What Is Our Common Salvation?

In the house church I once attended, the lay minister claimed that Jude 1:3 referred to everybody becoming saved. This Universalist idea is wrong and many scriptures refute the belief that nobody is sent to hell forever.

So what did Jude mean about our common salvation? It's open to every person who surrenders control of their lives to Christ. Peter proclaimed in Acts 2:39 (Bible in Basic English) that, "For the word of God is for you and for your children and for all those who are far off, even all those who may be marked out by the Lord our God."

In one of Christ's parables, he described the end of the age as the end of a day when a farmer hired day labourers to reap his field. We see in Matthew 20:16 (King James Version) that not everybody will be chosen to follow him. "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

Those Universalists should also read Matthew 8:29 (BBE). Even the demons knew better than to think hell didn't last forever. "And they gave a loud cry, saying, 'What have we to do with you, you Son of God? Have you come here to give us punishment before the time?'"

I've written before about Luke Chapter sixteen and how the rich man had a great gulf fixed between him and heaven so nobody could cross it. This one verse alone shows that going to hell is a one way trip.

But for us who are marked out for salvation, we won't ever depart out of Christ's glorious kingdom. As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17 (BBE), "Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first; Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord."

If that doesn't happen by Thursday, I plan on posting about the best sort of peace.

Is Repentance for Modern People?

One modern movement in Christendom is called the Emergent Church. It goes by other names as well. Its leaders believe they need to accommodate the worldly folks in order to bring them into church. Doctrine is frowned upon because it divides people. But that's exactly what it must do.

Repentance is the first step toward salvation. But instead of confessing and forsaking sin in order to follow Christ, they preach that everybody's all right as they are. This is absolutely wrong.

First of all, nobody is ever good enough. Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) states, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

No matter how "nice" somebody is, they need to see how wretched their minds are. As Luke 11:39 (KJV) reads, "And the Lord said unto him, 'Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.'"

Just as we need to clean our physical bodies, so must we, through trust in Christ's cleansing us from sin, be clean spiritually. As Paul wrote about former sinners in 1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV), "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

And here is proof that salvation, including repentance and following Christ, is for all generations. Peter explained in Acts 2:39 (KJV), "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

So we see that nothing has changed about repentance. It was the same in the beginning and still applies today. I'll be writing more about this important step in our spiritual journey in You Think You're Going to Heaven? My book focuses solely on what Scripture says, not what people want it to say. Emergent folks are in the latter category but they're wrong.

Departing from the theme of repentance briefly, I'll post on Saturday about single mothers and the difficulty of remarriage. I'm sure you'll be touched by the song.

The Free Will Error

This month, I'll be tackling some errors believed by established churches. These denominations aren't cults but they do follow errors which can easily be debunked with Holy Scripture.

Some churches believe that we have the exclusive ability to choose between following or rebelling against God. Consequently, they avoid any verses mentioning predestination. To their way of thinking, God would be a monster if he forced salvation on unwilling people.

Since God made everything, he owns it all and can do with his creation as he pleases. Therefore, people are chosen by him to accomplish his will. Deuteronomy 10:15 (KJV) is one of many verses which shows God's sovereignty. "Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day."

The biblical truth is that we can't save ourselves. Psalms 14:3 (KJV) states, "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

God likewise said in Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV) that, "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

So how can we be rescued from eternal death in hell? Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) provides the answer. "But 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."

But seeking God alone doesn't save us. He has the power to give anybody faith who asks him for spiritual life. Ephesians 2:1 KJV), regarding believers, explains,  "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:"

Through the preaching of the gospel, God calls sinners to repentance. That means he calls people to give up their wicked and rebellious ways and follow the commands of Christ. Peter explained this in Acts 2:39 KJV) when he said of salvation, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

Because I want people to know the liberating truth of salvation, I'm working on my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Far too many people think they're safe from hell when they aren't. I want nobody to miss out on an eternity of bliss so that's why I'm writing my book.

How Do People Blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

Worse than grieving and quenching the Spirit is blaspheming him. But what does that mean?

Jesus said that there would be no forgiveness for anybody who blasphemes the Holy Spirit. In Mark 3:28-29 (KJV) he declared, "Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:"

Hank Hanegraaff explained that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is ascribing to him satanic works. Mark 3:22 KJV) says, "And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, 'He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.'"

Jesus let them know in no uncertain terms that the Kingdom of Heaven had come in their midst because Christ cast out demons. He said so because the scribes and Pharisees refused to acknowledge the power of God in Christ publicly.

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is the one who calls people to repentance. He does so through believers on Christ's behalf. As Peter explained to the crowd at Pentecost, and is recorded in Acts 2:39 (KJV), "For the promise is unto you, and to your children,  and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall  call."

This is because it's the Spirit who regenerates spiritually-dead sinners. Ephesians 2:1 (KJV) says, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:" Paul explained in the previous chapter how sinners are saved. It isn't by anything we can do, being dead, but what the Holy Spirit does to raise us up from spiritual deadness toward God.

I'm certainly looking forward to writing my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? I'll have room to explain in depth about such wondrous processes such as salvation and spiritual quickening. Watch this space.