Selling Our Birthright
By: Jeremiah Baldizan
Here in America we have been handed the very words of eternal life by men who have laid down their own lives to pass on the Christian faith to us. We have been handed the gospel of Jesus Christ by the very pierced hands of the risen Savior Himself (Acts 1). This gospel is to precious to be trifled with. I would like to share with you, “ There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:7) Just as terrorist cross our borders and live among us unannounced. Worldly wisdom, traditions of men, and doctrines of demons have infiltrated modern evangelicalism in America. Just as it has been throughout church history their mode of transportation has been false doctrine, traditions of men, and blind guides. For example, in the past men have been declared right with God by performing certain rituals, with certificates, by repeating doctrinal creeds, or by being baptized as an infant. These traditions of men have been proven very dangerous, as men are easily led beyond grace and into presumption. Men, women, and children have been declared right with God in the past , when in fact they are not. They may feel safe, but like a blind man walking boldly before a deep and dangerous pit they are not. The same thing is happening in this generation. I was teaching a Sunday school class one Sunday, and I asked this question “ Class, what does it mean to be born again?” One kid raised his hand and answered “To ask Jesus into your heart.” I felt as if a knife had pierced my stomach because if this child believed that, there are millions of others children that do too. Declaring men saved after having them repeat a prayer commonly known as “the sinners prayer” or “asking Jesus into your heart” is nothing more than a dangerous tradition of men. There is no scriptural support for men to be proclaimed right with God by an organization of men, a pastor, or any professing believer after saying a “prayer” or “making a decision.” It is doctrinally correct to say God will give men assurance of salvation as they trust in Christ “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Romans 8:16). Being born again is for God to supernaturally change a wicked heart that hates God and loves evil, into a heart that loves God and loves what is pure, good, and right based off what God says in His Word. A heart raised from the dead. “But God…even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”(Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV emphasis added) We cannot manipulate men into being born again, it is God’s work, what we can do is pray, and boldly proclaim a biblical Gospel void of the traditions of men, like Paul we will say, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth:” (Romans 1:16) “but it was God, not we, who made it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6 NLT) God bless you and remember the future of Christianity depends on how faithful we are to the scriptures when we share the Gospel.The Underground Gospel Team“…but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
(Galatians 1:7)
