Are the modern 'gospels' able to SAVE a soul from Hell?
For possibly a century or more, Christians have accepted the Gospel of Romans 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9 and Mark 16:16 as being all they need to know regarding Salvation. This article questions that belief.
Recently, a Christian author produced an article whereby he claimed that theologians and preachers in recent times had “divorced the Pre-Tribulation Rapture from the Gospel”.
I not only agreed with him, but added that there were many other doctrines that had similarly been omitted from today’s preaching and teaching in the churches. Below is what I wrote to him.
Dear Pastor Jonathan,
In your article, you said the following words that I fully agree with:
The divorce of the Rapture from the Gospel has resulted in a near blackout of teaching about our “blessed hope” in churches today. This negatively impacts new believers as well as seasoned saints as it leaves them ill-prepared to live in a fear-ridden society because such teaching provides no prophetic context into which they can place the violence and lawlessness of our day or the push for a New World Order.
Sad as this is, I have also discovered that there are far more Christian beliefs (i.e. ‘foundational doctrines’ identified in the image above) that have suffered similar theological divorces by the church leadership throughout the past century or more—many of which most Christians are not aware of.
Jesus Christ has shown me that the various ‘gospels’ most Christians believe today are unable to save them from spending eternity in Hell. This is because those who have divorced the Rapture from the church have similarly divorced the Bible’s requirements for Salvation from the Gospel.
The Bible states that it is the Apostle Paul’s Gospel (that he termed ‘My Gospel’) which is THE ONLY GOSPEL that is able to save a soul from Hell. In this, the Bible states that:
The Apostle Paul’s Gospel will be used by Christ to determine if each Christian has OBEYED IT or not!
“In the day when GOD SHALL JUDGE THE SECRETS OF MEN by Jesus Christ ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL.” (Romans 2:16 KJV)The Apostle Paul’s Gospel also contains a “MYSTERY” that every Christian must understand and appreciate:
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY, which was kept secret since the world began,” (Romans 16:25 KJV)That Jesus Christ was RAISED FROM THE DEAD according to the Apostle Paul’s Gospel:
“Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL:” (2 Timothy 2:8 KJV)
The point here is that most Christians today believe that simply saying the Sinner’s Prayer; stopping their sinning, and then go on to lead a ‘good’ Christian life that their peers deem is acceptable to them is all that is needed to secure eternal life and to enter Heaven. Unfortunately, the Bible doesn’t say that!
The Christian life represents spiritual growth and spiritual maturity
Having analysed and pondered what the MYSTERY represents within ‘My Gospel’, Jesus has revealed to me that God requires seeing in each of His people:
That they become a NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST where the ‘old man’ has gone, and the ‘new’ man has replaced his ‘presence’:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW.” (2 Cor. 5:17)
“Knowing this, THAT OUR OLD [sinful, carnally-natured] MAN IS CRUCIFIED [and reckoned DEAD-Rom 6:11] WITH HIM, that the body of sin might be destroyed, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.” (Romans 6:6)SPIRITUAL MATURITY has commenced at the NEW BIRTH, and is progressing onwards (2 Thes. 1:3).
GOOD WORKS are being produced that involve cooperation with God to perform them (Eph 2:10; Matt 5:16; 2 Tim. 3:17; Titus 2:14; Titus 3:8; 1 Peter 2:12.
The Christian has become an ACTIVE MEMBER within THE BODY OF CHRIST
(1 Cor. 12:12-27).The Christian is utilising and exercising the various GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT as allocated and when required. (1 Cor. 12:8-11)
The Christian is producing SPIRITUAL FRUIT unto God the Father throughout their New Born life:
“Herein is my Father glorified, THAT YE BEAR MUCH FRUIT; so shall ye be my disciples.” (Matt. 13:23; John 12:24; John 15:8)
The ‘New Birth’
Jesus also showed me that the NEW BIRTH (or that of being “born-again” and its significance) has been “DIVORCED” from modern church teachings. This is because most Christians today are NOT “spiritually-minded” but are instead, “carnally” — or, “religiously” minded:
“For TO BE CARNALLY [or ‘religiously’] MINDED IS DEATH; but TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE and peace.” (Romans 8:6)
“Because THE CARNAL [or ‘religious’] MIND IS ENMITY [or is an enemy] AGAINST GOD: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can [it] be.” (Romans 8:7)
Therefore, to be truly “born-again” one must receive:
“A NEW HEART also will I give you, and A NEW SPIRIT WILL I PUT WITHIN YOU: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
Having this NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT FROM GOD then enables the truly “born-again” Christian to “walk in the Spirit” and therefore avoid “walking in the flesh” (or in the traditions of any particular ‘religious’ life):
“There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.” (Romans 8:1)
Spiritual maturity
Jesus showed me that as a fruit-producing plant commences life from a SEED, so the Christian’s spiritual life commences with the SEED OF THE GOSPEL being sown into each unsaved sinner’s heart.
Jesus illustrated the Christian’s spiritual growth is the same as a natural SEED is sown into the ground. It first germinates and then grows through the watering of it by the word of god (Eph. 5:26) - and after maturing, it eventually produces FRUIT.
“Hear ye therefore the parable of THE SOWER...23 But HE THAT RECEIVED SEED INTO THE GOOD GROUND [within his heart] is he that HEARETH the word, and UNDERSTANDETH it; which also BEARETH FRUIT, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty [fold].” (Matthew 13:18, 23)
“I have PLANTED [the SEED of the Gospel], Apollos WATERED [it with sound doctrine - Titus 1:9]; but God gave THE INCREASE.” (1 Cor. 3:6)
If the Christian’s heart has “good soil” within it that loves ‘TRUTH” (the absolute type), this is essential to loving God’s words in scripture, because ALL of God’s words are TRUTH – John 17:17.
This fundamental basis of the Christian’s life will then enable EACH Christian to produce the type of spiritual “FRUIT UNTO GOD” that He requires to be evident from each of His people on the Earth - meaning, the lost souls won out of Satan’s kingdom into God’s kingdom through evangelism:
“I [Jesus] am THE TRUE VINE, and MY FATHER is THE HUSBANDMAN. 2 Every BRANCH [or Christian grafted by God the Father] in me THAT BEARETH NOT FRUIT HE [God the Father] TAKETH AWAY [from Me, Jesus]: and EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARETH FRUIT, he PURGETH [or prunes] IT [back], THAT IT MAY BRING FORTH MORE FRUIT...6 If a [Christian] man ABIDE NOT IN ME [by rejecting My words - John 14;15], he is cast forth as a [fruitless] BRANCH, and is [become spiritually] WITHERED; and MEN [or angels later] gather them [Matt 13:40-42], and CAST THEM INTO THE [Lake of] FIRE, and they are burned [throughout eternity – Isaiah 66:23-24].” (John 15:1-2, 6)
Spiritual “WORKS”
For Christians to be able to produce the required “FRUIT” for God, each “BRANCH” grafted into Jesus must perform “WORKS” that Christians have been CREATED TO DO at the NEW BIRTH:
“For WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP [at the ‘New Birth’], CREATED in Christ Jesus unto [performing the SAME] GOOD WORKS [that Christ did as “sons of God”], which GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.” (Eph. 2:10)
The Lord has also shown me that the SAME “GOOD WORKS” that Christ performed while on Earth are required to be evident in each Christian’s life IF we are to be called “sons of God”:
“For as many [truly ‘born-again’ Christians] as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.” (Romans 8:14)
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John [the Baptist] again those things which ye do hear and see: 5
—The BLIND receive their sight, and
—the LAME walk,
—the LEPERS are cleansed, and
—the DEAF hear,
—the DEAD are raised up, and
—the POOR have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Matt 11:4-6)“Verily, verily [or be very assured], I [Jesus] say unto you, He [meaning, any ‘Christian’] that believeth on me, THE WORKS THAT I DO [listed above] SHALL HE DO ALSO; and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO; because I go unto my Father.” (John 14:12)
“And THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE [in Jesus Christ for Salvation]; IN MY NAME SHALL THEY
—CAST OUT DEVILS; they shall
—SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES; 18 They shall
—TAKE UP SERPENTS; and if they
—DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, it shall not hurt them; they shall
—LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)
To complete this picture of the REAL Christian life, Jesus has shown me that every Christian (who considers they are “a SON or DAUGHTER of the Living God— 2 Cor. 6:18) is to achieve spiritual maturity through the Eight Stages of Spiritual Maturity, as shown in the chart below.
In contrast to the ‘spiritual growth’ depicted above, the Lord has shown me that it is Satan’s desire that ALL intending “sons and daughters of God” become a still-birth (spiritually) into God’s kingdom.
Satan achieves the above result if Christians remain at the Initial Salvation stage of Salvation (i.e. Stage 1 that represents NO Works and NO Fruit produced). This ‘spiritual death’ is caused by simply believing in “...saved by faith and grace alone, NOT of works lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
For any Christian who attempts to “STRIVE to enter into God’s kingdom...” as commanded to do by Jesus in Luke 13:24 - this means God sees them becoming a spiritual foetus growing in size as depicted in Stage 2 above. It seems that God allows Satan to prevent any further spiritual growth from occurring – just as He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3); however foetal growth can continue if one’s spiritual eyes remain fixed on Christ, as indicated in Isaiah 26:3 and John 10:27-29.
If “STRIVING” to enter God’s kingdom is no longer evident in the Christian’s life, such an individual becomes a ‘still-birth’ within God’s kingdom, as depicted in the illustration below.
Therefore, where the pastor’s statement said:
“The divorce of the Rapture from the Gospel has resulted in a near blackout of teaching about our “blessed hope” in churches today...”
I would add to that statement by saying:
“The divorce has also occurred of the following Biblical requirements if Christians hope to obtain their Salvation after they die. In this:
They must OBEY the Apostle Paul’s Gospel (Rom 10:16);
Put to spiritual death, their “OLD MAN” nature (Romans 6:6);
STRIVE to enter into God’s kingdom (Luke 13:24);
TAKE UP THE CROSS that Christ has for every Christian; and to FOLLOW HIM (Matt 16:24);
Achieve the NEW BIRTH (brought about by God - John 3:3-8);
Receive a NEW SPIRIT and a NEW HEART from God (Ezekiel 36:26);
Demonstrate that he or she is a NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15;
Become SPIRITUALLY MINDED by rejecting all religious beliefs and church traditions (Romans 8:6);
Know how to WALK IN THE SPIRIT (Gal. 5:16; Gal. 5:25; Rom. 8:1);
Do GOD’S WILL at all times (Matt 12:50);
Perform GOOD WORKS (Matt 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3:17) that produce the required GOOD FRUIT UNTO GOD (John 15:1-8);
Acting in this life as a “SON or a DAUGHTER OF GOD” (2 Cor. 6:18; 1 Tim. 4:8);
As individual members of Christ’s spiritual body on the Earth, become JOINED TOGETHER IN LOVE (Eph. 4:16), and collectively DO GOD’S WILL (Matt 12:50) to fight against those in Satan’s kingdom (Eph. 6:12) who are corrupting this world.
Be a good “Ambassador for Christ” and God (2 Cor. 5:20)
If the above points are participated in with God, this will produce the PERFECT MAN in Christ Jesus, which is the ONLY ‘standard’ God will judge Christians by when deciding whether to allow them into Heaven (Phil 3:14):
“And HE [Jesus Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the UNITY OF THE FAITH, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, unto THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of [FALSE] doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Eph. 4:11-14)
The foregoing also represents the COST OF SALVATION that each Christian is to weigh up if they sincerely want to obtain eternal life with their Creator:
“For which of you, intending to build a tower [or, Stage 8 of my Salvation chart], sitteth not down first, and COUNTETH THE COST [required for obtaining Salvation], whether he have sufficient [will power] to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation [Stage 1 – Initial Salvation], and is not able to finish it [Stage 4 and beyond], all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” Jesus speaking. (Luke 14:28-30)
I am hoping that you might post some comments below regarding this message. Please tell me what you think.
Blessings!
Alan Manson
Disciple of Jesus Christ