When most people think of Jesus Christ in the world, they think of Him as a great teacher, someone to exemplify, someone to give your life to etc. Somehow this way of thinking has corrupted our very being. Forget about any works that you can do for God. To believe on Jesus Christ is the acceptable work of God.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent – John 6:28-29
I’ve prayed for people right there as the Holy Spirit leads and gives us compassion to help others, by lifting them up to God through prayer, because we as humans have no power. We are lost without Christ. A prayer in the Will of God (for all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth) is heard.
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth – 1 Timothy 2:4
However, I’ve also noticed that there is another more acceptable image of Jesus Christ, than Him who died on the cross– a hippy Jesus who accepts everyone. Yes, Jesus accepts everyone as they are, but He DIED a horrible cruel death for the sin of humanity, and it is only through HIM that sinful man can be reconciled to a Holy God. Jesus Christ IS God in the flesh, who came to redeem us from the penalty of sin, which is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God – John 1:1
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord – Romans 6:23
Jesus offended many when He was alive on earth. The Pharisees and sadducces believed in themselves and their following of Moses’ law to please God, so when John the Baptist called them vipers (Matthew 3:7, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 23:33, Luke 3:7), he was trying to get them to see that keeping the law could save no one and that the wrath of God was coming. He warned them of hell in Matthew 23:33.
God’s Plan of Salvation Through Christ
The repentance that John the Baptist and Jesus spoke of was a repentance of dead works – stop trusting in yourselves to please God, because that way leads to destruction because it is the broad way, and put your trust in the only one who can save you from the wages of sin which is death – Christ Jesus. They were blinded by pride, even when Jesus as truth spoke to them face-to-face. Jesus said to them that they didn’t know God because they would not come to Him for life.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 I receive not honour from men – John 5:39-41
Jesus speaks the truth, and He is the way the truth and the life, and yet the legalists in His day would not believe. He is the only mediator between man and God.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto theFather, but by me – John 14:6
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; – 1 Timothy 2:5.
The Fruit Inspectors
It is the same today by false teachers who teach that works must be present to prove salvation, even though the Holy Bible clearly shows that many believers were carnal. People like this, people who condemn others because they think they are sinless perfectionists are called fruit inspectors or legalists. They inspect everyone else but themselves. They are as corrupt as I am, and yet I’m a sinner saved by God’s grace and Christ’s blood washes away all my sin. This is the difference. I accept Christ’s payment for my sin, because all sin is paid for by Christ’s finished work. God’s gift of salvation is one to receive, and not a work to give God.
Salvation is a Free Gift of God
Most of the world is backwards on the gospel message of God’s amazing grace. We speak of grace without an understanding of what it truly is. When we speak of something to be too good to be true, it often isn’t, but God’s gift of salvation through Christ is something that is simple and easy to accept, and this is how salvation is taught in the Holy Bible. Salvation is entirely of God, and it must be taught as the Holy Bible teaches it, not man’s interpretation of truth.
In very subtle ways, these fruit inspectors or legalists get people to take their eyes off Christ, and onto themselves and their works. Do these teachers know what they are doing? I think some teach error because grace is evil spoken of today and they are tagging along onto the common teachings today, but then others are Satan’s ministers of righteousness who are hugely respected by this world because they have mega churches, yet the fruits they teach are not of God.
When Christ speaks of fruit, it is relating to doctrine, and not works, as most teachers falsely teach today. The reason why fruits equate to doctrine, and not works, is because all organised religions (minus the person of Jesus Christ) are attempting to merit heaven through some form of works. These ways, as pious as we believe them to be as humans, are not enough, as God requires perfection, and no one is because of the disease of sin. God requires perfection, and only the person of Jesus Christ, who was sinless perfection, could ever achieve the perfect Work of God. To attempt to work your way to heaven is prideful and a rejection of Christ Jesus, who loves us and died for everyone. I can only warn others, because there is only one way to heaven, and sadly the devil is winning is turning people against Jesus Christ, who is the only path to the father.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved –John 3:17
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:18
Scripture clearly says that the one who does not believe on Christ is condemned already, so belief is clearly important here. Why would someone reject a free gift of God. It baffles me, but I also understand that this world today teaches a works-based salvation, but as believers we must defend the simplicity that is in Christ.
The Fruits Spoken of by Christ is Doctrine not Works
Christian denominations like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and the Roman Catholic Church have differing beliefs of who Jesus is. Even though they may say that it is faith in Christ that saves us, why can’t they stop there? Period. Reject the truth enough times and God gives a person over to a reprobate mind.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; – Romans 1:28
Remember, Jesus tells us that a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and a corrupt tree bringeth forth bad fruit. False prophets teach a false doctrine rejecting God’s grace and Christ’s finished work, so they have evil fruit (wrong doctrine).
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them – Matthew – Matthew 7:15-20
The good fruit is doctrine that brings life (salvation). False teachers twist God’s word and use it to scare others. This is not of God. God loves everyone and He cares to save souls. God wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of Christ (1 Timothy 2:4).
Jesus came to save souls, so teaching the correct way of salvation gives the believer the gift of the Holy Spirit and therefore seals a person with everlasting life. Bad fruit or false doctrine does not save souls, but corrupts God’s truth into a lie, and then people get corrupted into believing a work’s based salvation
God’s Holy Word clearly says that we are saved by grace, not of self. It is a gift of God, not of works.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9
This is important and matters, because the gift of God is all of Him, so our praise and thanks is given to God. Salvation is nothing of ourselves, it is ALL OF GOD. Only God’s plan of salvation can ever get us to heaven. This world has always discredited Christ’s work, and instead created a way of salvation that seemeth right to the human mind, but scripture says that this will lead to death. Christ gives eternal life, and yet working our way to heaven will only lead to death.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man,but the end thereof are the ways of death – Proverbs 16:25
Working our way to heaven makes logical sense. However, this is not the truth. Unfortunately, man’s philosophy and pride has gotten in the way of truth, and sadly the grace of God is evil spoken of by many teachers today. In essence, the good news of Jesus Christ and His work in reconciling man to a Holy God through His obedience to God, is negated, and instead it is labelled easy believism or cheap grace. This type of talk is offensive to God, and believers who are trusting in Christ’s finished work.
In Matthew 7, when Jesus speaks of the strait gate and the narrow way, He is speaking of Himself.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 because strait isthe gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it – Matthew 7:13-14
The broad way is all works-based gospels taught today, plus all organized religions of this world, and the narrow way is Jesus Christ. We must trust in Him for eternal life, and when we do so we are sealed with the Holy Spirit forever.
in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise – Ephesians 1:13
He completed the will of God, and all we have to do is to believe that He did this for us.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent – John 6:29
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day – John 6:38-40
We all have a sin debt that requires payment, so are you going to trust in Christ, or try to work it off yourself like religions like Catholicism teach. Works cannot save, and they never can please God. However, the work of Christ did.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself – Hebrews 7:26-27
