Most Christian preachers preach a brand of gospel that presupposes people are born apart from Christ. To become part of His Body, these preachers teach that one has to exercise faith by believing in and accepting Him as personal Savior. But Christ Himself said that apart from Him, man can do NOTHING, much less bear fruit (John 15:4, 5). This utter inability of man to do anything while apart from Christ obviously includes the spiritual acts of believing and accepting. Hence, these Christian preachers, though perhaps unaware of it, are preaching a gospel that is diametrically opposed to what Christ taught that apart from Him man can do NOTHING.
The fact that people are able to believe and accept Jesus as personal Savior simply proves that people are capable of doing SOMETHING, and therefore are already in Him prior to their believing and accepting. But how and when were people in Christ as parts of His Body?
People were made part of the Body of Christ through the gracious act of God when He implemented the plan of salvation He devised before the beginning of time (2 Tim 1:8-10), and saved Adam through Christ (Acts 4:12) that same day Adam fell into sin, and reinstated him to his pre-fall status, an act that cost God His only begotten Son, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8)! This saving act of God was manifested in the life, death, resurrection and heavenly ministry of our Saviour and Lord. With Adam in Christ, all his descendants are all born in Christ.
Being in Christ Who is our life and strength (Col 3:4; Phil 4:13), we have His power to overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21)! No wonder, the gospel of God that Christ Himself preached calls people to repentance (Mark 1:14, 15), the same call to repentance that God made in the Old Testament (Ezek 18:30), and the same call He commands now for all people everywhere (Acts 17:30). And repentance is change of mind: instead of doing evil, overcome it with good. And overcomers will not be blotted out from the book of life (Rev 3:5) but will be seated with Christ in His throne as He also overcame and sat down with His Father in His throne (Rev 3:21). Sadly, non-overcomers will be blotted out from the book of life and will have their portion in the lake of fire (Rev 15:20).
Do you believe and preach the gospel that Christ preached, the gospel He wanted preached to the world before He comes again (Matt 24:14); or, do you believe and preach another gospel (Gal 1:6-9)? Your choice...
The fact that people are able to believe and accept Jesus as personal Savior simply proves that people are capable of doing SOMETHING, and therefore are already in Him prior to their believing and accepting. But how and when were people in Christ as parts of His Body?
People were made part of the Body of Christ through the gracious act of God when He implemented the plan of salvation He devised before the beginning of time (2 Tim 1:8-10), and saved Adam through Christ (Acts 4:12) that same day Adam fell into sin, and reinstated him to his pre-fall status, an act that cost God His only begotten Son, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8)! This saving act of God was manifested in the life, death, resurrection and heavenly ministry of our Saviour and Lord. With Adam in Christ, all his descendants are all born in Christ.
Being in Christ Who is our life and strength (Col 3:4; Phil 4:13), we have His power to overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21)! No wonder, the gospel of God that Christ Himself preached calls people to repentance (Mark 1:14, 15), the same call to repentance that God made in the Old Testament (Ezek 18:30), and the same call He commands now for all people everywhere (Acts 17:30). And repentance is change of mind: instead of doing evil, overcome it with good. And overcomers will not be blotted out from the book of life (Rev 3:5) but will be seated with Christ in His throne as He also overcame and sat down with His Father in His throne (Rev 3:21). Sadly, non-overcomers will be blotted out from the book of life and will have their portion in the lake of fire (Rev 15:20).
Do you believe and preach the gospel that Christ preached, the gospel He wanted preached to the world before He comes again (Matt 24:14); or, do you believe and preach another gospel (Gal 1:6-9)? Your choice...
