The Power Of God Unto Salvation Is The Gospel

by David J. Stewart | April 2016

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

       In the new film “God Is Not Dead 2,” co-produced by David A.R. White, a false Gospel is taught. Toward the end of the film, two actors are portrayed exchanging the Gospel message, in which the audience is influenced to “invite Jesus into your life” and to “follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord.” Kindly, although I loved the inspirational film and admire David White's acting talent, they got the Gospel WRONG! The Word of God plainly defines “the Gospel” as:

1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “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.”

There you have it... Christ DIED (on the cross for our sins), He was BURIED (officially dead and buried), and He RESURRECTED (bodily from the dead) three days later. There is no mention of “following Jesus.” There is no mention of “saying a prayer.” There is no mention of “inviting Jesus into your life.” There is no mention of “turning from one's sins” to be saved. The Gospel is so plain, and it is so easy to be saved, that the apostle Paul called it, “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). Nor does the Bible mention “water baptism” as being necessary for salvation. It is not required.

Notice below that “THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS” is also referred to as “THE POWER OF GOD” that saved us that believe. The PREACHING OF THE CROSS refers to “THE GOSPEL.” Jesus couldn't just die any ole way; but rather, He needed to be CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS for our sins. The “cross” must be included in The Gospel to be valid:

1st Corinthians 1:17-18, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

It is a sin for men to complicate what God has made simple! Salvation is simple! If you admit that you are a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God, which is repentance (Romans 3:19); and you receive (believe) the Gospel as your only hope for Heaven, you are saved!!! It is simply a matter of faith alone! The Gospel offends false religions (hardened unbelievers), but all these other vague unbiblical statements used today in apostate churches do not. Pastor Hank Lindstrom does a great job Biblically exposing the popular heresy of Lordship Salvation in the video titled, Salvation Is A Counterfeit Gospel (Dr. Hank Lindstrom, “It will take you to Hell!”).
 

Religious Films Preach “Another Gospel”

The first film, “God Is Not Dead” (2014), has grossed over $62,000,000 in on a $2,000,000 budget![1] No doubt the second film will gross much more money! Although I couldn't find Mr. White's net worth online, I'd be very surprised if it weren't in the multi-millions by now! Are these producers really honoring the Lord Jesus Christ, when they are propagating a false Gospel of Lordship Salvation? The Bible says in Galatians 1:9 that they are “CURSED” for preaching “ANOTHER GOSPEL”:

Galatians 1:6-9, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

You cannot show me one verse from the Bible, unless you have a modern corrupt Bible version like the New International Version (NIV), that teaches to make Jesus Lord of your life as a requirement to be saved. Instead, the Bible simply asks in Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?How did you get indwelt with the Holy Spirit friend, that is, how do you think you get saved? The only correct answer is “THE HEARING OF FAITH.” That is, you heard the Gospel preached and you placed your faith in it (Hebrews 4:2). There is no other way to be saved (Acts 4:10-12).

You must understand that Mormons, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists and Church of Christ are all unsaved. They all speak about THE CROSS, but they also teach a perverted Gospel of works-salvation. Church of Christ says you must be water baptized to go to Heaven. Catholics teach that you must be water baptized (as the door) into the Catholic church, which is the first of Seven Sacraments they require to keep to get to Heaven. JW's and Mormons don't even believe that Jesus is almighty God! JW's and Mormons also require water baptism to get to Heaven. Seventh-day Adventists deny eternal punishment in Hell. They also teach Lordship Salvation, big time! These are all satanic religious cults!!! Today's religious films are so vague that all of these false religions would have no problem with the requirement to “invite Jesus into your life” to be saved, which does not produce the new birth by the Holy Spirit of God (John 1:12-14). The power of God unto salvation is only THE GOSPEL!!!
 

That's Not The Gospel!

There is much heresy in religious films. I recently watched the 2002 religious film titled, “Time Changer,” in which the leading actor at the end of the film preaches a sermon to a modern church congregation. In his film sermon he states, and I quote: “The Lord will not save a man whom He cannot command.” The film directs the viewer to make Jesus both “Savior and Lord” of their life to be saved. That is NOT the Biblical Gospel. It is a lie of Satan to say that Jesus won't save a person whom He cannot command. That is not the free gift of God, which is received by faith alone. The film “Time Changer” teaches works salvation. If a person must yield control of their life over to God to be saved, then salvation ceases to be a gift and becomes a reward. The truth is that modern apostate preachers are confusing Salvation with Discipleship!

Again, at the end of the religious film, “Time Changer” (which is an excellent movie apart from their corrupt plan of salvation), the main character Carlisle says at the very end, “If you have not, please give your life to Jesus Christ—Your eternity will depend on it!” That is a satanic lie! You don't get saved by giving your life to Christ. Judas gave his life to Christ, as one of His very own apostles, yet Judas went to Hell. The false prophets in Matthew 7:21-23, who were damned to the Lake of Fire, gave their lives to Jesus!!! When will men ever learn to cease from their own self-righteousness, and instead trust upon the imputed righteousness of God, which by faith alone in Christ Jesus? Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

We plainly learn in our text Scripture from Romans 1:16 that “THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION” is “THE GOSPEL,” that is, “TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH”! If you don't believe, then the Gospel is powerless to save you!!! You can join every religion on earth, tithe all you own, pray day and night, sing like the angels in a choir, tell other people about Christ, read the Bible every day, love everyone around you, AND STILL GO STRAIGHT TO THE LAKE OF FIRE TO BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOR EVER AND EVER! Ye must be born-again! (John 3:3). Only “THE GOSPEL” has “THE POWER” to do that. This is God's way! This is God's plan for sinful man!

So why do well-meaning religious men persist to change the Gospel, corrupting it to mean something else than what God intended? The answer is simply because men are self-righteous, trying force people to turn away from their sinful ways to be saved. The Holy Bible is the most misunderstood and misquoted book in the brief 6,000 year history of mankind! Satan twisted the Scriptures around to deceive Eve in Genesis 3:1-7. The Devil twisted the Scriptures around, even trying to deceive Jesus in Matthew 4:1-10. If Satan will try to pervert the Bible to deceive the only begotten Son of God, do you think he'll spare you the same evil? Not a chance! That's why there are literally hundreds of English Bible versions today, confusing churchgoers everywhere. Satan is delighted!

The Gospel as taught in the film JOSHUA is to, and I quote: “Open my heart up [to God] and be part of my life.” May I say, that is a false Gospel. Opening your heart to God is not the Gospel. You can't come to God the Father except through God the Son (John 14:6). All the love and reception of God is false religion without Jesus Christ. The Gospel is not amending one's ways, nor is it making a commitment to God, nor is it surrendering all to Jesus Christ, nor is it joining a church, nor is it making Jesus “Lord.” These are all proper in their place, but they do NOT constitute the Gospel. You can do all these things and yet never be saved at all and still go to Hell in your sins unforgiven. You need God's imputed righteousness, which is transferred to you only by faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Lordship Salvation is equivalent to DISCIPLESHIP, which is based upon human performance, man's faithfulness instead of God's faithfulness!!! Salvation is dependant only upon God's goodness and faithfulness. Our part is only “to believe.”
 

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) Is Of The Devil

Furthermore, both the 2014 film “God Is Not Dead” and the new 2016 film “God Is Not Dead 2” feature the worldly music of the “Newsboys” Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) band, who are praised by satanic hellbound Roman Catholics. NEWSBOYS' co-founder and guitarist, George Perdikis, last year renounced and denounced his alleged “Christian” faith and declared himself AN ATHEIST! This doesn't come as a surprise to faithful Christians, who have exposed CCM as of the Devil from the very beginning! Before there was ever a sickly deformed animal known as “Christian Rock,” there was Rock 'N' Roll music! CCM is worldly, all of it! Amy Grant, the diva of CCM, has done more to unite evangelical churches in apostasy with the wicked world than any other person in CCM. She ought to be ashamed! Hellbound Roman Catholics love Amy Grant! Something is VERY wrong with that! In eternity, on Judgment Day, my preaching of THE TRUTH will be vindicated. You cannot make God cool and hip to the world!

I believe that David A.R. White (and others who produce today's popular religious films) are sincere in their faith, but the Bible warns that sincerity can be a road to destruction in hell. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” We are plainly warned by the Lord in Matthew 7:21-23, and given a clear example of what will happen to most religious people, when they hear the horrifying words from Christ... I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY!!! Remember, these unsaved people were religious! These unsaved people preached in Jesus' name! These unsaved people did many wonderful works! These unsaved false prophets even cast out Devils in Jesus' name! YET, THEY HAD NEVER BEEN BORN-AGAIN! They failed to rest completely in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:10-11).

Just as most unregenerate religious people today, the unsaved religious people in Matthew 7:21-23 were enamored with the name of “Jesus.” So much so that they preached in “Jesus' name” everywhere they went! They declared “Jesus as Lord,” saying “Lord, Lord” everywhere they went (aka, Lordship Salvation). They were good people by man's standards. But they all went to Hell to burn. Take heed my friend. Hear again the Lord's warning in Luke 13:23-24, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Here again, we see the danger of sincerity. God is no respecter of persons! If you fail to obey the Gospel, by simply receiving the Good News of Christ's sacrificial payment on the cross for your sins—when He died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead the third day—you will not be permitted entrance through Heaven's pearly gates!!!

If you want to make Jesus the “Lord” of your life right away after you get saved, that is fine, but you had BETTER NOT ADD LORDSHIP to the Gospel, OR YOU'RE GOING STRAIGHT TO HELL WHEN YOU DIE! If you choose to pray after you receive the Gospel, that is appropriate, but you had BETTER NOT ADD PRAYER to the Gospel, OR ELSE YOU'RE GOING STRAIGHT TO HELL TO BURN WHEN YOU DIE!!! Don't add anything to the Gospel, just receive it by faith as your own! You can invite Jesus into your life all you want, and spend every day with Him as Judas did, and still die in your sins and go straight to Hell for ever!!! The moment you believe the Gospel by faith, making it your only hope for Heaven, you are saved!!!

The CCM industry is barren of the true Gospel. Their religious messages of “ask Jesus into your heart” and “invite Jesus into your life” and “follow Jesus as Savior and Lord” is so SHALLOW that even hellbound Roman Catholics agree 100% with their plan of salvation. Satan has deliberately blurred the lines of doctrinal distinction, concerning salvation, between New Testament churches and the satanic cults! The Biblical Gospel rejects Roman Catholicism's plan of sacramental salvation as being 100% straight from the very pit of Hell, fire and damnation!!!!!!!

What was once called the “Silent Majority” in America is now quickly becoming the “Silent Minority.” Fewer and fewer believers see Catholicism as a dangerous threat to everyone! What does that say about today's believers? It says they are carnal and immature!!! If we see our neighbour's house on fire and wake them to warn them, they thank us greatly. But if we warn them about Hell, fire and damnation in the judgment to come, many curse us and call us radical extremists! It is strictly a matter of faith! Do you believe the Gospel? If so, do you share it with OTHERS?
 

Beware Of Tares In The Churches

In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells a remarkable parable where a householder plants wheat seeds, but during the night the enemy (Satan) comes and scatters the seeds of tares (weeds, some often poisonous) among the wheat, and they grow together. The servants of the householder ask what to do. The householder says to let them grow together, to avoid accidentally uprooting the precious wheat, and when it is time for harvest, then the tares will be separated from the wheat, and burned! This is the world! The wicked and the righteous are allowed to grow together, and the weeds continually try to choke the wheat, but when the Lord returns at harvest time, the wicked will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and the precious righteous will be brought into the Lord's house for ever to be with Him in peace, comfort and joy.

Oh friend, do you have God's righteousness? You do not have any righteousness of your own that can impress God. You can do your best, but Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Your best just won't do! Your best means nothing to God! You need Christ's best put to your record! Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Now that's true salvation that you can count on!

Satan is continually trying to corrupt the churches, by planting unsaved tares into the church. Heresy is creeping into today's churches by the hour, including our Independent Baptist churches. Beware of radio ministries. Beware of parachurch ministries! Beware of religious magazines and books! Beware of Contemporary Christian Music! In fact, beware of everyone! The Word of God is our ONLY authority. The name of the religious game is money, money, money. Since Roman Catholics are the biggest religious group in America, believers who desire money won't expose them. That's why (I believe) Dr. Walter R. Martin in his excellent book, “Kingdom Of The Cults,” fails to expose Roman Catholicism. Apostate, Ravi Zacharias has re-edited Dr. Martin's book, also failing to expose Catholicism as of the Devil. On Ravi's website he affirms: “We believe in the holy Catholic church.”[2] The Roman Catholic church is of the Devil, but Ravi plays with words and leads woefully ignorant Catholics to think he supports their damned religion.

After speaking to thousands of unsaved Mormons in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2014, they gave him a standing ovation.[3] The reason is because Ravi deliberately preaches extremely shallow messages, painstakingly trying to avoid offending his audience. In fact, Ravi apologized to Mormons in 2014 for the fundamentalist Christians who've preached against them in the past. What a loser in Heaven's eyes!!! Hardly anybody stands for God and truth anymore. That's why apostate Jack Van Impe, whose was a great preacher in the old days, today says: “The Catholic doctrines are right on!” What a reprobate!!! I could go on-and-on! You cannot control what others people do, say and teach, but you can control YOU!!! Are you of the truth, or of the Devil?

The POWER OF GOD unto salvation is THE GOSPEL, nothing else! Beware of all the false teachings circulating in religious camps and churches today. If it's not the Gospel, it's a cursed lie! If it's the Gospel, plus something else, IT IS NOT THE GOSPEL!!! The Gospel is plainly defined for us in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 as Christ's DEATH on the cross for our sins, His BURIAL, and His bodily RESURRECTION three days later. Take nothing away! Add nothing more! Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?END


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