The Need of Grace

"I find it extremely difficult in this age to minister to people, especially when you get in a more social setting. The more social it gets and the farther from this local assembly I get, the more I try to hide behind the "X-Mass" tree and make sure they can't find me, when it comes time to say the blessing. Really, to tell you the truth, I just don't go anymore. I really don't hide behind the Christmas tree, I just stay home and don't go anymore. Why? Because at no other time of the year do people want somebody religious around them speak of (how) holy they are, to speak (of how) blessed are they, and say everybody's all right. Well, everybody is not all right! Grace is not to everybody, and peace is not to everybody. As bad as I hate it, friend, it isn't even to those that I have a tenderness in my heart for that may be related to me physically but have no understanding of Christ and the gospel. And there's not a thing I can do about it. I'm going to tell you something about your kids, and I'm gonna talk about mine. I'll tell you about my family. There is not a one of them that is going to heaven and every last one of them is going to go to hell if they don't bow to King Jesus and repent of their sin. I'm still going to give them a Christmas present. If they need food, I'll give it to them. If they need a place to sleep, I'll give it to them. I'll take care of them and do all I can for them, but I have no idea at all in my head that a single one of us shall see heaven except by grace, and that by faith. Dear soul, my kids and yours too may wind up as alcoholics in an insane asylum having wasted their lives, and become wretches, if God doesn't do something about it. If they don't do something about their sin, everyone I know is a candidate for hell, and a candidate for the nut house, and will not have a moment's peace in their life. They will drive you crazy with them, if they can, except they have the peace of God that passes understanding and that by grace through faith. That's the gospel. That's the gospel."

From a sermon preached by Pastor Gene Breed of the Grace Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Ga. Titled, "The Grace of Christ - A Gospel Message - Galatians 1:1-5".

The Gospel-Less Evangelist

The following are excerpts from an article titled "Signs of the Times" by Arthur W. Pink from his magazine "Studies in the Scriptures", written in December 1937. Fifty years ago! and yet, what a warning to this generation of "evangelists", so called, and those who promote their 'gospel-less' ministries. You can read the entire article at: pbministries.

"It is generally recognized that spirituality is at a low ebb in Christendom, and not a few perceive that sound doctrine is rapidly on the wane, yet many of the Lord's people take comfort from supposing that the Gospel is still being widely preached and that large numbers are being saved thereby. Alas, their optimistic supposition is ill-founded and grounded in sand. If the "message" now being delivered in Mission Halls be examined, if the "tracts" which are scattered among the unchurched masses be scrutinized, if the "open air" speakers be carefully listened to, if the "sermons" or "addresses" of a "Soul-winning campaign" be analyzed; in short, if modern "Evangelism" be weighed in the balances of Holy Writ, it will be found wanting—lacking that which is vital to a genuine conversion, lacking what is essential if sinners are to be shown their need of a Saviour, lacking that which will produce the transfigured lives of new creatures in Christ Jesus.

But serious indeed as is the above indictment, it is only half of it—the negative side, that which is lacking. Worse still is that which is being retailed by the cheap-jerk evangelists of the day. The positive content of their message is nothing but a throwing of dust in the eyes of the sinner. His soul is put to sleep by the Devil's opiate, ministered in a most unsuspecting form. Those who really receive the "message" which is now being given out from most of the "orthodox" pulpits and platforms today are being fatally deceived. It is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but unless God sovereignly intervenes by a miracle of grace, all who follow it will surely find that the ends thereof are the ways of death. Tens of thousands who confidently imagine they are bound for Heaven will get a terrible disillusionment when they awake in Hell.

What is the Gospel? Is it a message of glad tidings from Heaven to make God-defying rebels at ease in their wickedness? Is it given for the purpose of assuring the pleasure-crazy young people that, providing they only "believe" there is nothing for them to fear in the future? One would certainly think so from the way in which the Gospel is presented—or rather perverted—by most of the "evangelists," and the more so when we look at the lives of their "converts." Surely those with any degree of spiritual discernment must perceive that to assure such that God loves them and His Son died for them, and that a full pardon for all their sins (past, present, and future) can be obtained by simply "accepting Christ as their personal Saviour," is but a casting of pearls before swine.

The nature of Christ's salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day "evangelist." He announces a Saviour from Hell, rather than a Saviour from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of Fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness. The very first thing said of Him in the New Testament is, "thou shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save His people (not "from the wrath to come," but) from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). Christ is a Saviour for those realizing something of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, who felt the awful burden of it on their conscience, so loathe themselves for it, who long to be freed from its terrible dominion; and a Saviour for no others. Were He to "save from Hell" those who were still in love with sin, He would be the Minister of sin, condoning their wickedness and siding with them against God. What an unspeakably horrible and blasphemous thing with which to charge the Holy One!

The way of salvation is falsely defined. In most instances the modern "evangelist" assures his congregation that all any sinner has to do in order to escape Hell and make sure of Heaven is to "receive Christ as his personal Saviour." But such teaching is utterly misleading. No one can receive Christ as Saviour while he rejects Him as Lord. It is true the preacher adds that the one who accepts Christ should also surrender to Him as Lord, but he at once spoils it by asserting that though the convert fails to do so, nevertheless Heaven is sure to him. That is one of the Devil's lies. Only those who are spiritually blind would declare that Christ will save any who despise His authority and refuse His yoke: why, my reader, that would not be grace but a disgrace—charging Christ with placing a premium on lawlessness.

Alas, alas, God's "way of salvation" is almost entirely unknown today. The nature of Christ's salvation is almost universally misunderstood, and the terms of His salvation misrepresented on every hand. The "Gospel" which is now being proclaimed is, in nine cases out of every ten, but a perversion of the Truth, and tens of thousands, assured they are bound for Heaven, are now hastening to Hell, as fast as time can take them. Things are far, far worse in Christendom than even the "pessimist" and the "alarmist" suppose. We are not a prophet, nor shall we indulge in any speculation of what Biblical prophecy forecasts—wiser men than the writer have often made fools of themselves by so doing. We are frank to say that we know not what God is about to do. Religious conditions were much worse, even in England, one hundred and fifty years ago. But this we greatly fear; unless God is pleased to grant a real revival, it will not be long ere "the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people" (Isa. 60:2), for the light of the true Gospel is rapidly disappearing. Modern "Evangelism" constitutes, in our judgment, the most solemn of all the "signs of the times."