Let me do some deep theology-diving. Since I know that church health is related to its very teaching, our way of preaching the message we proclaim is essential.

I want to treat pew-people and as individuals, who need to hear the Gospel (the Gospel as explained in one of my first blogs – 1 Corinthians 15: 1-3.) I don’t want to take for granted that those I speak to understand what God expects from us. Therefore I try to provide a time in my speaking to explain God’s simple plan of Salvation. Since we all are imperfect sinners and Heaven is a perfect place, we can't make it there.There is no room for any human efforts or good work that can earn God’s salvation (Salvation = forgiveness, the new birth and assurance of going to Heaven when we die.) Paul of the New Testament makes it clear in his writings to the churches in Rome and Galatia that salvation is a completely free gift, and does not have anything with what I, as human, can do or can muster up. It is simply a question of trusting Jesus Christ that he took my sins when he died on the cross. He then is my personal Savior. That is why it is called “Good News!)

Why do we, as preachers and individuals make it so hard for people to become children of God? We confuse and philosophy the simplicity of God’s love. Either man can make himself righteous by good works or simply trust that God, though Jesus, provided the perfect salvation.. There is no middle way! Either we are saved by God’s Grace or by our human good works (which can never take away our sins!)

If we preach a human Gospel based on what we man can do, it will give spiritual birth to no one! That is what religion is all about! Religions tell us to better ourselves and clean up our act before any god can accept us. It is like the typical message of”good boys go to Heaven and bad boys go to hell” This is not a saving message. It only creates confusion, dissatisfaction condemnation. In such proclamation there is no God’s Grace or evidence of God’s Love.

Some would call this message of God's Grace "Easy Believe-ism,” meaning that a person just has to believe with his/her brain and that would be enough to be accepted by God's standard. Paul, of the Bible even argues about this issue in his letter to the church in Rome. He says, pretty much; “If you think you can trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and then continue to sin, as nothing happened, you have not really understood God’s Salvation and Grace.” You see, too many people just believe with their heads and that is that! The message of God’s saving Grace never touched their very hearts. It is your heart’s faith and trust in Jesus, as Savior that saves you. 

Let me refer to what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus church (Ephesians 2: 8,9) Salvation is:                 By grace (undeserved)                                                                                                                                                            through faith (trust, believe)                                                        

not of ourselves (no human act or behavior) 

it is a gift (and how much do you pay for a gift?)        

not of any good work, so that we cannot pride ourselves of God's Love)

Too read more about this issues read my book “Authentic Faith” at www.simplefaith.us