Romans 10:3-4, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
The clarity of the Gospel is what makes it easy for people to be saved.
Satan has successfully clouded and obscured the Gospel of free grace in most
churches today, hindering people from being saved. A man cannot be saved
unless he knows how to be saved. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people
into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. Tragically,
this is happening all over the world today.
You can perform a simple little test to determine if someone's really saved or not. Simply ask them the direct question: “Do you know for sure that if you died today, you would go to Heaven, and why?” Don't help them answer the question (this step is very important, because you are trying to find out what they are trusting in). If they say, “I think so,” something is very wrong. A truly born-again Christian can and should “KNOW SO.” Granted, they could simply be ignorant of the Scriptures and need some mentoring. But until you determine whether they are saved or not, do not provide them with any information, otherwise they'll simply agree with you and you won't know for sure.
For example: I once witnessed to a man the wrong way. I told a man how to be saved and then I asked him if he believed what I said. He completely agreed with me, and then told me he was late for Catholic mass and needed to go. Uh, that man is very likely not saved! Catholics think that attending mass is necessary for their salvation. So the man went his way and I still wonder to this day if he's really saved or not. What I should have done is what I am now teaching you. I should have asked him point blank, without providing any clues, “Do you know for sure that if you died today, you would go to Heaven, and why?” He would have had to tell me the truth, or not answer at all. Very likely he would have included some amount of human effort (self-righteousness), which would have made it very clear to me that he is not saved. So when I witness to people, I often first ask them what THEY BELIEVE.
You see, every hellbound Catholic agrees with the basic Gospel (Good News) that Christ died on the cross for their sins, was buried, and resurrected three days later. But they also ADD keeping the Seven Sacraments, which negatives the Gospel, rendering it useless to save. Adding anything to the Gospel of grace renders it a false plan of salvation. NO ONE has ever been saved who placed their trust in a false gospel. Either you are saved by God's imputed righteousness or else you are not saved. ...
Philippians 3:9-11, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
And again we read the blessed truth of God's imputed righteousness...
Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The
psalmist David proclaimed faith solely in God's salvation...
Psalms 13:5, “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.”
Psalms 51:12, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
Psalms 71:15, “My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.”
Psalms 85:7, “Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”
Psalms 119:123, “Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.”
Romans 10:3-4, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
What an awesome and great God!!! The Holy Bible (which is our beloved King James Bible written in Elizabethan English), teaches that Jesus became as sin, Who knew no sin; that we who knew no righteousness, could be MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH...
2nd Corinthians 5:20-21, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Here is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Romans 4:5 was the famous Christian mother (19 children), Susanna Wesley's (1669-1742) favorite Bible passage...
Romans 4:3-8, “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.”
In God's plan of redemption for mankind, a person's FAITH is counted (accepted) for righteousness. How is this possible? It is made possible only by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, Who died vicariously (in our place) on the cross. And a good thing that is, indeed, for we have NO RIGHTEOUSNESS to offer a holy God. Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” God accepts nothing less than absolutely perfection. James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” So even if you tell one seemingly insignificant little lie, that is enough to condemn you to the Lake of Fire for all eternity. Aren't you glad that the Lord made a way of escape? Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Amen! The only way to escape the coming wrath of a holy God, upon all the wicked in Hell, is by THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!!
So how do you SUBMIT to God's righteousness to be saved? Why it is as simple as BELIEVING some good news. That “Good News” is THE GOSPEL, which is exactly what the word “Gospel” means. In Acts chapter 10 we have the true account of Cornelius, who was a centurion of the Roman army. A centurion was a captain over 100 foot soldiers, upwards of a thousand men. Centurions were paid much more, anywhere from double to a dozen times more than a regular solider. It was a coveted position for a military man. We read in Acts chapter 10 about such a man, named Cornelius. The Holy Bible says that Cornelius was a good man, devout, who loved people and helped others. He prayed, fasted and gave alms to the poor. Yet, Cornelius was a lost man, hellbound in his sins without Christ. Thankfully, the Lord appeared to Cornelius and told him to go see the apostle Peter who would instruct him in the faith.
In this amazing passage of Scripture, toward the end of the chapter in Acts 10, Peter simply preaches the truth of the Gospel. While Cornelius and many others were listening to the preaching of the Gospel, they simply BELIEVED in their hearts and were immediately saved. My friend, that is how simple it is to be saved. This is why the apostle Paul asks the professed believers at Galatia how they were saved, by works or faith. Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” I love that... BY THE HEARING OF FAITH!!! In other words, they placed their trust in the Gospel when they heard it preached unto them. That is how anybody gets saved. If you haven't read it yet, I encourage you to please read my article, “PETER PREACHES THE SIMPLE GOSPEL.” The clarity of the Gospel is what makes it easy for people to be saved.
You see my fine non-feathered friend, YOU NEED GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, and so do I. Thankfully, I already have it, by faith. I was saved as a young lad, at only 13 years of age, by placing my trust in the crucified and risen Savior. That is the ONLY way anyone has ever been saved, that is, by faith in the Lord. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
