Most people who call themselves Christians today could not tell you what the Gospel is to save their lives. What's worse is that throughout the whole modern so-called "church," with all of their so-called Bible teachers and so-called Bible Scholars, as well as others who hold presumptuous titles, pompous degrees, and fancy doctoral plaques and certificates awarded by men, I do not know of a single person in mainstream Christendom that can tell you the true, Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You may scoff at that claim, but read through this brief text of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and judge for yourself. Search the Scriptures to see if what I say is true. What will you do when you find that I am right?
As is famously proclaimed by John the Baptist regarding the Lord Jesus Christ:
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin OF THE WORLD!" -John 1:29 b
Was John the Baptist mistaken? Did Jesus Christ really take away the sin of the world or did He only take away the sin of a select few people? Well, John the Baptist clearly said, He takes away the sin OF THE WORLD! So, who do you believe, some preacher appointed by men or John the Baptist, a man appointed by God Himself?
You see, as John the Baptist correctly points out, Jesus did not ONLY die for the elect (as some erroneously teach), but for the WHOLE WORLD. As it is also written:
"For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of ALL MEN, especially of those who believe." -1 Timothy 4:10
Who is God the Savior of? -Scripture says "ALL MEN," but most Christians today don't believe this - or, rather, this little fact doesn't fit into their current set of false doctrines, so it is therefore ignored. But the Bible says that God is the Savior of "ALL MEN." And He is.
But if God is the Savior of "ALL MEN," we must ask another serious question: How is God the Savior of "ALL MEN" if most men will still end up in eternal Hell?
Well, the fact that people ask this question shows that they do not understand WHAT God has saved "ALL MEN" from: God has saved "ALL MEN" from death.
As it is written:
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." -Romans 5:12
You see, mankind inherited the curse of death from Adam and were all destined TO DIE, but not only that, all men would have REMAINED DEAD FOREVER, for without the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, no one would ever be resurrected again (see 1 Cor 15:16-17)
So, God became a man named Jesus Christ (John 1:14), born of a virgin girl with no human father, who lived a sinless life, who died for the sins OF THE WORLD (John 1:29), and who was raised to life everlasting on the third day after His death. And as the Apostle Paul explains in Romans:
"Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to ALL MEN, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, resulting in justification of life." -Romans 5:18
What is the "free gift" spoken of in the above passage? -The "free gift" is the resurrection from the dead! Who did the "free gift" come to? -"ALL MEN!" (Romans 5:18). Who, then, did Jesus (i.e. God) SAVE from eternal death? "ALL MEN!" (Romans 5:18). Who then will now be resurrected? "ALL MEN!" (Romans 5:18).
Thus, no one can earn that "free gift" of resurrection, as it was given to "ALL MEN" for FREE! As it is also written:
"For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ ALL shall be made alive." -1 Corinthians 15:22.
Who shall be made alive? -Scripture says "ALL"... In other words: EVERYONE! So who has received the "free gift?" -EVERYONE!
Indeed. John the Baptist was absolutely correct. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin OF THE WORLD" (John 1:29)!
In fact, THAT is the "Good News" (i.e. "Gospel")? -THAT WE WILL ALL LIVE AGAIN AFTER WE DIE!
Isn't that Good News?
But this Good News (the true Gospel) seems to have been lost, buried deep beneath the useless wranglings (see 1 Tim 6:5) and vain philosophies of men (see Col 2:8) throughout the ages, and can only be found after we eliminate those men's clouded and confused teachings from our minds "and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).
As we have been warned in Scripture:
"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." -2 Corinthians 11:3
My friends, the Gospel message is SIMPLE, not complicated. The Apostles preached the simple message of resurrection (Acts 4:2) and repentance from sin (Acts 2:38)!
Why? -Because "ALL MEN" have now been saved from death, which means that "ALL MEN" will now be resurrected and stand before the Creator of the Universe TO BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, as it is written:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE, whether good or bad." -2 Corinthians 5:10
Do not be deceived by those who claim there are two different judgments -One for believers and one for unbelievers. That is a lie! As the Lord Jesus Christ Himself clearly proclaimed:
"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which ALL who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have DONE GOOD, to the resurrection of life, and those who have DONE EVIL, to the resurrection of condemnation." -John 5:28-29.
All of us -every single human being- has been given the free gift of resurrection. We will ALL live again after we have die. However, once we are resurrected, we will be judged by our deeds. As it is also written:
"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books." -Revelation 20:12
Do you see? This is why James, the brother of Jesus Christ and the Bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, warned us all:
"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." -James 2:24
Many people get confused here and believe that James is referring to the "works of the Law," but that is not so. James makes it clear in James 2:14-17 and in James 2:25 that he is speaking about good deeds in general, such as feeding the hungry and helping the oppressed.
But, says the modern preacher, it is written:
"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
And this is true! We are saved by grace through faith. Notice, however, that both the grace and the faith are not yours ("and that not of yourselves"). We are saved by the grace and faith of God. God's grace sent Christ into the world to die for the sins of the world and it was Christ's faith that overcame the world. Therefore, the free gift of resurrection has now come to us all for free ("not of works, lest anyone should boast")! Again, as it is written:
"Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to ALL MEN, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, resulting in justification of life." -Romans 5:18
Now that you understand the free gift (resurrection), the question should now be asked, what must one do to inherit eternal life? Peter answers this very question when asked by those in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost:
"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."" -Acts 2:37-38
It is through the Holy Spirit's work in one's life that they will come to be "born again" as Jesus Himself said: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
Once a person is "born again" (i.e. receives the Holy Spirit), he or she is then guided into all truth (John 16:13) and is led to keep the commandments of Christ. In fact, keeping the commandments of Christ is how one knows they are truly saved. As it is written:
"Now BY THIS WE KNOW that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." -1 John 2:3-4
Again, as it is also written:
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither FORNICATORS, nor IDOLATERS, nor ADULTERERS, nor HOMOSEXUALS, nor EFFEMINATE MEN, nor THEIVES, nor COVETOUS, nor DRUNKARDS, nor REVILERS, nor EXTORTIONERS will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Everyone has been given the free gift of resurrection by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Now, everyone in the the world will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment and immediately judged ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE (Rev 20:12). Prepare yourself for that Day by following these four steps:
1. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Repent of your sins.
3. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
4. Follow the commandments of Christ listed throughout the pages of the New Testament.
For more on the Commandments of Christ, please read this article.
I leave you with this timeless wisdom:
The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord
A Psalm of David.
1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
-Psalm 15:1-5
May the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you and guide you into all truth. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment