John Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

What is salvation?

"Salvation is not merely an objective reality to be wondered at, a theological dictum to be debated about, a philosophical theory to be speculated about—not even merely a marvelous subject to be preached about.

It is a divine reality entering the human being to transform his fundamental disposition, cleanse him from sin and unrighteousness, redeem him from bondage and corruption, impart to him the nature of God, recreate in him the image of Christ, make him a child of God, a member of the household of God, and qualify him through the gift of the Holy Spirit to live a life of true discipleship in the midst of a world almost destitute of the consciousness of God and eternity." [George W. Peters, A Biblical Theology of Missions.]

__________________

What about those who die without even hearing the Gospel?

-Jon Irenicus

Perhaps one of the most debatable topics related to salvation is the question regarding the eternal destiny of those who die without even hearing anything about Christ. African natives for example: Is there any chance for them to be saved? Perhaps God is merciful enough to consider their conditions, isn't he? In a logical point of view, it would certainly make God horribly unjust if he punish those "innocent" people to eternal damnation. It makes sense, does it? Human philosophy and reasoning says so.

But Paul warns us of hinging too much on human philosophies rather than on God's Word. Paul wrote:

• "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,.." Col 2:8 (NIV)

...You know what? If those "innocent" people can be saved apart from Christ, then there would be no need for us to spread the Gospel in all nations! Why would Christ command us to evangelize all men if then God can still save them apart from the Gospel? Do you get the point?

Think about this: What if a certain African man (who happens to be a "good person" according to their own cultural and moral standard) died without hearing the Gospel throughout his life; would God save him? The humanist will say: "Yes, most probably. God is merciful to save such an innocent person." What if before his death he heard the Gospel but rejected to believe, then he suddenly died; would God save him or not? (he is still a good person after all). The inescapable answer would be, "Of course NOT because he rejected the Gospel."

See how the Gospel, which is meant to save sinners, has actually brought misfortune to the African man in the given scenario above. Awkward isn't it?

In reality of the Scripture, the Gospel is God's means to call sinners to repentance and faith in his Son. All believers are commanded by our Lord to preach the Gospel to all nations. But why do we have to? Given that the Lord has commanded it, the main reason is because all men are GUILTY of sin and that no one deserves salvation. Speaking about the universal sinfulness of men, Paul wrote:

• "What does all this mean? Does it mean that we Jews are better off than the Gentiles? No, it doesn't! Jews, as well as Gentiles, are ruled by sin, just as I have said. The Scriptures tell us, "No one is acceptable to God! Not one of them understands or even searches for God. They have all turned away and are worthless. There isn't one person who does right. . . . We know that everything in the Law was written for those who are under its power. The Law says these things to stop anyone from making excuses and to let God show that THE WHOLE WORLD IS GUILTY. God doesn't accept people simply because they obey the Law. No, indeed! All the Law does is to point out our sin." Rom. 3:9-12, 19-20 (CEV)

Nobody is righteous in the sight of God. No one passes God's standard of perfection (Jam. 2:19; Matt. 5:48; Rom. 3:23). All men without exception, therefore, deserve death and hell, whether Jews or even unevangelized Gentiles, disregarding of how good persons they may appear. Well in fact, nobody is really good because nobody does good! (Read: Rom. 3:12; Jer 13:23; Isa. 64:6). Even those who live in remote places unreached by the Word of God are without excuse because,

• The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH by their wickedness, since WHAT MAY BE KNOWN ABOUT GOD IS PLAIN TO THEM, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Rom. 1:18-25 (NIV)

Therefore even people who have never heard a preacher or has never read the Bible will still be held accountable for being sinners. Why? Because all people have chosen to reject God and worship themselves. God's judgment is against all people, and it is so because they have suppressed the truth about God that God has shown to all mankind.

The truth about God has been clearly perceived by all men through creation and science so that nobody has no excuse to not worship the Creator God of the Bible. Moreover, the Law condemns everyone guilty of sin and Gentiles are not exempted for they are also subject to the Law written in their hearts (Rom. 2:15).

QUESTION: Is God be unjust if ever he throw us all in hell?

• Answer: No, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23)

QUESTION: Is God merciful?

• Answer: Yes he is. "For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life." (Jn. 3:16)

This is the reason why Christ commanded us to spread the Good News to all men. Thousands of people are dying every day without having a personal relationship with Christ, or without having any idea of how great God's grace is. As we were before, they are totally hopeless and spiritually dead apart from Christ. JESUS Christ is the only Way to Heaven, so we must introduce to them our Lord and Savior, and by believing in his name, they will be saved.

Go, and preach the Gospel to all nations!
______________

Does Calvinism kill Evangelism??

-Jon Irenicus

Many contenders of the Reformed theology are ignorantly accusing Calvinism of abrogating the importance and necessity of spreading the Good news (or Evangelism). The main question of the said accusation is with regards to the doctrine of Predestination. According to them (perhaps the Arminians in particular), if the Calvinist is correct that God has already planned long ago every individual's ends, then there would be no need for Evangelism. Christ's Great Commission to spread the Gospel to all nations will be of no usefulness for all elect will, in the end, be saved.

Correctly understood, however, the doctrine of predestination has several significant implications, especially in the field of Evangelism. Dr. Millard J. Erickson enumerates these positive implications of the doctrine:

• 1) We can have confidence that what God has decided will come to pass. His plan will be fulfilled, and the elect will come to faith.

• 2) We need not criticize ourselves when some people reject Christ. Jesus himself did not win everyone in his audience. He understood that all those whom the Father gave to him would come to him (John 6:37) and only they would come (v. 44). When we have done our best, we can leave the matter with the Lord.

• 3) Predestination does not nullify incentive for evangelism and missions. We do not know who the elect and the nonelect are, so we must continue to spread the Word. Our evangelistic efforts are God's MEANS to bring the elect to salvation. God's ordaining of the end includes the ordaining of the means to that end as well. The knowledge that missions are God's means is a strong motive for the endeavor and gives us CONFIDENCE that it will prove successful [no matter what].

• 4) [Grace is absolutely necessary. While Arminianism often gives strong emphasis to grace; in our Calvinistic scheme there is no basis for God's choice of some to eternal life other than his own sovereign will. There is nothing in the individual which persuades God to grant salvation to him or her.]

Predestination gives us the confidence to talk about the claims of Christ with other people. Predestination encourages evangelism because we can know that the God who sends us into the mission field is the same God who controls whatever happens. He is the same God who is able to turn the most sin-hardened heart to faith in an instant! Their stubborn free wills don’t matter—God can change them. God could change Paul, the worst enemy of the Christian faith, into the greatest of missionaries in a flash!

So, will Calvinism kill Evangelism? Charles C. Reisingler answers the question this way:

"The answer to the question is yes and no. Yes, it will kill unbiblical man-centered evangelism and some of the carnal unbiblical methods employed in man-centered evangelism.

No, it will not kill God-centered evangelism where biblical methods are employed in the great work of carrying out our Lord's clearest command." [Charles C. Reisinger, Will Calvinism kill Evangelism?]

Let us, therefore, preach the Gospel to all nations as Christ commanded!

___________

Why Modern "Evangelism" is not Evangelism At All

"The nature of Christ’s salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day “evangelist.” He announces a Savior from hell rather than a Savior from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness." - Arthur W. Pink

What must I do to be saved?

"The Question"
by: abugian

Wat will you do when you die and meet God face to face in the pearly gates of heaven? And what would you say when God asks you, “Why would I let you enter my heaven?” As you mull over this question, read on.

Is it because… (a) you never hurt anyone; (b) you are obedient to the Ten Commandments; (c) you go to church every Sunday; (d) you are basically a good person; (e) you know the lord and you love him; or, (f) all of the above.

• “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name have cast out devils? And in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I say to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you evil doers.” (Mat 7:21-23)

• “For ALL HAVE SINNED, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)

• “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (Jam 2:10)
  

• "What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:9-20)

The Greatest Problem

Our God is a holy God, while we (mankind) are all sinners. Man in his entire lifetime cannot totally abstain from sin and we know that. Our conscience can testify that many times we have sinned against our God and against our fellowmen.

The Bible is the Word of God, therefore, God is telling us that right now, we have to know that we have sinned and that even one sin or the very first sin that we have committed can send us to hell. The Holy Bible is written in a language that everyone can easily understand (only if he is willing to). The Holy Bible also tells us if we break one of its commandments (of course these commandments can only be found in the Holy Bible, and ignorance of the law excuses no one) we are guilty of breaking it all.

Now, people always think, “Ah, God is merciful, He will understand. God is love, He will forgive,” and then they would go on with their lives gratifying their worldly desires. Yes, God is merciful and loving. But many are deceived in their understanding about God being just and righteous and that God hates sin. People delude themselves in trying to believe that there is a grave sin (which most people believe that this is the sin that God hates), and there is a petty sin that isn’t worth mentioning. A wrongdoing is still wrong no matter how petty it may seem. And God being just and righteous, not even a lightweight offense can be left unnoticed.

• “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and THAT WILL BY NO MEANS CLEAR THE GUILTY; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” (Exo 34:6-7)

If you happen to be a judge, and a traffic offender is presented to you with overwhelming evidence of being guilty and the law dictates that he pay for his offense. You can’t simply accept even the most sincere apology from the offender because if you do, it would mean that it is okay for people to break the traffic rules as long as they will be sorry when they get caught and that no punishment will be meted out for them—this is not justice.

God, being the Righteous Judge would administer his justice to every offender as it is written,

• “For the WAGES OF SIN is death” (Rom 6:23a)

• "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT” (Heb 9:27)

The issue here is not whether you’ve been a good person or not but whether you have sinned or not. God designed man in the likeness of His image to be able to do good works (Gen. 1:26). This is the problem—we are all sinners, God did not design us to be sinners and there is no provision in God’s Law, as found in the Bible, that any religion, any philosophy, any good works can save mankind from the coming judgment. Unfortunately, there is nothing that we can do about it.


The Only Solution

There is only one way to solve this problem—God’s way. And Jesus is the only way. (Acts 4:12)

Repent. Repentance is an abrupt decision to turn away from what the Holy Bible calls sins. You simply decide to:

1. Repent from the belief that by your own good works you will be saved (Eph 2:8-9)
2. Repent from the belief that with the religion that you have you will be saved (Col 2:8)

Believe in Jesus of Nazareth as your only Lord and Savior. You might be saying, "But I believe already!" There are two kinds of belief. One is called mental assent. The Lord's brother gave an example, he once said in James 2:19 that even the devils believe. To give you an illustration. Imagine that your father is a carpenter. He made you a new wooden chair to sit on. Now believing that the chair can support your weight without it breaking down in to pieces is mental assent, however, when you sit on it, that's another story, which brings us to the kind of belief I am talking about. To believe in the Lord Jesus is to have a complete trust in Him.

If you have a complete trust in Him you will believe that:

1. He is the Son of God—100% God—worthy of all worship and all honor (John 20:28)
2. He lived a sinless life while He was on earth—100% man, tempted in every way (Phil 2:6-11)
3. By His death on the cross you are saved (Rom 10:9-10)
4. He rose again from the dead and ascended to God the Father to prepare a place for us in heaven. (John 14:2-3)

Know that salvation is a free gift from God:

• “For the wages of sin is death, but THE [FREE] GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23b)

Having all these three important things, all you need to do now is to receive it. Today, say this prayer aloud and alone in you room with all your heart and the Holy Spirit will do the rest for you:

Father in heaven, I, say your name, acknowledge that I have sinned in my words, in my thoughts, and in my deeds. I repent from all my sins and ask you to forgive me. I accept your only Son, Jesus Christ, as my personal Lord and Savior and I believe that He died in my place and that on the third day, He rose again to prepare a place for me in heaven. I invite the Lord Jesus Christ to come and take control of my life. I invite His Spirit to dwell in me and change me to the kind of person you want me to be.

Father in heaven, I thank you for forgiving me and for washing me of all my sins by the blood shed by Jesus Christ thousands of years ago and for allowing me to be born again. Amen.

Like I said, you simply decide; you simply believe; and you simply confess before God. He will do the rest.

What Next?

The third point should be easy now you are a child of God through Jesus. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will seal the decision you made before Him and follow you through.

1. Follow and obey him as your Lord. (1 John 2-6)
2. Read the Holy Bible, talk and listen to God daily.
3. Let other people know that you now have a new relationship with Jesus Christ.
4. Come to a fellowship of believers where Jesus is Lord and God, a fellowship of believers who regard the Holy Bible as 100% Word of God, where it is taught and practiced.

• "Verily, verily, I say to you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life." (John 5:24)

Remember the judge confronted with the decision to punish the traffic offender? If that judge happens to be the father of the traffic violator, wouldn’t he, after deciding the verdict, step down, remove his robe, pick up his wallet and pay for his son’s offense?

So will it be when you repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The law will be satisfied yet you will be forgiven.

Source: http://www.thebereans.net/sav-theq.shtml

• "Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Acts 16:30-31 (ESV)