Professing Christendom has “known” for almost 2000 years that “IT” consisted of everything that needed to be done for a believer to receive instant salvation upon believing that Jesus died for his/her sins, then completing a prescribed ritual. By studying God’s Word according to His written formula (Isa. 28:9-13), one finds that not only are the billions within the Institutional Catholic/Protestant Religious System (“the church”) wrong about “IT”– they are DEAD WRONG. As did their spiritual ancestors (Adam and Eve), these deceived souls have substituted wishful thinking for God’s Truth, which Jesus identified as His Word (Jn. 17:17). In the spiritual realm, “common sense tells you that ….” has replaced God’s Holy Spirit-inspired proclamations spoken and written by Spirit-led prophets and apostles. The Apostle Peter recognized this error and wrote in Second Peter 1:21 that “Holy men of old spoke as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit.” Their Words were then recorded in order to teach God’s true saints who would be living at the end of the world (1 Cor. 10:11)–the time in which we are now living. Neither the Members of the Godhead, nor Their Spirit, nor the words of Their modern-day messengers have changed. All continue to hear, speak and write as they are spiritually moved to do so.

The problem is that the spirit that leads professing Christianity is not the Holy Spirit. Biblically, it is known as the “spirit of antichrist.” I just walked through my living room where I heard a world-famous pastor tell his global congregation: “I am committed.” Yes, he is, as are all of those like him, as are their Biblically-ignorant followers. Having heard such leaders’ various versions of Biblical Truth many times in the past, I can assure you that they are indeed committed–COMMITTED TO PROCLAIMING SATAN’S PERVERTED GOSPEL TO ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN. I AM WELL VERSED IN THEIR MESSAGE FOR I WAS ONCE ONE OF THEM. There was a time when I belonged to the same cult system as this false prophet with its hundreds of denominations, faiths, churches, etc. Like them, I was a Scripturally-ignorant, Satan-serving dupe. I thank God for removing me from that counterfeit church system and revealing His Truths to me.

The commonly “known” meaning behind Christ’s soul-saving “IT IS FINISHED” proclamation is that salvation is instantly available for taking Jesus as one’s personal Savior, but not as one’s LORD. While studying the Book of Romans (again) recently I was reminded of the Savior-Lord discrepancy found in that most important book which prompted me to conduct a detailed study of all of the apostle’s writings. Paul wrote 13 of the Lord’s 27 New Testament Books. Considering that he received His Gospel Truth directly from Jesus Christ through the revelation of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 1:12), I am convinced that we can depend on him to tell us God’s truth. In those 13 books Paul focuses on the believer’s relationship with the Biblical Messiah. In his writings the apostle used the Word “LORD” 281 times and the Word “SAVIOR” 19 times. This confirms what I have been saying for many years: UNLESS CHRIST IS OUR LORD (MASTER) IN THIS LIFE, HE WILL NOT BE OUR SAVIOR IN THE NEXT LIFE.

In Hebrews 1:3 Paul emphasizes Christ’s four-part process that, IF COMPLETED, will result in the salvation of the soul. The system consists of 1) ENABLING REPENTENT MAN TO RECEIVE JUSTIFICATION (HAVE HIS PAST SINS REMOVED–PURGED), 2) BEING RENDERED RIGHTIOUS (SINLESS) BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 3) UNDERGOING TRUE CONVERSION (REVERSAL OF LIFE’S WALK) AND 4) RETAINING ONE’S RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTIL THE END OF LIFE SO AS TO RECEIVE SALVATION UPON CHRIST’S RETURN TO EARTH. Parts one and two are gifts given to the salvation seeker by God based on His (God’s) grace and the seeker’s faith. Numbers three and four are the results of the believer’s personal efforts. Those who take Christ as their LORD (MASTER WHO MUST BE OBEYED) until the end of life will be saved upon His return (Mat. 10:22). Those who embrace Christ only as their SAVIOR in this life will not. These are they who, calling themselves “sinners saved by grace,” believe that Jesus died so that they can continue to sin and get away with it. In their view, righteousness is not only unnecessary, it is also impossible. And Satan smiles.

Until Christ’s return we have the HOPE of salvation. Read Hope and Salvation. Key word–Hope. Contrary to what is preached continually from pulpit and podium, faith in Jesus Christ cannot save the soul. WORKS OF FAITH (OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW) ARE NECESSARY FOR ACHIEVING SALVATION. Read James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26 where it is made clear that faith without works is dead faith which cannot save the soul. FAITH IS TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD (Rom. 10:17). We spiritually live or die by our faith. Dead faith is faith that is not “worked”–acted upon. Dead faith produces a spiritually dead believer. Satan has great faith–he knows and believes God’s word. His problem involves obedience. His parishioners are those who choose to obey his (Satan’s) “truths” rather than God’s Truth (Jn. 17:17). Read the home page of this website for a list of such false “truths” that salvation seekers believe and obey which all come from the same source–Satan–the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4).

The basic problem in the grace versus Law controversy found in the Book of Romans, as well as all other writings about man’s relationship with the Lord, is that Paul is writing about JUSTIFICATION while readers believe he is writing about SALVATION. Justification is based totally on God’s grace and the believer’s faith. Salvation involves obedience to God’s Law. Read about this in Mark 10:17-22 where Jesus addresses the salvation-obedience situation. Clearly, salvation involves obedience to the Ten Commandment Law.

Dear readers: if you have been in church throughout your life–YOU HAVE BEEN LIED TO REPEATEDLY. This ministry’s focus is on you and God’s desire for you to know His Truth, which you have never heard. In “That I Might Win Christ”–key word–Win, the Apostle Paul proves that having faith in Jesus does not guarantee the believer eternal life. Such faith must be PROVEN by one’s obedience to God’s Law which results in righteousness and holiness, THE END RESULT OF WHICH IS SALVATION (Rom. 5:21; 6:22). If Paul had to do righteous works (of obedience to God’s Law) in order to win Christ, SO MUST WE.

In the series titled Sowing and Reaping: One Rule–Two Outcomes (Key word–Outcomes) it is revealed that, following justification, whether we go on to salvation, or never get past the beginning of the process that leads to salvation, is our decision to make. Read The Process of Salvation. Key word–Process. The possibility of achieving salvation can be altered at any point between justification and death as is brought out in Hebrews 6:3-6 where Paul makes this point graphically clear. Read that passage carefully. Note the qualifier “IF.” That same message is made equally clear in the parable of the Ten Virgins found in Matthew 25. At one time all ten people were true spiritual “virgins” due to having been justified, declared righteous (sinless) and were remaining in that spiritual condition. However, along the way five of them had fallen away from God (committed apostasy). By hiding their sins and going through the motions of holiness they continued to be called “virgins.” When the time to measure up arrived, they realized that they were about to be left out of the marriage supper. Their attempt to affect a last-minute “re-dedication of my life to the Lord” was rejected. Jesus speaks to this phenomenon in Luke 6:46. Let us be about walking as Jesus walked and overcoming (Satan’s temptations to sin) as He overcame so that we can sit with Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God (1 Jn. 2:6/ Rev. 3:21).

There is no other way into the Kingdom of God–not heaven. There is only one standard for those who will enter God’s presence. We are reminded of this Truth in First Peter 1:15,16 where we are told that in order to join God in the future WE MUST BE AS HOLY AS HE IS DURING THIS LIFE. Judgment is on-going in the church at this time, and ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE SAVED UPON CHRIST’S RETURN (1 Pet. 4:17,18). L.J.