We take this moment to remind you that the gospel is not he forgives and forgets, it's, he forgave and forgot.
Place your trust in the risen Christ Jesus and receive the free gift of salvation today.
We're thankful you're here.
Truth Time Radio.
Celebrating the word of reconciliation and songs of grace.
Here today to review the ministry of Franklin Graham.
There's a study group in Zambia who found us through the mobile app.
These precious saints have been listening diligently, studying along with us, be sure to keep them in your prayers.
They asked if we would cover Franklin's gospel presentation, so without further ado, here we go.
Hello, I'm Franklin Graham.
The world is changing so quickly.
Inflation, gas prices, food prices, the war in Europe.
What used to be considered wrong is now celebrated as good, and what used to be good is now condemned as wrong.
So far, so good.
But I can tell you what doesn't change, God and his word.
He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Amen.
In God's word, he tells us that he loves us.
He sent his son, Jesus Christ, from heaven to this earth to take our sins by dying and shedding his blood on a cross.
And on the third day, God raised him to life.
What? Looks like we're getting ready to hear a clear presentation of how to be saved.
If you're willing to repent, turn from your sins.
And off the road and into a ditch we go.
Okay, so let's unpack and deconstruct what we have so far.
He said, quote, unquote, "If you're willing to repent, turn from sins."
So, right off, right off the bat, he mis-defines the word repent.
Here we have a man raised by the late Billy Graham, who was given the title, America's Evangelist.
Yet he doesn't know the definition of this six-letter Bible word, repent.
Amazing.
Franklin, repent cannot mean turn from sin, and we know this for a number of reasons.
One being that God repented more than anyone else in Scripture.
So, if God needed to repent of his sins, we have a sinful God, and we're in a heap of trouble.
What does the word repent mean?
Well, in Matthew, chapter 21, verse 28, look with me. Matthew 21:28, A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, son, go to work today in my vineyard.
Verse 29, He answered and said, I will not.
But afterward, he repented and went.
What does repent mean?
To change your mind.
The father told the son to go to work in the vineyard, but he refused.
To only later repent, change his mind, and go.
Simple for most of us.
Now, ask yourself, why is there any confusion over the definition of repent?
I gave this some thought.
And my thoughts led me to two words.
Two words.
Bible and man.
Some allow the Bible to be their final authority.
Others allow man to be.
Many think repent means to turn from sin because that's what the preacher said.
That's what Webster said.
Hey, the number one definition from Webster is, to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.
Mmm, mmm, mmm.
If you're willing to repent, turn from your sins, and believe by faith on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved.
Here, Franklin does as most do, he reached into Israel's mailbox, pulled out their mail, and he attempts to apply it to us.
It doesn't fit.
Before the cross, and for national Israel, the gospel was that they needed to believe that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah.
That's why in John chapter 20, verse 30, Jesus had been performing miraculous signs there in front of the disciples.
And John said the reason he did so, it's in the next verse, the reason he did so, that they might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
And by doing so, they might have life through his name.
Life through the finished crosswork and resurrection?
No.
But on this side of the cross, praise God, Paul tells us, Galatians 2:20, that we're crucified with Christ, and he lives in us. And the life we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us.
John was under the law.
John was teaching kingdom principles, and life was found through his name, followed by their obedience.
However, we're not under the law, nor kingdom principles.
And Paul said that if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily, righteousness should have been by the law, Galatians 3:21.
We don't find life through his name.
On this side of the cross, our life is found in the resurrection.
The gospel that we are to believe is that which Paul preached.
Belief in how Christ died for our sins, he was buried and resurrected on the third day for our justification.
And today, you won't find life outside of that, outside of belief in, "He has risen."
If you have never asked Jesus Christ to forgive you for your sins and come into your heart, you can do that right now.
Sorry, Franklin, but forgiveness is not found in asking.
At Calvary, God required a final one-time blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of the world's sins.
It was the blood of Christ that satisfied God.
Not anyone's words.
And asking him to come into our heart is just another tired, old religious tired cliche that has been parroted by the millions, even though we can't find it in scripture.
But that's hard to believe, right?
How many man-made designed sermons, church signs, books we have that make the claim that to be saved, you need to ask Jesus to come into your heart?
It's a countless number, I can tell you that.
How many, just how many will be in hell for believing that that saved them?
What a shame.
Now, we've made it here to Franklin's, well, what's likely the most popular prayer in the world, and it's called the sinner's prayer.
But it should be called, I want to go to hell prayer.
Let's think seriously about this.
Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:3, he went to the cross, where he shed his blood for sins.
In 2 Corinthians 5:19, God said that because of his son's sacrifice, he stopped charging sins to the world.
But we're told that we need a man-made prayer because that wasn't good enough.
So man had to string along and construct some magic words, some words for us to say, and then, poof, our sins magically disappear.
So let's hear the magic words.
Just pray this prayer with me. Just say, God, I'm a sinner, I'm sorry, forgive me, I believe Jesus is your son. I want to trust him as my Savior and follow him as my Lord. If you prayed that prayer, call that number right now that's on the screen. God bless you.
The most popular salvation prayer known to the American people, and perhaps the world.
What verse does this make us think of?
I bet most of you know.
It's 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 3, where Paul says, I fear less by any means as the serpent, he beguiled Eve through his subtlety. So your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
If we allow Scripture to be the final authority, we see that there is simplicity in understanding what the word repent is.
There is simplicity in understanding that there are no words that you can utter, that could ever replace the blood for forgiveness.
And we also see the simplicity in the gospel that saves today, and it has nothing to do with a prayer.
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
Think about that.
For by grace are you saved through faith, not the sinner's prayer.
Paul said not of works, but prayer is a work.
He said, Not of yourselves, but when you pray, that's yourself doing the praying.
Can you possibly go against God's word any more than this?
Men made up a prayer that you can do to replace believing what Christ already did.
Prayer is on the works list.
Many are not aware of this.
Now that's how subtle Satan is.
If we could pray our way in, we'd spend all eternity boasting about it.
I said this once to a caller and he thought I was crazy.
And I might be, but not because I tell the truth about prayer.
When I say prayer is a work, I'm just agreeing with God.
Colossians 4:12, Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers.
Did you get it?
See that?
Fervently laboring.
There's not a person listening that doesn't know that labor is work.
Prayer is a work, and no one will be in heaven because they prayed the sinner's prayer.
If Franklin Graham is a man of integrity, he'll go pull all the television ads immediately.
He's leading millions to hell with a prayer.
Think about that for a moment.
Just think.
There's a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
This so-called sinner's prayer won't save a single soul.
The only thing that can save is trusting Christ by believing the gospel.
Hey, salvation is a gift, not a reward.
And you can't do anything in your flesh to earn it.
Many of you, like myself, have also heard Franklin's dad invite people to be saved by reciting this sinner's prayer.
So it appears that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
If you're here today and not certain of your salvation, I beg you, do not pray this prayer hoping it'll save you.
It won't.
Be saved as the Bible says to be.
Faith alone in Christ alone.
Having died for all your sins, every last one of them, and resurrecting on the third day.
We are to become a believer first.
Then, then there are things we can pray about.
A believer's prayer life is important.
But we don't do it to be a believer.
We do it because we are a believer.
Words are important.
Getting the cart before the horse will leave you religious and lost with a one-way ticket to hell.
So don't pray a prayer for salvation.
That's not biblical.
That would be something done in your flesh.
And salvation is not of yourself.
Don't change anything about yourself for salvation.
You want to change some things?
That's great.
Go ahead.
We all should.
But nothing you change can save you.
Don't change for salvation.
Change from salvation.
Don't change to be saved, change because you are.
On the cross, God stopped imputing your sins because of Christ and his shed blood.
Not because of a prayer.
Today, by faith in the finished crosswork and resurrection, you can be justified by his blood. Romans 5:9.
Not by saying a prayer.
And look at the next verse. Verse 10, For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Saved by his life.
Not a prayer.
Thanks to all of you who are joining us on this mobile app.
And thanks to the study group.
Hopefully this answer to your question is helpful.
We want to be helpers of your joy.
Hey, remember, you only get two educations. The one you're given, and the one you give yourself.
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