Chapter 6. 11
Twisted Gospel
Did
Jesus do everything for us when He went to the Cross and gave His Life?
Is
all we have to do to be saved is to believe? Is Salvation just Fire Insurance?
Does
the end justify the means concerning the presentation of the Gospel?
First
Word
The RAW TRUTH from the pulpit would empty out the Church
It’s not WARM and FUZZY.
I JOINED THE CHURCH July 3, 1949 which would save me from
going to HELL. I
was Ten years old and there was a churning in my heart that I needed
forgiveness for my sins. My knowledge of
God and Jesus was quite limited and even somewhat twisted, but God accepted
me where I was as the Holy Spirit had already started a work in me. The
emphasis was on JOINING THE
CHURCH and I would be SAVED
FROM HELL.
Saved from What?
I was later surprised to learn that Jesus did
not come to get us to “Join the Church” or to save us from hell. He came to
save us from our SINS because we
cannot save ourselves; we are DEAD in our sins and
are incapable of coming to God on our own; we need a Savior. [1]
Salvation is not FIRE INSURANCE; the
burning Hell was created for Satan and as a by-product of that, his followers
get go there too.
When God gave man FREE WILL, this gift allowed SIN
to enter into the world; and to counter act that; with His GRACE, He willed his beloved Son to be born of
a woman. Jesus would render perfect
obedience to the Devine Law and would
suffer and die to remove our sins. We are saved by His
Grace. [2] The Old Testament Law simply showed us just
how sinful we are.
Romans 8:3-4 - The Law of Moses is unable to save us
3 THE
LAW OF MOSES WAS UNABLE TO SAVE US because of the weakness of our sinful
nature. So God did what the law could not do. HE
SENT HIS OWN SON in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in
that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son AS A SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.
4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law
would
be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature
but instead follow the Spirit. (NLT)
Romans 3:20 - The Law simply shows us how sinful we are
20 For no one can ever be made
right with God by doing what the law commands. THE
LAW
SIMPLY SHOWS US HOW SINFUL WE ARE. (NLT)
THE NEW COVENANT DOES NOT
RELAX GOD’S JUSTICE
NOR LOWER HIS STANDARD
OF HOLINESS
Twisted Gospel
The Gospel has become twisted; it starts with
some upbeat entertainment, an opening witty joke, a happy success story and a
three point sermon on how you can “look inside yourself” and “be all that you can be”; it’s all HAPPY TRAILS in the future. Now that certainly draws a crowd; this
congregation is being put to sleep with
the Devils unsuspecting opiate.
If every sermon was about Sin, and the penalty for Sin was eternal
punishment in the Lake of fire, the popularity of
that preacher would drop to an all-time low. In fact it would be downright
depressing; it would drive people away from the church. People’s ears ITCH to hear about
the “Sweet
By and By”; NOT the “Nasty Now and Now”.
We are taught that Salvation is by GRACE and is a FREE GIFT; Jesus has DONE
EVERYTHING for
the sinner. We don’t have to do anything
to “Join the
Church” except Believe, BUT
something more than believing is necessary for Salvation. Unless we REPENT and forsake our
sinful ways and thoughts; we will perish.[3] It’s in the Book.
Can an Ethiopian change the color of his
skin or a leopard change its spots? [4] Neither
can we do good
when we are accustomed to doing evil; something has to happen in our life. Man is corrupt by nature and is completely
unaware of his own wretchedness, blindness and helplessness. Salvation is not by the might of the “preacher”,
nor the power of the “sinners will”, but by “the spirit” of God.[5]
Salvation is impossible
unless God puts forth his Mercy and Grace.[6] No music, poem, story, appeal or emotional
plea will bring salvation to the soul… Except maybe to the MAKE BELIEVER.
The Gospel is about SIN and REPENTANCE which brings us
to the story of the JAILOR.
Setting up the Story
Paul and Silas had
been thrown in prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In prison they were praying and singing
praises to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. About midnight there was an earthquake and
the prison doors flew open and the chains and stocks fell off all the
prisoners’ legs, but they did not choose to escape from the prison.
The Keeper of the prison knew the penalty for letting a prisoner escape
would be monstrous torture and death to him and his family. Seeing the doors open and believing the
prisoners had all escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul called
out and stopped him.
Acts 16:26-28 Earthquake – Prison doors
opened – Nobody left
26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were
shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
27 And THE
KEEPER OF THE PRISON, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors
open, supposing the prisoners had fled, DREW
HIS SWORD AND WAS ABOUT TO KILL HIMSELF.
28 But Paul called with a loud
voice, saying,
"DO YOURSELF NO
HARM, FOR WE ARE ALL HERE."
NKJV
The Hand of God
The Jailer knew all about Paul
and Silas, he had heard their prayers and hymns of praise and in his
heart knew that what had just happened must have been the hand of God because the prisoners did not try to escape.
What does repentance look like?
The Jailor presented the age
old question: What must I do to be saved?
Whoa… What just
happened here? Where was the alter call?
Where was the seven stanzas sung of “Just as I am”? Where was the pleading for the sinner to come
home? Where was “Every eye closed, every head bowed”,
“slip up your hand and come on down, nobody will see you coming.”
None of that happened. The Holy Spirit had already begun a work in
him, he obviously felt the lost condition of his own soul; no urging from any
preacher was required. The jailer saw a
need for illumination; he called for a light; his soul had awakened. He realized his self-reliance was utterly
useless and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. He subjected himself as a servant to the men
of God who were once his captives and brought them out of prison into his own
home.
From deep within his soul he confessed with his mouth; “What must I do to
be SAVED?
Acts 16:26 – Called for a light, fell down
trembling
29 Then he called for a light, ran
in, and fell
down trembling before Paul and
Silas.
30 And he brought
them out and said,
"SIRS, WHAT MUST
I DO TO BE SAVED?"
NKJV
Believe be Baptized
What must I do to be saved; the Jailor
asked? Paul responded Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ and not only you will be saved, but we will preach to
your whole household so they can be saved also.
Public Sign of repentance; the Jailor was
baptized in his own house; probably with water poured from a basin over him
along with the rest of his family; perhaps maybe even sprinkled
Acts 16:31-34 - Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ; be Baptized
31 So they said,
BELIEVE ON THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND YOU WILL BE SAVED, you and your household."
32 Then they spoke the word of the
Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour
of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately HE AND ALL HIS FAMILY WERE BAPTIZED.
NKJV
Hold on a minute
What we want today is salvation
from Hell;
deliverance and escape from the lake of fire, not salvation from SIN and
being delivered from our carnality and worldly ways; that would require a change
on our part. LISTEN: If you believe
you are healthy and not SICK, then you don’t
need a doctor
Salvation is for those
who are SICK OF SIN; those who feel
in their consciousness, the awful burden and realization of exceeding sinfulness in their life and HATE IT and long to be FREE of it. They are conscious of the heinousness of sin
and are bowed down with a sense of grief and guilt.
If you did not feel this at your
conversion, then you have never been saved at all, OR maybe not saved
as early as you had previously thought. Read through this again and ponder it.
As a Christian grows, a clearer picture emerges about how sin is rebellion against God and a deeper hatred and sorrow surfaces as well
as compassion for those who are still on a path to everlasting separation from God
and torment
in the lake of fire.
Salvation is freedom from
the love of sin; the removal of sins dominion in your life; freedom from guilt
and the removal of the death penalty that sin demands.
Matthew
9:12 – Those who know they are sick need a doctor
12 But when Jesus heard this,
He said, "IT IS NOT THOSE WHO ARE HEALTHY WHO
NEED A PHYSICIAN, BUT THOSE WHO ARE SICK.
(NASB)
Plow the Field
Nowhere in the book of Acts do we find the
Apostles addressing a bunch of heathens and telling them that all you have to
do is BELIEVE to be saved. You cannot apply the words “Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” to those who are totally
blind and dead to the working of the Holy Spirit in
their Soul. They might respond, but it
will be the confession of a MAKE
BELIEVER.
You don’t throw Spiritual Pearls of Wisdom
in front of pigs;[7]
they don’t know what to do with it. To
present the “atoning
work” that Christ perfected on the cross to those with a passion and
love for sin would be a waste of your breath and time. You don’t sow seed on soil till it has been
plowed; it must be made ready to sow the seed.
Before Jesus came, John the Baptist plowed the field preaching REPENTANCE
for SIN.[8] His audience was those who understood SIN in
their life and were willing to go out into the wilderness and find him just to
hear a message about REPENTANCE and seek to
receive FOREGIVENESS for their SIN.
Filled with the Spirit
Note; at first the
Jailer was self-reliant, self-confident; he was his own man. Then he became fearful and started to take his own
life to save the lives of his
family. Then he became filled with the spirit and threw fear aside
for his own personal safety and took Paul and Silas out of the prison into his
own home, fed them and washed their wounds.
The Jailor did
not just simply “Believe”, HE GAVE
EVIDENCE of
his conviction and repentance.
Acts 16:34 – Filled with the Spirit –
Evidence followed
34 Now when he had brought them
into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, HAVING BELIEVED IN GOD with all his
household.
(NKJV)
The Take Away
The
end justifies the means; packing a church with MAKE - BELIEVERS to grow the
membership role certainly makes the church financially solvent and assures that
the Pastor can be paid as well as support a number of outreach programs, but
what about the damned souls sitting in the congregation.
You have a Twisted Gospel if you believe
that there is nothing on your part that is required to obtain Salvation from
the Lord and we are not talking about WORKS here. Repentance is an absolute requirement even by the thief
on the cross with his last minute appeal to Christ.[9]
Evidence of repentance will be observed in your
actions starting with a public profession of your faith in Jesus Christ and baptism with
its symbolism of burying the old life and
rising in a newness of life in Christ. It
will be observed in your speech, your checkbook and daily activity.
Salvation is for those who
are SICK OF SIN;[10]
those who feel in their consciousness, the awful burden and realization of
exceeding sinfulness in their life and HATE
IT and
long to be FREE of it. They are
conscious of the heinousness of sin and are bowed down with a sense of grief
and guilt.
Is this what you felt? Is
there evidence of your conviction
or are you just a MAKE-BELIEVER?
[1] Ephesians 2:5 – While we were still DEAD
in our sins Jesus died for us
[2] Titus 3:5 – We are NOT SAVED by our righteous works; but by His mercy
[3] Luke 13:3 – Repent or you will perish -- Mark 1:15 - Repent and believe in the gospel -- Isaiah 55:7 – Forsake sinful ways and
thoughts
[4] Jeremiah 13:23 - Can an Ethiopian change his skin
[5] Zechariah 4:6 - Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit
[6] John 6:44 – No one comes unless the Holy Spirit draws them
[7] Matthew
7:6 – Don’t give spiritual pearls to pigs
[8] Matthew 3:1-2- REPENT OF YOUR SINS, turn to God
[9] Luke 23:42-43 – Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
-- Matthew 9:12 – Those who know “they
are sick” need a doctor
[10] Matthew 9:12 – Those who know “they are sick” need a doctor
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