Author: Don Gerrity

Do Believers Need To Keep The Ten Commandments / Law of Moses To Remain Righteous?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Christian Living, Q&A: Law of Moses
Do Believers Need To Keep The Ten Commandments / Law of Moses To Remain Righteous?

​If you accepted the free gift of Salvation then you are not under the Law of Moses. You are under grace.

The Law is a yoke no one can bear nor keep.

“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?“
(Acts 15:10 KJV)

The Law shows us we have sin just like a mirror shows us we have grease on our face. But The Law cannot justify a person. It just shows a person that they have more sin against God’s standard of Holiness than they think.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20 KJV)

For a believer to use the Law to be righteous with God makes their faith of no effect. Faith in Christ saves, not works. This is at the core of the Gospel. If we believe The Law can justify, that means believing that faith is not needed.

“For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:” (Romans 4:14 KJV)

Paul goes one extra leap to this in the very next verse. Before The Law of Moses, including the Ten Commandments came, there was no transgression. But once The Law came, everyone has no excuse because they see what God calls sin and that is breaking The Law of Moses. Following The Law is only going to bring wrath on a person because their sins remain.

“Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.” (Romans 4:15 KJV)

Paul continues in Romans 5 and shows the extreme truth of Law following for righteousness. God gave The Law to do something that would shock many believers, even today, who add Law following as a requirement of Salvation. Paul writes that the purpose of the law was to increase sin.

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” (Romans 5:20 KJV)

Thank God that God’s grace much more abounds over our sins as believers! Because of God’s great love and grace bestowed on all who believe on Christ alone for righteousness (John 3), a born again believer is no longer held under the Law. Why? Because Jesus paid for all the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). A born again believer has been delivered from wrath under The Law.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

 

“For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:5-6 KJV)

The Law, which only brings death through the fact that we all break it; no matter how hard we try. Trying to follow the Law to be, or remain in, righteous standing before our Holy God will only make us SIN MORE; not less.

“Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become EXCEEDING sinful.” (Romans 7:13 KJV)

In Paul’s writings he is abundantly clear on this. If we, as believers, try to make or keep ourselves righteous with God , in our own efforts of self righteousness, we will not only fail; it will make us to sin more! Apostle Paul put it this way,

“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”
(1 Corinthians 15:56 KJV)

How many times have you heard this in church pulpits? Most mainstream Christian church pulpits are actually condemning their own members and using fear that if they do not keep the Ten Commandments, that they will lose salvation even. It is very wrong. Following the Law to keep ourselves righteous with God will cause us to sin more! That is why Jesus came and paid for all sin; to break that yoke of bondage from the Jews living under the Law, which no one can keep perfectly. And God requires perfection to be righteous.

Paul continues in 2 Corinthians and states that The Law is a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7) and a ministry of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:7). And Paul was not only talking about the 613 Levitical ceremonial Laws, he mentions the Law ‘written on stones’ and that includes the Ten Commandments as well then! Paul even wrote that “For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.”  (2 Corinthians 3:11)

Paul wrote to the Galatians because there were Judiazers who were being found in the church, teaching falsely that believing on Christ alone for righteousness was not enough and that they needed to add work of The Law of Moses to remain saved. Paul had some very stern words for these fellas, these Judiazers, that they should be accursed, even repeating it (Galatians 1:8-9). In his rebuking of their false teachings Paul makes these statements about adding ANYTHING to the finished work of Christ on the cross, atoning for the sins of the world and rising from the dead.

  • Following The Law will justify no one. (Galatians 2:16)
  • Born again believers are DEAD to The Law. (Galatians 2:19)
  • The Law and Faith have nothing to do with each other. A stunning truth we need to grasp.  (Galatians 3:11-12)
  • The Law was a curse. A curse that Christ redeemed us from on that cross 2000 years ago. (Galatians 3:13)

Paul wrote to those Galatians who were bought with a high price by Christ on the cross were being completely FOOLISH! This false belief of adding The Law or good works as a requirement of salvation cuts to the very core of the Gospel. It is nothing more than BOASTING is self righteousness.

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Galatians 3: 1-6 KJV)

Jesus said that The Law would stand forever and it does. It is God’s absolute truth and what is required to be righteous with God; utter perfection. But it is also something that no one can keep without fault and James tells us that,

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10 KJV)

Writing to his beloved Timothy, who he looked at as a son (though not Paul’s son), Paul wrote,

“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,” (1 Timothy 1:8-9 KJV)

Who is a righteous man if no one is able to keep all The Law? It is only the person who believes on Christ and HIS once for all blood atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).  By Paul’s own writing n Ephesians 2, a person is not righteous by their works but by faith, belief on Christ’s atonement on the cross and His rising from the dead proving He is God.

“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 should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

The writer of Hebrews tells us straight up that The Law of Moses was only a foreshadowing of what the Messiah would do when He came (Hebrews 10:1). And Jesus is the Messiah that was foretold to Israel in the Old Testament times who would come and be the FINAL once for all blood atoning sacrifice. The Jews needed to shed the blood of innocent, blemish free animals, to cover the sins, each year after year as a temporary covering of the peoples sins, until the Messiah and Christ would come and pay the final price. They BELIEVED in this and that is what saved them. The blood sacrifices did not save anyone. It was their belief on Christ; it is just that for them He had not yet come and for us today, He came and fulfilled this 2000 years ago. The perspectives are different but the Gospel is the same in both dispensations of time.

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.” (Hebrews 10:1-6 KJV)

So you see, belief in God’s grace through Christ crucified, died and risen is the only way to be perfected and righteous. It is not by Law following before or after our moment of belief on Christ, the moment of our eternal salvation, that makes a person righteous enough to go to Heaven. Heaven is a perfect place. There is NO SIN there. Jesus paid the full penalty for all sins of the whole world as a gift to be accepted or rejected, BUT NEVER EARNED. Stop believing our good works, no never sinning is required to be righteous with God. We are only righteous by imputation OF GOD through what Christ did on the cross for us.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 KJV)

Christ paid it all for us in great love. The greatest love in all of human history! That is why the Gospel is good news!

 

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Who Was The New Covenant Given Made To?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, Q&A: Israel
Who Was The New Covenant Given Made To?

I can see that some Christians, many actually, believe the New Testament is mainly for the church and the Old Testament for the Jewish peoples. However, in reality, the church has no Covenant with God of IT’s OWN. The New Testament is basically the New Covenant WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE; with Israel.

In Jeremiah is a prophecy about the then to come New Covenant:

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:” (Jeremiah 31:31 KJV)

See it says ‘with the house of Israel’. That seems pretty clear right? Yes, it is.

Jesus did not make the New Covenant directly with the Church. He made it with the Nation of Israel. If you think about it a minute, when Jesus was talking with Nicodemus about having to be born again, He was a Jew, not a gentile right?

The Bible tells us that the Gospel first went to the Jews and later the Gentiles. Jesus the Christ, the anointed one, the only begotten Son of God was born a Jew through the Jewish Virgin Mary. Born in a Jewish town of Bethlehem. His ministry was in the land of Israel as we see in the book of Matthew. The New Covenant is with Israel. Christians really need to understand this because the Nation of Israel is vitally important to the world, especially for believers in Christ!

A read through Romans 11 shows that the Gentile believers are grafted in and now also heirs to the promises of the New Covenant with Israel. Believers are to stand with Israel and more so in the time in which we live!

Why would such a small piece of land in the world (it is like the size of New Jersey!) be causing all this grief? Why is the Islamic world so threatened by it? I tell you why! Because God’s prophecies tell us that when Jesus returns, Israel will be a nation!

It became a nation again on May 14, 1948! Prophecy fulfilled. From that very day Satan has been attacking Israel to thwart the physical return of Jesus Christ. Gods prophecies must be 100% accurate as God cannot lie.

Now look what is happening here in 2017. Big things regarding Israel directly tied to Islam and Satan wanting Israel and all Jews wiped off the face of the Earth. They seem to have really ramped up efforts starting on December 23, 2016 with the UN resolution to divide Israel. With that in mind, how close is the Rapture and the Second coming?

Time is short. Israel is Very Important gentile believers. Watch world events about Israel, very closely.

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 KJV)

Is Belief and Faith The Same Thing?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Faith, Q&A: Salvation ,
Is Belief and Faith The Same Thing?

“…without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11 KJV)


The way I see it, Faith and belief are very closely related.

Example: You BELIEVE an elevator will bring you safely down to main floor..so you walk in WITH FAITH that it will.

See? We use faith everyday. Regarding Salvation it is the belief in the object of our faith that makes the difference.

A believer..believes the atonement for sins through the only begotten Son of God on the cross. Now believing on Christ alone for their justification and forgiveness of sins, they are saved.

Then they act on that truth in life by faith. Belief saves..not just faith. Faith must have an object to believe on… that object is Jesus Christ to be saved.

That is how I see it.

 

How Do I Become Saved? Why Did Jesus Have To Die On The Cross?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Forgiveness, Q&A: Salvation , , ,
How Do I Become Saved? Why Did Jesus Have To Die On The Cross?

Before answering these questions there is another question that you must answer and that so many believers leave out when answering these questions. That question is, ‘Do you believe that the Bible is the one word of the one true God?’ You must believe that it is the true word of the only God of the universe because Salvation is based on the truths of the Bible which all focus on Jesus Christ.

If you do believe this then read on. If you are unsure, or you are unsure why you believe this to be true then first go read another article I have written; The Bible Is The True Word Of God .

Believing that the Bible is the word of God, the very next question you need an answer to is what is God really like? Starting with knowing about God and His perfect ways gives you a solid foundation upon which to build better understanding when reading the Word of God. Let us quickly look at some of God’s characteristics from the Bible.

  • God is eternal. He is not a created being. He has always existed. God never changes. He is the same today as He has always been.
    (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8 , James 1:17, Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalms 90:2)
  • God cannot do anything against His own perfect character. God keeps His promises to us. (Psalms 12:6-7, Mark 13:31)
  • God is perfect in every way:
    + Perfect in love. (1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16, 1 John 4 :7)
    + Perfectly Holy and perfect in justice.(Revelation 4:8, 1 Peter 1:15-16)
    + Perfect in mercy. (Hebrews 13:5, Romans 3:23-24, Psalms 111:9)

NOTE: The list continues because He is truly perfect in every way. I have a more complete article on what the Bible has to say about God’s characteristics and His ways that you can read here . For the purpose of this article we will focus on the above attributes of God.

GOD IS LOVE. Then, All Is Good Right?

Perfect love is the trait of God that we want to hear about the most right? If God loves us then what have we to fear? In fact, many pulpits focus on this aspect of God yet deny the other attributes of God. We must remember that God is also perfectly JUST and Holy. And that is the problem that we humans need to address and face head on. If we compare our goodness to others who have done greater sins than we have, that is not a fair assessment of our true sinfulness. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23 KJV) and that “…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; ” (Isaiah 64:6 KJV). The very best thing we do in goodness is as filthy rags to God. You see, we all have a SIN NATURE in us. And God is so Holy that even just ONE sin is enough to cause Him to punish us with His perfect justice.

To make matters worse, the punishment for even ONE SIN is eternal death in a place of torment that was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). God is THAT HOLY! And when we compare ourselves to God, believe me when I say that we fail miserably. God gave us the Ten Commandments as His Absolute Truth to show us just how sinful we really are. No normally born human has kept the Ten Commandments perfectly.

Some say, I have not committed murder or adultery! However, Jesus said that if you have hate toward another in your heart you have committed murder. If you lust after the opposite sex you have committed adultery in your heart. And have you really loved God with ALL YOUR HEART AND MIND? Honestly, none of us have. You see our heart, our inner being is where the problem is. We all were born with a SIN NATURE and a ‘bent’ toward sinning since the fall of Adam and Eve.

So we have all sinned. What does that make us? It makes us sinners! And what does the Bible say happens to sinners? They are headed for God’s judgement and condemnation in hell.

“For the wages of sin is death;…” (Romans 6:23 KJV)

A look at this verse in the Greek in which it was penned defines this death as ‘with the implied idea of future misery in hell’. This is an eternal death. That is not good news right?! So, what about God’s love you keep hearing about? Isn’t God perfect in love and mercy? YES He is! But not in a wishy washy sense. What I mean is that God is not going to just tell you in the court room of God, “ok. You did more good deeds than bad, so I will allow you eternal life in heaven”. NEVER. God CANNOT do anything against His perfect Holiness! To be given entrance to Heaven a person must be perfect and without any sin debt.

Here is the good news! The wonderful news!

God is also perfect in love and mercy and so He must also abide by these character traits perfectly. You see God loves you and me more than any being in the universe. He does not want anyone to end up in Hell. No! He loves the sinner but hates the sin. He wants all to be in heaven with Him forever and ever.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

But this SIN is in the way because He must judge it. The penalty MUST be paid. So what is God to do in this predicament?

This is what Salvation is all about. The Bible tells us that God is a Trinity of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7). The Bible is clear that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). God in His perfect love and mercy decides to commit the single greatest act of love in the universe for all of time. God decides to take the punishment for our sins upon Himself so that our penalty for sins can be paid in full. To do this, He would have to become a man but also still be God. This God-man is Jesus The Christ.

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary and was not born into the sin nature as we were. He is God after all. He could be tempted to sin but never sinned in His entire life in deed, nor in thought. Why? Because He is God become flesh. God had to become flesh and live as one of us so His blood could be shed for us. It was the only way that we could be forgiven our sins because they had to be paid for. God is perfectly just and our sins MUST be paid for.

When Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood God took upon Himself all the sins of the whole world (past/present/future) and paid for them (1 John 2:2) so that we could be freed from our sin debt against the Holy God Almighty. Salvation is a FREE GIFT of God’s grace and an unmerited favor. So you see, yes God is love. Amazing love! But His love that saves us was not in a wishy washy way. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for our sins and in doing so kept all His perfect traits and characteristics intact. He loves us perfectly. He judged our sins in His perfect justice and Holiness on Christ who willingly paid for our sins. He was perfectly merciful toward us in paying the penalty for our sins. THAT is the true love of God from the Bible. THAT is the love of God that you hear so much about. It far surpasses any love we have for each other here on Earth.

The Free Gift of The Grace Of God

“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 should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

The Bible is clear that this act of love towards us is a FREE GIFT to be accepted or rejected. As a GIFT, it is never earned. That is, it is not us working our way to heaven by performing good deeds and good works, being a good person nor by religious rituals. It is a Grace GIFT from God. An UNMERITED favor from God to humankind. Now God did not create us as robots. Instead He gave us a free will so that we could have a real relationship with Him. And so God offers the free gift of Salvation to all who believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, who atoned for our sins on the cross, died and rose again on the third day. Jesus on the cross cried out, “It is finished” and if we look at the Greek that the New Testament was written, it actually means “DEBT PAID IN FULL!” God does not force anyone to accept this free gift and turn to God for Salvation from our sins. As a GIFT, it must be received or rejected. Jesus said about Salvation through Him,

“That WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have ETERNAL LIFE. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE.

For God SENT NOT his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world THROUGH HIM might be saved.

He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned already, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:15-18 KJV)

This is why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is called the good news!

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Only one thing which is not of your own self righteous efforts in any way; BELIEVE the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who paid your penalty for the sins you have committed. When a person believes this they are from that very moment saved eternally, even without saying a prayer (it is good to give Him thanks in belief, do not get me wrong!), The Holy Spirit of God indwells the person and they are SEALED and saved for all eternity!

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye BELIEVED, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of PROMISE, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-16 KJV)

And this Scripture below shows just how much God has saved such a person for all eternity. To be with God in Heaven we must be without sin debt. In belief, the person actually becomes the very righteousness of God, in Christ. An amazing truth to be so thankful for, yet many believers have not grasped how powerful our Salvation is!

“For he hath made HIM [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God IN HIM.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV, [] brackets for clarification)

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts13:38-39 KJV)

Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and has imputed the righteousness of God to us, in God’s eyes He sees us through the filter of Christ! To Him we are holy, righteous and redeemed for all eternity. To God, all your sins (past/present.future) have all been fully paid for and so there is now no condemnation for them that believe on Christ alone in faith and belief.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 KJV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)

Is Just Believing Enough To Save us? What About Repentance?

The New Testament was first penned in the Greek. The Greek word for the English word ‘repent’ is ‘metanoia’ and is defined as “…a change of mind, change in the inner man”. (see http://biblehub.com/greek/3341.htm) It is not defined as ‘turn from sin’ as many pulpits teaching works based Salvation are telling their church members. That is the modern day dictionary definition but not the Biblical definition of ‘repentance’.

In fact, we see in the Word of God that God Himself repents many times, yet God has no sin to turn from! To repent is to ‘change your mind’.

You can see clearly now that the Biblical meaning of ‘repent’ is nothing like the dictionary definition (change one’s life for the better; be penitent. ) True repentance is not a work that WE DO to gain God’s acceptance and favor after Salvation. God reached out to us first and provided a way for us sinners to be forgiven completely, but it is NOT from our own efforts. God gives Salvation to us as a free gift to be received. The Bible tells us that BEFORE God created the Earth He established the one and only way for us to be forgiven our sins and that way is by faith in the act of atonement provided by Jesus The Christ on the cross.

Repentance is changing our mind and thinking about how to be saved. We are NOT saved by our works, which is what the every religion in the world teaches. Repentance and belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (which is Salvation by faith alone In the atonement for our sins through Christ crucified) is two sides of the same coin. That is if you repent about how to deal with your sins (change your mind about how to get forgiveness for your sins) and believe that this is accomplished only through faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and the atonement for our sins on the cross, you HAVE ALREADY repented.

Repenting is the change in your mind from the world’s way of dealing with sin and changing to God’s way of dealing with sin which is believing on Christ for Salvation apart from works of any kind (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Stopping the practice of a particular sin is a result of repenting and changing your mind. That is, it is not the repenting itself.

The Main Books Of The Bible On How To Be Saved Prove This!

The book of John is all about how to be saved. Do you know that the word ‘repent’ nor ‘repentance’ does not even appear once! But the word ‘believe’ on Christ is seen all over the book many times.

The book of Galatians. This is the book fighting against the false Gospel based on works for Salvation right? Again, the word ‘repent’ is not found once in this book contending for the true Gospel! However the word ‘faith’ in Jesus Christ is found all through the book.

The book of Romans. Paul tells us again and again that Salvation is NOT OF WORKS IN ANY MANNER! And where the word ‘repent’ is found, it is not the same Greek word. It does not mean ‘turning from your sin’.

The Christian religions need to stop using the dictionary definition of the word ‘repent’!!! They are teaching a FALSE GOSPEL WHICH WILL NOT SAVE ANYONE.

Believe The Gospel And Be Saved

Do you believe Jesus is the Christ (Christ is not Jesus’ last name, it means ‘the anointed one’), the only begotten Son of God who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, born without sin, lived a sinless life, atoned for and paid in full the sins of the whole world (past/present/future) on the cross (1 John 2:2), died and rose again on the third day? If so, the Holy Spirit now resides within you and you are SEALED and saved for all eternity. You are Heaven bound and your sins will not cause loss of your Salvation. They are fully PAID by Christ on the cross 2000 years ago.

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Galatians 2: Are Good Works & Religious Rituals A REQUIREMENT Of Salvation?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About...
Galatians 2: Are Good Works & Religious Rituals A REQUIREMENT Of Salvation?

I remember my younger years in Catholic high school religion class that we were taught to follow the Ten Commandments. That not doing so would bring God’s judgment on us. My oh my, looking back now knowing the true word of God it upsets me. The fact there were other Jewish laws was never taught neither. We did know that circumcision at birth was a Jewish thing to do. No proper context was taught and frankly a works based false gospel was being taught in that religion course where there was no guarantee of Salvation based on your deeds and works. God was either happy with you and loved you or God was waiting with a big bat to hit you over the head whenever you failed to meet one of the Ten Commandments.

So many years living with this up/down belief that I am saved and then not saved and then saved and then not saved, takes a toll on a person. FEAR and not love becomes the norm in a relationship with God. Not the ‘Fear of the Lord’ out of respect but a fear that is meant to keep you from the truth. A fear that was purposefully put into place and instilled in young minds. A fear meant to keep people coming to church and to ‘make sure you go to the confessional’ to tell the priest your sins or God will not forgive your sinful short comings. Now I am not picking on just the Catholic church here.

I only mention the Roman Catholic church because that was my personal experience growing up in my younger days. The truth is there are MANY so called ‘Christian’ religious organizations and churches teaching the very same deceptive thing. It is called RELIGION and if an organization is not teaching the true Gospel of Salvation by faith in what Christ accomplished for us on that cross then it is FALSE. Whether it is a non Christian organization and belief system or a self proclaimed Christian religion, they all teach the same thing; we save ourselves through our works and by what we do and also by religious rituals and activities to ‘appease’ God.

False non-Biblical messages are today found in not the minority of Christian organizations but in the MAJORITY such as…

…Repetitive religious man made rituals being required to gain God’s favor.
…If your good deeds are more than your bad deeds then God will justify you.
…Being a good person and better than those other sinners will gain you favor with God.
…Follow the Ten Commandments or you will lose your Salvation.
…Sinning will disqualify you from Heaven after you accept Christ.
…Water Baptism is a requirement of Salvation and is what saves you.
…You must confess your sins to a priest to be forgiven.
…You must attend church ceremonies to be saved.
…You must follow the Sacraments.
…If you do not confess a sin, then the penalty for that sin remains.
…the list goes on and on and on!

Absolutely NONE of these are found in the Bible! Does that shock you? If it does, it is because you either are not reading your Bible in proper context, or you are not reading your Bible at all and are instead just believing what a pastor or priest is telling you without checking to see if it is the truth in the Word of God.

Jesus warned us about this and said,

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 KJV)

 

Jesus also said that in the days before He bodily returns to Earth that “…many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11 KJV)

And what do we see today? It is here folks and it is all around us. It is in the media and it is in the majority (not all but the vast majority!) of Christian religious organizations too! Satan has infiltrated these organizations and is spreading lies of the false gospel right from pulpits of these so called ‘Christian’ organizations. Even seminaries are pushing the NIV Bible – a modern Bible version that is not teaching the true Gospel! (read this)

These false teachers are so exposed in the New Testament that it is hard to believe a Christian can believe the lies. Yet with so many not reading or studying the true word of God it is happening on an explosive manner around the world. It is even rampant in the Western nations. Oh how we have fallen from the truth!

In his day, the Apostle Paul fought very hard against the false prophets spreading their false gospel message in the early days of the churches. One would have to be completely blind in not seeing this in Paul’s writings. Ephesians and Galatians (Hebrews too though we are not sure Paul wrote it – I think he did) really bring this to light and it is exactly what Jesus was warning us about when He said,

“And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.” (Luke 21:8 KJV)

The true Gospel is believing on Christ alone for your Salvation. No amount of good works nor any religious ritual will save a person. Only belief in the atonement for the sins of the world accomplished by the only begotten Son of God, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived by the Spirit of God, became flesh through the Virgin Mary and was not born into sin as we all were. He lived a perfectly sinless life in His deeds and mind and died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice (The Lamb of God) by taking upon Himself the punishment for the sins of the whole world. He died and rose again on the third day and ascended to Heaven to prepare a place for all whosoever believe. By believing this, even without a prayer, a person has REPENTED and become saved eternally. It is NOT of any of our efforts in not sinning, being a good person nor religious rituals. It is 100% a free gift of God to be received.

“That whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that BELIEVETH on him is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:15-18 KJV)

 

“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 should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

GALATIANS

The Galatian church members at first believed the true Gospel of Jesus Christ which is Salvation by the GRACE of God (an unmerited favor) through faith (belief) in the atonement for our sins through the ONLY begotten Son of God, Jesus the Christ, taking the punishment for the sins of the whole world on the cross. This is the work of God, not man.

We see in Galatians 2 that soon after establishing the Galatian church some people crept into the church and started teaching others that belief in the atonement for sins through Christ was NOT ENOUGH. They taught that the religious rituals of the Law of Moses were also required. When Paul heard this he addressed the Galatian church to show them just how serious and how false a teaching that is when he wrote,

“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.” (Galatians 2:6-8 KJV)

Later in Galatians 5, Paul continues showing how reverting to following the Law of Moses, a works based system, as a requirement of Salvation is not the true Gospel of Christ. He uses a rule of the Law of Moses that males are to be circumcised as an example to explain. The Liberty Paul speaks of is the Law of Liberty we have in Christ where all our sins have been completely forgiven to those that believe in the atonement of Christ.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1 KJV)

The English word ‘liberty’ in Greek is ‘liberty to do or to omit things having NO RELATIONSHIP TO SALVATION’ (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1657&t=KJV)

“Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you NOTHING. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a DEBTOR to do the WHOLE LAW. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness BY FAITH.” (Galatians 5:2-5 KJV)

Adding the Law of Moses to the Gospel of Salvation by faith in Christ is putting a person back into bondage of the Law. What Paul is saying is that trying to keep one of the Laws of Moses, such as males being circumcised, such a person is now in bondage to keep the ENTIRE LAW OF MOSES, the Ten Commandments and all the rest of the laws. This is the very reason Christ came and was crucified for our sins; no person can keep all of the Law of Moses! Every person has sin! It is impossible!

Paul goes on to say that those teaching this false gospel should be CUT OFF, that is kick them out of the church because they are not true believers but are false prophets twisting the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul puts it this way in verse 9, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” This is serious business. Better they be cut off than others be deceived by them.

“I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:12-14 KJV)

This is clear. Once you accept the free gift of Salvation through Christ’s atonement do not revert to thinking you that you must add good works nor religious rituals as REQUIREMENTS to be saved. DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LIE! Yes, do good works and help others in Love because it is right to serve others as Christ served us and, well, good works are a good thing right? But NEVER think good works or religious rituals are REQUIRED for Salvation. THAT is the point.

Our Salvation was accomplished 100% by God, a free gift to be received, and our belief is our accepting this wonderful gift of the grace of God. Our Service after Salvation is about the works we do, or do not do and will be judged at the Bema judgement seat of Christ when believers are judged according to their works for gain of rewards or loss of rewards. Yet, even those with no good works are still in Heaven eternally. In fact the word ‘sin’ is never mentioned regarding the judgement of believers in Christ’s atonement. Why? Because they were already fully dealt with and paid in full on the cross!

The problem is some read Paul’s words on service and try to jam that into Salvation as a requirement and that is very wrong. Salvation was achieved by Christ..not by our own self righteous efforts. Believing on good works or religious rituals for your Salvation in ANY MANNER is called BONDAGE by Paul. Instead, focus on the Law of Liberty in Christ which is, all our sins have been forgiven (past/present/future sins). Love God and Love your neighbour as yourself. Love God and love others in both word and in deeds. Not that the good deeds save you nor justify you before God but God loved us and gave His only Son to save us, and the Holy Spirit now resides within us as believers. Walk in the spirit, not the flesh and now let God’s love shine through you with gratitude.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16-25 KJV)

When a person accepts the pardon of Christ for their sins and receives the free gift of Salvation the Holy Spirit indwells that person from that moment and for all eternity. It is our belief in the Gospel that redeems us by what Christ did on the cross.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-16 KJV)

At the moment of belief in the atonement Christ provided on the cross, we were changed positionally. Positionally we are now 100% righteous before God because all the sins we committed, or will commit after Salvation, were ALL penalty paid on the cross in Jesus. When Christ cried out on the cross “it is finished” the Greek that the New Testament was written in says it meant “PAID IN FULL”. And now this is what God says about those who believe on the atonement of sins through what Christ did on the cross,

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12 KJV)

That is the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We are saved 100% by the GRACE of God. Salvation is NOT based on our good works in ANY MANNER, neither before or after Salvation. Paul repeatedly wrote to not mix The Law (10 Commandments) with Grace. It is a false Gospel.

The person who believes on Christ alone for their Salvation actually becomes the very righteousness of God, IN CHRIST.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV)

In the same way, we are in Christ as well. As Paul said, we actually LIVE IN THE SPIRIT and so we should also walk in the spirit. Love God and love others as yourself. Read the Word of God for the Renewing of your mind by the Holy Spirit within. In this you are pleasing God after becoming a child of God through Christ.

 

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Related Video Messages:

 

What is Christmas really all about? Why is it celebrated? What makes a person a Christian anyway?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Christmas, Q&A: Salvation

Most of you know that I am not a ‘religious’ person. But I am a Christian. To many of you, you may not understand the difference and the difference is HUGE.

Every year has a Christmas Season, but do you really know why it is celebrated?

Is being a good person mean you are a Christian? Does religiously attending church services make you a Christian? If a person’s good deeds are more than their bad deeds (sin) in quantity mean they are a Christian bound for Heaven? Are Christians any better than non Christians?

NO! That is all RELIGIOUS and RELIGION. It is NOT what the Bible teaches.. it is what many pulpits teach which is lies. See, I am NOT RELIGIOUS. Dos and Do nots, good deeds or bad, none impresses me and to no person do I make judgements about them by their deeds. To me.. we all have bad deeds. We all have sins. Who am I to judge another person – its not for me to judge.

There are all kinds of pulpit teachers and priests and pastors who are lying to you. There are TV evangelists who are complete Charlestons coveting for your money. Church organizations that talk about Jesus Christ, and throw Bible verses at you (completely out of proper context) to make it mean what they want you to hear; LIES. They tell you that it is WHAT YOU DO that decides whether you will go to heaven when you die or the other unpleasant destination of torment and that it is your good deeds that determine where you will end up.

You need to know the BIBLE truth.. not what they are telling you. I have found out that, IT IS NOT THE SAME!

We all know this Christmas verse, heard it ever year at Christmas. Hear the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, every year. His birth is a completely proven historical FACT – that is not in question. But who He was is in question by many. Especially with all the false preaching going on.. all lies. But why did Jesus come through the Virgin birth? The Angels of God told us from the very birth…

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOUR, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN.” (Luke 2: 9-14 KJV)

TOWARD MEN comes our Saviour from our sins and our sin debt. Let’s be honest, we are ALL sinners. No one has kept the Ten Commandments perfectly. NO ONE EXCEPT Jesus the Christ (Jesus, the anointed, ‘Christ’ is not His last name!), the only begotten Son of God.

God loves all of us but He is perfectly Holy as well. Because of His perfect Holiness, there must be a punishment for sin and that punishment is separation from God forever in a place of torment. The Bible calls it ‘eternal damnation’. We usually compare our goodness with others around us. But because we are all sinners, that is not a fair assessment of our goodness. The fair assessment is comparing ourselves with the Holiness of God. Believe me.. NONE OF US MEASURE UP! NONE!

So God, who never changes, loves us perfectly. But He is perfectly Holy and is perfect in Justice. What is He to do to keep us from being judged by His own Holiness and wrath for our sins? God does not want anyone to end up in a place of torment for all time. It is His perfect attributes of MERCY and LOVE where the solution comes. He will become a human but through a Virgin. His holiness intact. Live a PERFECTLY SINLESS LIFE and then, on the cross, He would take the punishment for the sins of the whole world upon Himself. While on the cross Jesus cries out “IT IS FINISHED!” In the original Greek text of the new testament this literally means “PAID IN FULL”.

An exchange was made in the courtroom of God’s justice. We stand accused of being a sinner before the judge – a Holy God (we owe a debt), but our attorney (Jesus Christ – God in the flesh) took the punishment we deserved and paid the debt (of sins) FOR US. The penalty now paid, the debt now fully paid, we are free from the judgement of God and have been saved from the place of torment and are Heaven bound.

All we have to do, is accept the only atonement for our sins through what Christ did on the cross, in belief, to be saved. It is NOT by anything we did, nor any good works we do. It is 100% the work of God to save us.

This is the good news of Christmas. It is the GRACE of GOD that saves all who will believe this, not of anything we did nor that what we will do in the future.

Salvation is not a work to perform. It is a GIFT of God’s Grace to be RECEIVED!

“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 should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

THAT is the REAL DEFINITION of a Christian. That is why a Christian is called a BELIEVER.

Here are three short videos that explain why Jesus came. It explains more what I am saying here. It is your choice to believe or not believe.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoPJEdC-cZeDGeIuZ5FFEljk9WyevpBO]

There is only ONE sin that will keep a person from going to Heaven when they die. JUST ONE. Unbelief in what Christ did for us to pay the penalty of our sin debt against a Holy and Righteous God.

Receive the GOOD NEWS that the shepherds did in the Christmas story you have heard every year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!