Scripture Reference: I CORINTHIANS 1:21, MARK 16:15, MARK 16:16, I CORINTHIANS 15:1-4 and JAMES 1:21-22
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Is there any doubt in your mind that in order to be saved we mustbelieve the preaching of the gospel of Christ? Let us examine each ofthe scriptures above that deals with this subject of being saved to seeif you have truly been saved, or perhaps have been deceived intobelieving you are saved when in reality you are not. I sincerely hopethat you understand that there is nothing else of more importance inyour life than knowing without a shadow of a doubt that you are saved.I say this because if a person leaves this world without truly beingsaved they will definitely suffer the eternal consequences of thesecond death, which is what the Bible reveals as the punishment in theplace called the lake of fire. Many may mock this truth believing thereis no place of punishment, but nevertheless we know it's a teachingfound in the word of God. We are told by the apostle John in Revelation20:15 these words saying, "And whosoever was not found written in thebook of life was cast into the lake of fire." John clearly reveals herethat whosever's name was not found written in the book of life was tobe cast into the lake of fire. Now as Ripley says, "Believe it or not"it's entirely up to every individual to either believe or disbelievewhat Gods word says about this, as well as all the many other teachingsfound in the holy scriptures of Gods eternal word.
Now if you are abeliever, which is a person that will believe Gods word, then youbetter take heed to what Gods word has to say about any and all of theteachings that it contains. Now as we begin to examine the abovescriptures beginning with I Corinthians 1:21 we find out that God (notman) chose the "foolishness of preaching" to save them that believe. Somy question concerning this scripture is, "What must we believe inorder to be saved?" To answer this question let us look at what Jesushimself said in the next scripture, which is Mark 16:15 that clearlyreveals that he told his disciples to go into all the world and "preachthe gospel" to every creature or person. Keep in mind that the subjectin this verse of scripture is the gospel. Then in the next scripture wefind Jesus saying that he that believes that gospel and is baptizedshall be saved, but let me first of all show you a truth that seeminglynobody has seen concerning what Jesus meant about being baptized here.Notice Jesus said that he who believes the gospel and is baptized shallbe saved, but this scripture is not saying that he who believes onChrist and is baptized in water shall be saved. This is what is taughttoday in Christianity, but to be baptized as stated here is notreference to water baptism, but rather it means that believing thegospel by revelation of the Spirit will baptize the believer intoChrist where he will be saved. Water baptism is a principle of thegospel that must be obeyed, but a belief on Christ, along withrepentance and baptism in water, obeying these principles does not savethe believer, but obedience to these principles must be obeyed as Acts2:38 states in order that the gift of the Holy Ghost can be received.The Spirit will then begin to lead you into all truth revealed in thegospel that will spiritually baptize the believer into Christ wherethey will be completely saved from all sin having become a new creaturein Christ where there is no sin whatsoever.
Notice also that Jesus said that he that does not believe the gospelwould be damned. God does not force anybody to believe the gospel, butif we fail to believe and obey it, then we will be damned to suffer thesecond death in the lake of fire, as II Thessalonians 1:7-9 tells ussaying, "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesusshall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming firetaking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not thegospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlastingdestruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of hispower." So when we compare what Mark says with what Paul says, we findboth of these apostles saying the same thing; we must believe thegospel to be saved. Then we find Paul saying in I Corinthians 15:1-4that it is the gospel that saves, but what this gospel is has beenperverted by today's religious clergymen. The deceived religious clergyof today, as well as in times past, teaches that the gospel of Christis nothing more or less than a mere belief on the death, the burial,and the resurrection of Christ. They misunderstand what Paul tells usin I Corinthians 15:3-4 that says, "For I delivered unto you first ofall that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sinsaccording to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he roseagain the third day according to the scriptures."
They think that Paul was saying that all one has to believe to besaved is the truth of the death, the burial, and the resurrection ofChrist, but they have taken this truth and made it another gospel initself. They failed to realize that the death, burial, and resurrectionof Christ was only the "first" truth out of many that was revealed toPaul, and he was delivering that same truth to those Corinthians. Paulis author of thirteen epistles that contains hundreds of truths, ofwhich the truth of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection was only abasic truth that must be accepted and believed, but certainly not theonly truth to believe in order to be saved like multiplied millions ofpeople think and believe today. So here we have multiplied millions ofconfessing Christians today believing they are saved based only ontheir belief on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Looking nowat what the apostle James tells us, he clearly reveals that it's theengrafted word of God that saves, but we must be doers of the word andnot hearers only deceiving ourselves. To do what Gods word says isbeing instructed in righteousness, but the deceived confessingChristian world today has been led to believe they have Christ'srighteousness given to them on a silver platter and imputed unto themby their belief and acceptance of Christ. They think their sins arecovered by the blood of Christ and God can't see their sins, but canonly see Christ in them.. They even confess yet to be sinners living insin, but thinking it's because of grace that God somehow excuses theirsins. Satan has them bound in their sins and they don't even realizeit. Gods way of saving us is done by revealing the many truths to us byrevelation of the Spirit as we walk in and obey it progressively.
Millions of people are told to go down to some altar and receiveChrist and they will be saved, but nowhere in Gods word is this taught.What has going down to an altar to be saved have in common withreceiving the engrafted word, which is able to save the soul, as James1: 21 tells us? Nothing whatsoever, but multiplied millions have doneit and continue to do it thinking that's what they have to do to besaved. Look if you will at what Paul tells us in I Timothy 4:16 thatsays, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hearthee." Can you not hear Paul telling us to continue in the doctrine,which are the many teachings of Christ, and if we do this we will notonly save ourselves, but will also save them that hear us? Can you notsee that it's definitely necessary to believe on Christ, but even morenecessary to continue on in his teachings that will save you? Look atwhat Jesus himself said about this in what he said in John 8:30-32 thatsays, "As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesusto those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, thenare ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truthshall make you free." Do you not see with your eyes and hear with yourears what Jesus said to those Jews that believed on him? Did Jesus tellthem they were saved because they believed on him like the deceivedreligious clergymen tell their millions of converts today? No, Jesussaid to them that if they continued in his word, then they would knowthe truth and those truths would make them free right? But millions ofpeople are told to believe on Jesus and that will save them, but allthat does is close their minds like slamming a door shut and theirclosed minds cannot possibly receive the truth of the matter.
In order for Christ to save your soul you must realize that he isthe revealed word of God that we must believe and obey in order to besaved. To believe on the person of Christ is certainly necessary, butto be saved we must believe his gospel. Notice carefully how Paulreveals this truth in what he said in Romans 1:16 that says, "For I amnot ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God untosalvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also tothe Greek." Paul did not say here that he was not ashamed of the personof Christ and that belief on him is the power of God unto salvation,but rather he tells us that it's believing his gospel that is the powerof God unto salvation.. Can you not see the difference in believing onthe person of Christ and believing his gospel? It's believing theteachings of his gospel that saves; not just a mere belief on hisperson, but listen to all the religious clergymen telling all theirconverts that believing on Christ is what saves them. They have beenblinded from the truth of Gods word and are not ministers of God, butrather are the ministers of Satan deceiving the masses by the millions.Friend it makes all the difference in the world as to what you believe,because only the truth will save your soul and prepare you for the soonreturn of Christ to this world. He is soon to return for a church (apeople) that Paul describes in Ephesians 5:27 that says, "That he mightpresent it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."Where are these people that will be spotless, holy, and without blamewhen he comes? And allow the apostle Peter to warn us also in what hesays in 2 Peter 3:10-14 that says, "But the day of the Lord will comeas a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away witha great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earthalso and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing thenthat all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons oughtye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for andhasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being onfire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and anew earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeingthat ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of himin peace, without spot, and blameless." This is a description of aperfected people in Christ Jesus. He that has an ear to hear and eyesto see, let them see and hear what the Spirit is saying to thechurches....amen