I hope that my last post First Words Of Jesus From the 4 Gospels, Matthew: Part 1 clarified the truth about baptism. This post will also touch base on some common misconceptions about another topic, salvation. Salvation is the most important decision anyone can make in their entire life! It sets our eternal destination. God does not predestnate our path (like the false teachings of Calvinism) one way or another even though He knows what path we will take. We will choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ, and whatever that final decision is when we take our last breath, it is set in stone. We will stand before a just, holy God and will give an account to every word, thought, and deed we have done since the day we were held accountable for our actions. If we have not become “born again” by the time we take our last breath, we will die and spend an eternity in a very real place called Hell. There is no turning that around. No one can pray us out of Hell. There is no purgatory like the false teachings of the Pagan religion called Catholicism, who claims to be “Christian”, but is not. The Pope doesn’t even have that power and he is not Christ manifest in the flesh like Catholicism claims he is. No own can baptize us in our place like the Mormonism cult teaches. We will not come back for a second attempt like reincarnation teaches. Just because we do not believe it does not change the fact that it will happen like the Atheist thinks and say. It is finished, there is no turning back. Jesus was very clear on salvation and what to do.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, (15) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Notice these are Jesus’ words. If Jesus is God manifest in the flesh then I think His words are pretty important, don’t you think? He says repent and believe the Gospel. So many times I hear, “All you have to do is believe in Jesus and you will be saved.” That statement, if followed, creates a false convert with a false hope. They have hope that he or she will spend an eternity in Heaven, and yet will hear the words, “Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you!” (Matthew 7:22-23) Once again man tries to come up with their own ways to get to Heaven by making their own rules. We must realize that the Word of God is final authority of all matters of faith and practice, and never man! We should filter EVERYTHING through the Word of God, and we should rightly divide the Word of God!
Let me ask you a question. What does someone need to do if they offend someone? Do they just believe everything is all good and then move on like nothing has happened? No! The problem is still there, and it is unresolved, and not reconciled. In other words the relationship with that other individual is still broken. What that person needs to do is go to that other person that they wronged and make it right by repenting and asking for forgiveness. Belief in Jesus alone still results in a broken relationship and a destination to Hell. There must be repentance and reconciliation! Jesus said, “If you want to be saved, you need to repent and ask me into your heart!” That my friends is the TRUE Gospel!
Paul said in 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: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) 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. (9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Folks this “belief Gospel” is another Gospel. Let them be accursed and if you church is teaching that, it is time to find another church! Repentance is important and it will either save you to Heaven, or without it, send you to Hell. Make sure today that your relationship with Christ is right. The Bible says that you can know that your are saved 1 John 5:13.
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