GospelNotes.life

Tag: The Gospel

  • The Fruit of Faith

    Matthew 7:15-20 — “Beware of false prophets [people who teach a works-based salvation message – “turn from your sins/follow the law to be saved”], who come to you in sheep’s clothing [their message sounds correct], but inwardly they are ravenous wolves [sending you to hell]. You will know them by their fruits [the fruit of their faith – what they believe saves a person]. Do men gather grapes [good fruit] from thornbushes [a worthless tree] or figs [good fruit] from thistles [a worthless tree]? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree [a tree that produces the fruit of the gospel – salvation by faith in Christ alone] cannot bear bad fruit [a works-based salvation message], nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire [unsaved people thrown into hell]. Therefore by their fruits [what they believe in] you will know them.

    The above verses are always taken out of context by the false teachers – the very people they’re talking about – to teach a works-based salvation message. They turn the “fruit” into works, to say that anyone that doesn’t turn from their sins or do good deeds will be thrown into hell.

    John 15:1-8 is where Jesus is explaining how He is the vine (like the root and trunk of a tree), believers are the branches that bear fruit, and God the Father is the vinedresser/gardener who cultivates the vine/tree.

    Christ = Tree
    Believers = Branches
    Fruit = The message of the gospel (salvation by faith in Christ alone 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
    Vinedresser/Gardener = God the Father

    The vinedresser/gardener wants His tree to make good fruit that is useful for Him and others. The good fruit believers produce for the vinedresser is the fruit of our faith (the fruit of our lips – what comes from our heart/mind – what we believe in for salvation – the gospel). This is fruit that others can pick from the tree of Christ, eat it and become truly nourished and it will give them eternal life.

    The fruit of the good tree of Christ is not works. You can’t get nourished and saved by seeing my works – by seeing me turn from my sins or by seeing me do a good deed. So works can’t be the good fruit, and are not useful to the vinedresser or others. No one can eat my fruit of works and get nourished and saved.

    Romans 11:16-24 tells us that when you eat that good fruit of the gospel (believe in the gospel), you are grafted into the tree of Christ as a branch and now produce the good fruit of faith that others can then pick from your branch and eat and become saved themselves. They are then grafted into the vine/tree of Christ as a branch and produce the fruit faith as well that others can eat of and be saved, and so on.

  • Lukewarm

    The term “being lukewarm” scares a lot of people. Let’s clear it up:

    Revelation 3:15-21 — ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    When Jesus talks about the Laodicians being lukewarm, He says they’re neither cold nor hot. They are a mixture of cold and hot, making them lukewarm. Cold = All faith. Hot = All works. Mixing the two is what makes you lukewarm: faith + works for salvation (which doesn’t save) instead of faith alone for salvation (which is reauired). In Revelation 3:17, Jesus shows that the Laodicians are trusting in their works: they think they’re good by their works. Verse 18 tells them to get their valuable things (their righteousness) from Christ – not by providing their own righteousness through law keeping. In verse 19, Christ tells them to repent – to change their mind about being righteous by their own works and turn to faith in Christ alone for their righteousness. In verse 21, Jesus tells them that the overcomers will be with Him. 1 John 5:5 tells us who the overcomers are: those with faith in Christ alone (not those who turn from their sins) — “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Revelation 12:11 also tells us that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb, not by turning from our sins: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Isaiah 64:6 tells us that even our best attempts at righteousness is but “filthy menstrual rags” in the sight of God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it’s impossible to please God without faith – not without faith and works: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him [by faith]”. Yes, it’s good to uphold the law, as we’re asked, urged, begged, pleaded with and exhorted to abstain from sin, but never required to for salvation or to go in the rapture. Yes, we try to uphold the law because we agree that it is good, but when we fail to (not if – but when), we are not condemned or judged by the law (Romans 8:1-2) because we have died to the law and are no longer under the law (Galatians 2:19), as we are now under grace (Romans 6:14) – God’s kindness and mercy we don’t deserve, His unmerited favor. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that the moment we believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — that Christ died to pay for all our sins (past, present and future), was buried and rose again the third day), we are sealed with the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of our eternal life, and we are sealed with Him till the day of the rapture: “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance [eternal life] until the redemption of the purchased possession [at the rapture]”. We cannot lose the Holy Spirit, and God will never leave us nor forsake us for any reason (Hebrews 13:5). Hope this clears up the gospel for some.

  • The Gospel

    The gospel means, “the good news.”

    The gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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,

    So by believing that:

    1. Christ died for all your sins – past, present and future
    2. Christ was then buried
    3. Christ rose from the dead 3 days later

    You are saved and sealed by the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of your salvation.

    Ephesians 1:13-14 — In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (eternal life) until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

    It is by faith in Christ alone, not by works (law keeping/doing good deeds): Ephesians 2:8-9 — For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

    It’s just that easy. Don’t add works to it.

    Ever worried about a scary sounding teaching or Bible verse? Get your butt back to the gospel.