Luke 9:26

Luke 9:26, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.”

In Luke 9:26 Jesus wasn't speaking to the unsaved. He was talking with His disciples, Peter in particular. This is where many Bible students go astray, confusing passages on discipleship with passages on salvation. God specifically authored the Gospel of John to show us how to get to Heaven through faith in Christ (John 20:31). I've heard infidel Billy Graham (1918-2018) and other false teachers cite passages from Matthew, Mark and Luke about discipleship in a lame attempt to preach the lie of "Lordship Salvation."

In uke 9:26, in the prior verses He speaks about carrying your cross, which has nothing to do with being saved. Carrying one's cross is a work! I am tired of hearing corrupt preachers say that turning from one's sins, following Christ as "Lord," surrendering "all" to God, and carrying one's cross are not works. They are WORKS! Jonah 3:10 says that God saw their "WORKS," that the Ninevites turned from their evil ways. Romans 3:20, “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.”

Christians who are ashamed of Jesus here on earth will not be honored in Heaven for their cowardice. Christ will be ashamed of them. 2nd Corinthians 5:11 warns of the "terror of the Lord." David begged God in Psalms 6:1 not to chastise him in His hot displeasure. Daniel 12:3 promises that they who lead lost sinners to righteousness will "shine" in Heaven. Believers who buried their candle and hid their light while on earth won't shine in Heaven, but will feel shame and contempt. Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

I also feel awkward sharing the Gospel with people. We all do. I heard Brother Hyles say that he still felt awkward. I keep a stack of Gospel tracts attached with two rubber band to my mobile phone, which I keep around my neck with a chain at all times. So, wherever I go I have a cross showing on my chest, that is, covering my cell phone. It helps break the ice when I meet people. The moment that they see the cross, they know I am a Chriatian.

I also bought a couple dozen hard copies of Michael P. Bowen's helpful book in defense of a free grace Gospel, "I Never Knew You." Here is the free .pdf version.

I heard the famous steel guitar artist Jerry Byrd (1920-2005) write in his autobiography: "When you're as good as you want to be, you're as good as you're going to get." Jerry was talking about music as a musician, but I applied his statement to the Christian life. When we're as good a Christian as we want to be, we're as good a Christian as we're going to get. And the same is true of soulwinning. If we become complacent with being mediocre, then we won't lead hardly anyone to Christ. I want to be more soul conscious. There is a whole world without Jesus. Every year in the United States approximately 3,500,000 people die. Sadly, according to Jesus in Luke 13:23-24, most of them perish in their sins and go to Hell forever (Matthew 7:13-15).

In Luke 9:26 Jesus wasn't talking about salvation, He is talking about discipleship (service). There will be many believers in Heaven who escaped going to Hell, but they will receive zero rewards, as evidenced by the saved man in 1st Corinthians 3:15. When a man was shacking up with his step mother in adultery in 1st Corinthians 5:1-5, the Apostle Paul told the church elders to confront the man. If he repented, great; but if not, then Paul said to turn him over to Satan for his destruction, “that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (verse 5). Clearly, he was saved and safe in God's gift of eternal life.

What will really help you settle the assurance of God's gift of salvation is maintaining a constant separation between service (discipleship) and salvation (sonship). My favorite preacher's quote is from John Bunyan:

“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)

Jude 1:4

Jude 1:4, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Famous author Mark Twain (1835-1910) wisely said it is easier to fool people than to convince them they've been deceived. Once a person is caught between grace and works, it is very difficult to get that wrong thinking out of their mind. Here is one of my favorite sermons by Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold titled, "Caught Between Grace And Works."

Lasciviousness in Jude 1:4 refers to a behavior characterized by lewdness (lust) and a lack of moral restraint, often associated with using God's grace to justify sinful actions. It signifies a willful rejection of God's standards for purity and is seen as a serious sin in the Christian tradition. There are some wicked Christians who use their salvation as a license to sin, knowing that they are "safe" from going to Hell.

God does NOT approve nor permit His children to wilfully sin, yet that is exactly what we all do. We all wilfully sin. When a child of God commits sin, the Holy Spirit convicts that disobedience son or daughter, so that we are miserable and cannot fully enjoy our sin. God is not an absent parent. There used to be a popular commercial in Chicago that said: "It's 10 o'clock, do you know where your child is at?" God knows where His children are at, and He scourges and chastises us when we sin (Psalms 119:67, 71; Hebrews 12:6-8).

Free grace preachers like myself and Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) are often falsely accused of leaving off repentance, teaching that it's okay to live in gross immorality, encouraging God's children to live in sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. We just don't pollute the Gospel in an attempt to force Christians to forsake sinning. Salvation is a free gift, which has NOTHING to do with behavior modification. The inspired Word of God is very clear on this matter. God's imputed (credited) righteousness by faith is "WITHOUT WORKS" (Romans 4:5).

Acts 10:43-44

Acts 10:43-44, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”

You've probably heard false prophets like pastors' Peter S. Ruckman (1921-2016), Gene Kim and William P. Grady foolishly teach that people were saved by works in the Old Testament under Mosaic law. Nothing could be further from what the Holy Bible teaches! Our text passage from Acts 10:43-44 plainly teaches that “all the prophets” give witness that remission of sins comes only through faith in the Messiah.

Also, the following passage plainly teaches that it would have been IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to have ever been saved by works at any time in human civilization, because if they were saved by works, then God owed them eternal life as an incurred debt. Romans 4:4-5, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

For any incompetent pastor or theologian to claim that people were saved by works, or partial faith plus works under Moses, is to say that God owed a debt of salvation to those people. Romans 4:4-5, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” Listen, God has never owed anybody anything except to let us all plunge directly into the fires of Hell and burn forever. We're all wicked sinners and no amount of works can atone for our wretched condition.

Jesus warned everyone in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

1st Peter 1:18-19

1st Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Upon reading this passage of Scripture, one can only wonder where on earth today's incompetent preachers got the false idea that to get to Heaven you must repent “of your sins,” or “be willing to turn from sin” (which lie you will find printed in over one billion toxic Chick Tracts).

The inspired Word of God says we are saved by faith in the precious blood which Jesus Christ shed on the cross, and sprinkled upon the heavenly Mercy Seat (Hebrews 9:12, 22-24; 12:24).

I would definitely include the false teachings of repenting “of your sin” and Lordship Salvation as “vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers” (1st Peter 1:18b). Nowhere in the inspired King James Bible will you find the phrases “turn from your sin” or “repent of your sins” to get to Heaven. These are manmade traditions!

You don't have to be willing to turn from your sinful bad habits to be saved; but rather, Christ died on Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago to pay for all your sins. All you need to do to be saved is just believe Jesus did it all for you.

Galatians 3:1-2

Galatians 3:1-2, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

That last part of verse 2 is one of my favorite phrases in the Word of God, “or by the hearing of faith?” The Apostle Paul started multiple churches in Galatia. As he labored onward on his missionary journey, the apostle heard rumors that the Galatian churches had become corrupted by a perverted gospel. So, Paul writes to the churches in the Epistle of Galatians to address the problem, warning them that there is only one Gospel, and they have been deceived by false prophets.

In Galatians 3:1-2 Paul wants to know how they got saved. That is, how were they indwelt with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). Paul asks them if they got saved by keeping the works of the law (aka, Lordship Salvation), or was it by simply believing the Gospel when they heard it preached. I love that phrase, “by the hearing of faith.” 

On the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter preached to several thousand men present and 3,000 of them got saved. Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” They simply believed the Gospel truth they heard and were converted.

Moses preached the Gospel for forty years to the Jews in the Wilderness, but sadly they did not believe him. Hebrews 4:1-2, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Do you see the simplicity of the Gospel? When you hear the truth of the Gospel, and you place your faith (reliance, trust) in it, you are immediately and forever born again.

When Cornelius and his companions heard Peter preach the Gospel message in Acts 10, they were saved by simply believing what they heard in Acts 10:43-44, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” Peter simply told them to believe on Christ to be saved, and they believed and were converted.

If you read the full passage, you will see that Peter never actually told them to do anything to be saved. Peter simply preached the Gospel unto them—the wonderful story about Jesus' death on the cross, burial and resurrection—they put their faith in those facts and were saved.

It is tragic that a counterfeit gospel is being preached from nearly every pulpit today, in every religious tract, religious college, so-called “Christian” books and movies, et cetera. Men love to complicate things, adding more requirements to God's simple plan of salvation. The Apostle Paul asks in Galatians 3:1, “who hath bewitched you?” The Greek word for “bewitched” is baskaino which means “to malign, that is, malignant, harmful or evil; by extension to fascinate with a lie.” Paul wants to know who suckered them!

You'd be far better off just staying home on Sundays than to attend a corrupt religious cult where they use modern perverted English translations, and preach another gospel that requires repenting of your sins to get to Heaven. Behavior modification is a work of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25), and not a mandatory prerequisite to saving faith (Romans 3:20; Jonah 3:10; Titus 3:5).

I am so sick and fed up and tired of hearing incompetent pastors say that you must “be willing to turn from your sinning,” and life a lifestyle of repentance, to get to Heaven. No such teachings exist in the inspired King James Bible. Thank you for reading my ministry blog.

Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:14-30, “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Evangelist John R. Rice writes concerning this passage of Scripture:

“...the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 does not necessarily refer to saved people only. There is a similar parable in Matthew 21:33-46. It is directly applied to the Pharisees and the Jewish leaders. God had turned His vineyard, the nation of Israel, over to the Jewish leaders. They were held accountable for it. That does not mean that they were saved people. God does hold most people accountable for the things He puts in their hands, the opportunity He gives them, and particularly any place of influence. 

“...it is quite clear that the servant who had one talent and was cast into outer darkness does not represent a saved person at all. God will hold people to account for the way they use what He has given them and for the opportunities they have had. And that is the great principle of the parable of the talents. Two of the servants represent saved people, so here is a lesson of rewards for Christians according to their labor. I think the one man represents a lost man and here is a reminder that God will judge men according to their opportunities. 

When you read the story again you will see that there is nothing about that one man that would indicate that he was a Christian. He hated his master and slandered him. He does not represent a Christian.” —Dr. John R. Rice, “Dr. Rice, Here Is My Question...,” p. 276; 1962

I fully agree with Brother Rice concerning this Scripture passage. Whether saved or lost, the Holy Bible warns that we will all be judged according to our “works.” The difference is on what basis we will be judged. For believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we will be judged on the basis of being God's redeemed children saved by grace (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11; Romans 5:20). A believer can only fall “in grace,” but never “from grace.” We will be judged as believers according to our “works” (1st Corinthians 3:11-15).

For the unbeliever, they will be judged for the “works” on the basis of the law, since they died in their sins under the curse of the law without Christ (Revelation 20:11-15). Either way, we will all be judged as humans according to our works. I like to compare the two different judgments to criminal court versus civil court. In criminal court you risk being punished if found guilty; whereas in civil court your only risk is monetary loss of rewards or money.

The parable in Matthew 25:14-30 applies to both the saved and the unsaved. We will all be judged according to the talents, resources and opportunities which God has entrusted to us in life.

Hebrews 10:38-39

Hebrews 10:38-39, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) says this about Hebrews 10:38...

“Hebrews 10:38 is partly explained by the following verse. Read the two verses together. “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” 

But verse 39 shows that verse 38 is not talking about a believer. Those who draw back unto perdition are not those who believe to the saving of the soul! The “drawing back” of verse 38 means that a Jew who has been faithful in keeping the ceremonial sacrifices, when he comes to know that Christ is the Lamb of God, draws back and will not take Christ as Saviour. So he is lost of course, just as anybody else who rejects Christ. This is not a case of a Christian drawing back, but of a lost man drawing back from Christ.” —Dr. John R. Rice, “Dr. Rice, Here Is My Question...,” pp. 275-276; 1962

It ceases to amaze me how many people foolishly cite and wrest this Scripture passage in a lame attempt to deny the Eternal Security of the believer. As Dr. Rice wisely points out, verse 39 makes it clear that only an unsaved man can “draw back.” Likewise, only a man who attempts to earn Heaven by works (keeping the law) has “fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:14).