Entertained by the Word of God vs. Educated by the Word of God
I believe there are two types of churches in the world. There is the church that entertains the people, and then there is the church that educates. In the first church, the people are entertained by the Word of God. In the second church, the people are educated by the Word of God. Which church do you attend?
When you go to church, are you being entertained by the production, the showmanship, the theatrics? Or, are you being educated by the Word of God when you go to church?. Most people like to be entertained vs. educated. Why? Most individuals think they already have all the answers to all the questions. For example, almost every time we ask these two questions, we get the same answer. Question 1, where are you going when you die? Answer 1, “Heaven.” Question 2, why are you going to Heaven? Answer 2, “I am a good person.”
There are a lot of people that think they are “good enough” to get to Heaven. Almost everyone thinks they are not as bad as the men and women in prison or the guy down the street. If someone thinks like this, there is an error in their thinking. It is called a “thinking error.” Instead of going to church and being entertained, maybe that person should find a church where they can be educated on the subject that all men and women are sinners and all men and women deserve Hell. Yes, all men and women. The Bible says, there are none righteous, no not one.
Did you know that when Christ was hanging on the Cross, men and women were entertained by Him dying on the Cross? As He was dying on the Cross for their sins (your sin, my sins), these individuals were entertained by Him. The Bible says, “And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him” (Matthew 27:36-42 KJV).
Individuals sat down and watched the Christ suffer for their sins. They were being entertained vs. being educated that the Christ was dying on the Cross for their sins. They were ignorant to the fact that if He did get off the Cross and save Himself as they suggested, all mankind would be doomed because, without the precious blood of Jesus Christ, nobody can go to Heaven. Only Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, can make a perfect sacrifice for sin. Only Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, offers you the perfection that is needed to go to Heaven and it is all received by faith in Christ alone.
Do people go to church to be entertained today? Yes. However, I hope they can find a good Gospel believing, Gospel preaching church, and start being educated vs. entertained because their eternal destiny hinges on what they believe. If a person is trusting in their church, pastor, priest, ritual, sacrament, tradition, or good works to save them, they will NEVER EVER make it to Heaven and forever suffer in Hell.
The church should be a place where the lost can hear the Gospel message clearly and make a decision if they want to trust in Christ alone as their only hope of going to Heaven and their only hope of not going to Hell. The Bible says, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:3 KJV). Pastors have a responsibility to preach the Word of God and NOT depart from THE WAY. Pastors have a responsibility to preach the Word of God and not be a stumbling block unto others. Pastors have a responsibility to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Pastors have a responsibility to educate people that they deserve Hell and the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ’s death payment for sins, burial, and resurrection.
I would encourage every person that is reading this article to not be entertained by the Word of God but be saved by the Word of God. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 KJV).
If you have never received Jesus Christ as Savior, what is stopping you right now from accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior? In your mind, you can say something, "I don't know everything; however, I know I am a sinner. I know I do not want to go to Hell when I die. I want to go to Heaven when I die. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for ALL my sins (past, present, and future), buried for me, and resurrected for me."
There is no confirmation, confession, communion, water baptism, church, pastor, priest, religion, or any good deeds that will pay for sin. The Christ, the Lamb of God was revealed in the flesh to take away the sins of the world. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29 KJV).
The payment for sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 KJV). Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22 KJV).
Trust in Jesus Christ as your only hope to save you from a Hell you deserve to a Heaven you do not deserve because only the Gospel of Christ can change your eternal destiny from eternal darkness to eternal light. "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14 KJV).
Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior today and be born again and forever a child of God. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which 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 KJV).
The very second you place your faith in Christ alone, you receive eternal life, and you forever have eternal life because Christ paid for all your sins. When a person trusts in Christ alone for salvation, that person can "know" they are going to Heaven when they die because the Bible says they can "know." "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (I John 5:13 KJV).
THE PLAN OF SALVATION - THE GOSPEL
The Gospel is Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins (past, present, and future), He was buried, and He resurrected the third day to show us the payment for sin is paid in full.
I Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
God loves you. Lord Savior Jesus Christ revealed Himself in the flesh for one reason: to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ does not come to condemn individuals. Jesus Christ comes to save us because we are all Hell doomed sinners without the Blood of Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
All individuals are sinners. The payment for sin is death.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ died for your sin and resurrected for you.
II Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
If you believe in Christ alone, you receive eternal life.
John 6:47: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I John 5:13: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
If you could be "saved" by being water baptized, doing good works, being a good person, or following the Ten Commandments? Why did (the God from Eternity Past, the God from Eternity Future) the Ever Presence Jesus Christ reveal Himself in the flesh and die on the Cross and resurrect the third day? No church can reconcile. No sacrament can save. No work or tradition of men can redeem. Only Jesus Christ can save a person from a Hell they deserve to a Heaven they do not deserve -all by grace!
Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If you could earn salvation by doing those things, then Jesus Christ died in vain. However, Jesus Christ did not die in vain. Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for sin. He is the Lamb of God, and only the Lamb of God can make a perfect sacrifice for sin. There is only one way to Heaven, and it is the belief in the Finished Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Philippians 3:9: And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
The resurrection is proof God the Father accepted Jesus Christ's death payment for sin -death payment of past, present, and future sin: ALL SIN!
People DO NOT go to Hell because they are "bad." People go to Hell because they believe NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People trust NOT in Jesus Christ as their Savior. People believe NOT Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial, and resurrection. People do NOT trust alone in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians 1:8-9: In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Know that God is gracious to you. He has already died for all your sins (past, present, and future), He was buried for you showing all the world He died for your sins, and He was resurrected for you, showing all the world that Jesus Christ fulfilled what the Father asked Him to do: IT IS FINISHED! Your sins are paid in full. I pray you to believe in Jesus Christ right now for salvation -believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sin, burial, and resurrection. Trust alone in Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you know someone who is "not saved," share the Gospel message with them or forward this message to them.
The Good News Voice is affiliated with The Grace Gospel Church. If you are looking for a Bible preaching, Gospel sharing, Body loving congregation, look no further. Join us in Taconite on Sundays at 9:30 AM. The Grace Gospel Church is the first building on the right when you turn into Taconite. We are live on Facebook at 10:00 AM if you are unable to join us in person. God bless, love Lance & Karla.
Pastor Lance Edminster
The Grace Gospel Church
The Good News Voice
Email: thegoodnewsvoice@gmail.com
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Once Saved, Always Saved: "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one" (John 10:28-30 KJV).
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