This morning I was reading in Hebrews. Chapter 5, verses 8-9 seemed to stand out: "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him..."
I began to meditate on how seldom this verse is taught. In Protestant churches here in the U.S. we are told that we have eternal life if we believe in Jesus. Many of us have gone forward in an alter call saying we believe, and then have been told that we are saved and now have eternal life, but that is not what this verse says. It says He is the source of eternal salvation for those who OBEY Him. Have you been told that Jesus paid the price for your sin and therefore it doesn't matter what you do now? It's true that only His sacrifice makes us righteous but then we are to "go and sin no more". Paul talks about those who thought Jesus' sacrifice gave them license to do whatever they wanted in Romans 6.
I don't know if it is out of ignorance, or it's a plan of the devil (probably both) but the whole gospel is not being preached in very many churches today, and therefore they are preaching a false gospel. The Bible has much to say about those who preach another, or false, gospel. We are to stay away from them.
Are you hearing the whole gospel? Is every word that Jesus spoke preached in your church? Are you expected to become disciples and "to go and do likewise" the things He did? If not, you may want to ask yourself if you are hearing a 'false' gospel. It may be time to remove yourself from such teachings and look for a church who is intent on making disciples of all men.
Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18, "15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Are these signs accompanying you (and your church) as you preach the gospel? If not, why?
I began to meditate on how seldom this verse is taught. In Protestant churches here in the U.S. we are told that we have eternal life if we believe in Jesus. Many of us have gone forward in an alter call saying we believe, and then have been told that we are saved and now have eternal life, but that is not what this verse says. It says He is the source of eternal salvation for those who OBEY Him. Have you been told that Jesus paid the price for your sin and therefore it doesn't matter what you do now? It's true that only His sacrifice makes us righteous but then we are to "go and sin no more". Paul talks about those who thought Jesus' sacrifice gave them license to do whatever they wanted in Romans 6.
I don't know if it is out of ignorance, or it's a plan of the devil (probably both) but the whole gospel is not being preached in very many churches today, and therefore they are preaching a false gospel. The Bible has much to say about those who preach another, or false, gospel. We are to stay away from them.
Are you hearing the whole gospel? Is every word that Jesus spoke preached in your church? Are you expected to become disciples and "to go and do likewise" the things He did? If not, you may want to ask yourself if you are hearing a 'false' gospel. It may be time to remove yourself from such teachings and look for a church who is intent on making disciples of all men.
Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18, "15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Are these signs accompanying you (and your church) as you preach the gospel? If not, why?
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