Joey Chive
9 January 2009 at 7:51pm
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So many times religious people hear the Gospel and say, ?Where?s the repentance, what about works?, and so on. One man?s essentials are another man?s forgotten chains of bondage. What? How can you call repentance and good works bondage? When these are misunderstood, they easily become chains of bondage. Repentance is merely a sorrow for sin, and good works are a result of faith. Faith is the goal, not works.
When someone thinks that there are many essential things to Christianity, they make many things necessary for salvation to happen. This is wrong. Jesus said that there is only one thing needful. This is what breaks up churches into different religious groups.
Here is the one and only essential to Christianity. Get this right and you win the prize; FAITH IN THE CROSS!! If you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, you are doing your part. This opens up the door for God to do His part, which is everything else. I know that most people in Christianity do not believe what I am saying. I know that my detractors come mostly from the ? church.? This is no surprise for Jesus said ? narrow is the way.?
There is only one thing needful, and Jesus will not take this blessing away from ?believe only Christians.? There?s a new phrase, BELIEVE ONLY CHRISTIANS!! I?m a ?believe only Christian.? All I must do is believe in the Cross. That?s it!!!
You cannot add anything to this without adding self-merit. Look carefully at what people add to the simple Gospel and you will see self in it. People who add to the Gospel will always make Heaven a smaller place. This is because they feel that others ?less holy? than themselves, have not earned it. They will find out that no one can earn it.
I can think of a person the religious world would leave out of heaven. The thief on the Cross. He wasn?t baptized, never mind immersed. He didn?t know about theology. To him the tulip was only a flower. Would to God that the tulip disappear from the church. The thief on the cross merely asked to be remembered by Jesus and he was saved!
A closing word to you people who place doctrinal burdens on the backs of others. Jesus said, ?unless you change and become like little children, you shall never enter the Kingdom of God.? Tell me, how many little children are theologians? Here?s some good advice. Instead of studying religious theology, instead of making salvation difficult, instead of confusing the issue every time you get the chance, why don?t you become as a child and go trick or treating? You?ll be happier in the end.