As we look around today, we see that some are in a state of hyper-suggestibility, open to just about anything.
While listening to me, don't open your mind, open your Bible.
Open it up and test me.
Search the scriptures to see if what I'm reporting is true.
Make sure it's not propaganda.
We've got enough of that today.
No, with an open Bible, I want you to test me, and if you're not implacable, you should see the truth concerning salvation.
We'll try our best to be clear.
One of the main reasons we stress salvation and are constantly reminding you of the gospel is because we hear from so many who don't have a clear understanding of how to be saved, church people, because they've never heard a clear presentation of how to be saved.
They'll begin the conversation by agreeing with me about what happened at the cross.
They'll agree that salvation is not connected to works, but after a few moments they'll tell you what they really mean.
They'll start slipping the works in the back door.
Just listen for their favorite word, but, B-U-T, all unsaved religious people love the word, but.
They're like a billy goat, and that billy goat gospel they peddle won't save you.
Start explaining the gospel, how that Christ died for their every sin, they'll say amen.
He was buried but has risen, amen.
And you're justified by faith alone in Christ alone, again they'll say, amen.
And just hang on, wait for it, they'll say their favorite word, but, but you've got to do this, you've got to do that.
And just fill in the blank, the work they'll give you depends on their background, what denomination they're a part of.
Some will say, but, you've got to go to the priest and confess your sins.
Another will say, but, you've got to ask God to forgive you.
Another will say that you've got to be water baptized to be saved.
And on and on it goes, where the narcissism stops, nobody knows.
Almost all add a work in there somewhere.
The same person that was amening in the gospel, which is all about Christ and His work, is now giving you a work to do, not realizing they're making salvation by works.
So they've believed a false gospel, and when they witness to others, they tell them a false gospel.
The devil gets all the glory.
Some don't realize the devil's getting the glory when they're talking about the Lord.
He loves it when you talk about the gospel, because you've got it wrong.
You've got the spotlight on self and your works, your deeds, and not on Christ.
He loves it.
When you add self in the equation, who are you taking from?
Who's the focus not on when you make it about you?
Jesus.
And you think you're bothering the devil?
No, He loves it.
But that's how religion and its man-centered philosophy works.
Man does his best to get some of the credit.
Narcissism is a beast.
You shouldn't spend your life in church and not know how to be saved.
But believe me, it's happening.
We get the phone calls, emails, we get all the correspondence to prove it.
Listen, God is not the author of that unclear message being spoken at some of these churches today.
No way.
He has nothing to do with them.
He's not the author of confusion.
Here at Truth Time, we try to shoot it straight.
You shouldn't have to eat the meat, spit the bones.
The truth is boneless.
So I want to be clear-cut today.
Salvation.
Think of it this way.
Picture a big circle on the ground.
Jesus standing in the middle.
He's in the middle.
You're standing just outside the circle.
And He says to you, this is the salvation circle.
To go to heaven, you've got to get in here.
But there's one condition.
You must be perfect.
Well now, this is quite the conundrum, huh?
What are you going to do?
You know you're not perfect, but that's the only way in.
You scratch your head and think to yourself, and after a few minutes go by, after much laborious thought, you decide to admit to the Lord that you just don't qualify.
But you tell Him, I've stopped my bad habits.
Stopped going to the places I used to go.
I've repented of my sins, confessed my sins, asked for forgiveness, got water baptized and joined the church, help everyone I can.
Lord, I do my best.
Why am I outside this circle?
I want in.
What can I do?
And He says, none of the things you mention can save you.
Those are all works of the flesh.
There's nothing you can do in your flesh to get in here.
Those are things you have done, but salvation is about what I have done.
The condition to get in the salvation circle is faith.
Faith in what I did for you.
Believing the gospel is the only way in.
Have you not heard?
I had your apostle Paul to write it down in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 1.
I declare unto you the gospel by which you are saved.
How that I died for your every sin, they buried me, but I rose the third day.
I beat death and so can you.
Now that you've heard the good news, I need you to give up on self.
Stop trying to save yourself and let me do it.
Do that and I'll save you right now.
And I'll place a seal on you that will protect you until the day of redemption, until the day I return to get my purchase possession.
How about that?
Listen, salvation is about His goodness and not my goodness.
Hey, I spent many years searching for peace, but it wasn't until I understood this that I finally got it.
Not the counterfeit, the counterfeit piece, but the real thing.
Not the lies we tell ourselves as we try to hide the inner turmoil when there's really an internal war going on.
No, not that, but real peace.
Give up on self, trust in Christ.
Let Him save you.
You only get two educations, the one you're given, and the one you give yourself.
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