ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Bible says that we members of the Church the Body of Christ are “the ministers of Christ and stewards [managers] of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). What are many professing Christians doing right now? They are inactive, spiritually stationary, unlearned in Scripture, and certainly incapable of being managers of the revelation of the mystery. Oh, what a shame!

People have clouded the plain English of the King James Bible. Very few church members have little to no idea of sound Bible doctrine. Many know not what their local church even believes! Satan is working in religious circles, producing corrupt Bible versions, and leading the masses to his hell with his false gospels. For the most part, the Body of Christ cannot retaliate because many of them are standing on the shifting foundation of religious tradition! You cannot fight the devil’s false teaching while embracing false teaching… you are using the enemy’s weapon to fight against him, and that is futile!

Many church members are learning information that is totally useless in eternity—they are just hearing the traditions of men and performing vain (faithless) religious activities. Many modern English Bible versions slant toward a particular denomination, and we have 38,000-plus denominations that pollute and twist the Scriptures to further their tradition instead of God’s truth. Many of America’s church members crave buffets: they take all the verses in the Bible, place them in a bag, and pick the verses they like the most.

THE BIBLE IS NOT A BUFFET—you cannot pick and choose what you want and ignore what you do not like. If you do believe and follow the doctrine in Pauline epistles of Romans through Philemon (God’s Word to us Gentiles in this the Dispensation of Grace; Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Ephesians 3:2), you are better off closing your Bible and never opening it again because you will only get confused and discouraged. The everlasting lake of fire, is the ultimate penalty for rejecting the Gospel of Grace, so it would be unwise to ignore Romans through Philemon!

All to often, God’s Word is relegated to an inferior status in many churches. Usually, the Bible is only taught when it agrees with a preconceived idea or denominational creed. Church history books, papal encyclicals, patristic writings, church council decrees, commentaries, and creeds are studied in “Christian” circles, but there is very little Bible study—actual study of the Bible. The Bible alone, not religious literature, has the power of God. The Bible alone is God’s Word, and it alone equips a Christian in life (in doctrine, duty, walk, and destiny). We read in 2 Timothy 3:15-17 KJV:

“15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Bible is the final authority, not religious doctrines or preachers’ or priests’ opinions; the Bible alone is the inspired Word of God (not creeds, commentaries, or “Christian” books.) How I wish that people would quit muddying the simple truths of the King James Bible rightly divided. I wish they would stop adding water baptism, tithing, tongues, good works, repentance, church membership, sacraments, prayers, and all that other stuff that the Bible does not deem necessary for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith without works, or we are not saved at all. Either Christ Jesus paid the price of your sins at Calvary’s cross, or He did not! Either Jesus Christ’s bloodshed is sufficient to pay your sin debt, or it is not! Either God did it all, or He did not! It is that simple, friend.

The Bible clearly states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28). “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness”  (Romans 4:5). It really is that black and white: this is the way God mandated it, and you either take Him at His Word, or you will go to a lost eternity! I cannot emphasize it enough: God’s Word says you cannot work for your salvation because salvation is a gift. You would be a fool to spurn Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon. Only a fool would reject God’s free gift of salvation in His Son Jesus Christ. Are you a fool? I hope not!

THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD

(1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV)

“1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”
Acts 16:31 KJV

 Please search the Holy Scriptures, and see if what I say is so. God’s Word is all that will count for eternity! The moments are fleeting, so be sure you understand what God’s Word says about salvation and sound doctrine! 🙂