The False Teaching
Per Billy Graham: Q: But how do I
know if I've been good enough to get into heaven?
A: God's standard is nothing less than perfection. God is holy, and even
one sin - just one - is enough to keep you out of heaven. None of us can save ourselves, because
we are all sinners in the eyes of God. But does that mean we have no hope? No -
and the reason is because Jesus Christ came into the world to save us. He came
to do for us what we could never do for ourselves, and now He offers us
salvation as a free gift.
Cobblestone Ministries: Salvation is a FREE gift. This means that you cannot earn your way into heaven.
Your good works will not get you to heaven. Being a good person cannot get you
into heaven. You can never be good enough to get into heaven because even one
sin will keep you out of heaven. Jesus already paid the price for your sins. To
say that you can save yourself is an insult to Him who gave His life for you.
Per Worship Together: Yes, you'll find that he is perfectionistic--so much so that even one sin will
keep you out of heaven. But he is also loving, so much so that he sent Jesus to
suffer a brutal, painful, torturous death so that we could be forgiven, knowing
that no amount of legalism can rescue us.
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Exposing the Error
Being saved is to receive eternal life. The alternative for unbelievers is to perish
according to Jn. 3:16 that Christians love to quote. With this
quote from Jesus, they then would lead us off into Paul's false doctrine. Is salvation a
free gift? No! Is it true
that one only needs to believe in what someone else (Paul) has said
about the salvation (Rom.10:9,10) provided by Jesus? No! Is it true that one sin will keep you out of heaven? No!
Do they (Christians) look to Jesus to see what he set as the
qualification for eternal life or of entry into heaven? No! Does it follow that one must earn one's way into heaven? No! Do you have to be "good enough" to get into heaven? No! Has Jesus paid the price for your sins? No. Must you then save yourself? No. Would God, who is love, require his sinless son to suffer a brutal, painful, torturous death so that sinners be forgiven? No! Is the option legalism? No! Does God require perfection? No.
Must you save yourself? No! Not one of the Christian teachings in the previous column comes
from Jesus. It is red herring stuff that deceivers drag across
the Way so as to prevent you from going to Jesus himself to learn what
God requires for entry into heaven. The Savior
knows the Way. Let's listen to him and follow him!
Christian, do you think you will be judged by the words of Paul? Listen:
Jn.12:48 The [one] setting me aside and not receiving my
words has [one] judging him: the word that I spoke - that will judge him in the
last day.
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Declaring the Truth
Jn.10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me, 28 and I give them zoe-life eternal, and they will not perish to eternity, and no one will
seize them from my hand.
Jn.5:24 Truly truly I say to you that the [one] hearing my
word and believing the [one] having sent me has eternal zoe-life, and does not come into
judgment, but is moved out of death into zoe-life.
The Prodigal Son: But coming to himself he said: How many servants of
my father have abundance of bread, but I am perishing here in [a] famine.
18 Having arisen I will go to my father and will say
to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 no longer am I worthy to be called your son, make me as one [of
your] hired hands. 20 And having arisen he came to his
own father. But while he was being distant afar his father saw him and had
compassion, and having run fell upon his neck and kissed him. 21 But the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and
before you, 22
But the father said to his slaves: Swiftly bring out the best
robe and put it on him, and give [a] ring for his hand and sandals for his feet,
23 and be bringing the fatted calf, kill [it], and
having eaten let us make merry. 24 For this my son was
dead and is alive again, was lost and is found. More: the Salvation Papers
That is how we qualify for admission to heaven!
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