He Who Wins Souls Is Wise - Oh Really, Who is That?

"Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all humanity. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of 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 20:26-32)

The revival was over. We had listened to a dynamic speaker for two weeks. During that time there were over 90 decisions for Christ and many other rededications. At one service, everyone there walked the aisle to make one decision or another or to pray at the altar, myself included. At the end of the last service, we had been challenged to "go win the world to Christ, one person at a time, bcause he who wins souls is wise". Everyone was saying Amen and left fully intending to be a part of a great renewal. The evangelist received a big love offering and off he went to his next scheduled revival.

Sound familiar? 

Problem was that two weeks later no one was out "winning souls", and all was back to normal. This has been repeated over and over again in institutional protestant churches since the 1730's yet the percentage of the world's population that refer to themselves as "Christian" remains the same, maybe less. 

WHY I asked myself?

WARNING!: Stop reading if you are a Christian prone to getting defensive when your views are challenged.

I asked an evangelical pastor WHY and his response was that God's people are disobedient to their commission from the Lord. 

He was right, but he did not have a clue why he was right in my opinion. 

So, here are my thoughts after meditating on the problem.

The gospel message being presented in our churches and on the mission fields is flawed. It has been changed from a glorious declaration of the Salvation of ALL sinful men to a mere "offer” to save "if" people jump through certain hoops. After 40 years of study, I cannot find anywhere in the bible that says we should go "offer" salvation or "win the world to Christ". 

The Salvation of humanity is not a game we are playing which can be won or lost by hard work and obedience. Nevertheless,  if you like the game analogy consider this - the GAME HAS ALREADY BEEN WON! And that pastor friend, myself, you, Paul, nor Billy Graham had any part in the victory. God guaranteed the salvation of humanity "before the foundation of the world".  

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious GRACE, which He has FREELY GIVENus in the Beloved One (Jesus)." (Epesians 1:3-6)

Salvation is a done deal for humanity. It will be complete at the end of the ages when sinful humanity have ALL become a new creation in Christ Jesus, old things will have passed away - all things will have become new.

"So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away.  Behold, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:16-18)

Those of us who realize we are saved have a commission and ministry to TELL people about their salvation and reconciliation, not play a game to WIN or LOSE their souls! 

I know what some of you are thinking, the preacher told us  "he who wins souls is wise" and he read it right out of the Bible. 

Yep, and the last time I looked, Jesus is the ONLY wise man who has ever lived that had the power to win souls - and HE won them ALL at the cross. The first part of that verse is that the fruit of a righteous man is a tree of life. Jesus is also the only righteous man who ever lived - and his fruit is the "tree of life" for the souls he won - ALL SOULS...

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls." (Proverbs 11:30)

What we should be telling those who have never heard is "You have been saved by the Love and Grace of God through the wisdom and righteousness of His Son Jesus".

So, I am telling you now - believe it, rejoice, and go tell your family and friends the GOOD NEWS! 

Then live your life like you appreciate what God through Jesus has done for humanity.  Do what God requires, not what some priest of pastor requires. Here it is...

"What can we bring to the LORD? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of ramsand ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:6-8)

There you have it, 1) Do what is Right 2) Love Mercy, and 3) Walk Humbly with your God

If you want to play games that is OK, but play golf or some other game.

"But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a SAVIOR has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord." (Luke 2:10)

Outward and Inward Jews

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly…But he is a Jew who is one inwardly...” (Romans 2:28-29)

There are many who think believers in Jesus, which they refer to as the "church", are “spiritual Israel” based on this verse (ignoring the context). This false teaching assumes that because Israel as a nation rejected Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) God discarded Israel and the believers in Jesus among all nations are now the church, or “spiritual Israel”.

They are wrong.

A "Jew" who is one "outwardly" is simply a person whose linage can be traced back to Abraham through his son Isaac. A "Jew" who is one "inwardly" is any person who has ever believed what God says, just like Abraham did.

"Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.' So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." (Galations 3:7-9)

The Bible reveals a plan for God's chosen nation, the outward Jews on this earth, and that plan is referred to as the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Bible also reveals the plan for all mankind to become inward Jews and that plan was revealed to the Apostle Paul and is referred to as the Gospel of Grace (which is the promise of the final reconciliation and salvation of all mankind to God at the close of the ages ).

Mixing up the two has been going on for almost 1800 years, the result being that the Old Testament books, and those books of the New Testament written specifically to Jews "outwardly" are misapplied to mankind in general. And that error has caused mankind to be split into divisions unknown in the Scripture -the eternally saved verses the eternally lost - those bound for heaven and those bound for hell.

It is no wonder there are so many disagreements among the various sects of Christianity. They are confused because many of their teachers have not "rightly divided the word of truth".

"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

Knowing and believing God's plans does not save anyone. His plans for both will be carried out in His own time because He planned them. It is not up to us to fulfill them, only Jesus could, can and will do that.

"And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14)

I do not think the confusion will be cleared up going forward, the error is too ingrained in our churches, but it will get worse...for Jesus himself lamented...

"When the Son of Man comes (returns), will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

Do You See The Grace of God?

“When he (Barnabas) came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad.” (Acts 11:21-23)

Few Christians see the grace of God at work in people who have not joined their group. I think it is because they are looking for works. They look for obedience to some creed or law rather than looking for the unmerited favor (grace) of God for all people. Their religious upbringing blinds them to the truth of the good news of grace.

They look for repentance, decisions, baptism, attendance, tithing, evangelism, etc. when they look at others. None of those works are the “truth of the gospel” which has come to mankind. None of that matters to God as far as His grace is concerned. His gift to mankind is salvation from death into a new, immortal, spiritual life. And Jesus has shown us "the way, the truth, and the life"...

"I am the way, the truth, and the life...the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life..." (John 14:6; Romans 6:23)

When Barnabas came to Antioch what he observed was a bunch of sinners who had been made aware that God would save them from death by the resurrection, not as a result of religious works that the law had demanded, but purely by the unmerited favor of God. They believed it and it had changed them…and the fruit of that grace he saw in them was the love, joy and appreciation that Paul later called the "fruit of the Spirit".  The “truth of the gospel” is for “all the world”.

"...the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth……the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." (Colossians 1:5-6; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Timothy 4:9-11)

Religious doctrine has prevented most of its members from grasping the “truth of the gospel” and they just do not SEE the unmerited “grace of God” as applying to all people.

But when I look at mankind, the whole sorry lot of us, and remember the truth of the living God, the good news that "all people" will be saved in the grace of God…it makes me glad too!

"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)

This “word of His GRACE” is not the same Word as the Word concerning the Kingdom. The word of His Grace is for all mankind and sets forth the Salvation of mankind by God’s grace. The word concerning the Kingdom has to do with Israel and God’s promises to them alone. Both are good news (gospels) but are completely separate. Following is how I understand and distinguish the two gospels…

THE GOSPEL (Word) OF THE KINGDOM: "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". It was first preached to ISRAEL only by John the Baptist, then Jesus Himself and his 12 chosen Jewish disciples. It will also be preached again during the Great Tribulation (Day of the Lord) just before Jesus returns. It was directed ONLY to the Nation of Israel (God's CHOSEN nation) and to Gentile proselytes (like Cornelius). It focused on Jesus being the Jewish Messiah. It was preached by Peter, James, John and Paul to the Circumcision/Israel until blindness came to the nation of Israel at the close of the book of Acts. When the 70th week of Daniel begins, the blindness will be lifted God and God will again focus His attention on Israel's national repentance, and "ALL Israel will be saved"(Romans 3:25-32). The book of Revelation gives the conclusion to the Word of the Kingdom promised to Israel and details the Tribulation period otherwise known as the 70th week of Daniel, the time of Jacob’s trouble, and the Day of the Lord.

THE GOSPEL (Word) OF GRACE: "Christ died for the sins of all mankind, he was buried, and rose again according to Scripture." And “as in Adam all time, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...that God may be ALL in ALL” (1 Corinthians 15). To ENJOY the benefits of that good news one simply needs to "believe/have faith in” that good news. It was entrusted to Paul by our Lord who also gave him an "abundance of revelations" (2 Corinthians 12:1, 7) which were revealed only to Paul by Jesus after his ascension. Paul was chosen to preach it among individuals of ALL Nations. There was no call to repent, be baptized, or accept Jesus as Messiah but simply to believe the Salvation God is providing for mankind through Christ Jesus who was the first fruit of that salvation. It included the following revelations…that "God was in Christ reconciling to World to Himself, not counting their transgressions against them". Salvation is for those "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" and would become the “Body of Christ” with the heavenly destiny of displaying the marvelous grace of God among the heavens (Ephesians 2:4-10). It taught that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"; and that "the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". It says that Jesus "came into the world to save sinners", and that God "wills ALL men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the Truth"; and that there is only "one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for ALL".

It is my opinion that failing to keep these two gospels separate is the source of all error within Christianity today…and not many Christians seem to understand that or care.

"The Gospel of the Kingdom" was preached to Israel until it was blinded for its rejection. That good news is not to be preached again until the time of the second appearing of King Jesus to Israel, when the gospel of the Kingdom will again be preached in all the world to Israel.

For the past 1950 years or so it has been "the Gospel (good news) of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24) that is to be preached to sinners, both of Israel and the Gentile nations. Failure to understand the distinction between the gospel of the Kingdom and the gospel of Grace has caused all of the divisions we see among Christianity. The gospel of grace has nothing to do with the Old and New Covenants between God and Israel.

“I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles…For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED; just as it is written, ‘the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with THEM, When I take away their sins’… for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.” (Romans 11:13-32)

God has promised to save ALL Israel. And He has promised to save ALL mankind….and that brings a special joy to those who hear and believe what God has promised.

“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” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)