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Larry's Testimony: A gang member and drug dealer who had his life changed radically by Jesus Christ.

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:53:59 -0500

“I Remember The Day That The Lord Saved Me”

A STORY OF HOPE

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Larry Styles is an amazing man. Amazing, because of what God has done in his life. Larry is a member of Whitfield Baptist Church in Dalton, Georgia and serves there as a Deacon. Every week, he goes to the Whitfield County Jail, to minister to the men who are incarcerated there. Larry is married and has two children. God has used his life in a great way, to have a positive impact on many people.

It was not always this way though. Larry was a founding member of a local street gang. He was a drug dealer and addict, and an inmate in the same correctional system where he now ministers. I know Larry Styles personally, and he is for real. God has radically changed his life. Here is his story...

A Troubled Past

My name is Larry Styles. I'm a member of Whitfield Baptist Church. I'm an ex-drug addict/dealer and convicted felon. I've been in and out of jail since I was fifteen years old. I was a member of the “Rat Hole Gang” from 1972 until 1981. I've been arrested for burglary, assault, contributing, three misdemeanor and two felony drug charges.

Hope In A Jail Cell

On August 28, 1981 I was arrested on the felony drug charges and placed in the Whitfield County Jail. On August 30, 1981, while sitting in cell block A-East, Frank B. McCarty, a Gideon, came to my cell and asked if he could talk to me. He told me that God loved me, and that it didn't matter what I had done; God would forgive me. He said that even though I was behind bars, God could set me free on the inside. He showed me, from God's Word, that I was a sinner, and that I needed a Savior. That morning, I prayed and received Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. God changed my whole life that day. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Changing My Plea

The first time I went to court, I plead “not guilty.” Judge Pannel told me that he was going to run a pre-sentence investigation on me. While waiting to go back to court, the Holy Spirit started convicting me and showing me that by pleading “not guilty,” I was lying. I prayed and told God that I was trusting Him, and that if He saw that I needed the twenty years, I was willing to accept it as His will for my life, and that I would do the time serving Him. I told the judge that I wanted to change my plea to “guilty.” He told me that by changing it, he could give me twenty years in prison and a twenty thousand dollar fine. He asked me if I still wanted to change it. I told him that I did. He then said that he was going to give me three years on count one, and three years on count two. He asked me if I understood, and I told him that I did. Then he said that he didn't know why, but he was going to run them concurrent. I ended up getting three years to serve. I knew, then, that God heard my prayer.

Trust In The Lord

After getting back to the jail, Officer Parker asked me what happened. I told him that I got three years. He told me that the state of Georgia had recently passed a law that said I would only have to do one third of my sentence. Proverbs 3:5,6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” I knew that all I had to do was trust God and He would help me through all of this. God had brought my sentence down from twenty years to six years, then down to three years and on down to twelve months. No matter what the situation may be, remember God is always in control.

Answered Prayers

I stayed in the Dalton Jail for thirteen months. During that time, God answered several prayers. He put my marriage back together. I was baptized on October 4, 1981 while locked up. I prayed for a good study Bible and God provided it for me. I prayed to get on run-around; God worked that out also. Then, about two months before my release, I prayed about getting on the work release program. God came through again. I got a job working twelve hours a night in a carpet mill, then I would sleep at the jail during the day. I thank God for the time I spent locked up. It was one of the best things that has ever happened to me because it gave me time to get grounded in God's Word so when I did get out, I wouldn't go back to my old life.

A Changed Life

When God saved me, He gave me a new want-to. I didn't want to listen to rock music. I didn't want to use filthy words. I didn't want to use drugs anymore. I didn't want to do the things I used to do. I wanted to do what He wanted me to do. Yes, I have failed Him many times, but He has never failed me. I was released on September 23, 1982. I then started going to the jail services with Mr. McCarty, and helping him in the Mailbox Club Prison Ministry. Bibles and Bible studies were being sent into over 160 jails and prisons throughout the United States. The reason I still go to the jail is because I know that what God has done for me, He can and will do for others.

There Is Hope For You

I was twenty-eight years old when God saved me. All that time, no one had ever told me that God loved me, and that He could save me and change my whole life. If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior, I pray that you will ask Him to save you now. Remember, no matter who you are, where you have been or what you have done, God still loves you.

Johnny's Testimony: From Satanism to Jesus Christ

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:57:46 -0500

JOHNNY'S TESTIMONY

Written in 1996

Brought Up in Church

My name is Johnny Coffey. I have been in church since I was seven years old, and I heard all about God my whole life. I was a fairly good kid. I didn’t curse; I didn’t drink; I didn’t do much of anything wrong. I usually obeyed what my mom told me to do. I was not a rebellious kid.

Change

When I was about 18 years old things started changing. I started drinking and partying just to see what it was like, because I had never really done anything that wrong. I just wanted to try it out; try something new. I just got hooked up with the wrong people. I was real hard core into heavy metal rock bands and punk music. I dyed my hair 20 million colors. I had a mohawk, tattoos, and the whole nine yards. I gave up on God and gave up on Christians altogether. I had a lot of bad run-ins with Christians that were not living right. It just kind of turned me away from the Christian life and from believing it altogether. I tried to become an atheist, but I still believed in God. So basically, I just turned to hating Him since I could not stop believing in Him. I started hating Christians in general. I hated the whole message in general and I just thought it was rubbish.

Devil Worship

About a year and a half ago, I got into a bunch of Devil-worshipping bands. One of my favorite bands I listened to had a lead singer who was a priest in a Satanic church and he preached a lot about Satanism. I went to the mall and bought a Satanic Bible. It took three days and six dollars, and I got into it. I read the entire Satanic Bible all the way through. I hated God and everything having to do with him.

Your Brother is Preaching

Right before I got saved, my Dad’s family was having a reunion. I ended up going to church with him. I did not want to go. I did not want to be there. I hated the preacher, which didn’t help any. That night when I came home I was getting ready for a party. My mom came in and said, "Your brother is preaching tonight. You have to go to church." I didn’t want to go because I had talked to a friend of mine and he was supposed to be getting me some acid. This guy was supposed to be calling me at 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. I said, "There is no way I am going to church tonight!" I had plans. I was really mad, but no matter how mad I got, I decided that I wasn’t going to back out because it was my brother.

Hypocrites

I went to church and I was mad the whole time. I was cursing like crazy in my head; cursing everyone out. I totally hated everybody. I did not want to be there. I smarted-off to everybody. The preacher had changed the regular service, because he was preaching at the jail earlier that afternoon. I got there, and my friend, Lisa Byrd, made me sit up front with her. It was the first time I had sat up front in a long time. I was sitting there not going to listen to anything, and then they brought up the pastor’s son, a twelve year old boy named Stephen Cofield. A twelve year old kid got up to the pulpit and preached God’s word! He started preaching against hypocrites, so I perked up real fast because I hated them more than anything. I said "Cool; I will just sit here and hate them with him." He started talking about hypocrites and how you need to love these people that come to the church looking like freaks.

So Much Joy

I kind of just woke up. I wasn’t down or anything. I wasn’t depressed. I was enjoying my life. I wasn’t down when I got saved. I didn’t get pulled up out of some guilt trip. I was having a good time. Here I was, sitting in that pew listening to this kid preach the word of God at twelve years of age not caring what anybody thought. Next a 16 year old got up, and he was practically an evangelist. He preached in prison and all over the place. Then my brother got up there to preach. I was sitting there through the whole thing and God kept talking to me. He just told me that night, "If you don’t get saved, you are going to die and go to Hell." I never heard that before. I had been in church my whole life. I knew the Gospel message. I knew everything. That’s the reason no one could get me saved. I knew the Bible. No one could tell me anything. When God told me it was totally different. It was like, He is real. I knew he was real. I was sitting in that pew and God was talking to me. I knew he was real without a doubt in my mind. I could feel Him. Halfway through my brother's message, I just stood up and walked to the front of the auditorium. I told Mark I needed to get saved. So much joy went through me; I can’t even explain. I had done so many drugs--alcohol, cocaine, acid and just about anything you can name. I did it all. I will tell you something. None of that even came close to the way I felt when I stood up there to trust Jesus Christ as my Saviour. When I got saved I could have climbed the walls I had so much joy.

No Regrets

You know, I have had problems and doubts. Satan gets you down and starts fighting you. I can tell you this. To this day I have not regretted it one bit. It has been a year since I trusted Christ to save me. I have not done any drugs since the day I was saved. I used to smoke three packs a day. Now I smoke none. I am just happy and glad, and I praise Jesus for what he has brought me from.

Johnny Coffey was saved on June 14, 1996, exactly one year after his brother Mark was called to preach. As of the posting of this article (March 2008), Johnny is married and has two children. He teaches Sunday School, preaches in the local jail, and attends Whitfield Baptist Church in Dalton Georgia, USA.

Can All Religions be True? (Video)

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:25:26 -0500

Dr. William Lane Craig discuses whether all religions are equally true? (Requires Windows Media Player)

How Can I Be Sure that I Will Go to Heaven When I Die?

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:28:09 -0500

You can be sure that your sins are forgiven and that you will go to Heaven!

1. Realize that you are a sinner.

The Bible says,

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)

We are all sinners. No one has lived a perfect life.

2. Realize that you are separated from God because of your sins.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Death in the Bible = separation. When we die, we do not cease to exist. We are separated from our bodies, either to go to Heaven or Hell.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)

If we die without Jesus Christ, we will be separated from God forever in Hell.

3. Realize that Jesus Christ died for your sins on the cross.

“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:” (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4)

Jesus Christ, who never sinned, died on the cross to pay the price for our sins. After Jesus died, He was buried. Three days later, He rose up from the dead. Jesus suffered death for us because He loves us.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

God commended, or demonstrated His great love for us by giving Jesus Christ to die in our place on the cross.

4. Trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.

“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.” (John 3:16)

The Bible teaches that if we will simply believe in Jesus Christ, we will not perish in Hell but have everlasting life with God.

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31)

To believe means to depend on, to rely on, to trust. When I believe in Jesus Christ as my Saviour, I am believing that He died for my sins, was buried and rose from the dead. I am trusting in Him to forgive my sins and save my soul from Hell. I am relying on Him to take me to Heaven when I die.

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

It takes faith to be saved. No one can work hard enough to earn their way to Heaven. If we could, there would have been no need for Jesus Christ to have died on the cross! Everyone has some kind of faith. Some have a lot of faith; some have very little. It is not important how much faith we have but who our faith is in. Faith in Jesus Christ brings eternal salvation to every sinner.

Saving faith includes:

Repentance - Realizing that you are a sinner, that you can do nothing to save yourself, and that only Jesus Christ can save you. (For a more thorough explanation of saving repentance click here)

Belief - Trusting in Jesus Christ alone to save you. (For a more thorough explanation of saving belief click here)

YOUR DECISION:

If you would like to, right now, believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, tell Him. Pray this prayer:

"Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and I do not deserve to go to Heaven. I do believe that you died for me on the cross, and that you rose from the dead three days later. Right now, the best I know how, I trust you as my Saviour. I am completely depending on you to take me to Heaven when I die. Please help me to live for you and to be a good Christian. Amen."

Keep in mind that the words of a prayer do not save. Jesus saves those who believe in Him. Prayer is just a way of expressing faith in Christ. If you are trusting in Jesus Christ to save you, you have God's promise that you now have everlasting life. You will never be condemned to Hell. You will go to Heaven when you die.

“...He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

If you have any more questions or if you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please let us know.

Can a Person Who Is Saved Ever be Lost Again?

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:25:50 -0500

God keeps His promises

John 3:16 says, “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.”

Some people lose assurance of their salvation because they think that they are no longer saved. When I was younger, I was watching a preacher on T.V., and he taught that it was possible for one to lose his salvation. I went to my room and prayed. I was very upset because I thought that if that was true, then I could never be secure in Christ. I felt like I sinned all of the time. If salvation could be lost, I would lose it.

My father came home and I told him what the preacher had said. Dad explained it this way. Let us suppose that God says to me, “You are saved; you have everlasting life and you will never perish. I promise you. You will go to heaven when you die.” Now the truth of the matter is that God has said that.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

“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.” (John 3:16)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47)

"Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 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 10:24-30

Now, if God promises me that I have everlasting life and that I will never perish, and then He later comes to me and says, “Oh, too bad. You sinned. You will not go to heaven when you die. You will be spending eternity in hell.” If God did that, then He would have lied.

As a young man, that settled it for me. What dad said made sense. God cannot lie. I have believed in Jesus Christ, therefore, I am saved forever. God has promised. The same promise that Jesus Christ gave me when I was a young teenager, fearful of going to hell; that same promise is being kept by the Lord Jesus Christ today. All of the verses that seem to teach that we can lose our salvation must be read in context and compared against the multitude of Scriptures that teach that the one who has believed in Jesus Christ is saved and will go to heaven when he dies.

Since God keeps His promises, what makes some people believe that salvation can be lost?

People do not want to believe that they will be saved forever

because it doesn't make sense. Despite the hundreds of clear verses

that teach that believers in Jesus Christ have everlasting life with God,

men and women still don't believe it. We must remember, though, that

just because a thing doesn't make sense to our finite, human minds,

that doesn't mean that it doesn't make sense to God! “For my thoughts

are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the

LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways

higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah

55:8, 9)

Also, some Christians have the tendency to dismiss hundreds

of plain verses that teach that salvation is eternal, for a few that seem

to indicate that salvation can be lost. What you believe about this issue

has more than likely been shaped by what you were taught when you

were growing up, and what kind of a church you attend. In the end, we

have to remember that the Bible is the suprememe authority.

Tradition, or even someone whom we love, trust and have confidence in, cannot override the authority of Scripture. In 2 Peter 2:16-21, Peter tells us that he and other disciples were eyewitnesses of the glory of Jesus Christ. He tells us that they heard, with their own ears, the voice of God. Yet, he says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy;

whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a

dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private

interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:19, 20) Peter saw and heard Jesus Christ,

but he said that the “more sure word of prophecy” was Scripture. If

Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, viewed the Bible as being more

authoritative than his own eyes and ears, then maybe we should look at

it in the same way. Here are some of the most popular verses that have

been used to teach that salvation can be lost, and what the Bible

actually says.

Verses that are thought to teach that salvation can be lost:

What If I Don't Endure To The End?

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mark 13:13)

If you do not endure to the end, you will not be saved (if you miss the Rapture and are living on earth during the Tribulation). Of course, no Christian will miss the Rapture or be left here for the Tribulation. This verse is talking about people who live during the Tribulation time, enduring till the end of it. Those who are alive when it is all over will be saved from physical death, and will enter the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ alive. With this verse, as with all others that you study, “context is king.” Never take a verse out of context to try to prove a point. Knowing the verses that come before and after the verse that you are studying, and knowing what the chapter you are reading is talking about, is helpful in finding out the context. If Mark 13:13 is studied in context, “enduring to the end to be saved” is clearly talking about the time of the Tribulation, not today.

I Have Fallen From Grace.

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)

It would be a terrible thing for Christ to have no effect on our lives! That is what the first part of this verse is saying. “Christ is become of no effect unto you...” It is talking to a particular group of people. These are not people who get drunk or use drugs or commit other sins. The people here who have “fallen from grace” are those who are “justified by the law.” This verse comes from the book of Galatians which was written to Christians who had been deceived into thinking that they needed more than Jesus Christ for salvation and the Christian life. They were convinced that they also needed the laws of the Old Testament. To be “justified by the law” means that you are trying to keep the Ten Commandments and live according to the Old Testament so that God will count you as righteousness in His sight. If you are not trusting in the Old Testament Law but, rather, your faith is in Jesus Christ, then you are in no danger of falling from grace.

A person who choses the Old Testament Law over faith in Jesus Christ has hit “rock bottom” spiritually. This is not to imply that the Old Testament Law of God is bad. It is simply to say that in comparison, Jesus Christ is so much better. (Cf. the book of Hebrews) Christians living in this New Testament Age are to obey laws. However, we are to obey the Law of Christ. This Law works through love, while the Old Testament Law worked through fear. God loves me, therefore, I love God and desire to obey God. Because God loves me, I can be filled with His love and show it to others. For example, if I love my neighbor, I will not steal from him or try to hurt him, etc. Therefore, Romans 13:10 says, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10)

Now, if I were to leave the high ground of living the Christian life by grace, to try to live it in the basement of the Law, then I would have fallen. It is not that the people to whom Paul was writing wanted to reject Jesus Christ. They simply wanted to add Old Testament Law to faith in Him. In Christ is love, hope and peace. In the Law is fear, burden and judgment. Therefore, a person who choses the Law over, or in addition to Christ, has “fallen from grace.” If you are in this situation, turn to God and start trusting in Jesus Christ alone. God will pick you back up and forgive you. You can start living by grace alone, once again.

Impossible To Repent?

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

These verses in the book of Hebrews are given as a hypothetical situation. If a saved person fell away from faith in Jesus Christ, rejected Christianity, and returned to the Old Testament Law, it would be impossible to renew them to a place of repentance. Notice, that the writer of Hebrews never says that His readers have done this. “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” (Hebrews 6:9) In other words, he is saying, “Even though we are speaking about people who fall from faith in Christ and cannot repent, we are not talking about you.”

“Falling away” is a situation that will never happen to you if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ. Believers will struggle with doubt. They may even be lead astray by false teachers, as the Christians to whom Paul wrote the book of Galatians had been. But, they will never, in their hearts, reject Christianity and Jesus Christ. Listen to what the author of Hebrews says about himself and his readers. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:39) True believers do not “draw back unto perdition (Hell).” True believers believe in Jesus Christ “to the saving of the soul.”

I could say that it would be impossible for a man, who jumped out of an airplane without a parachute, to not get hurt or die. As true as that might be, I am not about to jump out of a plane without a parachute. In fact, I have no intention of jumping out of an airplane with a parachute! The fact that I would break my body if I did jump without a parachute does, however, serve to remind me that, if I ever do jump, I should check and double-check the parachute! The point here is this. A believer will never fall away from faith in Christ. But, when we are tempted to doubt, this hypothetical situation from Hebrews reminds us that the ultimate end of unbelief would be certain destruction. That, along with the promises that God makes to us, causes us to trust in Jesus Christ for our soul's salvation until the day that we go home to be with the Lord!

What Is Saving Repentance?

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:25:32 -0500

Let's talk about repentance for a moment. Sometimes the Bible gives the requirement for salvation as repentance, and sometimes as repentance and faith although, most of the time, believing in Jesus Christ is presented as the only thing that we must do to be saved. Repentance and faith are often separated into two requirements for salvation by well-meaning preachers. It is better, though, to look at repentance and faith in the same way we would look at two sides of a coin. Remove the side of the penny that has Lincoln’s face on it and you no longer have a complete penny. Remove the side with the Lincoln Memorial on it, and you have only half a coin. Remove repentance from faith, and you no longer have real faith. Remove faith from repentance and you cannot have the genuine article. You see, it is sometimes said that if I believe and do not repent that I am not really saved. If we closely examine the Bible’s teaching on saving faith and what it actually is, then we will see that it is impossible to believe without repenting.

Repentance is not reformation, nor is it remorse. There are several different Greek words that are translated as repent, repentance, etc. in our English Bible. While these words have different shades of meaning, the basic idea of saving repentance is “to think differently” or “to have a change of mind.” Here are some verses that demonstrate that repentance is a change of mind.

John the Baptist preached...

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Matthew 3:8-9)

The Jews were trusting in their lineage to get them to heaven. They were descendants of Abraham. John the Baptist said that they needed to change their minds. Notice in this sentence how the words “think not” are used along with the word “repent” to explain what their change of mind was to be about.

The Lord Jesus Christ preached...

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:1-5)

Here, in a similar manner as the verses in Matthew, the words, “Suppose ye” and “Think ye” are used along with the word “repent” to explain what the change of mind is to be about.

The Apostle Paul preached...

“Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts 17:29-30)

The Greeks believed that God was a god (or for that matter, many gods) made by men’s hands. They were idolaters, and they worshiped all kinds of humanistic, false deities. Again, the words, “we ought not to think” are used to explain what the repentance, or change of mind, is to be about. They were to change their minds and acknowledge the true and living God. They were to turn from their trust in idols.

Repentance from trust in idols was a big theme in the preaching of the early church to the people who were part of the ancient Roman Empire. Those who are not Jews are called Gentiles in the Bible. The Gentiles worshiped many gods. They trusted in these gods for their salvation, both on earth and in the afterlife. Paul commended the Christian converts in the church at Thessalonica. He wrote, “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10) These Gentiles “…turned to God from idols…” Their idols could not save them. They changed their minds in repentance and realized that only Jesus Christ could give them eternal life. They realized that

He alone was the Son of God and they turned to Him from their idols.

Repentance Inside Out

Now let me say here that repentance is something that is internal. It should manifest itself on the outside in actions, but it is a work that God does in the heart of man.

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:4-5)

Notice that these unbeliever’s hearts were impenitent. They would not repent in their hearts. Belief is also something that happens in the heart, but manifests itself on the outside.

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10)

A man can reform all day long on the outside and never repent. Repentance is a change that happens primarily on the inside of man. In fact, in the book of Jonah, the Word of God actually says that the outward, physical, turning from sin that the people did was a work.

So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. (Jonah 3:5-10)

“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way…” Now we know that salvation is not by works, but that we are to do works after we are saved. “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) “…The People of Nineveh believed God….” That is what verse five says. First they believed, then the works came. First there was a change on the inside, in the heart; then in the life, and on the outside.

Turning From Dead Works Toward God

The Bible tells us in the Book of Hebrews about the foundation of the Christian faith. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God” (Hebrews 6:1)

Saving repentance is “repentance from dead works.” This is the first block in the foundation of Christianity. The Jews were trusting in the works of the law to get them to heaven. The Gentiles were trusting in the works of their hands, their idols. Both Jews and Gentiles were to repent and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also, the Bible talks about saving repentance as being repentance toward God. In Acts 20:21 Paul says that he went about, “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Jews thought that God was a God who would accept their good works and lineage and would save them because of these things. They needed to change their minds. The Greeks believed that God wasn’t the true and living God but that there were many gods made by men. They needed to change their minds.

Sinners today need a change of mind toward God as well. When we see God high and lifted up, then we will see ourselves as wicked, lost, helpless sinners. Our problem is that we preach a kind of a self-exalting repentance that says, “Reform. Clean up your life and God will save you.” If we understand that God is holy, just and perfect, it will cause us to realize how lost we really are, and we will not be foolish enough to think that we can do anything to change our own lives. Repentance is not a half-hearted change of mind. It is a radical change of mind that says, “I am a lost sinner and I can do nothing to save myself. Only Jesus Christ can save me.” As long as men see themselves as only partially sinful, then they will see Jesus Christ as only a partial Savior. That is why genuine repentance is necessary to have genuine faith in Jesus Christ.

Lystra

Now the fact that you cannot have true, saving faith without repentance is clearly seen in Paul and Barnabas’ preaching in the city of Lystra.

And there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: (Acts 14:7-15)

Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel, which the Bible defines as the good news of Jesus Christ who died for our sins, was buried and arose from the dead. (Cf. 1Corinthians 15:1-4) God’s Word tells us that this good news is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.

Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

The people in Lystra thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods because a man who was listening to Paul preach was healed. The people wanted to worship them, but Barnabas and Paul ran through the crowd crying, “…ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.” Here is saving faith clarified for the idol-worshipping audience. Faith in Jesus Christ is faith in Him alone. It is not inclusive faith. You cannot trust in Jesus Christ and your idols for salvation. No. It is exclusive faith. It must be faith that looks to Jesus Christ alone. True belief in Jesus Christ includes a genuine and radical change of mind. That is why the word “repent” is never used in the Gospel of John. It is not because repentance isn’t important. It is because when a man truly puts his faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, he has repented.

What Is Saving Faith?

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:25:12 -0500

Believe

Let’s examine the word “believe.” If we are going to understand salvation, then we have to understand this word. The Bible tells us over and over again that the way to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ.

For example:

John 3:15, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16, “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.”

John 3:18, “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.”

John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”

Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

Acts 13:39, “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

Acts 16:31, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

The word “believe” in the Bible means to “trust.” The Word of God teaches that I will be saved if I “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul and a man that he was working with named Silas had been put in jail. In Acts chapter sixteen, and verse thirty, the jailer came to them and asked the question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Now, if you ask the average person that question today, he will give you fifty-dozen things that you have to do to be saved. I have heard a preacher say that you had to walk down a church aisle to be saved. There are people who say that you have to confess every sin in order to be saved. We are not concerned here with what people say. What does the Bible teach? I could say that in order to be saved, you had to stand on your head and count to a thousand and then run around town screaming at the top of your lungs for four hours. It wouldn’t make any difference.

The Bible says,

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

When I read this Scripture and say that the way to be saved is by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, people begin to object. I am a Baptist and I mean that I have seen Baptists object to this. I quoted some verses that taught that salvation was by believing in Jesus Christ to a Jehovah’s Witness one time, and he kept on saying “No, No, No.” I quoted “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” to a man who believed that people had to be baptized to be saved, and he objected because I kept on quoting the same verse over and over, as if God didn’t really mean what he said in that verse. It doesn’t surprise me when cult members object to salvation by faith alone, but when supposed “Bible-believing” Christians object to it, it is a little unnerving to say the least. Why would you object when the Lord Jesus Christ presented the way of salvation as through faith in Him? Why would you object when the apostle Paul presented the way of salvation as by faith in Jesus? Perhaps Jesus Christ and Paul were not as skilled as we are at presenting the Gospel. Maybe we could teach them a thing or two.

The Word “Believe” Means To “Trust”

As we said before, the word “believe” means to “trust.” I could say, “I believe in Santa Clause.” Or, “I believe in the Tooth Fairy.” In other words, I am saying that I believe that they exist. That’s not what the Bible is talking about here. People are not saved because they believe that Jesus exists. They are saved because they trust in Him for their soul’s salvation. A father has a son who plays little league ball. His son is up to bat and the father says, “Son, I believe in you!” Now, everyone knows that he doesn’t mean, “I believe you exist.” He means, “I have faith in you; I have confidence in you. I believe that you can do it.” That is what the Bible means when it says, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...” (Acts 16:31) It is the idea of putting your faith in Him, of placing your trust in Him. It is the idea of having confidence in Him that He will save you and keep you saved. Second Timothy 1:12 explains this idea very clearly. “…I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Here, the words “believe” and “commit” are interchangeable. To believe in Jesus is to commit the matter of my salvation into his hands. It is to trust in Him to save me from hell and to get me to heaven.

A Question of Faith

Here’s a question to think about. How can someone believe in Jesus if they don’t believe His words? I was talking to a man in prison one time who professed to be a Baptist. I asked him what he thought a person had to do to go to heaven, and he said something to the effect of, “Love your neighbor.” It amazes me how people who are in jail would think that they could be saved by good works, but self-righteousness is everywhere. I took him to John 3:16 and showed him what Jesus said about getting to heaven. Jesus did not say that we have eternal life by “loving our neighbors.” He said that we have eternal life by believing in Him as Savior. “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.” (John 3:16) He saw the words of Jesus, yet he would not change his mind and reject his false idea about salvation. He said that I had given him something to think about, but he refused to believe the simple words of Jesus Christ at that moment. How can a person really believe in Jesus and be a Christian if they don’t even believe John 3:16? Believing in Jesus means that I trust what He has promised. I know that I have eternal life and that I will go to heaven simply because I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior. That is what Jesus said, and I believe His words.

Synonyms For “Believe”

Several different words are used in the Bible interchangeably with “believe.” Often times, preachers have taught that these words express different requirements for salvation. For instance, in John chapter one, verse twelve, the Bible says, “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.” Some well-meaning preachers teach that it is not enough to believe in Jesus as Savior. You must also receive Him. God makes it clear with the expression; “even to them that believe on his name” that receiving Jesus as Savior means to believe on Him. The words are synonymous. Also, to “call upon the name of the Lord” in Romans 10:13 is just a way of expressing faith. Read verses thirteen and fourteen together to get the full meaning. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed…?” (Romans 10:13-14) We cannot call unless we believe, or trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. We put far too much emphasis on getting people to pray a prayer when they are saved. When I was young and wanted to be saved, I thought that there was a certain prayer that I had to pray. I wanted to know what that prayer was. But a prayer will not save anyone. The moment we trust in Jesus Christ for our soul’s salvation, He saves us. Prayer is an outward expression of inward faith. Putting our faith into words is good; but faith alone in Jesus Christ saves.

How Can I Be Truly Happy?

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:20:14 -0500

“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:1-8)

Everyone wants to be happy. People look for happiness in liquor and drugs. They look for happiness in illicit sex, or in money. Sin will only bring you a temporary happiness. God tells us how we can have real happiness that will last. David wrote, “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” (Romans 4:7) The word “blessed,” here means “happy.” The Bible teaches that we can be happy Christians.

You Can Be Happy If You Know That Your Faith Is Counted For Righteousness.

Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation. The Bible tells us that he is also the father of all who trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Now, the Bible says “…If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” (Romans 4:2) The word “justified” is a legal term. It means that God, the great Judge of the universe, bangs the gavel down and says, “You are not guilty of sin; you are righteous and sinless.” When God justifies a man, He declares that man to be righteous.

The Word of God says that “If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory…” In other words, let’s say that Abraham was walking around, living his life and doing good works. God looks down from heaven and sees Abraham living a good life. God bangs the gavel down and says, “Abraham, you are righteous!”

The Bible teaches that if that had happened, Abraham would have had something to glory about. He would have had something to brag on. He could have gone to work and said, “Hey boys, guess what! God said that I was righteous because of all of the good things I’ve been doing!”

But the Bible says “…but not before God.” In other words, that’s not the way that it was.

“For what saith the scripture?” (Romans 4:3a) That’s always a good question to ask isn’t it? What does the Bible teach? We are not concerned with man’s opinion. What does the Bible say about the thing?

“Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3b)

In the book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, the Word of God tells us the story of Abraham. In Genesis chapter fifteen, the Bible says that God took Abraham and showed him the stars in the sky. God told Abraham that his descendents would be like the stars. God’s Word tells us that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” The moment that Abraham believed what God said, God counted Abraham’s faith for righteousness.

Abraham was a sinner like all of us. The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Abraham had told some lies. He had done things that he shouldn’t have done. His father was an idol worshipper and he had grown up being taught to worship idols. Yet, God justified Abraham. God said, “Abraham is righteous. He is not guilty of sin.” When Abraham believed God, the Lord counted Abraham’s faith for righteousness.

Now this truth applies to all of us. All of us are sinners. But, when we believe in Jesus Christ, God counts our faith for righteousness and He declares us to be righteous. When I was a young teenager, I knew that I was a sinner, lost and on my way to hell. One day, I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior. When I believed, or trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, God declared me to be righteous.

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4,5)

If I tell you I will give you a free gift if you will go and wash my car, then I am not really offering you a free gift. You are earning it. If a man worked for his salvation, then God would owe it to him. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” But none of us can work for our salvation. We cannot earn salvation. God does not owe us anything.

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“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” (Titus 3:5)

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5)

When we believe in Jesus Christ, God counts our faith for righteousness. Here’s an illustration to help explain this. God looks at my record in heaven. He sees sin on my record. He sees lying, cheating and so on. Now, I believe in Jesus Christ. I trust in Him to be my Savior. The moment that I believe in Jesus Christ, God takes all of the sins off of my record, and God puts the righteousness of Jesus Christ on my record. He puts the good things that Jesus did on my account in heaven. This is a doctrine that we call imputation. God puts the righteousness of Jesus Christ on my record and takes my sins away.

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” If I don’t work, and never have done anything good, but I believe in Jesus Christ, God counts my faith for righteousness. God puts the righteousness of Jesus Christ on my record, takes my sins away, and justifies me; declares me to be righteous. That ought to make you happy just thinking about it! God will take the sins off of your record, put the righteousness of Jesus Christ on your record, and declare you to be righteous and sinless in His site. All of this because you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. “Blessed is the man!”

You Can Be Happy If You Know That Your Sins Are Forgiven.

“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:6-8)

Some people teach that men have been saved in different ways at different times. In other words, when the Law was given, people were saved one way. After the Law, people were saved another.

But we have just read about Abraham, who lived before the Law, being saved by faith in Jesus Christ. Now here is a quote from David, who lived during the time of the Law, and he testifies that men under the Law were saved the same way as Abraham—by faith! Of course, the people to whom the book of Romans was written were living after the Law, yet they are told that they are saved the same way as Abraham and David: by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

David says that I can be happy if my “iniquities are forgiven.” (Romans 4:7a) If my sins are forgiven, I can be happy. Before I was saved, I was worried about dying and going to hell. Now that my sins are forgiven, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I know that I am going to heaven when I die. That makes me happy.

Also, David says that we are blessed if our “sins are covered.” (Romans 4:7b) Now, we all try to cover up our sin. If a little child does something wrong, he tries to hide it from his parents. Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, as soon as they had sinned, tried to hide from God. But, you cannot hide your sins from God. That’s foolish. We cannot cover our sins; but God wants to cover them. When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, God covers our sins. The wonderful thing is, when God covers our sins, He takes them away. He hides them.

In the Old Testament, they would take two goats. They would kill one, confess the sins of the nation of Israel over the other one, and send it off into the wilderness. This was all symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ dying for our sins, and by His sacrifice, taking our sins away.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)

I’m happy because my sins are forgiven and taken away by the Lord Jesus Christ!

You Can Be Happy If You Know That God Will Not Put Sin On Your Account.

“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:8)

The word, “impute,” means to charge to someone’s account. The Bible says that I am happy if I know that God will not charge sin to my account.

I have heard an old preacher give this illustration. It will be a blessing to you. The Devil comes to God and says, “Did you see Stephen Baker commit that sin?” God says, “No, I didn’t see it.”

“Sure you did!” The Devil says. “He just committed a sin.” God says, “I did not see any sin.” The Devil says, “Write that sin down. Put it on his account.” God says, “I will NOT write it down. I will NOT put it on his account.”

God will not charge sin to the believer’s account. That ought to make a Presbyterian shout!

Now, this does not give me a license to sin. We need to understand the difference between RELATIONSHIP and FELLOWSHIP.

As far as my relationship with Jesus Christ is concerned, God will not put sin on my account. When God looks at me, I am sinless and perfect. God only sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ. So, I am not worried about losing my salvation. Well you say, “Brother Stephen, what if you sin?” I wish I didn’t sin, but I do sin every day, and so do you.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1John 1:8)

God will not write my sins down. He will not charge those sins to my account. As far as going to heaven is concerned, I am righteous in the site of God and I will go to heaven when I die because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My relationship with God is always the same. I am always His child, and saved, and holy, and righteous in His site. All of this happened the moment I believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fellowship is a different thing. I am my father’s son. If I come home and take a knife and cut up the couch and break the lamps and windows and set fire to his car, I will still be his son, but he is going to kick me out of the house. I will not lose my relationship. I will lose my fellowship.

When we sin, as Christians, we lose our fellowship with God. We lose our closeness to Him. We can have it restored by confessing, or acknowledging our sins to God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

You can be a happy Christian today! You can know that because you have believed in Jesus Christ, all of your sins are forgiven and you are righteous in the site of God. God has declared you to be guiltless and righteous in His site and He will never charge sin to your account again.

If you sin, admit it. Acknowledge your sins to God so that you can have your fellowship restored, and you can walk close to God again.