Satan is a liar, and the father of all liars, the god of this evil world, who
blinds men's minds from the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
Satan fully knows that the best way to deceive people is to create much
confusion, then offer the masses something other than the truth to hinder them
from obeying the gospel.
Billy and Franklin Graham teach a false plan of salvation, which is religion at its best and theology at its worst. Here is what the website for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) states concerning how to be saved...
What do I have to do to go to heaven?
God isn’t waiting to judge you. God isn’t waiting to condemn you. He’s waiting to receive you with mercy, with love, with open arms, and forgive all your sins. Will you come to Him? Will you turn from your sin and promise to live for Him? He can transform your life—and you can look forward to eternity with Him in heaven.
No where in the Bible is a person required to “promise to live for Him” to be saved. No where in the Bible is a person required to “turn from your sin” to be saved. These are unbiblical requirements which Billy Graham has added to the simplicity which is in Christ.
Here are more of Billy Graham's false teachings...
The only way to find forgiveness from God and to begin a relationship with Him is to trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for you and repent—turn from your sins. We urge you to take this step of faith today. To do that, simply talk to God—this is called praying—and tell Him you believe in His Son. We suggest a prayer like this:
“Dear Lord Jesus,
I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do your will.
In your name, amen.”
No where in the Bible are we required to trust “and follow” Christ as “Lord and Savior” to be saved. We've identified three unbiblical additions to the simple plan of salvation.
You need to understand that there is a 100% vastly different mindset between the Biblical plan of salvation verses Billy Graham's false plan of salvation. Let's compare:
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BIBLICAL PLAN OF SALVATION — Repentance is necessary. Repentance for salvation means 'a change of mind' from men's ideas of salvation and religion, to an acceptance of Gods only way of salvation. A person is saved by admitting that they are a sinner in God's eyes, receiving the sacrifice of Christ's death on the cross as full payment for their sins, believing that Jesus raised up bodily from the dead three days later. Salvation is solely by God's imputed righteousness through faith in Christ Jesus. Eternal life is a free gift! The complete load of sin was placed upon Christ at Calvary.
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BILLY GRAHAM'S FALSE PLAN OF SALVATION — Repentance is wrongly defined as 'turning away from sin.' A person is required (in addition to faith that Christ died on the cross and arose the third day) to make a personal commitment to follow Christ in obedience, forsaking sinful living and promising to faithfully live for Him. The burden of forsaking sin is placed upon the sinner. A commitment to do better is required to be saved, or else Dr. Graham says you are not ready to be saved. You must count the cost and pay the price Graham says, or else you cannot be saved. As you can see, this is a VERY different plan of salvation than the Bible teaches.
The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU. The mindset of the Biblical plan of salvation is that, JESUS DID IT ALL, and all I have to do to be saved is completely rest in the finished redemptive work of Christ (Hebrews 4:10-11). In sharp contrast, Billy Graham's false plan of salvation establishes the mindset that I must change, I must make a commitment to follow Christ, I must promise to live for Him from now on. The latter is a 100% pure works-based salvation based upon things that I MUST DO!!! Do you see my friend the drastic difference between the two different plans of salvation? If WE must follow Christ, and if WE must turn from sin, and if WE must promise to live for Him, then salvation is only by partial faith in Christ, plus human effort. Billy Graham is leading souls into Hell.
Perhaps you think I am splitting hairs, making an issue where there is no issue, and causing unnecessary division in the churches. To that accusation I would kindly remind you of Jesus' Words in Matthew 7:21-23:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Carefully notice that they followed Christ devoutly, calling Him “Lord, Lord.” They performed “many wonderful works” in Jesus' name. They prophesied (preached) in Jesus' name. They even cast of devils in Jesus' name. They did it all for Christ!!! Listen friend, you can serve Christ for a lifetime and still go straight to Hell the second that you die! You don't get saved by repenting of your sins! You don't get saved by counting the cost and paying the price! You don't get saved by faithfully running the race to the end! You don't get saved by being dunked in a baptistery! You don't get to Heaven by becoming religious! You don't get to Heaven by living a lifestyle of repentance! YOU CANNOT EARN IT!!! Salvation is solely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 'GOD ONLY SAVES BAD PEOPLE!!!' (MP3 sermon by Dr. Jack Hyles).
Here is what the Bible teaches about salvation, as explained very well by Dr. Mark G. Cambron (1911-2000)...
Repentance is necessary for salvation.
The Greek word for repent is metanoeo, which, translated into English is: to change ones mind. It does not mean to turn from sin. That would add works to salvation.
Repentance for salvation means a change of mind from men's ideas of salvation and religion, to an acceptance of Gods only way of salvation.
This results in a completely new creation, not a reformation of the old. The old nature remains as evil as ever after salvation and has not been reformed . . . The old nature can now be controlled by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
God guarantees salvation. This is His gift to us.
God guarantees reward and fruit to the obedient son.
God guarantees chastening and loss of rewards to the disobedient son.
God does not cast out disobedient children, but in some cases, does take them home. He does not permit His children to live as they please without His discipline and guidance.
Many teach repentance for salvation incorrectly, by including some form of human effort or righteousness, such as willingness to turn from sin, or turning from sin. This is heresy and has confused many people. It adds works to salvation and causes many to not understand Gods great gift. It is probation, not salvation. It is completely unscriptural. It is Galatianism and a counterfeit of the gospel.
It is a tragedy that many Christians live shallow Christian lives. The Cambron Institute is dedicated to the task of training Christian men and women in the importance of total dedication and making Jesus the Lord of their lives not to be saved but because they are saved.
Shallow Christianity cannot be cured by adding works to salvation.
Salvation is not the result of what we do, but is by receiving what God has done for us. Acts 13:38, 39; Acts 20:20: Gal. 1:8,9; Gal. 2:4; Gal. 2:21; Gal. 3:1.3; Gal. 5:1-4; Eph. 2:8-10; II Cor. 5:21;John 3:16-18; Phil. 3:9; Titus 3:5-8:11 Cor. 11:13-1 5.SOURCE: The Cambron Institute
I have many friends around the world and many enemies as well, because of my uncompromising stand against those who pervert the Gospel. Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935) had many enemies too, because he came out preaching uncompromisingly against the booze cartel...
“I've stood for more sneers and scoffs and insults and had my life threatened from one end of the land to the other by this God-forsaken gang of thugs and cutthroats because I have come out uncompromisingly against them.” —Billy Sunday
I don't enjoy making enemies and upsetting anyone, God knows my heart, but I do rejoice to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” —Hebrews 11:3
