This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I give you some notes that I want you to look at this morning and the reason is because When I listen sometime to some of these that are on the radio, you would think the preacher who knows Hebrew and Greek really got it down, and they don’t. They don’t understand some of the simplest things. Here at Calvary Community Church, we believe that we are clear on the gospel. At least that’s one of our banners that we hang out. This is a clear gospel preaching church.

We make it clear, but sometimes the preacher wonders, do you really get it? So this morning we’re gonna have a test. Don’t be looking at your paper. You put that paper down, stop peeking. I hate it when people cheat. So I want you to kind of bear with me a little bit this morning. I’m back in that college move, you know. So now I gotta find out where you’re staying, what you believe. I want you to take your Bible and turn to 1 Peter in chapter 3.

1 Peter chapter 3, this is on page 13, 14 in a Bible that’s alone to you. But there’s a verse here that kind of gives us an idea that we should always be instant in season out of season, says in Timothy, but ready to give an answer to anyone that might ask us a reason of the hope that lies within us. In other words, can you tell somebody, explain to somebody the gospel? Can you really explain how verses are used in the scriptures, discern it and rightly divide in and help them with the Christian life or various problems?

Well here in 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 15 says, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if you a reason of the hope that is in you with maintenance and in fear. It means in submission and out of respect. Can you explain things to somebody else? So what I want you to do is look there at this little diagnostic test and you can take market if you want to as we go or you’re afraid of somebody seeing your wrong answer, don’t put anything down.

And just mentally choose. So when I cover one particular point, you mentally, you look at it and decide if you’ve got the right answer. And then when the whole thing is over with and you walk out the door and you won’t shake my hand, it’s called I know you miss them. And you’re mad at me because you knew you were right and you found out the preacher says you were wrong and you’re not going to stand for that. So you’re not going to speak to him.

Probably never come back to church again. Number one, what is the power of God unto salvation? Don’t speak out. I just want you to look at your paper. What is the power of God unto salvation? Now, you’ve been here long enough. You know these answers. You ought to get a hundred on this. Is it the golden rule? He who makes the gold rules. The golden rule, you know, doing to others before they do unto you. Is it the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, or is it the gospel?

I wonder which one it is. Now you should mark the gospel as the power of God on the salvation. You don’t have to live by the golden rule. You don’t have to obey the be added tos and bless their those in poor and spirit and hunger and thirst and all that. You don’t have to do that. You don’t have to keep reciting the Lord’s prayer. Because in Romans chapter 1 and verse 16, this is for the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.

Everyone, to the Jew first and also to the degree. Everyone that believes. So the only thing you have to do with it is to to do is believe. But you know there’s some people who don’t believe that. There are preachers that don’t believe that. They believe you have to live by the golden rule. Also, you know, it helps. Oh well, so I know that everyone in here, you’ve got the first one right. Number two, what is a good way to point out to a person that he is a sinner?

A good way to point out to somebody that they’re a sinner. You simply walk up to him and you simply say it like this. You are a dirty lousy stinking rotten good for nothing low down skunk. Now you told them that they were a sinner. But now that might not be the best way to do it. You may not ever witness to another person when he gets through with you. Minds me and my brother one time we used to always drive those bustles over the road, you know, we stopped at these truck stops and we turned the kids loose.

And he’d be driving one bus, I’d be driving the next bus and my brother would walk down. He’d look at some of those great big old truck drivers that come in there, you know, they got that black cigar and they got those tattoos all over, they have big old muscles. So my brother walked up to him and says, what’s your name? He said, blah, blah, blah, blah. He’d write it down. He’d walk up to somebody, what’s your name? He’d write it down.

He’d give him this great big old guy. He said, what’s your name? He wrote it down. He said, what do you want to know for? He said, I just write down the names of every man I can whoop. The guy stood up and looked down at my brother. He says, you can’t whoop me. He said, okay, I’ll take your name off. That’s repentance. That’s when you change your mind.

Whenever you really understand, you have to change your mind about some things. And one is that you can’t save yourself. It’s not by the things that you do. So trying to explain to somebody that they are a sinner can be a lot of fun. You gotta be careful. Or how would you tell them? Would you just ask them? Are you a sinner? And some people will say, no, I never robbed a bank. I’ve never committed adultery. I’m not a center, no.

And there’s people that believe that because they haven’t done those really bad ones. Oh, I’ve told a little white lie. Of course they’re colored blind, but they don’t really understand. What is a center? Well, if you’re not perfect, you’re a center. So simple. Look at the next point. Show him verses that tell him what sin is. You can do that if you got enough time. But you want them to understand this, and it’s best to always explain it. We’re all sinners.

We’ve all sinned. We’ve all missed the mark. In other words, instead of just telling them how bad they are, you want to include yourself because, what do you think you’re so much better than they are? You explained that yes, we have all sinned. Everybody’s a sinner. Look at number three, number three. What does the Bible say the penalty of sin is? What is the penalty for sin? Is it death? Penance, good works, repentant. What do you have to do to pay for your sins?

Now there are some people say that you have to do penance. You’ve got to take it to be sorry and turn from your sins and stop this and stop that and join this and join that. And you’ve got to be, you know, do all these things and do this and this and this and this and do a rosary or, you know, do prayers or whatever you got to do and kneel and bend and bow. And what is the payment for sin?

The Bible says, and where is it found? Romans what? Romans 6, 23. For the wages of sin is death. Wages is death. That’s why when Christ came into the world, He didn’t come and do penance to pay for our sins. He didn’t come and have to do repentance or penance. He didn’t have to do anything like that. He didn’t give money to pay for our sins. What did He do to pay for our sins? He died. That’s all He He died to pay for ourselves in our place.

And the only thing you and I have to do to go to heaven, believe that He did it for us. And God will save us and give us a free gift everlasting life. So in number three, the right answer would be what? Death. Number four, how good does a person have to be to go to heaven? Oh, that’s a good one. I think they ought to be pretty good. What do you think they ought to be pretty good? They ought to be pretty good.

Sincerely, if you’re trying to be good, I’ve asked people, where are you going to go today? Well, I’m trying. I’m doing the best I can. I hope I make it. I’m hanging in there. When they answer like that, you know automatically, they don’t get it, do they? Because they don’t understand the only thing they have to do to go to heaven is simply believe in. The reason is because you have to be perfect to go to heaven and buy your works.

You cannot be perfect. Where in the world does it say? Is there anywhere in the Bible that you’re saved by grace without works? I want to first a verse in the Bible that says that. Well, you and I know what it is and it will get to it just a second next one. I want to wrench it down is The words perfectly righteous you have to be perfect to go to heaven And I mentioned to you before but let me just kind of run it by you again Because it’s really happened You would say well everybody knows that they’re they’re a center.

I mean nobody’s perfect. Everybody knows that But I was actually in Colorado and I got on this plane and I had to fly to Florida and And got on this plane and there was nobody sitting beside me. So I said, Lord, I sure would like to have somebody that would sit there and then they have to sit there and then they can’t move. So they have to sit there beside me because I know what I’d like to do. I want to talk to somebody.

But everybody came in and it seemed like there was nobody else going to come in and finally. One lady walks down the aisle. She came on and she was dressed in silk, wrapped from the head all the way to the feet. And when she walked, the parts of it, it was just all flowery, like you just move in all over the place, you know. And I can tell that she was of a different, no dissent. She had a, you can tell she’s not an American, I can tell that I don’t believe that, I might be wrong, but she walked on down and I was wondering, where is she gonna sit?

And she said right beside me. I thought a victim. So the plane took off and I started making some conversation. I said, can I ask you a question? Yeah, I said, where are you from? She says, pay Roo. I said, where? She says, pay Roo. I was starting to have a hearing problem back then too. And I says, Peru, yah, pay Roo. I says, what are you doing here in Denver? She says, my Hiraiji. I said, what? He says, Mahiraji.

The only thing I knew about Mahiraji was probably some fat guy that said, so I’m contemplating this navel. Mahiraji. I didn’t know it wouldn’t. So I said, well, what are you doing here in Denver? She says, me study about Mahiraji. I said, well, can I ask you a question? She said, yeah. I says, where are you going to go when you die? She says, me go to heaven. I said, how do you know? She says, me perfect. Now I’ve been around for a while.

I have never met a person who actually says, I’m perfect. I said, you’re not perfect. She said, yeah, me perfect. Now I can’t get her saved because I got to get her lost. I know she’s not perfect, but she thinks she is. So I thought for a while. And she’d look up in her little book that she had on words, and she would explain some things. We taught back and forth. And then she had a pencil in her hand, she’d write, and so forth.

And then she had an underlying. And then she’d erase a little bit. And she’d write, not that. You know perfect. She said, yeah, be perfect. I said, no. I said, you know perfect. I says, you write. And then you erase. You erase because you’re making mistake. And right there on the plane, she goes, bah! And the disturbs that they come running down the aisle. thought I didn’t attack this woman. I didn’t touch this woman, scared me to death, she screamed at high squeal and she just and never talked to me for the rest of the trip.

So it’s easy to prove to somebody there or center. All you have to do is give them a pencil. They’re making a mistake. Everybody makes a mistake but it should be the simplest thing in the world and so you really just want to say look, you have to be perfect to go to heaven. Look at number five. And what way do you think good works helps a person to have eternal life? By making him more Christlike. You think good works will help a person to have eternal life.

So just make him more Christlike. By showing he is trying to be good, by showing he is a disciple of Christ, or in no way. Which one is the right answer? Number five, which is the right answer in no way? Good works cannot help a person have eternal life. And yet you would be surprised how many people would think, well, you have to do something. Do you believe that a Christian ought to go to church or should go to church or have to go to church?

You see, he ought to go. He should go, but he doesn’t have to go. You mean to tell me a Christian can be a Christian and not go to church? Yes. Can a Christian be a Christian and not turn from his sins and still be a Christian? Yeah. Are you trying to tell me you can live like you please and still go to heaven when you die? Do you really believe that? It’s the truth That’s the truth. You mean you don’t have to give any money to go to heaven?

Not a penny and you’ll go to heaven. Yeah Did you know there’s a lot of preacher said no no no? If you’re really saved if you’re really saved you see you’re saved because God gave you the faith to believe And if He gave you the faith to believe, He gave you the faith to persevere to the end of your life. That means that if you’re really a Christian, you will be able to persevere all the days of your life.

But if you don’t, it’s a sign you never were really saved. You say, people don’t preach that. I’m afraid so. It was on the radio this week several times. and it burns me and I don’t like that so if you look here at number five in no way because it says in Ephesians two eight nine four by grace or you save through faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of what not of works why lest any man should boast lest any man could brag about look who I am and look what I have done number six when Christ died on the cross what sin did he pay for it.

What’s Cindy to pay for it? Was it Adam sin only? Or are past sins? See, a lot of people believe it when Christ died, he died from my past sins. Now, he is simply going to help me live good enough to make it. And if I live good enough with his help, then I get to be saved and get to go to heaven when I die. Isn’t that a wonderful, he gives me this head start. He cleans the past, but now I’ve got to walk that straight and narrow away.

If I want to finally make it to heaven, is that the gospel? That’s not the gospel. That is not the good news. Well, did he pay for the sins of the elect only? See, a lot of people finally, he didn’t have to die for everybody’s sins. He just had to die for those he chose to save. And a host of people preached that around the country. But is it the truth? not the truth. Christ in number six is the sins of the whole world.

He died for the sins of the whole world, not just some of the world, but all the world. So therefore we believe that when Christ went to the cross it was because God so loved the world, not just a few people in the world and He only died for just those people. No, no. The Bible does not teach that and they are in error. Number seven, what must a person do to be saved? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and turn from his sin.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be water baptized and just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. What one of these is the right answer? Anybody got a clue? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that’s all you have to do. If you add those other things on it, you don’t have a chapter and verse to prove it. You can’t back that up with Scripture. There is no Scripture that says that’s what you have to do to be saved.

Not one. But there’s a multitude of verses that says just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He doesn’t believe it in Him. As many as received Him. It’s always a gift. And all you’re you’re doing accepting what Christ did on the cross for you. When you say, you say by grace, but you got to add something to it, you just annulled the gift. You see, you’re not saved by grace and works, because grace is the absence of that work.

And work is the absence of grace being free. It’s either got to be free or you got to work for it. It can’t be both ways. So the test of the gospel is grace. It has to be free and it has to last forever. It has to be free. You don’t work for it, you don’t pay for it. By any deeds that you do, you cannot add one work to it. And it must last forever. Because if it can’t last forever, it’s because you added a work in there or you eliminated something that you should have done.

So if it depends upon you. Then it’s not of God. It’s not by grace. So important. So believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and that alone in God said that He would save you and give you as a free gift ever lasting life. Look at number eight. A person can know he has eternal life if he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and serves him. Now nobody’s against people serving God so you know that has to be right.¯¯¯¯ He believes on the name of the Son of God.

Well that can’t be not can’t be sufficient. He believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and endures to the end. Now you’ve heard that you’ve got to endure to thestood the same shall be saved. Those that endure to the end. So if you don’t endure to the end, myFIX, dramat, you can’t be saved. So which is the right entryWB person can know he had to turn life IF he endured to the end? Well if he does then he has to wait till the end to find out if he endures.

Right? So He has to endure to the end. Or he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and serves him. Okay, now you’ve got a question about it. Okay, how much service do I have to give? How long? How dedicated? How much? What church? How much money? Exactly. What if I only have exactly, what have I got? Okay, pray. How many prayers do I have to make? How sincerely it had to be? How many times I have to pray five times a day?

Muslim has to pray five times a day. How many times I got to do it? Six. We’ve got to do better than Him. So you see, when you start adding anything to it, you just added doubts and questions to your salvation. Or if it’s something that God’s going to save you at the end, if you, if you, if, if, then that means your salvation depends on you performing. That means that your salvation was not a gift. It wasn’t free.

Christ didn’t give it to you that you’re not saved by grace, because you are going to be judged by your works to see whether you’ve made it or not. No, the only answer up here that’s right is believe in the name of the Son of God by believe it on Christ. As many as received Him, the them gave He the power to become the sons of God, you become God’s child. That day, that moment you trusted Christ’s Savior. Well, people say, well, if you’re really saved, you’re going to serve the Lord.

Okay, if you’re really saved and you’re going to serve the Lord, then why would God ever have to chase in any of his children. What would chase in before? If they are automatically going to guarantee, serve the Lord, then why is God chasing in his children and taking some home in advance? Because you see, if you don’t live right, your heavenly Father He’s going to chase in you. Now, if you can’t mess up your life and ruin your life and shame your life, then how come he’s able to chase in you as though you were his child?

Are you his child or not his child? I’ve said this before. We’ve had three children, hard one wife, three children in our family. And when they’re obedient, they’re mine. When they’re disobedient, they’re hers. No, whether they’re obedient or disobedient, they’re still my kids. And so that means that just because those kids are yours, they’re automatically going to serve you and do right, right? This is a guaranteed, it don’t work, does it? And neither does it work with this idea.

So yes, God will chase in you because you are his child. And the reason he can chase in you is because you’re still his child when you were rebelling against the Lord. When you did live as you pleased, you’re still his child. And if you go trying to change all of this because it makes it compatible what everybody else teaches and so forth, you’re never going to be cleared. You’re never going to have peace of mind. I don’t owe anybody out there an explanation of why God does what he does, except what he reveals in his word and what he has revealed in his word, salvation is free.

any way you cut it, you can’t earn it. No way possible. And once you have it, you can’t lose it. And I don’t care how that sounds to anybody. And whether it sounds fair or just or whatever, it’s the way it is. God said it, that settles it. Whether anybody wants to believe it or not, it is still the truth. And I don’t have to, and I’ve told people this, I will state my position, but I’m not interested and debating my position as though I might be wrong, because I’ve done several of that too.

I know what this book says and I believe it. I’ve had people call me up sometime and they want to correct me. There’s always people trying to correct me. Some of them are trying to correct me because they read Dr. Hank Linsam’s articles on the Bibleline. And he said, you know you said this and you said that. I said, well, I didn’t say that. Hank Linsam said that. Go get him. So, well, where’s he at? Can I talk to him?

I said, sure, he didn’t have to go get him. So, I want to defend my position, but just to get in the big argument with him. somebody. It’s a waste of time. Now if you want to listen to what I said, listen to what I’m saying. And when I get through speaking, you either agree or you disagree. But don’t talk to me like you’re gonna change my mind. I’ve already made up my mind. I teach what I believe. Now look at the next statement.

Number nine, which statement is correct? Everlasting life can be lost because of backsliding. Everlasting life can be lost because of deep sinning. Really, really bad. Everlasting life cannot be lost. Everlasting life cannot be lost, period. But what if you backslide? Take your Bible looking to book a Hebrews, turning the Bible to Hebrews in chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. It is the will of God that we serve Him and do right. But sometimes people don’t always do right. So now notice what he says.

In verse 38 of Hebrews chapter 10 says, Now the just, that’s those who have been saved by faith, shall live by faith. It means that you read and study the Word of God and do what God wants you to do with your life. You take God at his word. But, but, see that word but, but if any man and draw back. And this is where people get the word backsliding, draw back. Some people can’t backslide because they haven’t gone far enough forward.

But anyway, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. My soul shall have no pleasure in him. Did it say that you’re lost now or did it say he’s not pleased with you? Then look what he said in verse 13, but we are not of them who draw back unto predation to where you’re lost, where you perish. We’re not them, we don’t believe that. And then he says, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul, even those that do not obey and do right.

And as he says up here in verse 26, looking verse 26, for if we sin willfully after we have received knowledge of the truth, there remained no more sacrifice for sins. It means that if I really rebel against God in the future and do all those deep ugly sins, there’s not going to be another sacrifice by Christ for those sins. And the reason is, He already has paid them. You see, He died on the cross 2000 years ago for all of the sins before Him and after Him.

You see, those sins have already been paid. Well, if those sins have been paid, I don’t have any sins to pay for. The reason I can’t go to hell today and the reason I can’t go to hell tomorrow or any time in the future is because I don’t have any sins to pay for. Christ died and paid for all my sins. You say, well, you don’t deserve that. I agree. but it’s still the truth. I’m going to have a not because of what I’ve done.

I’m going to have a because of what he did. We at Bibleline would like to extend a free offer to those who support this ministry financially. This month, we are sending a free copy of the book, The Gospel Driven Man, for a donation of any amount. It is a small way that we can show our appreciation for your support of this radio program. Without your thoughtful gifts and prayers, we would not be able to remain on the air. The book explains the basic doctrines of the Bible and can help you to be more confident in leading people to Christ and for understanding the driving principles of the gospel itself.

So during the following month, we would like to send to you a free copy of the Gospel-Driven Man by Dr. Ralph Yakearnal for a donation of any amount to Bible on. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, and don’t forget to include your mailing address. Thank you again for your continued support and prayers in helping us bring the clear gospel message to the world.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. And we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.