"Sugar-coated Gospel" can only produce "Cheap Grace"

[johnnywong]

Many Churchgoers are not born-again Christians because of sugar-coated Gospel.
There are 2 parts in the true Gospel :
1. crucified and buried in Christ , died to old self , repent and turn away from old life ( inconvenient part of Gospel)
2. Regeneration by Holy spirit to a born-again life .

However preachers want to increase the success rate of "conversion " , watering down the importance of crucified and buried the old self as the first step to salvation.

Only mention you believe Jesus is the Saviour , then you will be saved and go to Heaven.

But what defines believe !
Not just "know" a historical person came to this world with a mission .
I believe aspirin is a good drug but I fear of the side effects of the drug and dare not to take it. Then the drug can't help you.

 

[Call me Nic]

Cheap grace is too expensive for me. My salvation was given to me free of charge through the righteous payment of Jesus Christ.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Many Churchgoers are not born-again Christians because of sugar-coated Gospel.
There are 2 parts in the true Gospel :
1. crucified and buried in Christ , died to old self , repent and turn away from old life ( inconvenient part of Gospel)
2. Regeneration by Holy spirit to a born-again life .

However preachers want to increase the success rate of "conversion " , watering down the importance of crucified and buried the old self as the first step to salvation.

Only mention you believe Jesus is the Saviour , then you will be saved and go to Heaven.

But what defines believe !
Not just "know" a historical person came to this world with a mission .
I believe aspirin is a good drug but I fear of the side effects of the drug and dare not to take it. Then the drug can't help you.

Our terms appear to be different, and possibly the order (a bit) but I do believe we generally agree.

I believe the salvation equation looks like this:

(a) God's grace through faith in Jesus (seeking His forgiveness) (Justification)
(which involves a spiritual regeneration)

+

(b) Holy Living (Sanctification)
(i.e. Obedience to the New Testament Commands)

=​

___________________________________

Salvation.
​

In other words, Grace by Faith (in Jesus), + Sanctification (Holy Living by the Spirit) = Salvation. James says we are justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24). Paul was referring to Initial Salvation as a part of the Justification Process in Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Romans 4:1-4, Galatians 3, etc.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Cheap grace is too expensive for me. My salvation was given to me free of charge through the righteous payment of Jesus Christ.

The Bible warns against turning God's grace into a license for immorality in Jude 1:4.
Hebrews 5:9 essentially says that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who OBEY Him.
1 John 1:7 says, if we walk in the light as He (Christ) is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 2:9-11 tells us what "walking in the light" means. It is to love your brother. Hating your brother (the opposite of loving) is a salvation issue. 1 John 3:15 says he that hates his brother is like a murderer and no eternal life abides in him. Not sure how one can ignore or twist these passages in the Bible to say something different.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Cheap grace is too expensive for me. My salvation was given to me free of charge through the righteous payment of Jesus Christ.

unless "you have believed in vain..."

 

[ChicanaRose]

.
I believe aspirin is a good drug but I fear of the side effects of the drug and dare not to take it. Then the drug can't help you.

Great analogy, Johnny! Yes, I agree with you that some do not want the "inconvenient part" of Christianity, as you say.

 

[Call me Nic]

The Bible warns against turning God's grace into a license for immorality in Jude 1:4.
Hebrews 5:9 essentially says that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who OBEY Him.
1 John 1:7 says, if we walk in the light as He (Christ) is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 2:9-11 tells us what "walking in the light" means. It is to love your brother. Hating your brother (the opposite of loving) is a salvation issue. 1 John 3:15 says he that hates his brother is like a murderer and no eternal life abides in him. Not sure how one can ignore or twist these passages in the Bible to say something different.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man boast."

Salvation has nothing to do with my performance and everything to do with what Jesus did for me. I trust that in him I have remission of sins, therefore I forsake my righteousness and receive freely his righteousness.

One cannot be saved if they go about to establish their own righteousness by being obedient, rather than submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God by faith (Romans 10:1-3). The Bible is clear that there is not a just man upon the earth that does good and does not sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20), for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Therefore we have peace with God through faith in Christ (Romans 5:1-2). It is what He did, not what we try to do, for it is by his obedience we have justification, not our obedience in the letter (Romans 5:18), that is to say, holiness by the putting away of the filthiness of the flesh. However, he that receives Christ by faith is obedient to the gospel (Romans 10:16-17). They have not all obeyed in that they have not believed Jesus.

 

[Call me Nic]

unless "you have believed in vain..."

That verse in 1 Corinthians 15 is taken out of context by you.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

That verse in 1 Corinthians 15 is taken out of context by you.

Who is paul talking to regarding believing in vain. Certainly he is talking to believers. Athiests do not believe at all ever. So step up to the plate and say WHO he is talking to who might be believing in vain, please. (there is more like this where the promise of salvation is conditional, I warn you.)

 

[Call me Nic]

Who is paul talking to regarding believing in vain. Certainly he is talking to believers. Athiests do not believe at all ever. So step up to the plate and say WHO he is talking to who might be believing in vain, please. (there is more like this where the promise of salvation is conditional, I warn you.)

Read the passage please. Paul is making the point that they have believed in vain if Christ be not risen from the dead. It is not saying in the least that they have believed in vain if they don't live a righteous life. You have no contextual understanding of that passage whatsoever.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Read the passage please. Paul is making the point that they have believed in vain if Christ be not risen from the dead. It is not saying in the least that they have believed in vain if they don't live a righteous life. You have no contextual understanding of that passage whatsoever.

Here is the passage:

Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the [child] untimely born, he appeared to me also.

There is clearly a condition to being saved in that passage, holding fast the word (the entire word) which he had preached to them which includes the resurrection. Otherwise they will have believed in vain. That is, they did not hold fast the words taught to them and so in the end believed in vain. Christians, mind you. Christians who in the end believed in vain. The believing in vain is attached to NOT HOLDING FAST THE TEACHING, not that one doesnt believe in the resurrection and that is it.

You know, the believers who will come to Jesus and to whom Jesus will say "depart from me" believed in the resurrection and had full confidence in their salvation. They believed in vain though.

You should try not to personally insult those with whom you disagree. You reveal deep character flaws.

 

[Call me Nic]

Here is the passage:

Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the [child] untimely born, he appeared to me also.

There is clearly a condition to being saved in that passage, holding fast the word (the entire word) which he had preached to them which includes the resurrection. Otherwise they will have believed in vain. That is, they did not hold fast the words taught to them and so in the end believed in vain. Christians, mind you. Christians who in the end believed in vain. The believing in vain is attached to NOT HOLDING FAST THE TEACHING, not that one doesnt believe in the resurrection and that is it.

You know, the believers who will come to Jesus and to whom Jesus will say "depart from me" believed in the resurrection and had full confidence in their salvation. They believed in vain though.

You should try not to personally insult those with whom you disagree. You reveal deep character flaws.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. - 1 Corinthians 15:1-22 Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 15:1-22 - King James Version

You have believed in vain if Christ is not risen. You are yet in your sins. Nothing to do with what you are talking about.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

"For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man boast."

Salvation has nothing to do with my performance and everything to do with what Jesus did for me. I trust that in him I have remission of sins, therefore I forsake my righteousness and receive freely his righteousness.

Actually eteranl life is knowing God according to Jesus. It begins with forgiveness of sin but does not end their.

 

[Call me Nic]

Actually eteranl life is knowing God according to Jesus. It begins with forgiveness of sin but does not end their.

John 3:16, John 3:18, John 5:24, John 6:47, John 10:28. According to Jesus, believing on him causes one to have eternal life. To know God is to know him by faith, not having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but by faith (Philippians 3:9-10).

 

[com7fy8]

Only mention you believe Jesus is the Saviour , then you will be saved and go to Heaven.

It is needed to know Jesus is the Savior, so we do not trust in any thing or person who is not Jesus. And we ourselves are not anyone's savior! We need to be humble, to trust God to do all He is able to do in people we care about.

Oh yes, and do not depend on our own selves, for all we need in our own selves > only our Heavenly Father is able to deeply correct us, in our nature, so we become like Jesus and love the way Jesus has us loving.

But if we believe, we trust. And if we really believe in something, we are doing something about it > like if you know your house is on fire, you are not just saying I believe this and stay on your bed.

Paul says > "we who first trusted in Christ" < in Ephesians 1:12. So, believing includes trusting. And if you trust someone, you do what the person says.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Cheap grace is too expensive for me. My salvation was given to me free of charge through the righteous payment of Jesus Christ.

This is true but what steps did you take as a sinner to get it?

 

[Call me Nic]

This is true but what steps did you take as a sinner to get it?

I heard the gospel and believed it.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I heard the gospel and believed it.

Which one, there are so many these days. Of course, everyone wants to believe that theirs is the true one, but does your life afterwards match Scripture.

Is this your life:

5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

 

[Call me Nic]

Which one, there are so many these days. Of course, everyone wants to believe that theirs is the true one, but does your life afterwards match Scripture.

Is this your life:

5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

The gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead. That's what Paul the Apostle defines the gospel as.

 

[bcbsr]

Many Churchgoers are not born-again Christians because of sugar-coated Gospel.
There are 2 parts in the true Gospel :
1. crucified and buried in Christ , died to old self , repent and turn away from old life ( inconvenient part of Gospel)
2. Regeneration by Holy spirit to a born-again life .

However preachers want to increase the success rate of "conversion " , watering down the importance of crucified and buried the old self as the first step to salvation.

Only mention you believe Jesus is the Saviour , then you will be saved and go to Heaven.

But what defines believe !
Not just "know" a historical person came to this world with a mission .
I believe aspirin is a good drug but I fear of the side effects of the drug and dare not to take it. Then the drug can't help you.

Grace is not simply cheap, it's free.

Rom 4:21-24 But now the righteousness of God apart from law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

What does Paul say a person must to do be saved? "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" Acts 16:30,31 "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Rom 10:9 To be saved a person must abandon relying upon works to save him. "To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:5

Upon coming to faith a person's fate is finalized. "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

This as opposed to the gospel of works salvation-by-works Christians advocate or that of their forerunners of the Christian sect of the Circumcision, in which salvation is contingent upon one's performance.