Romans 4:3-5, “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.”
Working for your salvation in any shape or form is NOT the Gospel. The repentant thief on the cross had no works, no efforts, no water baptism, no behavioral changes, no self reformation, no sacraments and rituals, no church membership, no speaking in tongues, no slain in the Spirit, no sign gift of breakthrough, no goodness to offer God; he just simply BELIEVED on the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.
What exactly is the true Gospel? 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 clearly defines 'THE GOSPEL" as Christ's blood-shed sacrificial DEATH on the Cross, His BURIAL and then His physical bodily RESURRECTION three days later for our justification. The Bible teaches that salvation in Christ alone is by grace through faith, apart from religious works or performances of the law—plus nothing minus nothing. Period!
James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
The world “religion” is mentioned 5 times in the New Testament, none in the Old Testament. Yet we see plenty of false religion throughout both the Old and New Testaments. I like what Pastor Al Lacy (1933-2016) said:
“Religious people go to Hell; Saved people go to Heaven. Don't ever blame religion on God. He didn't come up with it, Satan did. Religion is of the Devil; Salvation is of the Lord.” —Pastor Al Lacy, “No Unbelievers In Hell.”
Bravo Dr. Lacy! Religion never saved anybody. Religion says: “Let me show you the way,” but Jesus said in John 14:6b:“I am the way.” Salvation is not found in any religion, but in a person—the Lord Jesus Christ! Religion wants to fit everyone with glasses, but Jesus wants to open our eyes...
Luke 24:44-47, “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
Jesus promised that when He died and raised up, and ascended into Heaven, that He would send the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, rebuke and teach us...
John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
My father use to say: “Religion is the worst thing that ever happened to this world.” Dad was right! God did not create religion, humanity did. Religion is man's vain attempt to reach God though human commitment and sacrifice, but Christianity is God trying to reach humanity through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on Calvary's cruel cross.
The Bible has nothing good to say about religion. Our text passages from James 1:27 is neutral. We must differentiate between religion and Christianity. I like what Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) used to often say: “Too many people have churchianity without Christianity.” The Bible says that “pure religion” is to live a life of service to OTHERS, helping the less fortunate. But please do not make the fatal mistake of mistaking religion for the new birth.
In Matthew 7:21-23 we find a group of religious people. They are now standing before Christ on Judgment Day in eternity. They have a false sense of security, proud of their earthly accomplishment for Christ. They boasted of their “many wonderful works” all done in Jesus' name. They boasted that they “prophesied” (preached) everywhere they went in Jesus' name. They even bragged that they had allegedly “cast out devils” in Jesus' name. They called Him: “Lord, Lord” (there's your Lordship Salvation in the Bible). Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born again. That is exactly what happened to this unfortunate group in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus tells us in verse 21 what they did wrong—they failed to do the Father's will, which according to John 6:40 is to solely BELIEVE ON JESUS. It's not DO, it's DONE, the great transaction's done!
Dear reader, no amount of religious fervor, zeal, dedication or sacrifice can atone for your sins. Jesus warned in John 3:3b, “Ye must be born again.” Religion cannot produce the new birth. Only faith in the 'GOOD NEWS' (Gospel) of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day can accomplish that (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). All God requires is that you simply BELIEVE Jesus did it all for you.
There are an estimated 4,200 different religions in the world, and none of them can get your to Heaven. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!!! Jesus said in John 8:32 and 36, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ...If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Someone once asked me to sum up the Bible in as few words as possible, which was easy; just one word—TRUTH. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jesus told Pilate in John 18:37b that the reason for which He came into the world was to “bear witness unto the truth.” The truth is very important.
I have seen hundreds of interviews of celebrities; such as, Hugh Hefner, Frank Sinatra, Gene Roddenberry and countless other famous and wealthy people, who nearly all made mention that religion is often the historical cause of wars, famine and human tragedy. Sadly, they are correct. But they are looking at sordid truth of RELIGION, not the righteous truth of Bible CHRISTIANITY. The two different things are worlds apart. Religion is a curse upon the human race. When I share the Gospel of free grace with lost people, I often need to explain to them that Bible truth is not the same thing as manmade religion. Most people don't see a distinction.
In Acts chapter 10 we read about a good man named Cornelius. The Bible says that Cornelius was a good man who feared God. He fasted, prayed and gave alms (donations) to the poor the Bible says. Yet, Cornelius was as lost as the Devil. The Lord arranged for Cornelius and the Apostle Peter to meet, and they did. In Acts 10:43-44 we see the wonderful conversion of Cornelius and his friends. Peter preached the Gospel and they simply believed what they heard. That is the simplicity that is in Christ.
Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” I love what the Apostle Paul said. He wanted to know how the Galatians had been saved, to determine if they were saved at all. Paul asked them if they were saved BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW (by which no man has ever been saved - Romans 3:19-20); or had they been saved BY THE HEARING OF FAITH (i.e., did they simply believe the 'GOOD NEWS' when they heard it preached)? It is that easy, free and simple to be saved.
Anyone who complicates God's simple plan of salvation, by telling you the lie that you must turn away from your sinful bad habits and perpetually turn from sin, is a false teacher. That is 100% WORKS, not GRACE! Who teaches that garbage you might ask? Ray Comfort does!
You may attend church faithfully your whole life. You can be a church deacon, or even the pastor himself. You can partake of all the sacraments, give most of your earnings to the church, live a pure and morally upright life, love and help multitudes of less fortunate people throughout your lifetime; and yet split Hell wide open when you breathe your final breath here on earth. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!!!
1st Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
As fundamentalist Bible-believing Christians, we hear so much preaching against Lordship Salvation, misunderstood repentance and that you do not have to do “works” to get to Heaven, that it would be very easy to just dismiss the importance and biblical mandate for every born-again believer to “Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
I love the following passage of Scripture, which puts the cookies on the bottom shelf to reach:
Romans 3:26-31, “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”
What a Swedish smorgasbord of truth to fill our spiritual belly. I am half Swedish. My biological mother was born in and grew up in the country of Sweden, moving at age 13 with her mother (after my grandfather went to Heaven) to Chicago in the United States. When I learned that the word smorgasbord is Swedish, I started using it more often. The preceding Scripture passage from Romans 3:26-31 is wonderful. Let's look at a few statements, shall we:
God justifies whosoever believes (trusts) in Jesus.
We are saved by the law of faith, not the law of works.
A man is justified by faith without the works of the law.
Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way—by faith in Jesus Christ.
Whether circumcized or uncircumcizied (as regards ceremonial law), it doesn't matter because both Jew and Gentile are saved by faith alone.
Just because we are not saved by keeping the law doesn't excuse us from obeying the law as believers.
God still commands every born-again believer to keep the law (morally).
Titus 2:13-14, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝘇𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀." God desires for all of His children to be ZEALOUS of good works. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that we are saved by grace through faith without works; and then verse 10 says that every believer is "𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺" (𝗘𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟮:𝟭𝟬𝗯).
Romans 6:1 teaches that if we continue in sin as saints, God's saving grace will abound. Paul asks the question in 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟲:𝟭𝗯, "𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱?"; and then in verse 2 Paul writes, "𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗻, 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻?" The moment that a person gets saved, their life is forever hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3). That is because we are bought with a price. 1st Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”The price is Jesus' precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). We literally become God's property, and the Devil knows this means hands off! Our physical body becomes the temple of God's indwelling Holy Spirit (1st Corinthians 3:16-17). Amen and amen.
In The Beatitudes, In Matthew 5:16, Jesus exhorts every believer to, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” No child of God has the Lord's permission to continue in a lifestyle of open sin, blaspheming the Word of God. When God's children live contrary to the holiness which God desires for us to emulate, the Word of God is blasphemed (spoken evil of by the world).
Titus 2:1-5, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
When God's children do not live according to the Holy Scriptures, the world speaks evil of the Word of God.
“I’d be a Christian if it were not for the Christians.” —Mahatma Gandhi
Dr. Lester Roloff rightly said: "Jesus saved you so that you WOULDN'T live like that anymore." But if we choose to defy the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and live in terrible sin, then God's grace will still abound (Romans 5:20). Put another way: We fall IN GRACE as believers, but never FROM GRACE! Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” I have seen umpteen corrupt preachers try to use this passage of Scripture to teach that salvation can be lost.
Thankfully, they are all wrong! We see directly from the context itself why anyone could ever 'FALL FROM GRACE,' which is because they are attempting to appease God's wrath against sin by keeping the law of works. Romans 3:19-20, “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. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” I marvel how any pastor could ever preach the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation, when the inspired Holy Bible plainly teaches that no one can be saved by doing the works of the law.
In my humble online ministry for Jesus Christ, I often preach against the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation, because so very few preachers do, and it is a critically important matter of faith; but this in no way means that I do not believe we as God's children are commanded by Him to pursue a lifestyle of holiness, doing good works and living for others (Philippians 2:3-5). 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭:𝟭𝟱-𝟭𝟲, "𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝘆, 𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘆𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻; 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻, 𝗕𝗲 𝘆𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝘆; 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝘆."
Good works are not the payment for sin, the payment for sin is death. Yet, billions of religious followers around the world foolishly think that good works are necessary to get to Heaven. Albeit, if you were to pay for your own ticket to Heaven, you would need to burn in Hell forever (Revelation 20:11-15).
Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty! Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work. If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from?
The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.
We must stay true to the simplicity of the Gospel!! Repentance regarding salvation is a change of mind from unbelief to belief!!! We must earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 1:3).
Matthew 7:21-23, “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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
As I frequently do, I went to Duck Duck Go today and searched for the phrase: “Everybody goes to Heaven.” I was curious what results would return, since nearly everybody thinks everyone automatically goes to Heaven. At nearly every funeral you'll hear the big lie told: “____ (name) is in a better place now.” What saith the Scripture? Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” If you believe the Holy Bible, then you must concede that not everyone goes to a better place in the afterlife. Psalms 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Again, not everyone goes to a better place when they die.
Having said that, the very first result that came back today when I searched for the phrase: “Everybody goes to Heaven,” was Billy Graham's ministry website. The webpage that came up answers the question: 'Does everyone go to Heaven?' Toward the bottom you'll see a button to click on that reads, “Pray now,” which if you click on takes you to Billy Graham's counterfeit plan of salvation, which cannot produce the new birth. Here is an excerpt from Billy's webpage that show how wrong he is about the Gospel. I will add my own emphasis in bold black font. ...
Step 4 – Our Response: Receive Christ
We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.
The Bible says:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
Will you receive Jesus Christ right now?
Here is how you can receive Christ:
Admit your need. (I am a sinner.)
Be willing to turn from your sins (repent) and ask for God's forgiveness.
Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
Through prayer,invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior)
We suggest a prayer like this one:
"Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Him to come into my heart and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. In Jesus' Name, amen."
I have embolden every word and phrase that is unbiblical. I will expose Billy Graham's heresy:
Nowhere does the Bible require to receive Jesus as one's “Lord” to have eternal life. Certainly when we received Jesus as our Savior (trusting Him to save us), we received the Lord Jesus Christ. However, what today's corrupt neo-evangelical preachers mean by “Lord” is that you must surrender control of your life over to God, to serve Jesus and follow Him from now on. This is Lordship Salvation, not grace.
Nowhere does the Bible teach to be willing to “be willing to turn from your sin” to be saved. This is NOT repentance to be saved. Bible repentance is a change of mind, period. Since the Greek word metanoia doesn't indicate what we are supposed to change our mind about, we need supplemental information from the Scripture. Acts 20:21 speaks of “repentance toward God.” 2nd Timothy 2:25 speaks of “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” Hebrews 6:1 speaks of “repentance from dead works.” But you will never find anything in the Scripture about repentance “of your sins” or “turning from your sin.” Ungodly religious men ADDED those words to the inspired Word of God (Proverbs 30:5-6). The only change of mind required regarding sin to be saved is the admission that you are a guilty sinner in God's sight (Romans 3:19-20).
Furthermore, to tell someone that they must “be willing to turn from sin” is effectively the same as requiring them to forsake a lifestyle of sin. If I tell you that you can borrow my car, but only if you're willing to top off the gas tank when you return it, I have clearly implied that I expect you to fill the gas tank. Likewise, to require a lost sinner to “be willing to turn from sin” is no different than telling someone that they must do WORKS to be saved. Jonah 3:10 says that God saw the Ninevite's WORKS, that they turned from their evil way. They didn't get saved, they repented of their sins and God spared them from imminent national destruction. A century later God sent the prophet Nahum to pronounce judgment upon Assyria, because they went back into wickedness.
Nowhere does the Bible require a lost sinner to “ask” God to be saved. God is already freely offering everyone the gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life. All you need to do is take it by faith.
Nowhere does the Bible teach us to “pray” to be saved. John 3:16, 6:28-29, 47; 11:25-26 simply tell us to BELIEVE ON JESUS to be saved. You may pray and never be saved at all. Albeit, it is okay to pray from a believing heart, just so long as you understand that prayer is NOT necessary to be born again. Anybody who insists that you cannot be saved unless you pray is lying to you.
Nowhere does the Bible require a lost sinner to “invite” Jesus to come in and “control your life.” These are lies added to God's simple plan of salvation, which obscure and confuse the Gospel, hindering sinners from being saved.
The plan of salvation which Billy Graham (1918-2018) and his followers still teach today, does not match up with the plan of salvation which Jesus taught. 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.” Whereas Jesus taught that BELIEVING ON HIM is enough to be saved, Billy Graham and his followers errantly add the unbiblical requirements that you must be surrender to Christ as the “Lord” of your life, be willing to stop sinning, and invite Him to come in and take control of your life from now on. These are all WORKS!!! The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.
“Jesus does not forgive sin! Jesus paid for the price of sin with His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus does not forgive sin for He paid for sin Himself. He forgives sinners by paying for their sins!” —Pastor Bob Gray Sr.
Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty! Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work.
“It is 'Good News' if no one must have good works before salvation, or after salvation. For salvation to truly be by grace, it must not have any stipulations of any kind at any time. Works before, during or after; works cannot be evidence of my salvation.” —Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, “Does Calvinism Change The Gospel?”
If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from?
It is sad that Billy Graham in all likelihood died in his sins and went to Hell in 2018. Like it or not, Billy's plan of salvation doesn't align with God's simple plan of salvation in the Bible. Galatians 1:6-7 warns that there is ONLY ONE Gospel. Either you have to be willing to give up your sinning, or you don't, to get to Heaven, but it cannot be both ways. Either you just have to receive Jesus' sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He was buried but bodily resurrected from the dead three days later, to be saved; or else that is not enough, and you must also receive Jesus as “Lord” of your life, to follow Him in obedience, and surrender to allow Christ to control your life, but these cannot both be accurate. One plan of salvation may be wrong, or both may be wrong, but both absolutely cannot be right.
You dear reader must choose between Billy Graham's perverse plan of salvation, versus the simple plan of Salvation set forth in the inspired King James Bible. The Bible teaches in Hebrews 4:10-11 that just as God ceased from His WORKS on the seventh day, so also must we cease from our own self-righteous acts of turning from sin and doing good works, and REST solely in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ through Calvary's cross. Amen and amen.
We are saved by simply trusting in what Jesus did through the cross to pay our sin debt, trusting in Jesus' precious name. Jesus shed His precious blood on the cross (1st Peter 1:18-19), ascended into Heaven after He raised up (Romans 8:34), and sprinkled that literal liquid blood on the Mercy Seat in Heaven in the presence of God the Father on our behalf (Hebrews 4:14-16; 9:12, 22-24; 12:24), once and for all making payment for everyone's sins. Anybody who by faith receives Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for their sins, believing that Jesus was buried but then miraculously resurrected three days later physically from the dead, is saved. Nothing more is required. If saved, always saved. Once saved, always saved.
There is no argument that Billy Graham did much good throughout his earthly ministry, but he also did woeful harm and damage to the cause of Jesus Christ. Dr. Graham more than anyone built a bridge between Christendom and the accursed Roman Catholic prisonhouse of religion, blurring the lines between true biblical faith and the damnable Sacramental Salvation of the Catholic cult. Whereas 2nd Corinthians 6:14-17 commands genuine born again Christian believers to separate from unbelievers, Billy Graham did the exact opposite by hobnobbing with unsaved religiosities as a traitor Graham was a modern-day Balaam (a prophet for hire).
Dear friend, if you are not 100% certain of God's free gift of eternal life, then I hope you will allow Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold to have just 4 minutes of your time to explain how to go to Heaven. You may never get another chance to be saved. ...
A Clear Gospel In Just 4 Minutes (Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold)
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And howl kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house. Acts 20:17-20
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Acts 20:27, 28
The word purchased means the right price applied to the right place.
If I wrote a check to pay for a debt, but failed to send that check in to the whom I owed, would my debt be paid? No, I still owe the debt. A debt must not only be the proper price, it must also be paid to the proper place. The price for the church is God's blood, but the blood must be paid to the proper place. Let me show you what the proper place is.
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:12
In the Old Testament, the High Priest killed two goats on the Day of Atonement. The blood of one goat was taken by the High Priest into the Holy Place to the Ark of the Covenant. On the top of the Ark of the Covenant was the Mercy Seat. Over that Mercy Seat were two cherubims beaten out of pure gold. Between the wings of those cherubims was the Glory of God. The blood from the goat that was sacrificed was applied to the proper place which was the Mercy Seat. If the blood did not get to the Mercy Seat, then it was the proper price, but not paid to the proper place. It would have been no more valid than that check written but not paid to the creditor.
If the blood of Jesus was left on the ground at the cross, that means it did not get to the Holy Place and is not valid. "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus." It is not just the blood shed, but also the blood applied.
God told Moses to instruct the people to apply the blood of the lamb at the Passover. When He passed over and saw the blood of that lamb, He would withhold His judgment. God did not judge them based on His omniscience. He made a point of letting them know that He would not judge them only when He saw the blood. It was not enough that the blood was shed. The blood had to be properly applied.
How could God see the blood in the tabernacle? His glory was in the Holy Place, and the blood had to be taken inside the Holy Place and sprinkled on that Mercy Seat. That was the right place to take the right price. If the right price was paid on the altar in the courtyard, but left there, it would have been the right price, but the wrong place. If the blood Jesus shed on Calvary was not applied in Heaven, it was the right price in the wrong place and it cannot save anybody.
Jesus did more than just shed His blood for the church. He purchased the church with his own blood. To purchase it, He had to take the right price to the right place.
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:24
It does not say that it is the shedding of blood that saves. It is the shed blood sprinkled that saves. When Cain had killed Abel God said:
What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Genesis 4:10
God can hear blood speak. The voice of Abel's blood cried to God from the ground. Blood can speak a language God can hear.
Thirty years after the blood had been shed, it still speaketh. Two thousand years after Calvary it still speaketh. From where does it speak? It has to speak to God, so there is a heavenly Mercy Seat just as there was an earthly Mercy Seat; Jesus, the High Priest, took His own blood to that heavenly Mercy Seat, otherwise it would not have been acceptable. It would have been the right price, but the wrong place. The blood had to get from the altar to the Mercy Seat.
The blood of Jesus had to be shed; otherwise He could have died without the inflicting of the wounds. Jesus went up to Heaven and sprinkled His own blood on the Mercy Seat. Right now that blood is talking. It is saying not to charge our sins to us because we have been purchased by that blood.
Cain's blood indicted him for killing his brother Abel. God's blood speaketh better things than that of Abel. God looks down, sees my sins, and starts to charge them against my record, but the blood starts talking. The blood says, "I have already paid for that sin." The Bible says that God will not impute or write down my sin against me because the blood is speaking. The blood is my canceled check, and that check speaks that the debt has been paid. There is nothing God the Father can do about my sins because Jesus has the canceled check there on the Mercy Seat. That is the price He paid for the church.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.... I Peter 1:2
This does not refer to the elect according to the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, but to the sprinkling of that blood applied to the proper place. Jesus did die and pay the price, but paying the price and getting the price to the right place are two entirely different things. If on the Passover, the blood of that innocent lamb was left in the back yard where the lamb was killed and not properly applied, the firstborn of the family would have been killed. It was not the blood shed back in the back yard that spared the life of that firstborn; it was that blood applied at the front door. It was not the blood shed on the altar that satisfied God; it was the blood applied in the Holy of Holies. It was not the blood shed on the cross that saves; it was that blood applied in Heaven.
When Jesus was resurrected, and Mary Magdalene saw him, Jesus said, Touch me Not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. He was the High Priest. He was taking the blood He had shed as the Lamb of God to the Mercy Seat in Heaven, to sprinkle it there. Between the time the High Priest took the blood in the basin and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat, nobody could touch Him. That is why He told Mary Magdalene not to touch Him.
Later He told Thomas to put his hands into His side. Why could Thomas touch Him when Mary Magdalene could not? Because when Thomas saw Him, He had already been to Heaven, sprinkled the blood, and the blood was already talking to the Father.
Jesus died for the church and purchased it with His own blood. The local church is composed of born-again people, who have been scripturally baptized, and have joined a certain assembly.
The Jews were going to the promised land. When they got there, they were going to build a permanent temple. On the way, all they had was a tabernacle, a tent. It was a portable place of worship. Jesus has bought us a home in Heaven, but we are not there yet. So He has also bought us a portable Heaven, which is called the church. He bought me a home in Heaven with his blood, and He bought me a home on earth while I am going to Heaven. He purchased it with the most precious and expensive thing, God's own blood. He not only bought my soul, my spirit, my body, a home in Heaven, but He also purchased the church with His own blood.
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.”
It ceases to amaze me how far today's neo-evangelical pastors have strayed away from the Gospel of free grace as taught in the inspired Holy Bible. Case in point is Tim Challies. Read what Challies wrote:
It is important to note that repentance is much more than simply feelings of sorrow or self-hatred. Though these may be part of our reactions to repenting, they are not enough.True repentance expresses itself in action and in a changed life.
...And so it is that with God’s help we begin to express our repentance with a turning away from our sinful natures.Our wills become subject to His. Our desires become His desires and our goals His goals. Though we continue to express sorrow when we sin, we also express joy when we see how God has helped us change our lives, allowing us to become more and more conformed to the image of His Son.
There are a few things very wrong with what Challies wrote:
A feeling of sorrow is not repentance. Sorrow is penitence, not repentance. Repentance is a change of mind.
True repentance does not express itself in a changed life. A changed life is reformation, not repentance. Trying to make a mend for past sins is penance, not repentance. Sadly, Pensacola Christian College (PCC) teaches this deadly lie.
Repentance does not mean turning away from our sinful nature. This popular demonic lie has crept into most Baptist churches today, requiring lost sinners to forsake a lifestyle of sinning in order to receive God's free gift of eternal life. Tragically, Ken Ham propagates this deadly lie.
Our will becoming subject to God's will has nothing to do with getting saved. What Tim Challies is falsely teaching is the heresy of Lordship Salvation.
Bible repentance to be saved has nothing to do with our desires becoming God's desires, or our goals becoming His goals. Tim Challies has fallen prey to the Devil's neo-evangelical counterfeit Gospel of Lordship Salvation.
Clearly, Tim Challies is preaching another gospel, not what the Holy Bible teaches:
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:”
There you have it my fine non-feathered friend, the Gospel:
Jesus DIED on a cross to pay for our sins.
He was BURIED.
Three days later Jesus bodily RESURRECTED from the dead.
This is the 'GOOD NEWS' by which all who simply BELIEVE IT are saved immediately, irrevocably and eternally. 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.” Believe it, Oh sinner, and the work is done. Yes, there is one 'WORK' which you must do to get to Heaven. John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” There it is my friend. The one and only WORK that a lost sinner can do to be saved is to BELIEVE ON JESUS.
Eternal life is the free grace gift of God, which is by faith alone, without works, in Christ alone. Tim Challies counterfeit plan of salvation contradicts the simple plan of salvation. In Acts 16:30-31 Paul and Silas were asked by a Philippian jailer the important question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Their simple answer was to, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Paul and Silas didn't require the Roman jailer to turn from his sinful ways, become subject to God's will, share God's desires and goals, feel sorrow for his sins nor to live a changed life. They simply told him to BELIEVE ON JESUS!!!
I plead with you dear reader to RUN from Bob Jones University and their religious circus. And while I'm on the unpleasant subject of Bob Jones University, I could say many things against their institution right now, but I want to mention the following.
Plundering Moral Standards At Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University (the seminary) is today in 2023 in partnership with Tim Challies (who is a non-separatist evangelical, Reformed Calvinist theologian. See: Challies). This unequally yoked partnership (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17) with Challies demonstrates that the Bob Jones University (BJU) administration is committed to perpetuate the agendas of their former incompetent president Dr. Steve Pettit, which are:
Furthering their departure from a free grace Gospel, to Lordship Salvation heresy
Erasing BJU's fundamentalist, separatist legacy (since 1927 when they started)
Embracing compromising evangelicals (e.g., Franklin Graham, Paul Washer)
Accelerating the proliferation of Reformed theology (damnable Calvinist heresy)
Partnership with and advertising at Challies, furthermore, demonstrates BJU pins its survivability on expanding on-going recruiting efforts of and pandering to the evangelicals. Things are looking very gloom for the deteriorating Bob Jones camp.
I was disgusted to learn that since 2018, infidel Dr. Steve Pettit changed BJU's longtime dress standards for girls, so that females at BJU can now wear pants, halter tops and slacks. See for yourself...
With all the immodestly clothed females today, and indecency in American culture, why would a professed Christian Bible college lower their standards to that of the ungodly world? You tell me, because the only thing I can think of is that Steve Pettit wanted to look at the girls with less clothes on. I mean, so do I, but I'm not going to lower my college's dress standards to do it. Wanting to look at scantily clad girls and actually doing it are two world's apart.
There's something wrong with you as a man if you don't want to look at girls, but what saith the Scripture? 1st Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” Steve Pettit is a wicked and irresponsible man to lead a Bible college. Look what he has done to ruin Bob Jones University nearly century old legacy of female modesty. There is modesty no more at BJU!
There are much BETTER Bible colleges than Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College. If you truly want to serve God full-time, meet a spouse worth marrying, then I encourage you to go check out Commonwealth Bible College in Lexington, Kentucky. They still believe that the King James Bible is inspired. They have an active soulwinning ministry at Clays Mill Baptist Church, which started and own the college. Commonwealth Bible College is a truly independent fundamental Baptist college ministry.
If you want a neo-evangelical, lifeless, wishy-washy, dozens of different Bible versions, Lordship Salvation cult for a college, then go elsewhere. If you want garbage, go to PCC or BJU, or that garbage dump called Faith Baptist Bible College And Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa. There you can hear that devil, Dr. Marty Herron, preach John MacArthur's Satanic Lordship Salvation heresy. I know what I'm talking about, because I grew up in the independent fundamental Baptist culture. I am the best friend you have right now, because I am telling you THE TRUTH, warning you.
Tim Challies Sinfully Compromises On Homosexuality Issue
In a Q&A session that has Christians prying their jaw off the floor, Challies recently admitted to being “intentionally evasive” on the sinfulness of sodomy, says he’s unsure of the church’s position on homosexuality because it’s still being figured out, says that homosexuality is something “new” that Christians have to figure out, and refused to “speak broadly” on the sin because he each person is different.
The inspired King James Bible pulls no punches, homosexuality is a horrible sin (Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:18-32; 1st Corinthians 6:9-10; Jude 1:7). The sin of homosexuality is abnormal, against nature and shameful. I do not believe for one moment that anyone who is a sodomite (the Bible's identifier for homosexuals) was born “that way.” A homosexual man recently confided in me that as a young boy he felt sexual attraction for other boys. That is abnormal, against nature, bizarre, unbiblical and I do not accept such claims. If such claims were true, then it means that God made a mistake when he created all humans as either male or female (Genesis 1:27).
Pastor Jack Hyles, in his helpful book titled: “How To Make A Man Out Of A Boy,” teaches for parents not to allow their boys to spend a lot of time playing with girls and girl's toys. Boys should be made to play with toys made for boys (guns, tanks, soldiers, sports, shooting games, race cars, building projects, tools, manly things. Girls should be made to play with dolls, doll houses, stuffed animals, toy cooking and stoves, necklaces, jewelry and feminine things. Fathers should wrestle and work with their sons, and mothers should cook and work with their daughters. There should be a clear line of separation between male and female in the home. The men do the hard work of lifting, shoveling snow and cutting the grass. The ladies do the cleaning, cooking and decorating.
It is not a mere coincidence that the number of homosexuals today have exploded in comparison to a century ago, because today the homosexual agenda is being incessantly promoted by the government, entertainment industry, social media, news, schools and even apostate churches as part of liberal social conditioning. God hasn't changed, the world has. Tim Challies should be ashamed of himself for hobnobbing on the homosexual issue. You cannot be right with God as a Christian while refusing to stand with the inspired Holy Bible, that homosexuality is perversion and sin. It is against nature (Romans 1:18-32).
2nd Peter 2:1-3, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
In the following video you can hear Ray Comfort blaspheme the inspired Word of God, by telling a man that he thinks repentance means to "PERPETUALLY TURN FROM SIN" to be saved. Folks, that is 100% WORKS!!! Hear Ray Comfort for yourself. ...
Ray Comfort Preaches a FALSE Gospel & Needs to Repent!
Ray then continues by telling the man that he never commits any of the sins he is mentioning, which flabbergasts the man. There is hardly a church that I have visited in Pensacola, or visited online, that doesn't also teach the same garbage.
When the Apostle Peter preached the Gospel on the Day of Pentecost, he simply told the story of Jesus crucified, buried and risen the third day. The Bible says that 3,000 souls GLADLY RECEIVED His word were instantly saved. This is the blessed "hearing of faith" taught in Galatians 3:2. That is, lost sinners are saved by putting their faith in the Gospel that they hear. This is how Cornelius and his friends were saved in Acts 10:43-44. They heard the Apostle Peter preach the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and resurrected the third day, and when they BELIEVED what they heard they were immediately saved and indwelt with the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 16:30-31, Paul and Silas were asked by a Philippian jailer how to be saved. Paul and Silas simply told the man to BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and he did and was saved.
Over and over in the inspired Word of God, we are taught God's simple plan of salvation, which is to come to God as a guilty sinner (Romans 3:19-23), and to place our confidence (childlike trust) in the slain and resurrected precious "𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗯 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱" (𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝟭:𝟮𝟵𝗯).
By errantly misleading lost sinners to think that God won't save them unless they are willing to "PERPETUALLY TURN FROM SIN" is a false plan of salvation of heavy bondage. 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟭𝟭:𝟮𝟴-𝟯𝟬, "𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲; 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁: 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹𝘀. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁."
Ray Comfort is trying to place the burden of sin upon the sinner's shoulder, requiring them to bare the burdensome weight of their own sins; whereas Jesus Christ alone bore the full weight of our sins upon Himself on Calvary's cross. I hope you see the difference dear reader. Kindly said, Ray Comfort is not saved. He is preaching the same damnable false plan of salvation as the accursed Bob Jones University cult today.
Dr. John MacArthur is one of their alumni at BJU. That is why I relentlessly harp against Pensacola Christian College, because they wickedly bid Godspeed to the Bob Jones cult, never speaking one word to rebuke BJU's heresy nor contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints. PCC just wants to play church and keep the money flowing in. God didn't save us to Sit On The Premises like PCC does, He saved us to Stand On The Promises.
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.”
The following is further evidence what is so WRONG with today's plethora of new Devil's Bible revisions. We are saved by faith in a NANOSECOND, it is not an ongoing process (which is what Calvinism and Lordship Salvation falsely teach).
Here is a comparison between the inspired King James Bible (KJB) and the demonic New American Standard Bible (NASB). Carefully notice how the NASB changes "are saved" to "being saved" (a process). ...
KING JAMES BIBLE (KJB) - 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.”
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (NASB) - 1st Corinthians 1:18, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱 it is the power of God.”
Dear reader, there is a BIG difference between BEING saved versus knowing that you ARE saved. I am saved!!! I was born again at age 13 in the year 1980 at the Northland Baptist Church (now defunct) on Chicago's northside. I haven't tried to maintain God's free gift of eternal life for the past 43 years. It is not my salvation; but rather, it is God's gift of salvation to all whom believe on the name of His only begotten Son, Jesus. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Since we cannot visibly see Jesus, we get saved by simply BELIEVING on His name. My total trust is upon the name of Jesus my Savior.
Now please take a look at what Bob Jones University teaches their 5,000 impressionable young students today. Dr. Steve Pettit (president of BJU from 2014 to 2023) is a hellbound Calvinist! Sadly, Pensacola Christian College (PCC) teaches this same theological garbage today to their thousands of impressionable young students. Both PCC and BJU errantly teach that justification, sanctification and glorification are a package deal, which you cannot separate. That is a lie of Satan which they teach! Of course you can separate them!
In other words, BJU and PCC falsely teach that if your BEHAVIOR hasn't changed, you have never repented (according to their misunderstanding of what it means to repent to be saved) and are not saved. Let me truthfully say dear reader that BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION is not a part of God's simple plan of salvation. Whether your behavior changes is a strict matter of discipleship as a child of God, and not a matter of getting saved itself. Salvation is more than being saved, to be sure. God has a plan for your life dear saint of God. But whether you choose to yield to walk in the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25), or choose by default to walk carnally in the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21), it is a matter of SERVICE (Romans 12:1-2) and not SALVATION (Luke 1:77).
Look at this heretical screen-capture from PCC's Campus Church. ...
Damnable Heresy Being Taught At Pensacola Christian College (PCC)
Take a look at the tommyrot being foolishly taught at PCC today (I put the red cancellation circle over PCC's false teaching). PCC teaches that you haven't repented unless your behavior improves. That is Lordship Salvation, not God's grace.
Pilgrim's Progress author, John Bunyan, gets it 100% correct. ...
“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)
The true Gospel of free grace keeps sanctification (i.e., service, discipleship) completely SEPARATE from justification (i.e., salvation, sonship). One thing has nothing to do with the other, otherwise you have deadly Calvinism. In John Calvin's (1509-1564) perverse theology, he viewed living the Christian life as being synonymous with saving faith, so that you cannot have one without the other. But that is Lordship Salvation, which is 100% works based. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born again.
We must expose cults like PCC and BJU who corrupt the Gospel. BJU became corrupted first, because when they started allowing the Devil's modern perversions of the Bible to be used at BJU, it changed their doctrine. Sadly, BJU today is a cesspool of hardcore Lordship Salvation. John MacArthur is an alumni of BJU, of whom they are sinfully proud and wickedly bid Godspeed to him and his demonic Calvinist ministry.
PCC has been infested with ticks and flees from laying down with BJU. PCC are ungodly compromisers. Shame on any church that supports the apostate PCC cult today. RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!!! I won't shut up. I won't be silenced. I am a VOICE!
The one truth that I want you to take away from this blog is that we 'ARE SAVED' as believers, we are not 'BEING SAVED'. All of today's modern Devil's bibles are corrupted by Satan. Whatever Bible version you use right now, just flip the pages open to 1st Corinthians 1:18 and check to see if it says “are saved” or “being saved.” It should say “are saved,” which is what the trustworthy inspired King James Bible says. I plead with you dear friend to use only the King James Bible.
Getting saved is NOT a process, it is a new birth (aka, born again). Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) has authored a very helpful book titled: 'SALVATION IS MORE THAN BEING SAVED.' Dr. Hyles uses the illustration of being recycled from the incinerator at a waste facility. Likewise, when we trust Christ as our Savior, God salvages us from being burned in Hell for all eternity. But now the recycling process begins, which is a process. We must never confuse being salvaged from being recycled. Likewise, we must never confused being born again from being sanctified to be used for God's service.
Pastor Hyles preached a helpful sermon called: 'YOUR SALVATION DID NOT CHANGE YOU ONE BIT.' I love this sermon! Dr. Hyles uses the true illustration of a strip joint that existed down the street from the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana (FBCH). That illicit house of sin was a thorn in the church's side for decades. Soulwinners from FBCH regularly passed by the front of the place and passed out Gospel tracts. The owner despised and hated the FBCH.
As time passed the strip club closed down and a couple more years passed. One day Pastor Hyles received a letter in the mail from the owner of the club, offering to sell the building to the church. The man also shared with Pastor Hyles that he had been born again and was now preparing for full-time ministry as a pastor.
The First Baptist Church of Hammond purchased the building. Now, it was still decorated as a strip club. The building had transferred ownership from the former owner to the church. Although the church now owned the building, it was still adorned as an immoral place of sin. Dr. Hyles illustrated that the same thing happens when a lost sinner gets saved. We have changed ownership from Satan to God. But although our spirit, soul and body now belong to Christ as a saint, we haven't been remodeled yet. Just because the former strip club had transferred ownership in no way changed what it looked like inside. And just because you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior in no way changes your character, behavior or lifestyle. You need to be remodeled as a new believer, which has nothing to do with the new birth, which is solely of God (John 1:12-13).
Dr. Hyles wonderfully explains these precious truths in chapter 3 of his book titled: 'SALVATION IS MORE THAN BEING SAVED.' Chapter 3 is called: 'CONVERSION AND SALVATION.' Pastor Hyles tells the story I just mentioned to you much more eloquently:
The word "conversion" means "to turn around," "to change direction," "a change of purpose." In summary, it means "turning around the use of something. Conversion then would be "the outward manifestation of regeneration." Regeneration means "re-gening" or "being born of new genes." Conversion then would become the outward change brought about by regeneration. It is God Who places in us the new nature and re-genes or regenerates us. Just as the good Samaritan took the wounded man to the inn and commissioned the host to care for him, even so upon regeneration the newborn Christian is to place himself in a New Testament church so that church and the Christians therein can be used by the Holy Spirit for the converting of a life that was used for self to be used for others, that was lived in sin to be lived in righteousness, and that was producing works of the flesh to produce the fruit of the Spirit.
Conversion then is the work of the church and its members as they are led by the Holy Spirit to change the life and work of one who has been regenerated.
Redemption is a work of God the Son. Regeneration is the work of God the Holy Spirit. Justification is the work of God the Father as He declares the sinner righteous in the Son. Conversion then becomes the work of the church as we change the use and purpose of a life.
One block from the First Baptist Church of Hammond there is a building that was occupied for many years by a nightclub. It advertised all kinds of unrighteousness, even to that of nude dancing. For years our people would go to the sidewalk in front of this club witnessing and passing out Gospel tracts. After several years the nightclub closed. We never knew why it closed until one day I received a call from an eastern state. The caller was a gentleman who informed me that he had previously been the owner of the aforementioned nightclub. He told me how that for a number of years he had hated our people because they had bothered him so much with Gospel tracts and with their attempts to try to tell him about the Saviour. He then proceeded to tell me that one night he went home and told his wife that he felt like those people from First Baptist were getting to him. He then said, "Pastor Hyles, they did get to me. I gave my life to God, closed the nightclub, and I wanted to call you to tell you that I am now preaching the Gospel and will be licensed to preach in a few days. I wanted to thank you and your people for being consistent witnesses and for what they have meant to my life."
Shortly thereafter the First Baptist Church purchased the nightclub building. Upon purchase it was ours. The price was paid, the deal was consummated and the building changed ownership. However, the building had not yet been converted. It had the same bar, the same furnishings and the same decor. It was purchased. It was redeemed. It was owned by the church, but now it must be converted in order that it might be used for another purpose. As soon as it was redeemed, or purchased, and as soon as it changed ownership, work was begun by our people in order that it might be converted to use for God, Had we purchased it and left it as it was, it would not be converted. Neither could we go in and convert it before it was purchased. The converting of the building would not have made it ours. It would have made us guilty of criminal offense. The purchasing of the building did not convert it. First the price had to be paid, then the deal was consummated, the title then changed hands, and then the workmen entered to change its use and convert It to use for God.
Now there are many Christians who are saved but not converted. They have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ but their feet do not walk in new ways; their tongues do not speak a new language; their minds do not dwell on spiritual things. They are saved,' but they are carnal. I Corinthians 3:1-3, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"
SOURCE: Dr. Jack Hyles, 'Salvation Is More Than Being Saved'; chapter 3, 'Conversion And Salvation
So, please remember that the actual new birth is a one time, instantaneous thing. No one has ever been born again twice, or partially or temporarily. The Bible teaches: “ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED” (OSAS). I like to say: “IF SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED.” That is, once you have been born from above by the Holy Spirit of God, you can NEVER lose God's free gift of eternal life. If salvation were determined by one's performance, faithfulness and works, then we could indeed lose it. Albeit, we absolutely cannot lose God's gift of eternal life.
You may lose heavenly rewards for not labouring (1st Corinthians 3:7-15). You may not shine as the brightness of the stars for not soulwinning (Daniel 12:3). But these things have NOTHING to do with the new birth, which is by faith alone.
Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965) said it best:
"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)
Bravo Dr. DeHaan! I couldn't have said it any better. It is rare to find doctrinally sound preachers.
Beware of Calvinism (i.e., the heretical doctrine of a man named John Calvin who lived from 1509 to 1564). Calvin taught a perverse form of theology that combined living the Christian life with the new birth, so that anyone who doesn't live a holy sanctified Christian life is said not to be saved at all. That is a 'partial faith in Christ plus works' counterfeit gospel. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.
I fully agree with this helpful quote from Pastor Yankee Arnold:
“It is 'Good News' if no one must have good works before salvation, or after salvation. For salvation to truly be by grace, it must not have any stipulations of any kind at any time. Works before, during or after; works cannot be evidence of my salvation.” —Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, “Does Calvinism Change The Gospel?”
Good works are not the payment for sin, the payment for sin is death. That is why Christ died on the cross for our sins (Romans 5:6-9). Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty! Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work.
If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from? Repentance is simply changing one's mind regarding THE TRUTH that one is a guilty sinner and Jesus is the only Savior. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
1st Corinthians 16:22, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.”
Sadly, famous singer Jimmy Buffet (1946-2023) just died of skin cancer at age 76. He died on September 1, 2023. Jimmy was first diagnosed with skin cancer 4-years ago. I found this horrible song that Jimmy sang in 1976 titled, “My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink and I don't Love Jesus.” That is blasphemy against the only begotten Son of God, the Christ. ...
Jimmy (Fool) Buffet Sings (1976): 'My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink And I Don't Love Jesus'
Jimmy (Fool) Buffet Sings (2014): 'My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink And I Don't Love Jesus'
What saith the inspired Scripture? 1st Corinthians 16:22, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” The word “Anathema” means “cursed.” The word “Maranatha” means “The Lord is coming.” The Bible warns that if any man doesn't love Jesus, let him be cursed because the Lord is still coming anyway!
Jimmy Buffet was a fool to sing such a horrible song. Regardless of what some may say, that the song is just a play on words, the message is clearly blasphemous against God. Jesus is almighty God:
Revelation 1:5-8, “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. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Jesus is not merely “a god” as the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses errantly teach, the inspired Holy Bible teaches that Jesus is in fact “the Almighty” God (cf. John 1:1-3, 14; 8:57-59, 10:33).
Jimmy Buffet was tragically a lifelong Roman Catholic—the biggest religious cult on the planet. Salvation cannot be found in any religion; but rather, by faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Believing on the name of Jesus excludes placing your confidence in the damnable Sacramental Salvation of the Catholic cult. No one has ever been saved by keeping sacraments in some dead church. Jesus said in John 3:7b, “Ye must be born again.”
Here is buffet's shameful 1973 hit song, "Why Don't We Get Drunk And Screw.” ...
Jimmy Buffet (1973): “Why Don't We Get Drunk?"
I love the C6th Hawaiian steel guitar intro (I play steel guitar myself), but the lyrics are wicked as can be. What saith the Scripture? ...
Luke 12:15-21, “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Jimmy Buffet spent his life living large, glorifying drunkenness and acting the fool through his worldly music. His millions of fans were boozers, partiers and selfish people who just wanted to have a good time in life. Like the foolish rich man, Buffet was not rich toward God. Ironically, Forbes announced that in 2023 Jimmy Buffet became a BILLIONAIRE!!! I say “ironic” because it was the very same year that Buffet became a billionaire in 2023, that God took his life from him. Buffet made his billion dollars (much of it filthy lucre) from operating casinos, clothing, nightclubs, restaurants, booze and vacation resorts. Buffet spent much time performing in 'SIN CITY' itself, Las Vegas.
Buffet admitted that his live shows resembled Sodom and Gomorrah to some people. It is clear that Jimmy Buffet didn't love Jesus, and his Catholic faith couldn't save him from Hell. ...
Appreciation: Jimmy Buffett, in his own words: ‘What I see at my shows might look like Sodom and Gomorrah’
“And what I see out there at my shows might look like Sodom and Gomorrah to some people. But the only thing I can compare it to is (the tradition of) carnival. Whether you were the king of France, or a guy in the gutter, for three days a year you could put a mask on and be whoever you wanted. And when carnival is over, you put the mask away and go back to your job.
Sadly, the American people are infamous for debauchery (getting drunk, lust, behaving foolishly, fornicating, public nudity, adultery, divorce, partying irresponsibly, indifference, fighting, lawlessness, et cetera). It was Buffet's 1977 hit song “Margaritaville,” and his business savvy, that catapulted him to become a billionaire in 2023.
Kindly said, by all indication, Jimmy Buffet sadly went to Hell. I am sad about that. God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all humanity would change their mind to trust in the GOOD NEWS (Gospel) of Jesus Christ crucified for our sins, buried and bodily risen the third day from the dead (2nd Peter 3:9). Buffet made his choice not to love Jesus, to not rest in Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for his sins. Salvation comes only though faith in Jesus Christ. Buffet's Jewish roots couldn't save him.
There is no salvation in Catholicism, only bondage to religious rituals, manmade traditions and priestly abuse. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” Mr. Margaritaville is now sadly burning in the fires of Hell according to the Word of God. Unless Jimmy Buffet repented of his false religion, and placed his trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation on his deathbed, he went to Hell. Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
