Thoughts on Salvation

Salvation!

I have been thinking about what non-believers and nominal Christians think about GOD, most think either that He is a judgmental being that holds people to an unattainable or unreasonable standard. Or that He just does not care what happens to us and in His anger causes bad things to happen to us.

Pastor Chris Leeper said, that many in the Church in America believe that Christianity is all cupcakes and ice cream. Jesus did not teach this, He told us to take up our cross and follow Him. When GOD gives us something He also tells us to give it to others, it’s not just for us.

Joseph Prince said that grace is the flow of GOD’s provision for believers and living under the law squeezes it closed.

Is it oxymoronic to say: “Christianity is about keeping the 10 commandments or going to hell.” and “GOD loves us and excepts us as we are without judgment.” No, actually both are wrong!

Is it oxymoronic to say: “GOD is Love!” and “GOD will judge everyone!” No, these are both true statements.

What do these random thoughts have in common? They speak of the misconception that many people whether believers or not have about GOD.

GOD is Love and He is the Righteous Judge of all His creation! But, He is not going around looking for people to condemn.

“GOD so loves the world that He gave His only begotten Son that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. He did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that through Him the world might be saved. Those who believe in Him are not condemned but those who do not believe in the only begotten Son are condemned already because they do not believe. The condemnation is that the only begotten Son is light and life and they rejected Him choosing evil rather than light.” John 3:16-19 my paraphrase.

The Gospel is good news there is nothing good about hell except not going there. The Church in America fell into the habit of preaching hell fire and damnation trying to convince people to stop sinning so that they would not go to hell. Jesus came as the demonstration of GOD’s love to those already condemned to hell so that in believing in Him they would be delivered from hell. Jesus taught more about the Kingdom of GOD than hell because humanity was already condemned to eternal hell but He wanted to save us to His eternal Kingdom.

Keeping the 10 commandments or religious rules will not save anyone from hell or get anyone into Heaven. Rules and regulations stifle faith and growth, the two things that every believer needs to have in their life. If we make being a Christian about keeping rules and doing works we will choke off GOD’s grace which is the flow of His love, mercy, favor, provision, healing, etc.

No Person Will Go To Hell For Any Sin They Have Committed. Every Person Who Goes To Hell Will Go Because They Rejected Jesus, GOD’s Gift Of Salvation To Humanity! This is the Gospel, the good news that there is true salvation, a gift from GOD!