I Corinthians1:21, God's Promise To Save Them That Believe

1st Corinthians 1:17-21, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

After I humbly graduated from Hyles-Anderson College (1985-1993) with much gratitude for the opportunity to attend such an awesome place, I went to voluntarily work with my father's Rescue Mission on Chicago's northside, at the Grace Mission Church. I was my father's assistant pastor between 1993-2001. I preached each Sunday at the mission. My heart burned with truth, and I started writing my brochures to hand out to people, trying to find more ways to get the truth out. One day my father read one of my articles and said, “I didn't know you have the gift of writing.” I had never considered my ability to write as a “gift” from God, but hearing that from my biological father meant the world to me, and even more today nearly 30 years later. I thank God for giving me the “gift” of writing. To God be the glory (John 15:5).

Having said that as introduction, this blog will probably be the most important article I've ever written. Dear friend, I share the same heartfelt sentiment as the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:1, “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Paul wanted to see people get saved, not just the Jews, but all men. Our great God desires for ALL MEN to get saved. 2nd Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 

This wonderful Bible verse clearly refutes the Calvinist false teaching of “Limited Atonement” (the heresy that Jesus only died for certain people, Christians). Since Calvinists believe that Jesus only died for a select few, this heresy consequently begets another false teaching called, “Irresistible Grace” (the heresy that God forces those chosen people to be saved). As we just learned in 2nd Peter 3:9, God desires “THAT ALL” should repent (change your mind) and believe the Gospel to be saved, not just a select few. God only chooses (the elect) those who first choose Christ as their Savior. We don't choose Christ because God chose us, God chose us because we trusted Christ. Calvinism is all its tenets is a lie!

God wants you to be saved friend. That is why this article is so important. There is nothing more important in this universe than where you will spend eternity. I have read countless biographies of famous people, from Jackie Gleason to Freddie Mercury to George Harrison, who were all insatiably curious about the afterlife and researched the subject intensely. Tragically, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was foolishness to them, and so they passed right over it, looking for something else. 2nd Timothy 3:7, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Dear reader, THE TRUTH is the Gospel (the GOOD NEWS) that Jesus is the Christ, Who died on the cross in your place and mine (to pay for our sins). Jesus was buried. And then three days later, by a miracle of God, Jesus resurrected physically from the dead. These three things comprise “THE GOSPEL” (1st Corinthians 15:1-4; John 19-20). Anyone who comes to God as a guilty sinner in need of redemption, by faith receiving Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for his or her sins, is saved instantly, irrevocably and eternally. It is the free gift of God (Romans 5:15-18, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). You'll never hear anything in your life more important than what I just shared with you. I have given you, dear friend, the keys to Heaven. You can have all your sins forgiven, right now, just by BELIEVING on the Son of God.

Friend, you'll hear the popular lie in many corrupt churches today, that says you must turn away from your sins to get to Heaven. Other lying pastors will tell you that you must turn from your sins to prove the reality of the genuineness of your faith. None of that is THE TRUTH! The truth taught in the Holy Bible is that is that you and I must be 100% absolutely perfect, sinless in every way, in order to get to Heaven. Turning away from your sin won't suffice. You can turn away from 99.9% of your sins, and still burn in Hell for all eternity without rest or hope. So you see, being 99.999999999% perfect isn't good enough for God. You absolutely MUST be 100% sinless and righteous in every aspect. 

But you say, who can do that? Exactly friend! No human being of our own accord can achieve that level of righteousness. That is why we read in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” The glory of God is total sinlessness!!! I cannot do that, and neither can you. That is why we need a SAVIOR! Please read the beautiful Scripture that follows Romans 3:23...

Romans 3:24, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

I love the simplicity of the Word of God. Dear reader, take a look at those precious statements! We are saved through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD (not through water baptism, works, Lordship Salvation, church membership, turning from sins or anything else). We are saved FREELY BY HIS GRACE (not by doing WORKS to prove our sincerity). We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUENSS (not by our own self-righteousness, nor running the Christian race to prove the reality of the genuineness of our faith). The Word of God speaks so plainly! Beware of the false gospel of Bob Jones University, Marty Herron, John MacArthur, Steve Pettit, Chuck Phelps, Daniel Phelps, Sam Horn, Gary Walton, Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, and other Calvinists today who pervert God's saving grace). The Devil is a beautiful liar! 

Satan always comes to the unsaved religious man and says, “Salvation is by grace alone through faith, but you must do WORKS to prove that your faith is genuine.” Satan says, “Live the Christian life to prove the validity of your faith, and if you fail to faithfully endure until the end in holiness and faith, you cannot go to Heaven!” Consequently, salvation instead of being a free gift that you can claim instantly, with all assuredness and confidence based upon God's promise “TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE” (1st Corinthians 1:21b); becomes a journey of fear and uncertainty, because you must strive (“run the race”) to earn the “award” of “Heaven itself” (these are Dr. Steve Pettit's exact perverse words as preached at Bob Jones University on January 26, 2015).

Dear friend, you must trust Christ alone to be saved. Roman Catholics profess faith in Christ, but they are still not saved, because they ADD keeping the Seven Sacraments. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of Christ, Lutherans and Seventh-Day Adventists all ADD water baptism to be saved. These are all false religions, accursed by God for preaching another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-3; 5:4; 6:7). Salvation is obtained ONLY by faith alone in Christ. You mustn't ADD anything, or faith is no longer faith. 

And tragically, the Devil's Lordship Salvation crowd ADD “turning away from your sin” to be saved, which is a perversion of the Gospel of free grace. God is not impressed with your “many wonderful works,” nor by your preaching in Jesus' name, nor by your following Christ as “Lord” (Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus said we must do “THE WILL OF MY FATHER,” which according to John 6:40 is to “BELIEVE ON HIM” (Jesus Christ) alone to be saved. BELIEVE on Christ now dear friend, and you are saved! BELIEVE the Good News that Christ died on the cross in your place, He was buried, and three days later Jesus raised up from the dead for our justification. The justification of our faith in Him, which is not in vain.

God promises to SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE.