Everyone has faith in someone or in something. Some believe in themselves as the “master of their own fate, and the captain of their own souls.” Others have confidence in a person with a strong personality, in a church, in one of the Christs of the cults, or in a pagan god or goddess. Many people place their faith and trust in the government which has the power to take from the rich and give to the poor. The religions of man and the cults not only have faith as a requirement of entrance into heaven, but also require that good works be added to faith. Not so with true Christianity (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5). Our deliverance from hell to heaven is a gift from God that must be received gratefully by simple faith alone in the Christ of the Scriptures alone.
SINCERITY. One can be sincerely wrong when he goes to the medicine cabinet at night and takes the wrong medicine for his ailment. Getting on the wrong train, even though sincere, could end up in one’s arriving at the wrong destination. We’ve done this before. Many people are sincerely wrong and don’t even know it. Satan has blinded their spiritual eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4). How sad! What about you? How confident are you that you would go immediately to heaven if you were to die today? Do you believe that you’d have a go to Purgatory first? Why do you believe God should let you into His heaven?
POWER OF THE GOSPEL. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek [non-Jew] (Romans 1:16). He also wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:1, 2).
“BELIEVE IN VAIN.” Whenever a person adds the words “and…” or “but…” he is changing the Gospel message. A person is saved today by God’s grace alone (unmerited favor), through faith alone (not faith plus good works), in the Christ of the Scriptures alone (not in the Christ of the cults).
THE GOSPEL FOR OUR DELIVERANCE FROM HELL TO HEAVEN. It involves two facts: Christ died for our sins…and rose again bodily from the dead. It provides two proofs: He was buried, and after His bodily resurrection He was seen by over 500 witnesses, over a 40 day period of time, before He ascended back to heaven. His ascension into heaven was not in secret at night on a horse as one religion teaches, but it was gradual, literal, and in the presence of His disciples (1 Corinthians 15:3-5; See Luke 24:36-43; Acts 1:9-11).
WHAT’S REQUIRED FOR OUR SALVATION? Sadly, many who say they know and believe the facts of the Gospel (James 2:19) have never transferred their faith over to Christ alone to be saved. What about you? Consider this carefully – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9; See Titus 3:5).
ADDITIONS: Some preachers and teachers add other requirements for salvation. What have you been told? “Say the sinner’s prayer,” “Come forward and confess Christ publicly,” “Repent and be baptized,” “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Christ,” “Put Christ on the throne of your life,” “Turn from your sins to God,” “Pray to receive Christ,” etc. I used to be confused by such invitations. What about you?
LORDSHIP SALVATION. Do you know the difference between “Lordship in exchange for salvation,” and “Lordship because of salvation”? Sadly, the conditions for spiritual growth and maturity are often erroneously made the conditions for one to be saved instead of because one has been saved (Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Peter 3:15). Don’t make this mistake.
HELP. Having been confused myself for many years, I want to help you gain assurance of your salvation as I now have so you can effectively SHARE the Gospel with others and have the joy of leading others to Christ so they too can be saved (1 John 5:13; Romans 8:16).
CROWN. The “Crown of Rejoicing” awaits believers who lead others to Christ for salvation (1 Thessalonians 1:19, 20). But the greatest joy in life comes when we take those whom we have led to Christ and help them grow spiritually (3 John 4).
CONTACT. We can be reached here or through our website: www.kelseypeach.com. Contact us if you have questions and/or comments. To receive future articles as they come out, click on follow.
For Your Further Consideration
Gospel Presentations: https://kelseypeach.wordpress.com/2022/02/16/gospel-presentations/
Which Jesus Saves? – https://kelseypeach.wordpress.com/2015/01/07/which-jesus-saves/
Lordship Salvation:
My Personal Testimony: https://kelseypeach.wordpress.com/2023/11/25/my-personal-testimony-wm-kelsey-pietsch/
No Resurrection = No Hope – https://kelseypeach.wordpress.com/2020/07/16/no-res-no-hope/
No Resurrection = No Accountability? = https://kelseypeach.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/no-resurrection-no-accountability/
The Gospel Mandate
Friend, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone, Who died for all our sins (once and for all) …and rose again bodily on the third day, and you will be saved from hell to heaven (Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 15;3, 4).
If you’ve never done this before, do it NOW! Once you’ve done this, contact us for more information so we can help you grow spiritually.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version
Copyright c. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by Permission. All rights reserved
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