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Oct
13

A List of False Religious Hopes that Will Send Many to Hell

James Jennings Articles 2010-10-13

by Kevin Williams
The Bible warns that there are many false converts who are holding onto a false hope (Matt 7. 13-15) and so here is a list of false religious hopes that can send people to Hell. As you read them “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” (2 Cor. 13:5) and make sure you are not trusting in a false hope. Your eternity is at stake.

Select a Question Below
1. Being Born into a Christian Family.
2. Being Baptized and Joining the Church.
3. Having an Intellectual Understanding of the Gospel / Believing Biblical Doctrine
4. Being a Pastor, or Serving in a Church or Doing Evangelism
5. Moral Reformation
6. Having an Emotional Experience, Whether Joy or Conviction
7. Being Healed
8. Seeing a Supernatural Vision/or Having an Angelic Encounter
9. Being Blessed with Material Things/Riches/Money
10. Keeping the Law / Legalism (Trusting in Works)
11. Listening To Hard Radical Preaching
12. Having Answers to Your Prayers
13. Having “Religious Views: Christian” on your Facebook, or Similar
14. Praying a ‘sinners prayer’ or Similar, ‘accepting Jesus’, ‘made a decision for Jesus’ or walking an aisle
15. A Pastor told me I am saved or ‘welcome to the family of God’
16. Having a ‘Spiritual Gift’ like Tongues or Prophecy

1. Being Born into a Christian Family.

Being brought up in a Christian home does not make someone a child of God. Jesus said: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

The Pharisees were trusting in their physical descent, that they had Abraham ‘as their father’ (John 8:33) however John the Baptist warned them: “do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father” (Matt 3:9) and Jesus warned them “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:44)

When someone gives a testimony of: “I’ve always been a Christian” this should start alarm bells ringing as Jesus warned “unless you are converted…, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” NASB (Matt 18:3).

Now it may be that someone who has grown up in the Christian faith, has the evidence of true conversion but is not exactly sure when they were converted, because they can look back on more than one point in time in which they may have been converted. But whilst there may be more than one possible crisis/turning points in which they were converted, there is never none. Salvation is coming “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). So they should be able to look to possible times that this happened.

Note: 2 Tim. 3:15 is often cited to claim Timothy did not know a point of conversion or was somehow converted gradually, but that is reading something into that text that simply is not there.

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2. Being Baptized and Joining the Church.

In Acts 8, after hearing the preaching of Philip (v12), Simon the magician “believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip” [joined the disciples/church]. But in verse 21 Peter told him: “You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God”.

So being baptized and joining a church is NOT conversion.

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3. Having an Intellectual Understanding of the Gospel / Believing Biblical Doctrine

“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (Jam. 2:19)

And in the demons cried out to Jesus: “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29) showing they knew both who Jesus was, that there was a judgment coming, and there is a place of torment for the wicked.

Faith begins with having a correct understanding of the Gospel. However conversion is more that just having the correct facts.

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4. Being a Pastor, or Serving in a Church or Doing Evangelism

Jesus warned “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ (Matt. 7:22) These people were very busy for the church, but in the next verse Jesus declares to them “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matt. 7:23) Also notice, Jesus does not say to them, that He once knew them but they lost their salvation, but rather that He never knew them. Even though they professed Christ as their “Lord, Lord” (v.21) and were very active in serving (v.22) they were never truly converted in the first place.

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5. Moral Reformation

The Pharisees were considered by the masses to be highly moral people (Matt. 5:20), and someone can clean themselves up a lot on the outside without being converted (Matt. 23:27). The rich young ruler though he was doing a good job of keeping the commandments (Matt. 19:20), and Paul before conversion (Rom 7:9) felt ‘alive’ and was morally good before the Spirit of God worked in His heart.

When Jesus at the last supper said: “one of you will betray me.” (John 13:21) The disciples did not all point to Judas and say “it’s him”, but it says they were, “uncertain of whom he spoke” (John 13:22), revealing that Judas must have been outwardly moral in character.

Many unbelievers quit drinking, smoking, bad language etc. Moral reformation IS NOT conversion.

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6. Having an Emotional Experience, Whether Joy or Conviction

In the parable of the Sower Jesus spoke of those rocky ground hearers “who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy.” They had an emotional experience of joy when hearing the Gospel, however the verse continues: “But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away”

So these rocky ground hearers “receive” the word “with joy” and so have an emotional experience, they “believe for a while” but are NOT truly converted, as (v.15) tells us that only the “good soil hearers” bear fruit to conversion, and false converts are sown by the devil (Matt. 13:39).

Also Judas had an emotional experience and was convicted “Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse” (Matt. 27:3) but he was NOT converted.

Esau had an emotional experience, but was NOT converted as “he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears” (Heb. 12:17)

Felix had an emotional experience. When Paul preached the Gospel to him and spoke of “righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25) it says “Felix trembled” KJV but he was NOT converted.

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7. Being Healed

When Jesus healed the ten lepers only one was converted and returned to give thanks, the other nine, although healed, were still lost.

“11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”(Luke 17:11-19)

Supernatural healing may lead to conversion. “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4) but it IS NOT conversion. Out of the ten lepers healed by Jesus only one was converted.

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8. Seeing a Supernatural Vision/or Having an Angelic Encounter

Many wrongly trust in some “near-death experience” they’ve had were they “saw a bright light” or they had a vision, dream or some angelic encounter, but this IS NOT conversion and the Bible warns “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14)

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9. Being Blessed with Material Things/Riches/Money

In Matthew 19 when Jesus told the rich young ruler to forsake his riches in order to follow Christ it says “he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

This man was very rich but he was NOT converted. In fact his money and possessions were the very thing that kept him from eternal life with Christ. Jesus said “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matt.19:24) and in Luke 12:13-21 Jesus told the parable of the rich fool.

“Peter said, “I have no silver and gold” (Acts 3:6)

Jesus said: “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matt. 8:20) so material blessings are no proof of God’s favour, nor is financial poverty and hardship an indication of God’s displeasure.

False teachers in the prosperity movement have claimed Jesus must have been financially rich, “because He had a treasurer” and they say “only a rich person needs a treasurer”. However, Judas simply carried the money bag for the disciples, and that he betrayed Jesus for just “thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:15) which is less than three months wages for a common labourer reveals that there must have not been much money in the bag, otherwise he would not have been tempted with such a small amount and would have just took off with the bag.

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10. Keeping the Law / Legalism (Trusting in Works)

Many are wrongly trusting in that they are “good people” or “they keep the commandments” or certain rules, but the Bible says “by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight” (Rom. 3:20)

In order to be justified by law/rule keeping one would have to keep the law of God perfectly for every single moment of their life as “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (Gal 3:10) but “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:10)

Any “good work” we do to try and earn favour with God is like a “filthy rag” (Isa. 64:6) as the reality is that trying to earn favour with God by our deeds, is like trying to bride a judge, but God is not corrupt and so will not accept man’s brides as only “the wicked accepts a bribe” (Prov 17:23)

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11. Listening To Hard Radical Preaching

Some people are wrongly trusting that they’ll be okay because they regularly listen to pastors like Paul Washer and Tim Conway who preach a hard and uncompromising message. However Judas regularly heard the strong and uncompromising preaching of Jesus, but was NOT converted.

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12. Having Answers to Your Prayers

In the mercy of God Cain had his prayer answered (Gen.4:13-15) but he WAS NOT converted (v.5, v.16), and also the ten lepers had their prayer answered and were healed (Luke 17:11-19), but only one was converted. So whilst God may occasionally grant the prayer requests of unconverted people, and in such cases “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4), nevertheless having a prayer answered IS NOT conversion.

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13. Having “Religious Views: Christian” on your Facebook, or Similar

Merely professing to be a Christian does not make someone one. Jesus said on the day of judgment many will profess to be Christians (Matt. 7:21-22), but Jesus will “declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (v.23)


It is a twisting of Jesus’ words to take “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32) to mean that merely professing to be a Christian makes someone so when in fact they continually deny Him by their lifestyle. The Bible says: “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil” (1 John 3:8) and as Jesus said: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

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14. Praying a ‘sinners prayer’ or Similar, ‘accepting Jesus’, ‘made a decision for Jesus’ or walking an aisle

Many are wrongly trusting they are saved because they’ve repeated some sort of ‘sinners prayer’, or/and they’ve wrote the time and date they did it in their Bible. But neither of these are to be trusted in. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) He did not reply ‘just repeat this prayer after Me’, but that he must forsake his idols “and come, take up the cross, and follow Me” Mark 10:21 NKJV A person is saved through Christ and not as a result of any work they have done (Eph. 2:8-9).

It is a twisting of “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9) to make it somehow mean that someone is saved, just because they’ve ‘prayed a sinners prayer’ or ‘made a decision for Jesus’. The context of that quote is that it was written to a church in imperial Rome suffering much persecution (Rom 8:35-36) and confessing that one was a Christian had certain consequences of death, torture or imprisonment.

Jesus said that on the day of judgment not everyone who confesses Him with their mouth will enter Heaven “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21) these people are convinced they are sincere and they are doing many works ‘in Jesus Name’(v.22), However Jesus will “declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (v.23). And Jesus does not say to these “many” (v.22) who confess Jesus as Lord with the mouth, that they were once saved but lost their salvation, but rather that “‘I never knew you” (v.23) they were never converted in the first place.

Someone merely confessing to believe and saying “I know in my heart I am saved” does not mean someone is converted as the Bible warns “The heart is deceitful above all things,” (Jer. 17:9)

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15. A Pastor told me I am saved or ‘welcome to the family of God’

Whilst a person’s life over time will give evidence as to whether or not someone is truly converted or not (Matt. 7:16) one cannot be certain about the condition of another person’s soul as neither a Pastor nor any mere man can truly see into a person’s heart and Jesus warned there will be tares/weeds (false converts) among the wheat (true converts) and it would be too difficult for man to separate them (Matt. 13:29). So someone else saying “of course you are saved” is not something to be trusted or rested in. The Bible warns there are many false teachers telling people they are right with God when they are not (Jer. 8:11; Matt. 7:13-20) and also in the parable of the Sower Jesus warned that there are “rocky ground” hearers who at first look like they are converted, but later prove that they never were (Matt. 13:20-21).

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16. Having a ‘Spiritual Gift’ like Tongues or Prophecy

Having a spiritual gift IS NOT conversion and certainly not to be trusted in. The “many” in Matthew 7, whom Jesus will say to them “depart from Me, I never knew you” were prophesying and doing many mighty works/miracles but they were NOT converted.

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matt. 7:22-23)

Caiaphas prophesized and “he did not say this of his own accord being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad”. (John 11:49-52)

The book of Hebrews speaks of those who “have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:4-5) but they fell away revealing they were never truly converted (1 John 2:19; Matt. 7:23)

What are YOU trusting in to get you to heaven?

There is nothing else that will get a person to heaven apart from Jesus Christ finished (John 19:30) and perfect work on the cross alone (Heb. 10:10; Jude 1:3).

Many claim ‘they’re trusting in Christ but if you ask them “How do you know you are going to Heaven?” they will reply something like “because I accepted Jesus” or “because I go to church”. and reveal they are trusting in a false hope.

Dear friend, if you are trusting in any one of those or another reason apart from Christ alone as to why you think you are going to Heaven, then it indicates that it may not be well with your soul. Jesus said “I am the door” (John 10:7) and “he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1)

There is no other way to eternal life, “Jesus said… “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

The book of Hebrews says that the foundation of true conversion is “repentance from dead works and of faith toward God ” (Heb. 6:10). The context of the book of Hebrews is that professing Christians had fallen back into law keeping/legalism and so the “dead works” here are any false hopes people are trusting in apart from Christ alone for salvation. In order to be saved, one must turn away from, forsake trusting in their own [dead] works and put their faith/trust in the living God.

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Address: http://illbehonest.com/blog/articles/a-list-of-false-religious-hopes-that-will-send-many-to-hell/
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  • Melvin C. McDowell

    Thanks for speaking the truth about the Truth. What song is that in the background? I love it!

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/Oct31st1517 Oct31st1517

    Amen James. The other night while I was praying with my children before bedtime, one of them said thank you Father for christmas so we can get toys. It’s amazing how the sin nature manifests itself. We need to warn our children about the reality of hell and the neccesity of examining themselves. I plan to let my children watch this video. Thanks again.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/valambiguous valambiguous

    Amen my brother! Christmas has become a giant consumerized monster of idolatry! We must teach and preach the Kingdom of God, as did Jesus Christ.

  • yeshuamyhero

    so then how are you save….?

  • James Jennings

    Ats 20:21b – repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Turning from all of the above works and by faith trusting in the finished work of Christ. 2 Cor 5:21 – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

    In Christ alone will anyone be made right with God, all other ground is sinking sand to hope on.

  • Guest

    Friend, you might need to do more studying and less time talking folks out of their salvation. I understand that those on here think they are perfect and have “arrived” although the Apostle Paul says clearly that he had never attained perfection. You need to understand your Bible. First of all friend, Jesus was preaching the “gospel of the kingdom” which was the physical kingdom promised by all OT prophets and to David through the Davidic covenant (this is also why the early apostles asked Jesus if He was going to set up His Kingdom in Acts 1:6). Even when Peter stood up in Acts 2:38 and preached on the Day of Pentecost, his message was, repent AND BE BAPTISED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS (sounds like Mark 16:16 also to me), but who was he talking too??? It was not to the church, it was to the Jews and Jews only. The gospel of GRACE did not go to the gentile until Acts 10. Pauls gospel is found in 1 Cor 15, and it is entirely different than the other apostles preached. Why? Read Gal 1:11-12. Paul was the only apostle that was given the full understanding of Grace and preached the gospel of grace (Eph 3:2-3) Furthermore, I understand that your entire theology comes form the book of Matthew, which by the way is a JEWISH GOSPEL. Read Matt 10:5, Jesus tells the early disciples specifically not to go to the gentiles. Jesus himself said that he was not sent but to the Jews. You might want to understand also the message that he preached which is found in Matt 9:35 (the gospel of the kingdom, the physical kingdom as promised to David) Read the OT also. So to base your entire theology on a Jewish Gospel, which by the way was still under the law at this time, is absolutely ridiculous. I agree with the no other way than by “grace through faith” and that only. But you folks might want to understand that Paul was the apostle called specifically to the gentile Acts 9,Rom 10:13, and that his Pauline epistles (romans – philemon) are the church age doctrine. Why do you think Paul expands on the deep doctrines of grace and faith, and that alone, which by the way is not found anywhere else in the Bible. Friend study your Bible and quit listening to people like Paul Washer that think they are holier than thou and act like they have attained perfection for some reason, and do not understand the Bible either. 2 Tim 2:15, it is in the Bible for a reason friend. God Bless.

  • Ronald kirungi

    This Message is badly needed in Africa because there is alot of nominal christianity but lacking the flavour of the salt. Christianity in Africa has gone wide but not any deep. Thanks alot for this message.

  • Lee

    You said, “Why do you think Paul expands on the deep doctrines of grace and faith, and that alone, which by the way is not found anywhere else in the Bible.”

    Not found anywhere else in the Bible? The OT and NT are full of it and this is in ADDITION to what the Apostle Paul taught. Paul’s Gospel is Jesus Christ’s Gospel which was the Apostles John’s Gospel. To deny this is to show a complete lack of understanding of the New Covenant.

    John 1:12-13 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

    James 2:14,23,26 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?…and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God….For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

    Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

    Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

    Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles <<>> God has granted repentance that leads to life.

    Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

    Ezekiel 36:22-27 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

    Psalm 130:1-4 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

    John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

    We could go on and on with references through the Scripture that pertain to the ONE Gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. What of Rahab? What of Ruth? What of Namaan the Syrian? What of the Syrophenician women? God has been saving His people, both Jew and Gentile alike throughout the history of His creation.

    You said, “Friend, you might need to do more studying and less time talking folks out of their salvation.”

    How is this blog post talking anyone out of their salvation? This is a clear warning of the dangers in our post-modern, secularistic, easy-believism society. Do you think it wrong to warn those who may be deceived? I think it wrong not to do so.

    Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

    2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

    You said, “Furthermore, I understand that your entire theology comes form the book of Matthew, which by the way is a JEWISH GOSPEL.”

    Where did he say “his gospel” came from Matthew? Did Matthew preach a false Gospel? Of course not! Matthew’s Gospel is God’s Gospel. There is but one true Gospel and it is preached throughout the 66 books of God’s holy Word.

  • Steve Battles

    I agree with what you say. The article seemed very judgmental to me. Only God knows a person’s heart. Belief, Repentance, and baptism are not WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. They are RESPONSES to making Jesus Christ Lord of your life. People in the Bible did these things to express their faith in Christ. Many today have gone in the opposite direction condemning the Pharisees and not realizing they are being just a judgmental with their “faith only” doctrine.

  • Steve Battles

    Christian should not be arguing with one another on the internet. It is a poor testimony to non-Christians that come across this site. The Bible says “avoid foolish arguments.” We are saved by what Jesus did for us on the cross. Let’s leave it at that so that people will come to know Christ and not come to know arguing and debating the way so many Christians do.

  • Steve Battles

    Regarding the article. We have no right to tell anyone they are GOING TO HELL. Paul or noone else told people that. It is our job to teach the truth of the Bible and God alone is the judge. That is just as legalistic as many people accuse others of. Telling people they are going to hell, turns them off immediately. We need to present to gospel in love and “make it attractive” as the Bible says. We must be “wise as serpants and gentle as doves.” We need to love on another. That is not taught enough.

  • Davidstruyk

    Acts 16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household Isn’t that How you are Saved

  • James Jennings

    If someone believes upon Christ as their only hope they will be saved indeed. And if they are saved they will not boasting in the above but in Christ alone! 2 Corinthians 5:17 – There if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation and the old has passed away and behold the new has come. – The new man does not boast in self and his works but in Christ!

  • Abbie Santos-Dulay

    We are saved “by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

    We cannot save ourselves, only Jesus Christ was given that authority (Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. -Acts 4:12) If not for Christ, we can never go to heaven because God demands perfection. (Matthew 5:4-8, 1Peter1:15, Deuteronomy 18:13…)

    But because we are human, therefore we are not perfect and can never be through any effort of our own (“There is none righteous, no not one.” – romans 3:10 and “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – romans 3:23) But praise be to God that He has redeemed us who believed in Him and accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord of our life. (Romans 10:9, Romans 3:24, Ephesians 1:7) we are made perfect in the eyes of God through the saving grace of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1, Galatians 2:20)

    So how then are we saved? By accepting (note that we are not doing anything, this is a passive verb. But it is a DECISION, we need to decide.) the salvation that Jesus Christ secured for us with His blood, but is giving freely to all who believe. (John 3:16) And it is ours forever because God said so,

    “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[d]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – John 10:27-30

    and

    “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
    “ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
    We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[c]
    Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:31-39. (stress on “the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” = salvation)

    Finally, this salvation that we have, this relationship with Jesus is a personal one. So no one can ever judge a person if he or she claims that he or she is saved – it is between God and that person.

    Still, as God’s children we are expected to walk in His steps, to live according to His teachings, to follow His Word, especially when the mandate came directly from God.
    “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

    God bless you.

  • http://talkgod.tumblr.com/ Lauren

    I really like your post! It’s very convicting, and I’m sure it will make a lot of people angry, but it is very good and quite true!

    I’m very glad you are bringing this issue to light. There are many people in churches, but unfortunately there are also many regular church-attenders who are not saved.

    The only thing I don’t agree with is the “once saved, always saved” thing. It’s funny how I can read the exact scriptures you quoted and get a totally different meaning from it! I’m not saying it’s based on works, but I am saying you can usually tell if someone’s saved by their fruit (James 2:14-26)

    These are the ones you quoted that I think may suggest otherwise:

    “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6

    “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil” (1 John 3:8)

    “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

    “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” – Mark 16:16-18

    “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matt. 7:22-23

    How can someone drive out demons or speak in tongues if they are not saved? Not saying that just because someone has done that in the past or can do it means they are, but maybe the were once but lost salvation? There is an example where a group of Jewish men try to cast out demons in the name of Jesus but couldn’t because they weren’t saved:

    “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (One day) the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” Acts 19:13-16

    I’m not saying these things just for the sake of argument, I’m questioning you on this because I am genuinely unsure about this idea. In light of that I also read this:

    “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.” 1 John 2:19-21

    Hmm, such a tricky issue to figure out!

    P.S. I reblogged the link to this article because I thought it was so good and convicting! Keep up your good work of preaching the truth of the Gospel!

  • Sampitrone

    I like this. Especially #11 and #13.

  • Revivalandreformation

    Very well written and complete. This list should be taped to every “Christian’s” fridge, and nailed to every church’s door to remind us that being saved by grace through the work of Christ alone is the only doorway, if you will to salvation. We, being humans, can so easily trust in shadows and cardboard cut outs as if they are real. My hope and prayer for myself and my family is to remain humble, broken and submitted to Christ and Him alone. I call it the trunk principle. He drives the car, I make my bed in the trunk and wait for Him to open it up and send me to work. Bless you guys for your dedication and obedience to Christ.

  • Morley

    This is a ‘must-read’ article for all who profess Jesus as Saviour and Lord.
    Morley

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  • Diana Odili

    So what are the TRUE religious hopes that will get me into heaven.
    Thanks

  • James Jennings

    2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ”

    The only hope is Christ, it is not our works and performance but the PERFECT work and performance of Jesus Christ. He came and lived a perfect life that no man ever could and would and then He died under the wrath of God on the cross as sacrifice for our sins and then he rose again from the dead and is in Glory now with His father and He commands all men to repent and believe the Gospel, to trust Christ alone, to forsake their wicked ways and come unto the Lord and stop laboring but find rest for their souls in Christ!(Matthew 11:28)

  • AnhTuan

    Don’t forget that in Thessalonians Chapter 1 Verse 3 declares that “believe” is a “work of faith”. “believe” is a verb of a noun word “faith”. You can boast yourself that you “believe” but that won’t save you because it is still your work. It’s Christ who does the work of saving, giving you a saving faith to believe, and then all the spiritual works follow that described in James. Salvation starts from God. God chose us, not we chose him. It’s all predestinated to complete his salvation plan as he established before the foundation of the world.

  • Siholgs

    “have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:4-5)

    Just one thing that does not make sense. You said that they’re not really true converts. Does that mean God gives the Holy Spirit to false converts? I dun think God will associate in anything with falsity. I believe the Holy Spirit will only come to true converts. God knows our heart. I’m just asking for the possibility for a true convert to actually fall away.

    I’m not saying if someone is speaking in tongues or prophecy is saved because even Satan can give false spiritual gifts, there are many false tongues and prophecy.

    I do believe believing in Jesus is more than just words. And it’s not that our works that save us but rather our work is the fruit of that faith. So, if we don’t have the fruit, then we should question if we really truly believe in Jesus in the first place.

    Thanks for the post, Christians, especially church goers, need to hear about this.

  • Elizabeth Moser

    I am just curious as to what you think about the church of God, and their beliefs? I am a fairly new christian, and this church was recommended to me. Some of the stuff they teach seems to border on legalism, such as giving a tenth of what you earn and not being able to wear any articles of jewelry. What do you think?

  • James Jennings

    Elizabeth,
    Well Luke 14:33 says – So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. – - So it is a lot more then 10%… as far as focusing on not wearing jewelry and stuff, I would say that is legalism and dangerous waters to be in. Oh how we must glory in the Cross and not get caught up in little things, the heart, the heart is the issue!!

  • Estherayo

    hello, diana
    i believe you haven’t lost your flame. since knowing and praying with you in Kent @ Canterbury in year. nice to reconnect with you again.

  • Jeffparksjr5

    ISIAIh 41 BRING forth your IDOLS did they PREACH to you see they can’t speak they can’t DO ANYTHING all they do is cause confusion. Jeremiah 10 they nail thier IDOL down like a scarecrow it can’t move cant speak can’t move must be carired these are nothing but the WORK of CON men. spalms 115 graven images have eyes but cant see have ears but cant hear have noses but cant smell and those that make them shall become like them. john 10 jesus christ sais his sheep hear his voice and another voice thy will not follow and if another person tries to preach to them they WILL FLEE from him. jeremiah 5 the priests bear rule on thier own authority what will you do when your judged my word is not inside them. Now here is the kicker john 5 son of man voice goes back in time mathew 16 jesus christ claims to be the son of man. ‎1 cor2 mind of CHRIST preached internally and john 16 sais the spirit of truth comes in the future. Ezekiel 13 lying prophets of ISRAEL my word is not inside them saying god sais god sais god sais wrote hoping mankind would CONFIRM thier WORDS. all of this is EASILY verifiable.