Common false teachings

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ so that you may have health, wealth and prosperity. This is a man centered gospel of idolatry and greed. It is based upon gratifying the desire of mans selfish heart. Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Jesus Christ can be your Savior but not your Lord. Some teach that you can stay in a continual and prolonged state of unrepentant sin and truly be a Christian. This is a lie. Matthew 7:18-19 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Im saved because I said the sinners prayer. You are saved because you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who paid for your sins, were justified and regenerated and as an evidence you continue to believe, repent from sin and are growing in holiness. Do not put your trust in a sinners prayer, put complete trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Women can exercise spiritual authority in the church over men. Women have equality with men but are given different roles according to the Word of God. This is not a culturally based opinion but a doctrinal statement. If you are in a church with women leadership you will not grow spiritually. 1 Timothy 2:12-13 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

Common misunderstandings of salvation

I need to stop sinning in order to be good enough to be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners, not the self-righteous. You cannot make yourself better in order to be saved. You must come to him as a wretched sinner in need of forgiveness. If you believe you need to stop sinning and start doing good deeds in order to be saved, you dont understand the gospel. Romans 5:8 But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners... You can lose your salvation. If you believe you can lose your salvation you are trusting in your own works and do not understand the doctrine of justification by faith. Can a Christian sin? Sadly yes, but a true Christian who falls into sin will repent and continue to believe and obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. However if someone appears to believe for a time and falls away it will be proof that he was a false convert, and was never truly saved. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Are you good enough to go to heaven? Perhaps by your own standards you think you are a good person, but what does God say about you? What if all the thoughts you had in the past month alone were displayed on TV for all your family and friends to watch? Would you still declare that you are a good person? Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one. Gods Word declares that all are dead in their trespasses and sins and are guilty before Him. God is holy and righteous, therefore He must punish the wicked. The dilemma is not How can a loving God send someone to hell? but rather How can a holy and righteous God forgive anyone? God cannot simply forgive the wicked. Proverbs 17:15 He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. What would you say of a judge who let murderers, rapists, and thieves go free? You would proclaim that the judge is corrupt and that justice has been perverted, so what shall God do with all those who have broken His law? Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Many believe that if do enough good works God will forgive them; Roman Catholics, Muslims, Mormons and the Jehovahs Witnesses believe that they can help earn their salvation through their good works. Yet that is like the murderer offering a bribe to the judge in the hope that he will overlook his crimes and forgive him. The Bible declares that even our good works are unclean before God. Isaiah 64:6 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. So what shall the unrighteous do? How can a sinner find forgiveness for his evil ways? In Gods rich and abundant mercy He freely offers forgiveness in one place alone, the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. The Lord Jesus Christ is God and He became flesh, He lived a perfect life and was completely without sin. Not only did He live a perfect life, but on the cross He suffered under the wrath of God the Father for the sins of all who shall believe on Him, and He rose again on the third day, that all who believe might not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. How does one receive this free gift of salvation? By faith. Justification is the legal transaction that takes place when someone believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. God no longer holds their sins to their account, for they have been paid by the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only that, but the perfect holiness and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is imputed (given) to the believer, so that they stand righteous before God apart from any of their own works.

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. When someone is justified they are also regenerated, this means they are given a new spirit and a new nature. They no longer desire the sins they once loved, but truly desire to live a holy and pleasing life according to Gods Word. 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; Ezekiel 36:26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. There is evidence of salvation, a true Christian is obedient to Gods Word, begins to hate sin, loves and glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, especially loves other Christians, grows in holiness, and is truly grieved and repentant when they sin. 1 John 3:24 And he that keeps his commandments dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. As a true Christian matures they grow in holiness and obedience to Gods word. This is called sanctification and its a process that happens only after justification by faith.