The Gospel Is Not An Advertising Gimmick

“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

“Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

I know you have seen advertisements which claim they will give you a product for FREE. Then, when you responded, you found out in order to get the so called free gift you had to sign up to pay for more of the product in order to get what they claimed was free.

The modern day Protestant evangelical movement began in the early 18th Century. It continues to this day. I was a part of it for many years. I dropped out when I discovered that this movement had an eerie similarity to the offer of a free product from advertisers.

Think about it for a minute. How was the gospel of salvation presented to you? Was it presented as a free gift IF you believed, repented, invited, accepted, and received it? And were you told you were doing the right thing (justified) before God IF you joined the church by being baptized, regularly participated in the “Lord’s Supper” (communion) and supported the church by “tithing”, “praying”, “witnessing”, etc. etc.?

The GOSPEL is not an advertising gimmick to get you to join an institution of men. The Gospel is a declaration of the SALVATION of sinful mankind by the GRACE OF GOD. It is proclaimed to us in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus, the Son of God.

“Now I make known to you, brethren, THE GOSPEL which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also  YOU ARE SAVED, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Paul says it is “THE GOSPEL” by which “YOU ARE SAVED” and in which “YOU STAND”. It is true that he also emphasizes the gospel is what he and they “received”, but receiving it did not SAVE them, it simply allowed them and us to enjoy in this life the joy and peace "THE GOSPEL" gives.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with people believing, repenting, inviting, accepting and receiving the Gospel, UNLESS they are doing so in order to get saved.

The Salvation of the sinner is FREE, and so is JUSTIFICATION. One does not acquire them by responding to an “offer”. They are given "freely by His grace" to mankind as a result of the “redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.

They are yours as a free gift through the LOVE and GRACE of God so believe and ENJOY the gospel... 

"...because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the GRACE of God in truth." (Colossians 1:5-6)

Mercy to All

“For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does NOT DEPEND ON THE MAN WHO WILLS or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” (Romans 9:15-16)

Many Christians are convinced by their teachers that obtaining mercy and compassion from God is a matter of their own “free will” choice. They are wrong and do not believe God.

Above, God clearly says His compassion and mercy is NOT dependent on the man "who wills” , or how a man chooses to “run” (how he lives his life). God's mercy and compassion is dictated by who He is and what He wants.  And in Chapter 11 he tells us….

“For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to ALL. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:32-36)

Did you get that? "mercy to ALL".  

If you claim to believe the Bible, THEN BELIEVE IT, rather than the dogma of the institutions of religious men.

Requests To God

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding…” (Proverbs 3:5)

I cannot think of anything worse than to watch one of your children suffer when there is little you can do to make it better. We mortal parents are subjected to this from time to time. It tests our faith in God who could intervene and stop the suffering or could have prevented it altogether. So why doesn’t He? I don’t know…I would and you would.

Nevertheless, we must deal with what comes our way the best we can. Abandoning God because we do not understand why He allows evil in the world is really not an answer. It will not relieve the pain. Deciding there is no God at all is not the answer for it is obvious to all that someone began the Universe. Listening to the pathetic arguments of religious leaders who blame it all on the Devil, or on sinful men, doesn’t help either. 

So what helps?  What I have seen is gentle spirits making their requests known to God for the child they love...

“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7)

For those moments of grief and helplessness that is all I’ve got, and all I can give to those who are experiencing it right now is to remind them of what they already know. It is not enough and it makes me weep. But it is all we have…and it will be enough when the ages are done, and we know even as we are known.

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cointhians 13:12)

The Jubilant Song of the Morning

“In the evening, lamentation may lodge, but in the morning there is jubilant song.” (Psalm 30:5 CLOT)

There are times that people come to my mind. They are usually family and current friends and occasionally those from the past that I shared good times and have fond memories. When they are remembered the following bible verse often comes to mind. 

"I am thanking my God at every remembrance of you. Always, in every petition of mine for you all, making the petition with joy." (Philippians 1:3-4 CLNT).

In “the evening” of life as the sun begins to set I am sure there will be "lamentation", yet I also hope to find myself thinking about and continuing to pray this prayer for those I have known…

“…that He may be giving you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the realization of Him…” (Ephesians 1:17 CLNT)

I am convinced that in time all mankind will come to realize the love of God and what He has done for all his creation.  Then all will give Him glory. Some are fortunate enough to have been given this "wisdom and revelation" in this life, and it enables them to joyfully and patiently live wanting to make life better for those around them.  They know that God, through His Son Jesus, has written a "jubilant song" to be enjoyed by all “in the morning”.

Don't give up on mankind, God is not done with us yet.

None Shall Perish - All Come to Repentance

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)

It appears obvious to me that the word “perish” as used in Scripture simply refers to a person staying dead after becoming deceased. If there is no resurrection then death wins and nothing follows. However, the above Scripture says that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish” and that all “come to repentance”. There will be "victory" over death, our "last "enemy.

So, what is God saying in the above verse? He says that NONE will perish and that ALL will come to repentance….because it is the WILL OF THE LORD as Paul tells Timothy...

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL…For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED…For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for ALL...” (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

There is a term for those who do not agree with what God says in Scripture…the term is “unbeliever”, and there are many unbelievers,even those with their names on various church roles. 

Yet though they do not believe now, they will, when in fact God has seen to it that none “perish” and that all have “come to repentance” at the "resurrection of  both the righteous (believers) and unrighteous (unbelievers)" as Paul explains…

“And I (Paul) have a hope in God…that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous…” (Acts 24:15). “…we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people…” (1 Timothy 4:10). “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord” (Romans 6:23). “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive….The last enemy that will be abolished is death…so that God may be all in all…when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “death is swallowed up in VICTORY.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-54)

The Promise

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3)

Jesus' promise to return is our comfort as we grow older.

Jesus spoke these words knowing that the cross, the resurrection, and his ascension were close at hand. After His death and resurrection, and just after his ascension, those who saw him ascend were told…

"This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

Years later Paul would remind mankind of this promised return….

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

This is the promised hope for all mankind as a result of the GRACE of God and instructs us how to live while we wait for his return, as we are told by Paul…

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" (Titus 2:11-14)

Commend Them To God

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His GRACE, which is able to build you up and to GIVE you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)

Most Christian leaders think they have it all figured out. Everyone is going to hell except them and their particular flock of sheep. Fortunately for mankind, God is not interested in joining that flock and sent Jesus to save those that do along with all other sinners. Mankind is a work in progress, marred by sin, but being molded by the great Potter Himself into His image.

So I just relax and "commend them to God”. He will finish His work and when done, He will have reconciled your family, friends and all creation to Himself. So trust God, enjoy life and treat people the way you want to be treated…

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus….grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6; 2 Peter 3:18)

When I look around I do not see much growth “in grace” among men, even among Christians and other religious groups. Not much grace in attitudes, especially toward those with which we disagree - whether politicians, religious doctrine, opposing athletic teams, etc. And I see little growth in the "knowledge" of our Lord. When is the last time you learned something new about God? I have been attending Church for more than 64 years and in all that time I cannot remember anything new in its teaching which would be considered growth in the "knowledge" of our Lord. Just the same old traditions passed down for centuries from the creeds and statements of faith of men.

From time to time I ask myself whether I have grown “in grace and in knowledge of our Lord”. Those areas in which I have grown has shown me that God is more loving, merciful and gracious than I originally thought and was taught.

So why do I care to post my random thoughts at all, since I am “commending you to God”? Well, in reading the Bible I came across this verse….

"You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen...listen to what I say to you....” (Ezekiel 2:5, 7)

Whatever opposition I encounter, I try to give out the Word of God, and my thoughts about those Words without corrupting it or altering it to please the long standing traditions of men.  

Independence Day!

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted… to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1, 3).

Jesus began his ministry on earth by reading verse 1 of this passage from Isaiah.  Those who have come to the knowledge of God’s salvation should continue to share this good news to the mourning, broken, heavyhearted people of this world. They need to be told the joyful good news that at the resurrection all will all be liberated from death, the wages for our sin.  At the resurrection we will all then understand that…

“His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

Sinful men are to be bruised in His momentary anger during this present age, however, they will all be resurrected from death and changed into “trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified".

It is God's intent that all be saved and come to the knowledge that Jesus is Lord and bow before him in grateful thanksgiving for that salvation from death.  Those of us who have this knowledge during this present age are to "teach these things".

“...at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"..."It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (Philippians 2:10-11; 1 Timothy 4:10-12)