Yet not only so, but we are glorying also in God, through our Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom we now obtained the conciliation
Paul to the Romans 5: 11, Concordant New Testament
I was once again reminded the other day of two differing teachings within the Christian religion. One espoused by those in the mainstream church, the other spoken by the apostle Paul. These two evangels could not be any more different in nature. One speaks to being "Close to" God, while the other speaks to the truth of Christ and our life in Him. Indeed, Paul speaks to our glorying IN God {Paul to the Romans 5:11}. There is no mistaking where Paul lands in this discussion. However, having spent many years in the pews of the mainstream church, I also have come to know just where the church stands on the issue of our Lords gospel. The church, for its part, has spoken to the false teaching of a salvation held in balance by God. While in agreement that salvation is in fact a gift from God, they also insist that salvation can be revoked by the Father as well. For many years I lived in fear of this happening to me. I was taught that if I continued in sin, that I would find myself on the outside looking in when it really mattered. In my opinion, the church has painted God as a liar by speaking to such false ideas. Have you ever known God to be a liar? In fact, the church will also proclaim, correctly, that God cannot lie {To the Hebrews 6:18}. So, if God Himself has assured us of our salvation in Christ, how is it that a God who is incapable of lying can ever revoke that? In fact, Paul himself also speaks to our salvation in Christ Jesus being the free gift of God {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}. If one could lose their eternal salvation, then it was never eternal to begin with. This teaching of the church is a dangerous theology because it comes too close to relegating our salvation to being based upon our own efforts, which Paul adamantly refutes in Ephesians 2:8-9. Paul was well aware that any salvation based upon human efforts would produce a proud and arrogant group. Can you imagine a Sunday worship service glorifying all who had "Earned" their own salvation? Me either.
For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting.
Paul to the Ephesians 2: 8-9, Concordant New Testament
I wanted to touch on the other false claim of the mainstream church separation theology that differs from the evangel spoken by Paul. That being the issue of sin in our lives. The church will claim that we were born into sin, and that sin is where we remain today {Paul to the Romans 3:23}. In fact, far too many pastors have taken to preaching that it is our sin that now separates us from God. Nothing could be further from the truth. I agree with the church on a few of the key points of our knowledge of Christ Jesus, but only a few. One of these is that Jesus gave Himself on the cross for the forgiveness of sin {Johns Account 3:16-17, Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. Paul has also proclaimed that Christ has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. As He breathed His final breath on the cross, Jesus proclaimed "It is accomplished" {Johns Account 19:30}. It was never Gods desire that His Son would return to the cross over and over again for the forgiveness of the sin of mankind. Instead, as Paul writes in Romans, Jesus gave Himself one time for our sin past, present AND future. It was also never Gods intention that His children live in fear over the loss of the salvation which He promised and delivered unto them through His Son. My friend shared with me that within the mainstream church salvation is a system, a means to an end with heaven being that reward for those most faithful. On that I would agree. THAT is the difference between the church separation theology and the truth of Christ spoken in the evangel of Paul.
~Scott~
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