“WITHIN THE WORLD OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANITY TODAY THERE ARE A VARIETY OF TEACHINGS OF WHAT MAKES US RIGHT WITH GOD. DO YOU KNOW THE TRUE AND ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED FROM YOUR SINS?”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about the Bible and what it actually teaches us about how to be saved from our sins, and what is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ…

… Although we live now in the most advanced generation of human society ever to be experienced by the human race, it certainly hasn’t brought us a world of simplicity. I remember a half century ago, life all around, was much simpler. When one wanted to buy an automobile they went either to the Ford, Chevy or Dodge dealer and there you had a choice of one car in perhaps three models. Today you can choose between hundreds of vehicles and many hundreds more choices within any particular model. The same goes for the supermarket. Yes, our lives are a series of multiple and complex choices, which seem to have no end. How complicated it is to go forward having so many decisions to make for everything in life. Well, it seems this multiplicity of choice has even made its way into the world of religion, especially the world of Christianity. Today of the major religions of the world, Christianity tops them all at about 2.1 billion believers, followed by Islam with its 1.3 billion, and trailing behind is Secularism/Agnosticism or Atheism with their 1.1 billion, shall we say, “non-believers.” Then further down the line comes -- Hinduism with 900 million members; Chinese traditional religion: 394 million; and Buddhism’s 376 million. From there, you can choose from tens of hundreds of more religious persuasions to placate your desires and fears of God and the afterlife.

Yet in the midst of this sea of religious offerings for you to embrace, Christianity is at the top of world religions, and within its ranks there are hundreds of differing groups teaching a multitude of ways one can know God and placate His wrath against sinners. Well today on the program I want to sweep away all of the false ways of hope of heaven and eternal life taught within the world, and present to you the Bible’s clear and only way for anyone to be saved from their sins. Sound simplistic and perhaps unrealistic? Not so, for after another moment of music I’ll open the Bible and plainly show you the GOSPEL THAT SAVES…

…There is one word today that best describes man’s quest for an advanced civilization. It is the word TOLERANCE! Yes, the idea is that there is to be no absolutes today in the world of man’s thinking in his life and living. In other words, we must allow room for any idea that man conjures up and to give respect and acceptance of it in our enlightened society, whether it’s true or not, so we don’t offend others. This is applied to everything these days especially in the world of religion. Now because of it, any teachings that come forth from a religious group that speak of intolerance and exclusivity are the wrong and dangerous for our world.

The one religion today that is placed squarely in this category is what is called “Fundamental Christianity.”  You see, this is not a denomination of believers, but the characterization of those who adhere strictly to faith in the literal teachings of the Bible, without any embellishment or interpretations of man, that often twists and distorts its true meaning.

For instance, regardless of what “brand” of Christianity you embrace; there is only one true faith for those who claim the name of Jesus Christ, and this entails seven basic beliefs. These are:

SEVEN FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIANITY

1. Belief in the total inerrancy and infallibility of the Christian Bible

2. Belief in the virgin birth and full deity of Jesus Christ

3. Belief in a substitutionary death and fully completed atonement of sins by Jesus Christ.

4. Belief in Christ’s physical bodily resurrection from the dead.

5. Belief in the teaching of salvation that comes through faith alone in Christ’s Person and work.

6. Belief in the second coming of Christ to establish His earthly and eternal kingdom.

7. Belief in and eternal Heaven for the righteous and an everlasting Hell for the unrighteous.

Now regardless of whether you are a Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist or whatever brand name you follow in the world of Christianity, these seven absolute truths must be believed to qualify anyone to be a true Christian. Why, someone will ask? The answer is simple, the Bible teaches these absolute truths unequivocally as they are written. Now the real problem of variances comes in what I labeled doctrine number five…

“Belief in the teaching of salvation that comes through faith alone in Christ’s Person and work.”

You see, this is where many churches and its teachers vary in their belief of what salvation is, and how one obtains it. The idea which is popular is that “all roads lead to Heaven, if one is sincere,” meaning there are differing ways we can be acceptable to God, because some believe and teach that God is a god of love and tolerance and has no absolutes He demands of us, His creation. Well my friend, nothing could be further from the truth taught in the Bible. For instance Jesus Christ often spoke in absolutes which annoyed and confounded the religious leaders of His day. He said,

John 11:25-26 ( NIV )   “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

John 14:6 ( NIV )  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 8:24 ( NIV )  I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."

Now these absolute, dogmatic statements of Jesus enraged the Jewish leaders, for Jesus’ word left no room for anyone else’s interpretation. Yet that is what true Christianity is – God’s interpretation and establishment of truth, not man’s ideas, thoughts or even desires. So then, we must ask: What is the “gospel that saves?”  Well let’s examine this by breaking down the words within that excellent question. The first word is,

1. “GOSPEL” – What does this word mean? The word “gospel,” comes from the old English -- “god spel,” or "good news." In Christian teaching, it refers to the forgiving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It also refers collectively to a section of the New Testament composed of four books (Mark, Matthew, Luke and John), that provide narratives of Jesus' birth, ministry, death and resurrection. The definition we are looking for is  -- GOOD NEWS! The Bible’s good news about salvation, about man’s sins, and about what God has done with it on our behalf. Do you understand this? Sadly most people do not in the world of religion, let alone those who claim to be Christians. Now the second word that needs definition is the word,

2. “SAVES” – this word in the Greek text of the New Testament means to bring to safety, to be cured, or get well, to be preserved or even to recover or restore. It is used with the word gospel to tell how one can receive forgiveness of all sins, be restored, and be granted new eternal life through Jesus Christ. That is indeed the “Good News” of the Bible.

Now the question is -- what does God offer and how does sinful fallen and wayward mankind obtain it? Friend, it is not as difficult as it seems or is made out to be by false teachings today within the world of Christianity. Permit me to share with some of the more popular and common false ways taught.

FALSE WAYS OF SALVATION

1.  ONE IS SAVED BY BELIEVING AND BEING BAPTIZED
This false teaching is popular in many Christian circles through what is called “baptismal regeneration.” Those who teach it state that one must believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior and by His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood in sacrifice, God accepts this as payment for the sins of the world which includes all who believe. However, belief contains a stipulation that one must be water baptized by sprinkling, pouring or immersion to complete the work of salvation. This is false and effectually can damn a soul to Hell for it makes the work of the cross incomplete, with the addition of your religious works. The Bible says,

Eph 2:8-9 ( NIV )  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

So states the Bible. Well another false teaching of salvation is,

2.  ONE IS SAVED BY BELIEVING AND PARTAKING OF CHURCH SACRAMENTS
The Roman Catholic Church is the worst offender here. For they teach one cannot be saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ’s work on the cross, for His work is not alone sufficient to save. In addition, the Catholic priests through the communion Eucharist and Mass celebrations must offer Christ’s body countless times on Catholic altars to complete the sinner’s salvation for him or her, and only by their faith in the Roman Church’s teaching of rituals, can one complete their salvation or stay  in a “state of grace.” Friend, this is absolutely false and more a very a dangerous teaching for it denies the only true gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul the Apostle speaks to this issue in,

Gal 1:6-7 ( NIV )  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

However there is one more popular but false gospel out there these days and it is,

3. ONE IS SAVED BY THE POSITIVE SUMMATION OF GOOD WORKS PLUS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST  So many folks have come to believe God has a “works” scale in Heaven and when we die and stand before Him, He weighs the good and bad things of our lives and if the scales tip toward the good and positive, we are catapulted into Heaven and if not well… we are cast into Hell. Thus, by varying degrees of doing good things, or serving in religious works and performance of religious duties many believe one can be saved.

Well friend I indeed have GOOD NEWS for you! The Bible teaches us five things about salvation and the gospel that saves. Here they are, and it is my prayer that you judge and respond to them by receiving God’s full and forever forgiveness.

1.  WE MUST ACCEPT THE TRUTH THAT HEAVEN OR ETERNAL LIFE IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD  

It is not something we earn or deserve. In fact, no amount of religious works or participation in any form of sacrament can earn or keep our salvation, for God only grants it as a gift to our proper response to His commands in His Word. The Bible clearly states this in,
          Rom 6:23 (NIV)  “… the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2.  WE MUST UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE WE ARE FALLEN SINNERS UNDER GOD’S WRATH AND JUDGMENT
The Bible teaches us via the Ten Commandments, no man alive, save God the Son Jesus Christ while on earth, has ever lived up to absolute flawless obedience to God’s Laws for life and living. We have all sinned and fallen short by varying degrees to be absolutely perfect as God is. All failure to obey God’s laws makes us law breakers and God has but one penalty – death and eternal separation from His presence in a place called Hell.
                  Rom 3:23 (NIV)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

               1 Cor 15:56 ( NIV )  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

3.  WE MUST ACCEPT GOD’S WORD THAT TELLS US GOD LOVES US AND DOESN’T WANT TO PUNISH US
Yes, the God of the Bible is not a capricious God, nor a hateful, unforgiving God, but His terms for receiving His love are explicit. God can only show this love towards those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ, and His work done on their behalf to save them from their sins. We see this in two distinct teachings in the Bible,

1. GOD IS A HOLY AND JUST GOD WHO SATISFIED HIS DEMAND FOR JUDGMENT BY PAYING OUR PENALTY HIMSELF 
   Yes, that’s the real Good News of the Bible. God solved this dilemma of getting the sin debt paid, but saving the one who sinned. He accomplished this by becoming a human being, but retaining His Godhood nature. Jesus Christ was then able to live a sinless life and qualify for Heaven as a human being, but also as a legitimate substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. God decreed the soul that sins shall die (Ezek. 18:20 ), but then God Himself went to the cross as a place to die and offered up His infinite life for the lives of all humanity. The “Just” died for the “unjust.” The Savior died for the sinner. What a God we have who would do this for you and me! Lastly, the gospel that saves includes,

2. ALL WHO BELIEVE GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST BY SURRENDERING THEIR LIVES BACK TO HIM ARE SAVED ONCE AND FOREVER
   This is the Gospel good news and the only gospel that saves. We are not saved by our works, or our pleading, but by the work of Jesus Christ and His pleading on our behalf. Listen to the gospel from the Word of God.

1 Cor 15:1-4 “ Now let me remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before … this Good News that saves you if you firmly believe it…  3 -- that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said.”

There you have it without all the trappings of man’s additions found in religion. Jesus Christ died for your sins, and was resurrected following his death. This was proof, God the Father accepted Christ’s death as full payment for the sins of the world. That means “if” anyone will open their mind to accept the teachings of the Bible; that God loves us so much that He came to the earth in the Person of Jesus Christ; that He lived the life of a fully surrendered man without sin ever; and, then voluntarily offered His life in death as a payment for the sin of all mankind -- God the Father’s holy and just nature was then satisfied, so that now God can welcome us into Heaven and give His gift of life eternal, to all who accept this truth and likewise surrender their lives to Christ’s Lordship and leading.

Say friend are you so saved or better yet in today’s understanding of the word, surrendered? I’m not asking if you raised a hand in an evangelism meeting to be saved, or walked an aisle in a Billy Graham crusade, or gone through the waters of baptism, or catechism class. I’m asking you point blank – can you recall a time when in full brokenness of heart because of your sins against God, that you flatly agreed with God you deserved to go to Hell, and that you understood that God’s wrath was righteous to do that --  but His love was offered to save you from it --  “if” you surrendered your life to love, serve and believe in Jesus Christ and His work of redemption, along with God’s Word about everything He would reveal to you?

Can you recall such a time? If so, how has your life changed as a result of it? Does your belief contain a life long obedience to the best of your ability? Are you a worshipping Christian, serving Christian, godly living Christian? These are the “effects” of true salvation for anyone who truly believes the “Gospel that Saves.”

How sad these days, there is so much false belief out there! Believing in Jesus is not just a head knowledge or intellectual assent, or even an emotional experience, it must contain a surrender of your will or else it is in effectual. Here is a shocking statement about false belief that should illustrate these thoughts I share with you today,

John 2:23-24 ( NIV )  “Now while [Jesus] was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.”

Believing in Jesus is more than words or thoughts. It is a complete surrender of our wills to the will of God to take over our lives. God promises to enable this to be a reality and joy, by sending to every true believer His Holy Spirit to indwell them and assist them in obedience to all of God’s commands through His Word. How wonderful the true Christian life is, for we no longer depend upon ourselves or anyone else or any religious trappings to get us saved or keep us saved. Once we confess Christ on His terms, we are saved forever, and the life we now live we live for the glory of God. Friends, the Gospel that saves is simple, so simple even a little child who reaches the age of reason can understand it and surrender to it. May God so have touched your life to yield in a prayer of faith and trust Jesus Christ alone for your salvation now and for eternity. Amen

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·         Radio talk #3806

·         Broadcast date: September 17, 2006

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 60033 Grand Junction, CO 81506

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The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 27 years, and serves as General Director.

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