Re: It will cost you everything

There are a lot of ministers and YouTubers preaching a false message about salvation. Some just want us to recite 1 Corinthians 15 to people as the only message that is needed in preaching the gospel truth. While the gospel message is found there and we do need to believe it in order to be saved, we need to consider it in context of the whole scripture message regarding salvation. The Bible says that even demons believe and tremble. It is possible to believe 1 Corinthians 15 and still not be saved.

They keep preaching that anything else is a work-based salvation. I admit that this line gives these false teachers credibility because the Bible is clear that we cannot attain salvation by works. It is indeed a free gift, but if we never receive that free gift it is never ours. The free gift is the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus took our penalty for our sins. We could never have anything so valuable that we could buy that. We must receive what Christ did for us. If anyone gives us a gift we have to receive it in order for it to be ours. Are we to say we worked for a birthday gift because we reached out our hand to take it? Yes, it's work to reach out our hands. How ridiculous is that?

We must put on the righteousness of Christ. But isn't that a work? Isn't clothing ourselves in the righteousness of Christ a work?

Isn't repentance a work? That's what they are preaching. Many preachers and YouTubers are preaching against repentance today calling it a work-based gospel. Yet, the Bible states that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. In other words, if we don't repent, we will perish. That sounds like we will not be saved without repentance. This sounds pretty clear to me.

They analyze everything we need to do down to the point where it can be considered a work and therefore not necessary. Breathing is a work! Opening your eyes is a work!

Following Christ, becoming a disciple of Christ, and making Christ the Lord of our lives is all preached as a work by some. They are calling those who preach these things false teachers, but they are the false teachers. That is why it is important to read the Bible for yourselves. That is why it is important to seek God for yourselves.

If we refuse to do the things I have listed above, how can we even consider ourselves to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit? It is this regeneration that causes us to want to do these things. Some of these things are indeed works that follow our salvation. These are things that prove we are saved. Read the book of James. These things prove we have been regenerated. Most Christians believe regeneration by the Holy Spirit is salvation, or what is called the spiritual birth. Jesus called it becoming born again.

I was really shocked when I heard one YouTuber talking down those who preach that we must have a personal relationship with God. That's right. I guess that's the latest doctrine. If we tell people that we need a personal relationship with Christ we are a false teacher. What about the verses that talk about true Christians having fellowship with God? What about what the Bible says about knowing Christ and He knowing us? Are these things not describing an intimate personal relationship with Him?

In the end there are many false teachers that want us to believe that all we have to do is lay in bed all day when it comes to our salvation, lest we try to work for our salvation and never end up receiving it.

Beware, run for your lives, seek God for yourselves. Some of these teachers may take some effort to leave. They have become our friends. They smile so pleasantly. They are so dogmatic. They shout with determination. They claim they are rightly dividing the word of truth and the others are not. They can get just about anyone to believe them with these tactics. How could they be wrong? Don't be deceived. Tweet