Thank God For “Quick Fix” Evangelism!

By David J. Stewart
August 2011 | Updated October 2015

Galatians 1:6-7, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

       The Bible clearly and plainly teaches that it is very easy to be saved. Salvation is NOT a process, costs you nothing, can be received immediately, and there are no strings attached. Just come as a sinner and receive Jesus as your Savior by BELIEVING the Gospel (John 1:12; 20:31; Mark 1:15). The “Gospel” is Christ's death on the cross for our sins, His burial, and His bodily resurrection three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).

It is frightening that Evangelist Ray Comfort refers to the simplicity that is in Christ as a “manipulative practice” and “quick-fix evangelism.” Comfort considers the popular Romans Road presentation of the Gospel as a manipulative practice, the 1-2-3 follow me method of getting people saved. Mr. Comfort states that it's not that easy, because sinners must decide to stop intentionally sinning and turn over a new leaf (which he falsely understands to be Biblical repentance). Kindly, Ray Comfort has erred from the faith and is corrupt in his theology. I say this, not to be unkind, but to be truthful.

On page 1233 of THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, under the section titled, “False Converts,” Ray Comfort states...

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name have done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23). This is why we must forsake traditional quick-fix evangelism...”

Source: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1233; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida.

Ray Comfort does “err, not knowing the scriptures” (Matthew 22:29) concerning Matthew 7:21-23. Mr. Comfort would errantly lead us to believe that the religious group in Matthew 7:21-23 were not saved because of “quick fix” evangelism, but that is not the truth at all. In fact, the “quick fix” of trusting Jesus Christ is exactly what they needed. If you know that you're a sinner and trust upon the name of Jesus, believing that He is the Christ Who died on the cross for your sins, and raised up from the dead the third day, then you are saved my friend (Acts 10:43; John 20:31; Galatians 3:26; 1st Thessalonians 4:14).

Those people in Matthew 7:21-23 were self-righteous, just as the rich young ruler who questioned the Lord in Luke 18:18-25. They had religion without truth, churchianity without Christianity. Verse 21 tells us why they were not saved, that is, they failed to do “the will of my Father which is in heaven” (which is to believe on Christ without works of self-righteousness.” 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.” Religion is a paved road to Hell. Religion wants to fit us with glasses, but the Lord wants to open our eyes.

On page 1197 of “THE EVIDENCE BIBLE,” Evangelist Ray Comfort comments on Matthew 7:22-23...

“These are perhaps the most frightening verses in the Bible. Vast multitudes of professing Christians fit into the category spoken of here. They call Jesus 'Lord,' but they practice lawlessness. They profess faith in Jesus, but have no regard for the divine law. They tell 'fibs' or 'white' lies, take things that belong to others, have a roaming eye for the opposite sex, etc. They are liars, thieves, and adulterers at heart, who will be cast from the gates of heaven into the jaws of hell.”

SOURCE: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1197; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida

Ladies and gentleman, Ray Comfort is teaching works salvation! According to what we just read by Ray Comfort, every believer who willingly allows sin in their life won't be allowed into Heaven. Mr. Comfort is teaching that you cannot get to Heaven unless you try really hard to stop sinning. This is a works-based mindset and a false Gospel.

The “gift” of eternal life has absolutely nothing to do with our desire to depart from a deathstyle of sin. The decision to depart from sinful behavior is a matter of discipleship, which is an entirely separate decision from receiving the gift of eternal life. This is why some believers will receive rewards at The Judgment Seat Of Christ (1st Corinthians 3:6-9), and others wont (1st Corinthians 3:15).

Whereas the gift of eternal life depends solely upon God's faithfulness; discipleship depends entirely upon man's faithfulness. Whereas salvation costs us nothing; discipleship will cost us everything. Certainly, God desires for every person to repent of their unbelief and believe the Gospel, and then to follow Christ in discipleship as a new believer. Albeit, discipleship is not required for salvation, and must never be mixed or added to faith alone in the Gospel, otherwise it is a false plan of salvation.

The correct interpretation of Matthew 7:22-23 must include verse 21...

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

What is “the will of the Father”? The answer is found in 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.”

The group in Matthew 7:21-23 were unsaved because they refused to do God's will concerning salvation. It wasn't because they still had personal sins in their life. Every believer still has sin in their life! We all sin every day. That's not to say that we have God's approval to sin, God forbid (Romans 3:31). It just means that even the best of Christians are still sinners. Ray Comfort wrestles the Scriptures to his own destruction (2nd Peter 3:16).

The reason why the religious people in Matthew 7:21-23 were not allowed into Heaven was because they had failed to do the will of God the Father by believing on Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 6:40). They died in their sins, in their own self-righteousness (Romans 10:3-4). They ran around saying “Lord, Lord” like the unsaved Lordship Salvationists, perverting the gift of God into a lie in their woeful ignorance. Ray Comfort is a frightening man in the religious world, teaching strange doctrines that CANNOT be supported with the Word of God.

On page 1513 of THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, under the section “Questions & Objections,” Ray Comfort addresses the statement: “Because Jesus died on the cross we are forgiven of every sin.” Here’s Ray Comfort’s reply to this statement…

“The forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ is conditional upon ‘repentance towards God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Acts 20:21). It is a gift that God offers to everyone, but individuals must receive it by repenting and trusting in Christ, or they will remain dead in their sins. No one has Biblical grounds to continue in sin, assuming that they are safe just because Jesus died on the cross. See 1 John 3:4-6.” [Emphasis added]

SOURCE: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1513; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida.

If we are not “safe” because Jesus died on the cross and paid for our sins, then what's the gospel message? Ladies and gentleman this is scary stuff that Ray Comfort is teaching. Jesus did indeed die on the cross so we could be safe by faith in Him. Throughout THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, Comfort gives the impression that works are necessary for salvation.

For example, on pg. 1377 he comments on John 14:15 (“If ye love me keep My commandments”). Mr. Comfort states:

“We show our love for God by our obedience. If we do not obey, we do not truly love Him (see vv. 23,24). There are many who call Him 'Lord, Lord,' but do not do what He says. Matthew 7:21-23 tells us their fearful state.”

Source: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1377; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida.

Do you see the subtlety by which Ray Comfort perverts the Gospel? Both of the preceding statements above are true, but when you link them together it creates a heresy. It is true that a believer who loves the Lord will obey His commandments; however, what does this have to do with the unsaved false prophets in Matthew 7:21-23 who were cast into the Lake of Fire? Clearly, Ray Comfort is teaching that you cannot be saved unless you stop sinning deliberately.

From Genesis to Revelation the Scriptures are filled with examples of believers who committed deliberate sins in their life. Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:21). Samson had sex with a prostitute (Judges 16:1). David killed Uriah to hide an adulterous affair with the man's wife, Bath-sheba, which impregnated her (2nd Samuel 11; 12:9). Jeremiah quit preaching God's Word (Jeremiah 20:9). Isaiah had unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). Jonah fled from God's will (Jonah 1:10). Ananias and Sapphira were killed for lying to God (Acts 5:5,10). Rahab was a harlot. Peter cursed the name of Jesus. Rebekah and Jacob conspired against Esau and Isaac. Abraham lied. Sarah laughed in God's face. Lot moved to Sodom. Demas loved the world and forsook his ministry with Paul. These are just a handful of Biblical examples of believer's who did sinful things. If Lordship Salvation is true, then all these sinful saints went to Hell. Solomon lived a wicked life as a believer, as did Lot, Samson and Demas.

The truth is that Lordship Salvation is no salvation at all, but a hypocritical, self-righteous, road to hellfire. You are a sinner, and so am I. God only saves ungodly sinners!!! Salvation doesn't change you a bit! When you get saved, the Holy Spirit indwells (i.e., comes to live in you, Romans 8:9) and you become a new creature (i.e., Christ in you, 2nd Corinthians 5:17). The changes that need to take place in a new convert is God's department and He will attend to that. 1st Peter 2:2 says to desire the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow in the Lord. The Apostle Paul taught in Romans 7:14-25 that sin was always a constant struggle for him. Dr. John R. Rice does an excellent job explaining the difference between being saved verses living a consecrated life for the Lord (which requires mentoring, that is, being taught to serve God).

If professed believers who indulge in sin go to Hell, then why does 2nd Corinthians 5:10 teach that BELIEVERS will one day give account to God for the good and bad they do? ...

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

This is an entirely different judgment than the judgment of the false prophets in Matthew 7:21-23. 2nd Corinthians 5:10 speaks of The Judgment Seat Of Christ for all believers (1st Corinthians 3:13-15); whereas Matthew 7:21-23 speaks of The Great White Throne of Judgment for all unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15). Ray Comfort is wrong to teach on pg. 1377 that those who fail to express their love for God through obedience are going to Hell. This is what Comfort teaches.

Read what Harry Ironside said about surrendering to Christ for salvation (the opposite of what Ray Comfort teaches)...

"When anyone comes promising salvation to those ‘who make full surrender' of all that they have to God, and who 'pay the price of full salvation' he is preaching another gospel, for the price was paid on Calvary's cross and the work that saves is finished. It was Christ Jesus who made the full surrender when He yielded His life on Calvary that saves us, not our surrender in any way to Him."

SOURCE: Harry A. Ironside, from the Gospel tract, Another Gospel.

It's ironic that false prophets today like Ray Comfort and John MacArthur (who claim that modern theology has displaced repentance) have themselves done so by corrupting the Biblical meaning of what it means to “repent.” Here is what Dr. Ironside correctly says about repentance...

“Repentance is the recognition of my sinnership — the owning before God that I am as vile as He has declared me to be in His holy Word.”

SOURCE: Except Ye Repent, by Dr. Harry Ironside, chapter 3

This is very different than giving up a sinful bad habit to be saved as Mr. Comfort teaches. Biblical repentance is simply "a change of mind." The changed life comes later as a FRUIT of genuine repentance. The Law cannot chase us any further than the cross of Calvary. Any sinner who acknowledges that they've woefully violated God's holy Law and by faith BELIEVES on Jesus Christ to be forgiven of sins will be... "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). I couldn't agree more with Ray Comfort concerning the necessity of God's Law in salvation; but ceasing from one's sins in NOT a prerequisite to be saved. 

Ray Comfort presents a false interpretation of the Biblical gospel message. The Bible teaches that salvation is without works of self-righteousness (Romans 4:5-6; Romans 10:3-4; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9). The good news is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Who came into the world to SAVE SINNERS. Just shut up and get on the ark!

All Christians willfully sin at times, because the flesh cannot be tamed (Romans 7:14-25). Only self-righteous hypocrites teach that a person can live above sin. Believers should try to live right with God's help (Romans 3:31); but they will falter at times because of the flesh (Proverb 24:16; Psalm 103:14).

Please notice all of the WORKS that are being called off by the wicked group defending themselves in Matthew 7:22-23. They said, “Lord, we did this, and Lord we did that, and Lord we helped others in your name... Lord, Lord, Lord”; but Jesus rejected them because they failed to do the will of God the Father. Ironically, and don't miss this, they said “Lord, Lord,” which is exactly what the Lordship Salvation crowd are doing. They've even corrupted the New International Version of the Bible in Romans 10:9 to read...

“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The faithful, inerrant, infallible, trustworthy, impeccable and inspired King James Bible reads...

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

That's a big difference in meaning. You don't make Jesus Lord, He is Lord!!! You simply come as a guilty sinner and receive Jesus as your Savior to be saved, by believing on His name (John 1:12). Yet, according to Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, John MacArthur, Christ of Christ, Seventh Day Adventists, Charismatics, Pat Robertson, Benny Hinn and other corrupted men you must MAKE JESUS LORD OF YOUR LIFE to be saved, surrendering your will to God, ceasing from sinful living, and forsaking all to follow Christ. That is a VERY hard gospel which places the BURDEN upon the sinner's shoulder instead of Christ's finished work of redemption. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). If a person must forsake lifelong sinful bad habits to be saved, then salvation is difficult and presents many challenges to the sinner. It is self-righteousness!!!

They are spinning their religious circles, perverting the free grace of the gospel.

The unsaved religious heretics in Matthew 7:22-23 had “a form of godliness” as the Bible says in 2nd Timothy 3:5, “but denying the power thereof” (which is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” according to Romans 1:16).

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."” —Matthew 7:22,23

I have a copy of THE EVIDENCE BIBLE in front of me. I have spent much time studying it's pages, which are commented extensively by Ray Comfort. I can honestly say that THE EVIDENCE BIBLE contains MUCH good commentary, quotes and theologically correct teachings; HOWEVER, Ray Comfort has been caught up into the damnable heresy of Lordship Salvation. Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron are disciples of 5-point Calvinist, heretic, Dr. John MacArthur. Calvinism is of the Devil, completely eliminating the freewill of mankind in salvation. Pastor Curtis Hutson refutes Calvinism here.

The lie of Lordship Salvation is rooted in the tenets of Calvinism. Thus, should it be surprising that Dr. John MacArthur teaches Lordship Salvation? (i.e., the lie that a sinner must cease from deliberately committing sins and one's life must be surrendered to Christ in order to be saved).

Dr. John MacArthur errantly states in his book, HARD TO BELIEVE, page 93:

“Don’t believe anyone who says it’s easy to become a Christian. Salvation for sinners cost God His own Son; it cost God’s Son His life, and it’ll cost you the same thing.”

SOURCE: Dr. John MacArthur, Grace To You, an updated quote from his book 'Hard To Believe', page 93.The life we live, not the words we speak, determines our eternal destiny.”

That is a bold lie. Eternal life doesn't cost us anything, because Jesus is the Lamb of God Who paid it all with His precious blood.

Kirk Cameron sells Dr. MacArthur's Bible Commentary on his website. They're all friends in their ministries. Where in the Scriptures are we taught that it is hard to believe? It's not hard to believe. The hard part is getting people bad enough to be saved. God only saves sinners (the ungodly, Romans 4:5). John MacArthur is very wrong in his teachings. All 5 points of Calvinism are a lie of the Devil. Woe unto those who are deceived by the heresies of John Calvin and John MacArthur!

The Devil has crept into many churches today through the teaching of Lordship Salvation, i.e., the false doctrine that a person must try very hard to stop sinning in order to be saved. Biblical repentance is turning to Jesus Christ to be saved from one's sins, not turning from one's sins as a prerequisite to placing one's faith in Christ. There is a fine line between faith and foolishness. In Biblical salvation, the burden falls upon God to change the sinner; whereas in Lordship Salvation, the burden of changing is placed upon the sinner as a condition for salvation.

Repentance is NOT a demand to change one's sinful ways, nor a demand to give up the world. Biblical repentance is simply a change of mind, where a sinner turns toward God by faith in the name of Jesus Christ to be saved. Salvation doesn't change a person's habits one bit at the time of salvation; it is the beginning of a whole new life as a child of God. Receiving the free gift of eternal life has nothing to do with surrendering one's life to God. These are entirely separate matters. Salvation is a gift. You simply admit your sinnership and receive Christ by faith (John 1:12). A changed life is the result of growing in the grace, knowledge and conviction of the Holy Spirit as a child of God.
 

Ray Comfort Attacks Soulwinners and the Simplicity of the Gospel

On page 1338 of THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, in the section titled, “How To Get False Converts,” Ray Comfort states...

“Too many of our 'decisions' are not a work of the Spirit, but a work of our sincere but manipulative practices. It is simple to secure a decision for Jesus by using this popular method: 'Do you know whether you are going to heaven when you die? God wants you to have that assurance. All you need to do is: 1) Realize that you are a sinner (All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God'), and 2) believe that Jesus died on the cross for you. Would you like me to pray with you right now so that you can give your heart to Jesus? Then you will have the assurance that you are going to heaven when you die.”

Source: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1338; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida.

Manipulative practices? Like it or not, anyone who comes to God as a guilty sinner and believes on Jesus Christ will be saved, whether they intend on forsaking their sins or not. Eternal life is a free gift.

I agree wholeheartedly with Ray Comfort that the Law is absolutely essential in salvation, for without the guilt of sin why would one need a Savior (Romans 3:19)? However, to mandate that sinners must cease from committing sins to be saved is a works-based gospel. Forsaking one's sinful bad habits is the result, i.e., the fruit, of genuine repentance; and not a part of saving-faith. When you turn to Christ to be saved you have already forsaken your sins, although you may not be ready to give them up. You cannot turn to Christ without your back be turned against sin. The man who believes has repented, and the man who repents has believed. This is why we find the words “believe” and “believed” mentioned 85 times in the Gospel of John, but the word “repent” is not mentioned even once. They are inseparable.

Ray Comfort attacks the Gospel by calling the simplicity that is in Christ, “quick-fix evangelism.” Like it or not, the Bible teaches Easy-Believism! You Need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS! It is so simple to be saved that even a little child can be saved, simply by BELIEVING the Gospel.

Please read, Dr. Curtis Hutson is 100% Correct on Repentance!

Charles Spurgeon DIDN'T believe in Lordship Salvation!

Ye Must Be Born Again!

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