The Forgotten Doctrine of Today

I've been studying a lot about the Reformation lately, and I’m seeing some correlations between the time of the Protestants and our time period of Apostasy today. 

As most of you know, Martin Luther saw much corruption and abuse in those who were supposed to be “spiritual leaders,” who were using their positions for financial gain.  He willingly chose to stand up against them and their practices in courageously exposing the entire apostate church full of corruption and false doctrine, knowing full well his opposition would bring him conflict, bodily harm, and possibly even death (being burned at the stake as a heretic).  Yet he did it anyway, knowing he was right. 

Today, we remember him for starting the Protestant Reformation, and for the sound, Biblical teaching that he resurrected from the scriptures, that of JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.  That is, that a Sinner is saved by grace through faith alone, without any mixture of works (Eph. 2:8,9).

But how on earth could something like that have been forgotten?  How could a church that claims to be the one that Christ founded (the Roman church makes this claim) have forgotten the most important doctrine of all time, that of salvation?  How could it take 1500 years to pass from the time of Jesus and the apostles, until someone rediscovered this sound, doctrinal truth, and began preaching it again?

The proof that it is true is the fact that it spread like wild-fire, and revival quickly ensued, with countless millions of souls coming to Jesus through faith alone.  But it did not come without a price, as many were mercilessly captured and brutally tortured and burned at the stake by the Roman church, for their belief in this doctrine.  What a cost, sound doctrine.  What a cost, salvation.

As I pondered this, I thought about our age today.  Here we are some 500 years later, and it appears the church of today has also forgotten the most important doctrine of all, that of salvation.  There are still millions of people in the world today in countless religious organizations and denominations that teach faith alone is not sufficient to obtain salvation.  For them it is through works, or a mixture of faith and works.  But, why do they preach this, when the Bible is so clear that it's only through faith alone?

I believe the answer is because we are in a time of which the Scriptures speak of great apostasy in the world, and there are many scoffers, which are following fables instead of the word of God.  History has repeated itself, and gone full circle, and just as the world was in the Dark Ages before the Reformation, so too, is our world in an age of spiritual darkness, in which many have turned from the truth. 

Could it be that the world today needs another Martin Luther?  Someone who will stand up against the corruption, apostasy, liberalization, and apathy of modern Christianity and preach against it, while defending the sound doctrine of salvation?

As I look at my own denomination, I can't help but see much darkness and a political system of corruption that leads to certain groups wanting to attack and ridicule others within their ranks.  I also see the issue of control as many ministers have set up their own little kingdoms in which they Lord over their people and make them subservient to them.  It's almost like it's become another Rome, in which little Popes rule with rods of iron. (Not all churches are like this, but there are many which are).

And as the Roman church of old, many ministers are no longer preaching the doctrine of salvation like their forefathers (through faith in the blood alone), rather they are guilty of turning salvation into a ritualistic program in which Sinners are instructed to DO something, rather than simply BELIEVE in what Jesus Christ DID for them for the salvation of their souls.

Martin Luther stood up against the corruption of his day in his church.  Where are those who are standing up against the apostasy and corruption in our churches today? 

We remember Luther for his teaching of justification by faith.  But faith in what? 

According to the Bible, it is FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.  Romans 3:25-28 states this clearly:

"25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

 Verse 26 says God justifies the Sinner, not by works, but by faith (vs27), without the deeds of the law (vs 28).  But faith in what exactly?  Verse 25 says our faith should be in HIS BLOOD!

This is a simple, but important doctrine!  Yet it seems forgotten by the modern church of today, which preaches many different BLOODLESS GOSPELS, such as:

Make your commitment to Christ

Turn over a new leaf and simply follow Jesus

Confess your Sins and beg God to forgive you

Ask Jesus into your heart

Ask God to forgive you your sins and forgive you 

Repeat the Sinner’s Prayer

All of these have one thing in common, THEY ALL LEAVE OUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!  For all of these can be done without faith!  And all of these are usually done without faith in the blood.

So where is the new Martin Luther who will stand up courageously and preach the truth amid a world of apostasy?  Sadly, he is not here.  Instead, most ministers choose to simply go along with the crowd in order not to suffer persecution or ridicule.  They choose not to rock the boat, so they simply continue doing what everyone else does, and they seem to forget the fact that SALVATION by FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST is the most important doctrine of all time!  For without it, souls are destined to an eternal lake of fire!  

I don’t know about you, but I’m determined to preach the BLOOD even though others will not.  Will you join me?  Will you be another Martin Luther?  Or will you let apostasy abound, cowering down to silence like most others, in order not to make waves?  

Seven Places Ministers Twist the Scriptures on the Doctrine of Salvation

I believe the rapture is very soon.  And I really care about the lost and want to see them saved.  The last thing I want to do is deceive people or instruct them to do something foreign to the scriptures.  I just want them to hear the Gospel, believe it, be saved and know it. 

But it never ceases to amaze me just how few other ministers there are out there that don't find this important.  Instead of holding fast to the important Bible doctrine of salvation by faith in God's blood atonement provided us by Jesus Christ, they would rather follow the unitarian teaching of instructing a sinner to just "Ask God to save you."  (This perverted Gospel which oftentimes leaves a Sinner trusting in their PRAYER rather than in Christ's PAYMENT for their sins has been dealt with at length and in detail on my blog.  In case you haven't read it, please  read my blog on Asking versus Trusting.)

The truth is you can beg God for forgiveness a million times over, but until you trust Christ's shed blood alone, you are not saved.  This is sound Bible doctrine.

Why is it then that so many ministers today are teaching salvation is by "asking" rather than by the Scriptural way of "accepting" Jesus as your personal Saviour by FAITH in His Shed Blood? 

I believe the answer is because they have heard others preach the "Beggar's Gospel" for so long they don't even question its validity. 

And, little do they realize that they are twisting the scriptures to teach what they do not.  Let's look now at the Seven most popular verses Preachers use to support their teaching that all a sinner must do to be saved is simply and sincerely "ask" God to forgive them, rather than TRUST God's atonement.

1.  THE REPENTANT SINNER

In Luke 18:11-14 we read of the publican who utters the words, "God be merciful to me a Sinner."  Now I've heard it preached, and I'm sure you have too, that all a man must do to be saved is simply repeat those very same words and they will saved just as that publican.  But is that so?  Do those words save us?

Where's the Gospel in this teaching?  Where's the blood?  Where is salvation by grace through faith in Christ's finished work?  It's simply not there. 

As we take a closer look at the passage, we find that Jesus Christ has not yet died on the cross.  (Remember, salvation is by faith in the Gospel, and the Gospel is that Christ DIED, and was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures), so this verse is not dealing with New Testament salvation.  It is still under the time of the law.  To take this passage and preach it for New Testament Salvation today is to twist the scriptures! 

We also see the publican was right in front of Jesus Christ, as Jesus was watching what he did.  But the publican by passed Jesus Christ when he uttered his prayer, asking God to forgive him.  Is this the plan of salvation today?  Are we too saved by by-passing Jesus?  Of course not.

How could anyone think that our salvation today could be by doing or saying what this Publican did, rather than by simply TRUSTING in what Jesus did for us at Calvary when he suffered, bled, and died? 

My friend, to teach this passage for salvation, or to instruct a Sinner to simply repeat the words of this Publican for salvation is to twist the scriptures to teach what they do not, and is to make a person think they can be saved by uttering words rather than simply receiving Jesus Christ as their Saviour by faith.

2.  PETER ASKING TO BE SAVED

In Matthew 14:28-31 we read of the apostle Peter and of his walking on water as he left the boat and walked to Jesus.  As he began to sink, he cries out those famous words, "Lord, save me!" 

Now I'm sure you've heard, as I have, those words preached by some Pastor, Missionary, or Evangelist, in which he stresses, "Now if you want to be saved, just call out to God the same way!"  But is that salvation?  Is a man saved by simply saying, "Lord, save me!"

If you'll look at the context, you'll see any man who tries to make this the plan of salvation is blatantly twisting the scriptures to teach what they do not.  For Peter was not asking for the spiritual salvation of his soul.  Instead, he was asking for physical salvation.  He just didn't want to drown! 

Again, the things described in the passage happened before the cross.  How could a man preach this for salvation when it has nothing to do with the Gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection?

Finally, as we faithfully read the context, we find that Peter is strongly REBUKED for saying what he did as Jesus streched forth his hand and caught him saying, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

For a man to preach that salvation is by simply repeating Peter's words here is for a man to twist the scriptures.  This passage is not speaking of salvation and all.  But if it was, even the context shows us salvation is by FAITH, and not by begging for God to save you!

3.  CALLING UPON THE LORD

Romans 10:13 seems to be the most quoted verse today that many so-called "soul winners" use in dealing with the lost.  However, they often don't explain what it means to call upon the Lord Biblically.  Usually their whole presentation is just a few verses from the Roman's Road and then they encourage a Sinner to simply repeat a prayer after them.  Afterwards, they tell the Sinner they are saved (now watch this) BECAUSE THEY DID THAT.

But is this New Testament Salvation?  Is a man saved by what he does or says?  Does the actual prayer itself save a person?  And where is faith in the the blood in all of this?

If you'll look at the context of Romans 10:13 you'll see that it's clear.  Calling upon the Lord must be by FAITH from the heart and not just a vain religious prayer repeated from the lips. Calling is believing (Rom. 10:14).

Yet many a minister claims that to be saved, all a man has to do is just "repeat the Sinner's Prayer."  If this is so, why did Jesus die at all on the cross?  Why didn't he just stay in heaven and say, "Okay, now anyone who just repeats a prayer I'll save, so just do that and I'll give you eternal life."  But that's just silly.  No, Jesus had to come and die on the cross.  He had to shed his blood, for that was the only way to forgive men of their sins.  Now God asks sinners to come to him and receive him by faith in his precious blood.  They are to rest in his FINISHED WORK.  Sure they can pray, but they should never be deceived into thinking their prayer saves them! 

To teach Romans 10:13 as some kind of "Mystical Sinner's Prayer" that grants a man forgiveness and saves him outside of trusting in the blood atonement of Jesus Christ is twist the scriptures to teach what they do not.  Biblically, a sinner's calling on God must be by faith from the heart (2 Tim. 2:22) and it must be in truth (Ps. 145:18).

4.  OPENING THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART

Probably the most blatant misapplication of scriptures taught today on the doctrine of salvation is the misapplying and twisting of Revelation 3:20.  Many soul winners use this verse on lost people and then instruct them to simply "Open their hearts door and let Jesus in."  (Others say, "Ask Jesus Into Your Heart).

But is this what the verse is speaking about?

If you'll study the context you'll see this verse is Jesus Christ talking to a CHURCH, not to a lost man.  And he knocks on the door of that church, not on anyone's heart.

To teach this verse for salvation as Jesus knocking on someone's "heart's door" wanting to get in is to blatantly twist the scriptures to teach what they do not.

5.  SIMPLY ASK GOD TO SAVE YOU

Another place modernist preachers like to preach out of context is Matthew 7:7-8.  They take the words, "Ask, and it shall be given you," and they apply these words to salvation, stating things like, "So just ASK God to save you and he will."

But a second look at the passage and the context itself clearly shows this is a complete misapplication of the passage.  First, Jesus is not talking about salvation at all!  Second, Jesus is speaking to "sons" or those who are already saved in the context!  Third, we find in verse eleven that Jesus is speaking about "gifts" and "good things" that God the Father gives to those who ask (saved people in the context).

The passage has NOTHING TO DO WHATSOEVER with salvation.  And to try to make it apply to it is to twist the scriptures.  We must also remember this is before Jesus even died on the cross!  So how can this passage have anything to do with the Gospel and salvation?  I can't.  And, it doesn't.

6.  GOD WILL ACCEPT ALL WHO COME TO HIM

Modern apostates justify their position of stressing Sinners to "ask God for salvation" by quoting John 6:37, specifically the words, "...And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

They say that anyone who comes to God in prayer, asking for salvation, will receive it based on this verse.  But do they check the context?  Of course not.  For if they did, they would find verse 35 defines exactly how a man must come to God.  There we read, "...he that BELIEVETH on me shall never thirst."

Coming to God must be by faith or believing and that faith must be in the sacrificial blood atonement of Jesus Christ!

To come to God begging for salvation apart from the blood is not salvation.  And for a man to twist the scriptures to teach that anyone who sincerely comes to God and asks him to save them will be saved is very naive.  God will only save you if you come to him by faith in his blood. 

7.  GOD HAVE MERCY ON ME

Another passage modern apostate Preachers love to use is Luke 18:35-39.  They quote the words of the blind man in the passage and apply them to salvation, even encouraging sinners to repeat his same words, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."

But little do they realize these words were not uttered from the lips of a man who was seeking spiritual salvation.  Rather, he said these words desiring to be healed of his blindness.

Many Preachers who are faced with this simple Biblical truth say, "Oh, I know that!  But I'm spiritually applying the passage to salvation."

That's interesting, for as you read farther down in the passage you find Jesus saying in verse 42, "...And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee."

Notice Jesus said the man was saved by FAITH not by ASKING.  It wasn't the Sinner's calling out to God from the lips and begging him to heal him that gave him his healing.  It was the FAITH that the man had.  Salvation is by faith. 

Another interesting point we glean from this passage is that the blind man cried out to God TWICE.  This is an important point, because many modern preachers tell sinners that if they have asked God to save them already, and they don't feel saved or they doubt it, then they are to just ask God to save them all over again.  This leads to many sinners praying the "Sinner's Prayer" over and over and they never really know if they are saved or not.  The question then arises if they really saved at all.  For if they were, why would they be begging God to save them over and over.  I mean, if you had salvation, why would you be asking for it all over again?

IN SUMMARY

There are many people out there who are wresting the scriptures to their own destruction.  Instead of preaching salvation by grace through faith without works (Eph. 2:8-9), they are guilty of preaching another plan of salvation, a unitarian doctrine, which teaches a Sinner doesn't have to know anything about the Gospel or the Blood, rather he simply needs to ASK God to save him.  But to preach this, they must twist the scriptures to teach what they do not. 

The Bible is clear.  Salvation is by faith alone in God's sacrifice for man's sins.  For a Sinner to believe this, he must first hear it (for faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God according to Romans 10:14).  But how can he hear it if instead he's told to just BEG God to save him apart from trusting God to do so.  We then clearly see two very different gospels being preached in our world today.  One saves and the other damns.  One comes to God through the blood of Christ, the other tries to come to God by by-passing the blood of Jesus.  One is the BLOODSTAINED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, and the other is a BLOODLESS, BEGGAR'S GOSPEL.

How sad that modern ministers don't stop to think about what they are preaching.  Sadder still that in my own denomination (Independent Baptist) that I've seen men who are preaching the modern perverted gospel of Asking rather than Trusting.  Hopefully after reading this article you will not be guilty of the same.  For we need more ministers who will not twist or pervert the Gospel, but will simply and plainly teach and preach it to Sinners the way the Bible does, through faith in Christ's blood atonement. 

Asking vs.Trusting for Salvation

Some people believe nefarious forces are at work in our world today poisoning our water systems, spreading chemtrails in our air and putting sterilizing drugs in our food, all to dumb us down and keep us from thinking for ourselves and practicing logical thought patterns.  Whether that is true or not, the fact is that very few Christians actually THINK about what they are preaching nowadays.  For if they would just read their Bibles, and think about what they read, they couldn't possibly be saying some of the illogical things they are saying and preaching in pulpits across this land. 

In this article, let's focus on the modern teaching of salvation by "ASKING" for forgiveness.  Where is this in the Bible?  Is there a verse that says a man need only beg for eternal life and forgiveness of sins, and God will grant it to him simply because he asked?  Of course not! 

In the Bible, New Testament salvation is not by ASKING, rather by BELIEVING or TRUSTING.  That is to say, salvation is by FAITH (Eph. 2:8,9) and not by WORKS.

This modern day preaching, which I've even heard among Independent Baptists, of telling a Sinner, "Just Ask Jesus to save you" is not only unbiblical, but it is illogical!   Let us look at why.

1.  ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS RUINS THE TYPE OF JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Under the law, a man had to have a sacrifice for his sins.  He was instructed by the scriptures to take a lamb to the priest and place his hand upon that lamb and sacrifice it for his sins. Once it is slaughtered, the blood is taken and offered up on the altar by the priest, and the man's sin is forgiven him.  But no where do we find the man "asking that lamb for forgiveness!"  Nor do we find the man "asking the lamb into his heart" (a popular expression today in which people instruct sinners to simply "Ask Jesus into their hearts.)

No, the sinner in the Old Testament who offered up the lamb for his sins didn't ask for anything.  He simply obeyed God by doing what he was told.  He cut the throat of that lamb and trusted the blood it shed as sufficient to forgive his sins. 

2.  ASKING FOR SALVATION DOES AWAY WITH JESUS' SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS

As we read the New Testament, we find that Jesus is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.  As a lamb, he fulfilled prophecy by dying a sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of mankind.

Jesus not only wanted to die.  He had to die, for his death, burial, and resurrection were prophecied in scripture.  And his death was the only way man could be forgiven eternally, the innocent dying for the guilty.

To tell a sinner to "Ask God to save them" is to instruct them to come to God apart from that sacrifice on Calvary.  For if a person could by saved by simply "asking God for forgiveness" then why did Jesus die?  

God could have simply stayed in heaven and said, "Okay, I'm going to start a new dispensation.  Anyone who simply asks me to save them, I'll give eternal life!"  But did God do this?  Most certainly not!  Instead, he choose to send his son Jesus to die for the sins of man.  And then he said, "All those who accept this sacrifice by faith will be saved!"  

See, then, how the "asking Gospel" does away with the sacrificial blood atonement of Jesus?  It is trying to get to heaven apart from Jesus Christ and what he's done on Calvary.

3.  ASKING GOD FOR SALVATION IS A WORK DONE BY MAN RATHER THAN FAITH ALONE IN WHAT JESUS HAS DONE 

As we've already stated, salvation is by FAITH and not by works (Eph. 2:8,9).  That means salvation is only by trusting in what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary, and not by doing something yourself apart from that. 

As simple and logical as it is, it must be stated that asking Jesus to save you is not accepting him to do so by faith.  Asking is a work that man does.  It is begging God for something and then hoping he'll do so.  It is man doing something in order to try to obtain God's favor. This is a work.  It's man's own action to try to gain forgiveness, rather than simply resting upon the finished work of Christ in his stead by faith.

4.  ASKING IS NOT RECEIVING

To ask someone for something is not to receive something.  Let's say I come up to you and I ask you for 100 dollars.  Are you going to give it to me?  Probably not! I therefore am wrong to assume that I'll receive it, just because I asked for it.  How then do modernist Christians instruct a sinner to ask God to forgive their sins, and then assume that he automatically receives it just because he asked for it?  Why would God forgive anyone just because they asked? 

No, Biblically, God set it up that the only way he will save a man is when that man trusts his finished work alone for salvation!  The asking Gospel is very presumptuous.

I certainly wouldn't want my testimony to be "I asked God to save me" and then wonder if he ever did or not!

5.  ASKING INSULTS THOSE WHO ARE WANTING TO GIVE, AND IT DOES AWAY WITH FAITH

As we've seen, it's not only anti-biblical, but also illogical to preach salvation is by simply "asking" God for salvation, especially when God said faith must be involved.  But these people who ask God for salvation usually don't have faith.  For if they did, they wouldn't need to ask.  It's like this.  Let's say I said I will give you 100 dollars, all you have to do is believe me and come and take it out of my hand by faith.  And let's say you would rather just stand there and ask, "Can I have it?"  Why, I'd be offended!  I told you it's yours, all you have to do is believe it and receive it!  But you won't take it.  You just want to ask me for it.  

Do you see the problem?  You'll never get it until you believe me and take it.  You can't ask for it and then expect me to place it in your hand.  I made the condition, and your asking doesn't even enter into the picture.  It's there, it's available, and you must pick it up.  To ask me is to insult me!

Why would it be any different with God?  He offers eternal life by faith, and all he asks is you believe it and receive it.  How can you do that if you are "asking" for it?

6.  ASKING LEAVES MEN DOUBTING AND WONDERING IF THEY RECEIVED SALVATION

When a person follows the modern beggers Gospel, instead of salvation by faith alone, they often are left without any assurance.  They don't know for sure if they have salvation, because as afore mentioned, asking is not receiving.  This often times leads to them praying again and again and asking God over and over for salvation. This proves they were never saved in the first place, for it they were, why would they have to ask again?  

7.  ASKING DAMNS SOULS TO HELL

Asking is not God's plan of salvation.  Receiving by Faith is.  If this be the case, then where will a sinner end up who's trusting in their asking?  Why, they would end up in HELL!

What's so sad about those who preach the "asking" Gospel is they don't care enough about souls to think this out.  They've been taught the beggars Gospel, and they are teaching it to others.  Rather than repent and preach the Gospel correctly, they would rather continue in their doctrine, especially when their denomination, their congregation, and their friends preach the same thing.  So instead of reading the scriptures and changing their position, they choose to attack and ridicule those like myself who point out the obvious - that the asking Gospel is not God's plan of salvation.  

SUMMARY

As we've seen, asking God for salvation is neither Biblical, nor logical.  How could anyone be so bold as to expect God to give them eternal life, just because they begged him for it?  And how can they expect to receive it, when they are not trusting his finished work alone for salvation?  And how can they think they are saved when they have no assurance and they simply ask God over and over, thinking if he didn't save them before, then he definitely will do so again.  How presumptuous!  But the saddest thing is this heresy damns souls to Hell!  For those who adhere to it, are guilty of trusting in their works (their asking) rather than in trusting in Christ Jesus's finished work alone as sufficient.

This is not a popular message, as many Christians don't want to even think about this topic.  They want to believe that every person who says he is a Christian really is.  But this is very naive.  The truth is, this is exactly what Satan wants.  He wants people deceived into thinking they are saved when they really aren't.  That's why when people like me begin to expose this conspiracy, we are immediately branded as "trying to talk people out of their salvation!"  (At least that's what I've been accused of).

I like to respond in this following way, you know, just to make them think: "Yep, it's possible to lose YOUR salvation.  But it's not possible to lose God's salvation.  So who saved you, you or God?"

You see, there are many people who are trusting in something they've DONE, and they truly think they are saved because of it.  But they are lost and on their way to Hell.  They need to hear the truth, and they need to examine themselves to see if they truly are saved.  You would think if someone really cared about souls, they'd be in favor of this. 

So "asking God for salvation" is not God's plan of Salvation.  Instead it's God who "asks" you to come to him and receive his free gift of eternal life by FAITH alone in his blood atonement at Calvary. 

The Modern New Fangled Gospel?

I'm lucky to have been able to read many of my third-great grandfather's sermons from the 1800's.  It's interesting to see what he thought and believed.  And, it was fun to see how we believe so much alike in so many things.

To me, the 1800s was a great time to live in!  The Victorian Age was really the Golden Age of modern History, especially with the many revivals worldwide in that time-period.  Compare that to today.  Things are much different.  There isn't nationwide Revival, rather world-wide Apostasy!

With this in mind, I thought about the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and how in modern times it's been changed time and again, just as the apostle Paul warned it would be.  My third-great-grandfather, it's been written, had a knack at presenting the blood-stained Gospel plain and clearly.  He preached Christ crucified, and pointed sinners to Him alone for salvation.  And he saw many converts because of it.  All because he honored Jesus and His blood atonement for the sins of mankind.  He preached a BLOODY Gospel, and his converts were fruitful Christians, serving God of a pure heart.

But this is not what is being preached today by many modern preachers, especially Fundamentalists ones.  Many are simply instructing sinners to DO or SAY something instead of rest solely upon the finished work of Jesus Christ DONE once at Calvary for all mankind.  And their converts are shallow, oftentimes never changing, nor desiring spiritual things.  One must wonder if they are even saved at all.  Could it be they've been taught another Gospel, and this is why they are so "fruitless?"

The true Bible Gospel is clearly found in the scriptures in 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen, verses one through four.  I'll not list it here, as hopefully, you'll look it up for yourself.  (There are King James Bible search engines all over the internet!).  In that passage we are told exactly what the Gospel it.  It is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins, according to the scriptures.  It is His blood atonement for the sins of mankind and His bodily assention unto heaven, where he waits to return again one day.  If you trust this sacrifice of Jesus Christ by FAITH (Eph. 2:8-9), then your are gloriously and wonderfully saved!  If you don't, you are lost, and on your way to Hell Fire.

As a Minister of the Gospel myself, I preach this, not because my third-great grandfather preached it, but because it's in the Bible, and I'm commanded of God to do so. 

What's odd to me is that I've recently been told by several modern Fundamentalist preachers that my preaching of the Gospel this way is not correct, and I'm guilty of preaching a modern "New Fangled Gospel" (their words, not mine).  But how can this be?  I'm only pointing sinners to Christ crucified, and to the forgiveness of sins through His shed blood! 

As I studied these men and why they would say such a thing, I found out the reason they were against me was because they were the ones guilty of preaching a modern Gospel.  They had a "Bloodless Gospel" which left out the blood of Jesus Christ entirely, and instructed sinners to trust in something they DO or SAY, instead of trusting in what God SAID and DID for mankind in paying their sin debt on Calvary.

Their modern "new-fangled" Gospel can be preached many different ways.  Such as:

"Simply ask Jesus to save you"

"Ask Jesus into your heart"

"Confess your sins to God and beg Him for horgiveness"

"Give your heart to God"

"Commit your life to Christ"

"Repent of your sins"

Etc. and Etc.

At first glance, you might be reading this and you might say to yourself, "What?  What's wrong with saying those things?  I hear them preached all the time!"

The answer is that none of these are the Biblical plan of salvation.   You can not find one verse of Scripture that instruct anyone to do these things to be saved.  (And even if you did, you've have a command for a man to DO something for salvation.  I.e. a works set-up, when we are told savation is not of works, but by faith alone.  See Eph. 2:8,9). 

Further, if someone does these things, we must ask, "But, where is their faith in the blood atonement of Jesus Christ?"  For it's easy to do or say anything or commit to anything with the mouth, but not believe from the heart.

You see, salvation is not of works, it's not anything we DO.  It's a heart thing, and it's simply trusting what Jesus Christ has DONE for you.  To preach anything else is to preach a "Modern New Fangled Gospel."

With this stated, let me ask you a question.  Are you trusting only in Jesus' blood sacrifice alone for salvation, or are you trusting in something you've done?   

If you are a minister of the Gospel, let me ask you something.  Are you preaching "another gospel" (a gospel of DO) or are you preaching the biblical Gospel of believing by faith from the heart in the finished work of Christ (the DONE Gospel).

If my third-great granddaddy where here today, I'm sure he'd be shocked at how few ministers preach the true Biblical Gospel.  Instead of, REPENT, many preaching simply REPEAT after me!  This leads to a person thinking the prayer they utter with the lips is what saves them, instead of heartfelt faith in Christ.  How sad.  No wonder we hear of many who claim they've seen revival, but there are very few true converts, very little fruit, and very little change in the morality in the world.