive God's free gift of eternal life. So why do ungodly religious men embellish the Gospel, and add this unbiblical requirement? Case in point is Bob Jones University. The following is a quote from their Statement of Faith:
With regard to the doctrine of Soteriology:
We believe Scripture teaches that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Eph. 2:4–10; Rom. 3:21–26; Titus 3:5) and apart from any human work of righteousness (Phil. 3:9). God offers this salvation freely to all men who are willing to repent and turn from their sins (Acts 3:19, 17:30) and place their full faith and trust in the atonement Christ made by His finished work on the Cross (Luke 24:46–48, Heb. 9:11–15, 10:10–14). [emphasis added] 
SOURCE: BJU Statements of Faith
What you just read is not according to the Scriptures! Oh my, that is a perversion of grace! Bob Jones University has it WRONG! Oh what a heavy burden to lay upon sinner's shoulders! This is far from the Gospel. Lordship Salvation is an entirely different mindset than the free grace Gospel. In God's legitimate plan of salvation, you simply acknowledge that you are a needy sinner and receive the risen Savior's sacrifice upon the cross 2,000 years ago as payment for your sins. But in the Devil's plan of Lordship Salvation, you must commit to turning away from a life of sinful behavior from now on, or else you are told you cannot be saved! I just quoted the hellish teachings at BJU to you, showing that they demand for people to commit to forsake the old life of sin, as a condition of saving faith. That is a heavy burden for sinners to bear, knowing that they must be willing to stop boozing, fornicating, lying, stealing and sodomizing to qualify to receive GOD'S FREE GIFT! You don't turn from your sins to be saved, you turn to Jesus by faith to be saved from your sins, and then the indwelling Holy Spirit's begins the work of conversion (1st Peter 2:2). The whole idea of a free gift” (Romans 5:15-18) is that it is A FREE GIFT!!!

We've got a bunch of lying deceivers standing behind college and church pulpits today, hoodwinking people that God won't save them unless they exchange their sins for eternal life. How is that in any way a free gift? It certainly is not! Galatians 1:6, “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.” The problem is that we've got a bunch of ignorant and unlearned preachers nowadays, who are trying to manipulate people to turn from sin, instead of allowing God to raise His own children as their heavenly Father (Hebrews 12:6-8). 

The way salvation works is that you come freely, as a needy sinner, and receive God's free gift of eternal life by faith; and then God's Holy Spirit comes inside to indwell that person, and the Holy Spirit (not the recipient of grace) changes that believer's life from within (we call this sanctification). This is what growth in grace is. 1st Peter 2:2-3, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” John 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Justification is instantaneous, but sanctification takes a lifetime. Pastor Jack Hyles wrote a helpful book on the subject titled: “Salvation Is More Than Being Saved.

As you see, Bob Jones University are 'WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING,' who teach that God demands something in return from you for His free gift of eternal life. They say you must be willing to repent and turn from your sins!!! BJU falsely says that God requires an exchange, something in return, you must pay the price of repentance from your sins! Ladies and gentlemen, the Devil is running Bob Jones College today! I am so sick of BJU trying to downplay the issue, preaching on grace and faith to save face, while fully supporting Dr. John MacArthur (the godfather of Lordship Salvation). And as I just showed you, BJU openly teaches Lordship Salvation. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that we MUST be willing to forsake our sins to receive the free gift of God. We are by nature lawless people. When we get saved, grace teaches us that we should live righteously and godly in

Romans 5:6-9, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.Jesus didn't come to save those who are willing to turn from their sins, but to save everyone who believes on Him from their sins! That's the Gospel! I love you dear reader. I care about you and just want to guide you to THE TRUTH as taught in the inspired King James Bible.
Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lordship Salvationist's Unbiblical Mindset

Deuteronomy 32:31, “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.

The entire mindset of those who teach Lordship Salvation is flawed, bogus and rooted in self-righteousness. The purpose of the Old Testament law according to Romans 3:19 is to silence every mouth concerning men's own goodness, and to BECOME GUILTY in God's eyes. 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.The LAW and the GOSPEL are two keys—the law is the key that shuteth up all men under condemnation, and the Gospel is the key which opens the door and lets them out.

Once you recognize your self as a needy sinner, who cannot perfectly keep God's law to save yourself, then the law points you to Christ to be saved by grace (Galatians 3:24-26). That's the intent and purpose of the law, to show you that you cannot save yourself. We need a Savior! Romans 10:3-4 teaches that Christ is THE END of the ride (i.e., end of the law) for them that believe. 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 Old Testament contains approximately 720 laws, all of which are fulfilled in God's sight the moment we place our trust in His only begotten Son.

It's very important for you to understand all this, so you'll clearly see what's so evil, wrong and unbiblical about Lordship Salvation. Lordship Salvation is a false doctrine of devils which requires a person to receive “Jesus as Lord” to be saved, which means making full surrender to Christ's will, forsaking the sinful world and all lifelong bad habits to be saved. You may do all these things and still never have been saved at all. Lordship Salvation is not the Gospel. Please read “WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?” by Pastor Harry Ironside for an excellent explanation of what the Gospel really means Biblically.

I love Pastor Harry A. Ironside's awesome book titled, “ANOTHER GOSPEL,” Biblically exposing false prophets like Paris Reidhead. If you search YouTube for sermons, you'll find that Paul Washer, Ray Comfort, John MacArthur, Kirk Cameron, Paris Reidhead and other Lordship Salvationists often appear together and are promoted as a group, trying to muster support anywhere they can find it to bolster up their straw-man false doctrines. They all teach the same false doctrine of Lordship Salvation. There is not a more damnable cult in the world today than Bob Jones University and Moody Bible Institute. What makes them so dangerous is that they used to be citadels of Christendom. Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1951), former faithful pastor of Moody Church in Chicago from 1930 to 1948, vehemently hated Calvinism and exposed it:
“When anyone comes promising salvation to those ‘who make full surrender' of all that they have to God, and who 'pay the price of full salvation' he is preaching another gospel, for the price was paid on Calvary's cross and the work that saves is finished. It was Christ Jesus who made the full surrender when He yielded His life on Calvary that saves us, not our surrender in any way to Him.” —Pastor Harry A. Ironside, from the Gospel tract, “Another Gospel
Dr. Ironside further makes the Biblically correct and helpful statement...
“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.” —Pastor Harry A. Ironside, from the sermon: “What Is The Gospel?
Yes, Dr. Ironside is 100% correct!!! Salvation is a gift, paid for by Jesus' literal, physical, precious blood (1st Peter 1:18,19; 1st John 1:7; Hebrews 9:12; Revelation 1:5). We are saved by 'HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS' (Matthew 6:33; Romans 10:3,4; 1st Corinthians 5:21); and not our own willingness to do better (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5,6,22). True salvation has always been “to him that worketh not” as taught in Romans 4:5-6. This Scripture is frequently AVOIDED by Lordshippers, such as in Ray Comfort's Bible commentary titled, 'THE EVIDENCE BIBLE.' 

True Bible salvation has always been “to him that worketh not” as taught in Romans 4:5-6. This is God's IMPUTED righteousness which is by faith alone, completely unmerited, attributed to the ungodly by faith. That means there's no requirement to cease from a sinful lifestyle to get saved. Somehow, somewhere along the way, the message of the law got corrupted and it became widespread in our churches today like Bubonic Plague. Instead of showing us our need for God's grace through Christ, the proponents of Lordship Salvation add keeping the law to grace, perverting the Gospel. By telling someone that they must turn from sins to be saved, they have added keeping the law to faith in Christ, which is not the Gospel.

The Bible plainly teaches in Romans 4:5 that a man's FAITH is counted as being equivalent with a lifetime of perfect righteousness. Our faith is worth all the righteousness in the world to God, and He counts it for salvation. Our faith is rooted in the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ and not our own self-righteousness (Isaiah 64:6). We have no true righteousness to offer to God. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.

Proponents of Lordship Salvation place the burden of sin upon the sinner's shoulder, demanding for them to make difficult and big personal life changes as a prerequisite to being saved. What a heavy burden, when you are told that God won't save a you as a drunkard, unless you intend to reform and clean up your life. It is a cruel hoax to ask that of an alcoholic, who is chemically addicted and needs medical help. The same can be said of nearly every addiction: drugs, money, power, sex, gambling, lying, stealing, prostitution, gangs, self abuse, et cetera. The Lord doesn't ask us to give up anything except our unbelief, which is the ONLY sin that can keep a person from going to Heaven. Think about that. If you think I am exaggerating, consider this horrifying quote from Evangelist Ray Comfort, in which he says you must stop fornicating to be saved:
“So man, think about that. this is your eternity, you don't know when you're going to die. You know, God offers you everlasting life as a free gift, if you'll let go of your sins. And we love to fornicate, we love pornography, we love our lust; but like a kid holding onto a stick of dynamite, not realizing that it will be the death of us! So think about that. Think how much you value your eyes, and think about how much you value your life. Jesus said, 'What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul.” [emphasis added] —Evangelist Ray Comfort, YouTube video titled: “Ray Comfort Doesn't Share the Gospel with Him...” (video posted on May 31, 2020)
That is a counterfeit gospel, which cannot produce the new birth in Christ! Ray Comfort epitomizes the unbiblical mindset that I am warning you about. This is also the corrupt unbiblical mindset of Dr. Steve Pettit and Bob Jones University today, who preach Calvinism (aka, Lordship Salvation). It sounds so spiritual and religious, but Lordship Salvation is not Biblical. It is not the Gospel of free grace! Cults like the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam preach Lordship Salvation, and bid Godspeed to evildoers like John MacArthur and Steve Pettit. Anyone who perverts the Gospel is an evildoer and the enemy of the cross of Christ!!!

The False Gospel Of Pastor Adrian Rogers

Romans 10:13-14, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Again and again in the inspired Word of God we are taught that the simple way to be saved is by faith alone. Anyone who by faith comes to God as a needy sinner, receiving Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for their sins, believing that He was buried, and bodily resurrected three days later is saved (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). It is that simple. 

There is a woeful darkness upon the land in America, called Lordship Salvation. It is totally unbiblical, but appeals to the carnal nature. Lordship Salvation is otherwise known theologically as Calvinism (i.e., the heretical doctrines of a man named John Calvin, 1509-1564). One of the most popular Calvinists of the past generation was Pastor Adrian Rogers (1931-2005), whose influence is still very strong today on the internet, Southern Baptist Convention, and in many churches worldwide. Dr. Rogers was elected to serve three terms as chairman of the apostate Southern Baptist Convention. You can still hear Adrian Rogers aired on many radio stations across the United States, which makes him still very dangerous, even after his death, and no doubt descent into the fires of Hell.

At his website, Life Worth Finding, Adrian Rogers presents this counterfeit plan of salvation:
How are we saved? 
By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 16:30-31
The word “believe” in this verse of Scripture literally means “trust.”
Jesus cannot be our Savior if we are not willing to make Him Lord.
Surrendering to Jesus’ Lordship means that He takes control of our lives.
Once we are saved, God begins to work in us, making us into the persons He wants us to be. 
Philippians 1:6
Once we are saved, we are justified immediately in the spirit, sanctified progressively in the soul, and glorified ultimately in the body. 
To be saved, we must invite Jesus into our lives; we must ask Him to come into our lives and take control of our lives. 
Revelation 3:20 – God desires that we all invite Him in. 
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WE ARE SAVED?
John 5:24
When we trust Jesus, as the Bible states, then we are saved.
We do not trust our feelings to know whether or not we’re saved; we trust what God’s Word tells us.
We place our faith in God’s facts. 
CONCLUSION
Do you know Jesus personally? If not, you can pray to Him today by asking Him to come into your life.
Call upon Jesus today. Repent (turn) from your sins, and turn to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and acknowledge Him as Lord of your life.
Romans 10:9-10
Romans 10:13 [emphasis added]
SOURCE: https://www.lwf.org/sermon-outlines/simplicity-of-salvation-1 [page has since been removed]
Pastor Rogers also made these heretical damnable quotes (this page still works)...

"If Jesus is not the Lord of your life, then He is not your Savior. Salvation is not a cafeteria line where we say, 'Well, I believe I'll have a little Savior today, but no Lordship. Thank you.' No! Jesus is Lord." [emphasis added]
SOURCE: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/read/articles/simplicity-of-salvation-8518.html
Ladies and gentlemen, what you just read is totally of the Devil. Pastor Adrian Rodgers did not go to Heaven when he died. If that seems shocking to you, please read Matthew 7:21-23. You don't get to Heaven by calling Jesus, “LORD, LORD” (verse 21). Surrendering to Christ's Lordship is not the way of salvation. The Bible couldn't be any clearer! You must do the will of the Father. That is exactly what Jesus said 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.The will of the Father is found 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.” In the Gospel of John we find the word “believe mentioned 85 times, without any mention of praying, repenting or surrendering to Christ as Lord to be saved. Sadly, Adrian Rodgers was a wolf in sheep's clothing, now being tormented in Hell forever (Matthew 7:15).

I fully agree with what Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) said...
“But we've so muddied the Gospel, that when men want to make a decision to trust Christ, we've made it so complicated that they can't make a simple decision to 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' We'll say, 'If you don't do this' or 'You don't do that' or 'You haven't done that,' you're not saved'; but the truth of the matter is that when asked in the Bible, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?,' one clear simple answer was given to him — 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.'” ~Pastor Curtis Hutson, “Things That Are Different Are Not The Same” (preached at Southwide Baptist Fellowship on October 3, 1994)

Also, Dr. Hutson said this truth... 

“Faith and repentance are the same; they are not two separate decisions. One cannot trust Christ as Savior without repenting or changing his mind. The very fact that he trusts Christ for salvation shows that he has changed his mind regarding sin, salvation, and God.” —Pastor Curtis Hutson
According to Adrian Rogers' false gospel, you must forsake your sins, invite Jesus into your life, surrender control of your life over to Him, and acknowledge Him as Lord, so that He has full control over your life from now on. Folks, none of that is THE GOSPEL! How is any of that the simple childlike faith of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”? I triple dog dare you to show me anywhere in the Bible where it says to surrender control of your life over to Jesus as Lord to be saved. 

Dear friend, you don't make Jesus Savior or Lord, HE IS SAVIOR AND LORD! But you must receive Him as your Savior to be saved, and then afterwards as your Lord if you want to please the Lord as His child. These are two separate decisions, which is why the Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 1:6-7 tell us that Paul wrote the book of Romans to the saints of Rome. Paul is urging them to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to serve God, which he calls their “reasonable service.” Notice that Paul doesn't call it “mandatory service,” nor their “required service,” but their “reasonable service.” If Lordship were necessary to be saved, then Paul would not have made this appeal to them, but he did.

I hope dear reader that you recognize the seriousness of this matter. Sadly, many churchgoers today are complacent, comfortable and indifferent toward these shocking embellishments of the Gospel, which have perverted grace. When a preacher adds surrendering one's life to Christ, being required to invite Christ as Lord to take control over your life, and to turn away from your sinful ways, he has perverted (altered and changed) the Gospel of free grace. Eternal life then is no longer a free gift, but an exchange of sorts. This heresy has absolutely destroyed soulwinning churches today. Bob Jones University has been infected. Pastor John MacArthur is a primary carrier of this spiritual disease, and it is highly contagious. Have you been infected dear friend? If you have, then repent of your Lordship heresy, and instead believe on the 'GOOD NEWS' of Jesus Christ alone to save you!

Taking Up Thy Cross Is Not Part Of The Gospel

Matthew 10:37-39, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”

This is one of the most misinterpreted, misapplied and abused passages of Scripture! Notice that Jesus said whosoever refuses to take up his cross is “not worthy of me.” Jesus didn't say he is not saved, He said he is not worthy of Him. The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-2 calls the believer's discipleship our reasonable service, not our required or mandatory service. 1st Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” Every believer is God's exclusive property. We were purchased by God's own blood (Acts 20:28; 1st Peter 1:18-19; 1st John 1:7; Revelation 1:5; 7:14). The day you were saved dear friend, you and everything you own became God's. When you give to God, you are simply letting go of what is already His. Please remember that. We have a very good God!

Matthew 10:38-39 (and the entire chapter for that matter) is about the believer's DISCIPLESHIP, not the free gift of ETERNAL LIFE. Notice to whom Jesus is speaking in Matthew chapter 10, His “twelve disciples.” Matthew 10:1, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” As an example of how preachers woefully corrupt, misinterpret and abuse this Scripture passage, consider the following heretical words by Pastor John MacArthur:
To be saved calls for a sinner to deny self so as to “consider the members of [his] earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry” (Col. 3:5). It is to “lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and … be renewed in the spirit of [one’s] mind” (Eph. 4:22–23). 
The second requirement of discipleship is to take up one’s cross. This idea has profound meaning which must be understood. Taking up one’s cross is not some mystical level of selfless “deeper spiritual life” that only the religious elite can hope to achieve. Nor is it the common trials and hardships that all persons experience sometime in life. A cross is not having an unsaved husband, nagging wife, or domineering mother-in-law. Nor is it having a physical handicap or suffering from an incurable disease. To take up one’s cross is simply to be willing to pay any price for Christ’s sake. It is the willingness to endure shame, embarrassment, reproach, rejection, persecution, and even martyrdom for His sake. ... 
The third requirement of discipleship is loyal obedience. Only after a person denies himself and takes up his cross, Jesus said, is he prepared to follow Me. True discipleship is submission to the lordship of Christ that becomes a pattern of life. “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6). “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus declared; “but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). To continue in His Word is to be His true disciple (John 8:31).[emphasis added] 
SOURCE: How To Take Up Your Cross
Do you see how John MacArthur weaves in and out of the two subjects, speaking of them as if they are the same thing? They are not! Salvation is salvation, and discipleship is discipleship. No one ever got saved by discipleship! That is why the religious people in Matthew 7:21-23 weren't saved. Jesus called them workers on iniquity. Jesus said He never knew them! They followed Jesus their entire life. They made full surrender to Christ! They called Him, “LORD, LORD” (there's your heresy of Lordship Salvation in the Bible). Judas followed Christ. Matthew 27:3b says “Judas repented himself. Judas had a relationship with Jesus (we hear this false teaching a lot these days). Dear reader, you can follow Christ, have a relationship with Him, you can repent of all your sins, faithfully run the race, turn your life over to Him, and even trust Christ in addition to all that stuff, but YOU WILL SPLIT HELL WIDE OPEN WHEN YOU DIE!!! You are not truly trusting Jesus, unless you are COMPLETELY RESTING IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION ALONE TO SAVE YOU!!! 

Sadly, Dr. Steve Pettit and Bob Jones University are of the Devil today, preaching the same junk theology as John MacArthur. Dr. Pettit (president of BJU) said this to 2,700 BJU students in June of 2020:
“So I want to ask you, have you come to a genuine acknowledgment before God almighty of your sinfulness? Secondly, you have to change the way you view yourself. We call that 'repentance.' And repentance is sort of saying a 'No' and a 'Yes.'  It's a turning AWAY FROM and a turning TO. What am I turning away from? I'm turning away from my own self-righteousness. I'm to turning away from depending on me, and all that's involved in me—self-righteousness, self-will, self-assertion, living my own life—I'm to turning away from that way of thinking. And then finally what do I have to do? I'm to put my trust, or my confidence, in Jesus alone.” [emphasis added] —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741)
What you just read is of the Devil. Jesus told the Apostle Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23b). So I say to Steve Pettit, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” What saith the Scripture? Acts 16:30-31, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The Bible teaches something very different than what Dr. Steve Pettit is teaching! Steve Pettit says you must turn away from living your own life to be saved. That is a doctrine of devils! Steve Pettit is a devil-dog preacher! My destination is not based upon how I live my life, it's on whom that I trust to save me!!! Now that's the truth!

Pastor M.R. DeHaan accurately differentiates between faith in the Gospel of free grace that saves a sinner, versus the cost of discipleship for believers who choose to follow Christ:
“There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness.” —Pastor M.R. DeHaan, Hebrews; Zondervan Publishing House, 1959 (p. 117).
The gift of eternal life is completely free, without any obligation to the recipient, available to any needy sinner who wants it. However, to take up thy cross and follow Christ is another matter entirely, which is based upon our faithfulness to God, and will cost us everything. We must never combine or confuse salvation (sonship) with discipleship (service). Here is another helpful quote by Presbyterian pastor, Everett Harrison (1902-1999):
"Certainly discipleship is a most important aspect of our relation to Christ, but it belongs to the sphere of Christian life rather than entrance upon that life... One does not become a disciple in order to become a Christian, but because he has become a Christian by faith in the Savior, it is fitting that he embark upon a life of discipleship". —Pastor Everett F. Harrison, "Must Christ Be Lord To Be Savior?No!"; Eternity, September 1959 (p. 14). 
Those are great helpful quotes. I highly recommend a classic helpful sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) called: “Steps In Sanctification; Or, The Root Of All Heresy.

The Gift Of Eternal Life Is Wrapped In The Wonderful Package Of Jesus

Romans 5:18, “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gi...