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If conviction of sin has led you to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” you have probably received a myriad of answers. Don’t stand in doubt of your soul’s salvation! Read to learn how the Bible answers your heartfelt question.

When one is confronted with the law of God, or the Ten Commandments, conviction of sin is the natural response. Who could claim they have never lied, envied, or disobeyed their parents?   The Scriptures teach,

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV)

Once the heart is convicted of sin, the natural question is “What must I do to be saved?” Christian churches exist for the purpose of answering that all-important question. Sadly, there seems to be confusion among Bible teachers as to the correct answer. On any given Sunday morning one could walk into several different churches and hear several different explanations of how to be saved. Here are three of the most common:

          1. “Repent or turn from your sin”
          2. “Ask Jesus into your heart”
          3. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”

One might argue that all three answers are basically the same. But are they? Are these all valid gospels for today? Does each of these messages have the power to save a lost person from the penalty of sin? Only the Word of God can shed light on these questions, so let’s examine what the Scriptures say about each of these statements.

“Turn from your sin”

Our human nature likes to think that the answer to sin is simply to stop sinning. The assumption is that we must prove ourselves worthy of salvation before God will extend forgiveness. However, according to Scripture, it is impossible for an unsaved person to turn from his sin. Look what the Scriptures say of man’s original condition:

“And you hath he quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (Ephesians 2:1 KJV)

The unsaved condition of every man is dead in sin. And more than that, all unsaved men are “the servants of sin.” In and of ourselves, there is no hope of freedom from bondage to sin. (Romans 6:17 KJV).   “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8 KJV).

That is why God had to intervene for us:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love for which he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ…” (Eph. 2:4-5)

Only when a man is in Christ can he be free from the power of sin:

“Knowing this, that our old man [our sin nature] is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6 KJV)

Prior to salvation, man is incapable of turning from sin. The victory over sin is a result of salvation, not the means to salvation. Therefore, the exhortation to “turn from your sin” is not only a false gospel, it is an impossibility for an unsaved man.

“Ask Jesus into your heart”

This “gospel” cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. It is derived from a misunderstanding of Revelation 3:20:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Two things must be understood about this passage of Scripture. First, Revelation is a book of future events foretold by the Old Testament prophets and Jesus Christ in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Second, the context of Revelation 3 is the Second coming of Christ to the nation Israel. At that time, those in the nation that recognize him as their messiah and king will sit with him in his kingdom and sup with him. He explains this in verse 21 when he says, “…To him that overcometh [the Great Tribulation] will I grant to sit with me in my throne…”

Revelation 3:20 has nothing to do with us who live in this Age of Grace. Further, it is not teaching us, or anyone, to “ask Jesus into your heart” to be saved. This idea is a false gospel not found anywhere in the Bible.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved

The original question “… what must I do to be saved?” was asked by a jailor to the Apostle Paul as recorded in Acts 16:30. Paul’s reply was simple:

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

What exactly is it that one must believe about Jesus Christ? The Apostle Paul explains:

“I declare unto you the gospel … how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Cor 15:1-4)

Clearly, the only message for today that has power to save a sinner from the penalty of sin and the wrath of God is the message preached by the Apostle Paul, as the Scripture verifies:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;” (Romans 1:16 KJV)

Note that the gospel of Christ does not say to “endure,” “confess,” “repent,” “ask,” or “beg.” The salvation of God through Christ Jesus is offered to “all them that believe” (Romans 3:22).

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…that he [God] might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus…” (Romans 3: 24,26)

Our sense of justice won’t not stand for the innocent being wrongly accused, yet there was one who was willing to take the blame for crimes he did not commit. Read to find out why he didn’t speak up in his own defense.

The other day while visiting with neighbors, I overheard a friend tell about an upsetting incident that had happened earlier that day. While shopping at a local grocer, she had been falsely accused of shoplifting. Her story gave us a chuckle since we all know her as the quintessential, cookie-baking, next-door neighbor lady. No one could imagine her committing such a crime.

Once the chuckles ended, however, we were outraged for her. Within a few minutes the whole neighborhood was behind her in pledging a boycott of the store in defense of her honor. Our sense of justice would not stand for the innocent being wrongly accused.

The next morning, though, my perspective of the incident changed. As chance would have it, my morning Bible reading took me to Isaiah 53. Here I read one of the prophetic passages about the sufferings of Christ, who was falsely accused but did not fight back:

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:5-7 KJV)

This passage reminded me that Jesus Christ took the blame for crimes he did not commit. When “he was bruised for our iniquities,” he had every right to protest, “But I’m not guilty!” Instead, when he stood before his accusers, he did not say a word in his defense. No one stood up for his honor. All his followers, like sheep, had fled.

Prior to the cross, while praying in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, in anticipation of the terrifying events shortly to come, prayed to his father:

“Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” (John 12:27 KJV)

Jesus understood what was coming. He knew that at any moment the Roman soldiers would be there, along with one of his own disciples, to bring him before his accusers. He knew he would be charged with blasphemy and be found guilty. He knew, yet he stayed. Why? Because he also knew that the cross was his Father’s will. In faithful obedience, he carried out God’s plan for our redemption, knowing that he would face the wrath of God—the penalty of sins he had not committed.

While on the cross, Jesus did more than take the blame for the sins of the world. The Apostle Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote:

“For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin [that is, Christ knew no sin]; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV)

Christ died for our sins so that God could forgive us. And more, his death on the cross made it possible for God to impute righteousness to all those who trust in the blood of Christ as God’s fully satisfying sacrifice. To be “made the righteousness of God in him” means to be declared perfectly righteous by God—completely justified from all sin and guilt, as it is written:

“And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39 KJV)

“...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.” (Philippians. 3:9 KJV)

I am eternally grateful to Jesus Christ. Even though he had “more than twelve legions of angels” ready at any moment to rescue him from the cross (Matthew 26:53 KJV), Jesus chose to endure the shame and pain. He was willing and able to suffer for sins he did not commit so that you and I might be forgiven and, as well, receive the imputed righteousness of God.

Rich, so very rich was Christ
Through all eternity,
As God the Son, with God enthroned,
The heir of all was he.

Poor, so very poor, did he
As son of man become,
From manger birth to shameful death,
Rejected by his own.

For us, ah, yes it was for us
He bore such poverty,
That we through his redeeming grace
Might be as rich as he!

-C.R. Stam

Many Bible students assume that the word “gospel” refers to the same message each time it is used throughout the Bible. If that is so, why would the Bible use so many different titles for the same message? For instance:

Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt 4:23 KJV)
Gospel of the Grace of God (Eph 2:8-9 KJV)
Everlasting Gospel (Rev. 14:6 KJV)

The word “gospel” simply means “good news.” While all of God’s good news centers in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, not all of the gospel revelations contain the same information about him.

Let’s examine the first two—the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the grace of God—to see if they are the same message.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

The gospel of the kingdom is the message that John the Baptist, Christ in his earthly ministry, and Christ’s 12 apostles all preached:

“ … Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:1-2 KJV)
“ … Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17, 23 KJV)
“ … Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38 KJV)

The logical question is, “What did they mean by, ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand’?” This question must be answered in two parts:

1. The “kingdom of heaven” referred to the literal, physical, earthly, Davidic kingdom that God promised Israel throughout the Old Testament. Daniel 2:44 is just one of the many passages that speak of this kingdom:

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” ( KJV)

2. The phrase “…at hand” simply meant that the time of fulfilling the prophecies concerning the kingdom of heaven was near.

The gospel of the kingdom was the good news that God was ready to fulfill his word to Israel concerning the promised Messiah who would sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem as monarch of planet Earth.

The Gospel of the Grace of God

The gospel of the grace of God is found in the epistles of the Apostle Paul, written after the death and resurrection of Christ. The heart of this gospel is contained in the following verses:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
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, …” (Romans 3:23-25 KJV)

“ … I (Paul) declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; …how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (I Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV)

The key elements of the gospel of the grace of God are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This gospel is the good news that God provided a solution to man’s sin—the fully satisfying sacrifice of his Son on the cross.

The gospel of the kingdom did not contain information about Christ going to the cross to pay the sin debt of all mankind. Consider this: After the 12 disciples had already gone out preaching “the kingdom of God…the gospel” (Luke 9:1-6 KJV), much later in Luke 18, Jesus tells them,

“ … Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he (Jesus) shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: … ” (Luke 18: 31-34 KJV)

The gospel taught by the 12 disciples during the earthly ministry of Christ did not include the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ because they understood nothing about it.

Why is it important to know the difference between the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the grace of God? It is important because the salvation of your soul is at stake. There is eternal danger in mixing the two gospel messages together.

By what authority do you know which gospel to claim for today? As in all things concerning faith, let the Bible answer that critical question. Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gave the answer to the believers in Galatia when he wrote:

“… But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1: 6-8 KJV)

This warning applies to us all. The only gospel for today that has power to save a sinner from the penalty of sin and the wrath of God is the gospel preached by the Apostle Paul—the gospel of the grace of God. This is the message of the risen Lord Jesus Christ to all mankind today.

All Christians have questions about the Bible and its role in today’s life. For example, why are there so many books, programs and seminars to teach Christians what to believe about the Bible? Does the Bible really need to be interpreted by scholars before it is understood? Is the Bible sufficient in itself to teach us all we need to know about God and His will for our lives? And how do we know for sure that we can trust the Bible fully? These critical questions are answered by the Bible itself.

The Bible tells us many things about itself, but there are four things in particular that help us come to a firm conviction that the Bible can be trusted as the final authority in all matters of faith.

            Reason #1: God makes His word equal to Himself.

Man seeks to place the word of God, the Bible, on an equal status with the writings of men. Some scholars choose to respect the Bible only for its antiquity and history, similar to the writings of ancient mythology, while denying the divine nature and origin of Scripture.

This is not God’s viewpoint. John 1:1 makes the status of the word of God equal to God Himself.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1, KJV)

It is not our choice to value the Bible as one among many documents written by men. God has made clear that the words of the Bible are His and should be valued as such.

            Reason #2: God claims the Bible’s authorship.

We can trust the authority of Scripture because God puts His stamp of authorship on it:

            “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

The word “inspiration” means “breathed.” As God breathed into Adam the breath of life, so God breathed His very words of Scripture.

We are also reminded by the apostle Peter of God’s authorship of His word concerning the Old Testament prophecy:

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21 KJV)

            Reason #3: God claims His word as the standard for truth.

When religious tradition, science or the wisdom of men stand against the word of God as final authority, God’s answer is short, but to the point:

            “ …let God be true, but every man a liar… ” (Romans 3:4 KJV)

In Genesis three when Satan appeared to man in the Garden of Eden as that “subtil” serpent, he became the original Bible critic. His question to Eve, “Yea, hath God said…?” (Gen. 3:1, KJV) was intended to cast doubt on the validity of God’s word to Adam and Eve. As Genesis three teaches us, his trick worked. Eve’s belief in the word of Satan rather than the word of God caused the downfall of man and the beginning of Satan’s attack against the word of God.

Satan’s program of lies against the word of God is alive and well today. Sadly, it is often manifested in classrooms of theology, where future pastors are taught that the word of God is inerrant only in original manuscripts—the inference being that our English Bible is not error-free. This system of doubt puts every church-going believer at the mercy of Bible critics. Without the final authority of Scripture, the very message of salvation loses credibility. Instead of believing those lies, we can believe in God and his word, holding it up as our standard for truth.

            Reason #4: God preserves His word.

Fellow Bible student, you can hold all critics at bay with a simple belief in God’s eternal promise that He would preserve His word:

“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (Psalms 12:6-7 KJV)

Remember, Christ Himself promised:

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35 KJV)

Don’t get caught up in the false assumption that your Bible must be interpreted, explained, fixed up or repackaged in order for you to understand God, His plan of salvation, and His will for your life. If you trust what God says about His word, then you can rest assured in the faith that you can read and understand the Bible.

Radio, print media, and the internet provide 24-7 access to preaching and teaching about the Word of God. However, the messages about salvation and eternal life are far from consistent. If the conflicting messages have left you confused, read on, because your eternal destiny is at stake!

The other day I listened to a radio preacher talk about how one obtains eternal life. He used Mark 10:17-21 as an example of Biblical repentance to obtain eternal life. In this passage, when the rich man asked Jesus,“Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus’ reply was “… sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me.”(KJV)

The preacher’s explanation of the verse was that unless unbelievers repent and turn their lives over to Christ, they cannot have eternal life. Sadly, he gave a false interpretation of the passage. Christ’s command to the rich man to sell all he had was specific and literal, not figurative. It applied to those living during and shortly following the time Christ was on the earth, preparing to establish the kingdom promised to Israel. That is why in Acts 4:32-35 you find the command obeyed literally by believers:

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common…Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. (KJV)

Do you know of any church-going people today who have actually sold all their possessions and given their money to the poor? Most likely not, because those are not the instructions God has given for us today during what the Bible calls “the dispensation of grace” (Eph 3:1). They were instructions given when “the kingdom of God” was “at hand.” (Mark 1:15). Other verses in the four gospels also apply specifically to that time. Consider Matthew 6:25-26:

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. … Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

If the above verses apply today, how do they reconcile with the following instructions that God gave through the Apostle Paul?:

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8 KJV)

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thessalonians. 3:10 KJV)

The key to understanding the commandments of Christ in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (the four gospels) is to realize that Christ’s earthly ministry was to the nation of Israel concerning their promised kingdom, not to the world at large. That is why Jesus said to the Gentile woman,“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24 KJV).

The gospel of our salvation was revealed by the risen Christ Jesus through the Apostle Paul, “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13 KJV), as he explains in Galatians 1:11-12:

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The details of the gospel that was given to the Apostle Paul for us today are outlined in the first five chapters of the book of Romans, but Romans 3:23-26 summarize them well:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation [fully satisfying sacrifice] 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. (KJV)

This passage teaches us that it is Christ who does the work and God who does the justifying. The only response that God will accept from us is belief in Jesus as the fully satisfying sacrifice for our sins. The gospel today is clear. No works whatsoever are required for salvation:

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 KJV)

Separating the words of Jesus Christ to Israel (during his earthly ministry) from the message of the risen Lord Jesus Christ to the church of today will unravel any confusion about the gospel. The wonderful gospel of the grace of God will become clear.

THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD

by K. R. Blades

We, today, live in "the dispensation of the grace of God" to us Gentiles. This dispensation, or program, which God is now conducting is a new program and it is different from His program with the nation of Israel. In this present dispensation, God's program with Israel is set aside and remains temporarily in abeyance, and the "time past" status of Israel being "nigh" to God and the Gentiles being "far off", no longer exists. (Romans 11:11 25; Ephesians 2:11 22) According to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:1 6, the revelation of this present dispensation, or program, was something God first made known and committed unto him.

"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward: how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:"

This present dispensation is something which was a "mystery" before. God kept it secret unto Himself in ages and generations past, and it wasn't known about before or anticipated. Not until God raised up the apostle Paul and revealed unto him the "mystery of Christ", was this new dispensation of Gentile grace ushered in.

It is extremely important that we understand the "mystery" character of this present dispensation of the grace of God, and that we don't make unwarranted assumptions with the testimony of the word of God. Unfortunately, two assumptions are commonly made by many Christians as they handle the Scriptures, which are at variance with what God teaches us through the apostle Paul.

On the one hand, often times it is assumed that the present dispensation is the program which God has always had in effect. On the other hand, the assumption is often made that even though the apostle Paul says what he does about God committing to him the revelation of this new program, it actually began before God raised up Paul. These are two common assumptions, but they are actually misconceptions which conflict with the testimony of Scripture and only lead to confusion and error. That this present dispensation of Gentile grace has not always been in effect, is evident from what the apostle Paul declares in Ephesians 2:11 12.

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world"

Obviously, Jew and Gentile have not always been on the same level in God's dealings. But rather, in "time past", before God ushered in this dispensation of His grace, we Gentiles were "far off", "without Christ", and "without God in the world". It is erroneous, therefore, to assume that this dispensation of grace has always been in effect. In "time past", it wasn't.

But it is just as erroneous to assume that this change in programs was ushered in by God before He says it was. It is just taken for granted by many that this dispensation of grace was in effect before God raised up the apostle Paul, even though God has the apostle Paul repeatedly declare how that God revealed it and committed it unto him. (Eph. 3:1 12; Col. 1:25 27; Gal. 2:1 10;eg) The assumption is made that the "time past" situation of Eph. 2:11 12 ended when the Lord was here upon the earth, as recorded in the Gospel accounts. Or, at least, once He had died upon the cross. But this, we suggest, is also a misunderstanding, and it needs to be corrected.

THE RECORD OF THE GOSPELS

The testimony of the Gospel accounts is that the "time past" situation of Eph. 2:11 12 WAS in effect when the Lord was here. And if that is the case, then it is evident that God did not have this dispensation of His grace in effect during the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God's exclusive program with Israel was not only still in effect when Christ was here, it was coming to its climax. Christ had come to be Israel's redeemer, and to provide for them to have their kingdom and so be the blessing to the world God covenanted for them to be. Israel's exclusive "covenants of promise" were what everything focused upon. We Gentiles were still "far off" at this time. God's program was not the dispensing of His grace to us Gentiles as it is today, but rather it was His continued dealings with His people Israel. Consider, for example, the following...

Luke 1:67-79 - This is a prophetic declaration made by John the Baptist's father at the time of John's birth. Notice in verses 68 75 that he "blesses" God for what He was doing at this time. It is plain to see from what Zacharias says that God was still dealing with Israel in His special covenant relationship to them. Israel was preparing at this time for the fulfillment of all the things God's holy prophets had been speaking about. They were preparing for God to "perform the mercy promised unto the fathers" and "to remember His holy covenant which He made with Abraham". It is obvious from this that God at this time was not bringing in a new dispensation of His grace for us Gentiles, which was a "mystery". Also, it is obvious, that Israel was not set aside at this time.

Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17; Mark 1:14 15 - In these passages it is stated that the gospel being preached at this time was "the gospel of the kingdom". This was the good news about the time being “fulfilled" and the "kingdom of heaven being at hand". That kingdom was what Israel was waiting for in fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. (Luke 1:26 33; Isa. 9:6 7; Dan. 2:44)

It was what the prophets foretold would be established by the coming of the Messiah, the son of David. It was the literal kingdom of the Messiah brought down from heaven to be established in the land of Israel. The prophet Daniel had prophesied the time at which it would come, as recorded back in Dan. 2:44, and 9:24ff. Because the time which Daniel had spoke of was just about completed, the kingdom of heaven was being preached as being "at hand". Again, it is obvious from this that God's special program and dealings with Israel were still in effect at this time, and the "mystery" of the dispensation of Gentile grace was not the issue.

Matthew 10:1-7; 15:21-28; Mark 7:24 30 - Here are some passages which show us that the Lord's ministry at this time was pointedly limited to the people of Israel, and that the Gentiles were not to be dealt with. Notice that the Lord's commissioning of the 12 apostles involved giving them the power to perform signs which testified to the reality of Israel's kingdom actually being "at hand". But especially notice that the Lord instructed the 12 not to preach to the Gentiles, or even to the Samaritans, but they were to "go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel". This was so because it was Israel's kingdom which was "at hand", and the program of God with them involved them receiving their kingdom and glory first, and then for them to be the blessing to the rest of the world in their kingdom. Just as the Lord told the Gentile woman, He was sent "only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel", and "the children" were to be filled "first". We Gentiles were still "dogs" and "far off" at this time. Again, it is evident the dispensation of Gentile grace was not in effect at this time.

THE RECORD OF THE BOOK OF ACTS

Sometimes it is assumed that when the Lord Jesus was rejected and crucified, that at this time God set Israel aside and ushered in this present dispensation of His grace to us Gentiles. But it should be equally obvious from the testimony of God's word that this also is not correct. The book of Acts, which records the things which took place following Christ's resurrection and ascension back to heaven, clearly shows in the opening chapters that God continued to deal with Israel in His special relationship to them. Israel's kingdom program was still the program God was administering. Consider, for example, the following...

Acts 1:6 - The question of the apostles at this time was a natural one. The restoring again of the kingdom to Israel was what the program was all about at this time. They had just spent some forty days being instructed by the Lord following His resurrection, in "the things pertaining to the kingdom of God". What they had begun with the Lord was continuing on. They didn't expect things to change. They didn't ask about a new dispensation being brought in. And the Lord didn't correct them, which He would have done had they misunderstood what God was doing.

Acts 2:1 40 - The miraculous wonder producing events of the day of Pentecost are not explained by Peter to be the bringing in of a new dispensation of God's grace to the Gentiles. But rather, he explained them to be the initial fulfillment of the things the prophet Joel had spoken about. Joel prophesied about the things that would take place in Israel's "last days" leading up to the establishment of the kingdom. Joel didn't prophesy about a new dispensation, or the birthday of the church, the body of Christ. He foretold the various signs and wonders that would be taking place as Israel's time schedule for her kingdom entered its "last days". "This is that" which was taking place on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 3:12-26 - It is easy to see in view of what Peter says to the people of Israel here, that their kingdom program is still in effect and that God had not set them aside yet. Notice in verses 19 26, that Peter urges them to respond positively to God's extension of mercy unto them, seeing they crucified their Christ in ignorance. But notice especially that Peter tells them that they lived in the time which all the prophets have looked forward to and foretold of. Peter doesn't preach about a new dispensation of Gentile grace. He doesn't set forth "the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since before the world began", as was committed by God to Paul later on. But rather, he offers the prophesied kingdom to these "men of Israel", who were "the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers". Obviously, Israel was not yet set aside by God, and His program and dealings were still with them at this time.

THE NEW APOSTLE PAUL

There is a need to recognize the significance of the Lord's unexpected returning from heaven to raise up a new apostle, as the 9th chapter of the book of Acts tells us about. Though various reasons for this have been taught by men, including laxity on the part of the 12 and the like; the reason God Himself gives through the testimony of the apostle Paul is entirely different.

This new apostle Paul is "the apostle of the Gentiles" in accordance with the ushering in of the new "dispensation of the grace of God" to us Gentiles, just as is taught in Ephesians 3:1 12. Israel, and her program, have been temporarily set aside, as Paul teaches in Romans 11:1 25. God has now, according to the revelation of "the mystery of Christ" given to Paul, turned to us Gentiles and is accomplishing a purpose He has with us, which He kept secret "in ages and generations past."

As Christians, we need to understand the distinctiveness of this new dispensation, along with Paul's apostleship. For it is in the epistles of Paul, the "apostle of the Gentiles", that we have the doctrine and instructions from God which are expressly TO us and ABOUT us today.

IS YOUR BIBLE THE RIGHT ONE?

by Richard Jordan

"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God..." (II Corinthians 2:17)

For over 350 years the Authorized Version, commonly known as the King James Bible, was used by the Body of Christ at large and confidently believed to be the Word of God. In the last 3 or 4 decades all this has changed.

Now we are faced with a variable Babel of confusion over the various Bible versions and English translations continuously being introduced on the market. There is a serious question which must be faced: Are these modern versions really reliable - are they really versions or, as many have come to claim, perversions of the Word of God?

Our examination of this important subject will by no means be exhaustive, given the space available to us here, but we hope to give the reader enough information that as an informed believer you can make a sound decision as to which Bible is reliable and which version in not.

A bit of background to begin with: In 1881 there was introduced into public circulation a new Bible text. It came through the work of the Revision Committee which produced the (English) Revised Version, 1881, and the American Standard Version, 1901.

This new Greek text developed by the Revision Committee, under the leadership and pressure of Westcott and Hort, is the basis of modern translations. It has been used to replace the Received Text of the KJV and its predecessors. There is, however, a growing awareness that this new Greek text is not reliable-and more and more are returning, we have, to the KJV.

As we compare verses, we will see why this is true. We have objective evidence as the reliability of the KJV as opposed to the new bible versions-overwhelming evidence that new versions are not simply better translations. Nor are they simply revisions of the KJV. Rather they are new and different Bible texts which often question, discredit and water down important and vital truths basic to the Christian faith (cf. Genesis 3:1).
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

Let's start by understanding that there is a great deal of difference between the KJV and the modern versions. This difference is not simply a translations difference. It is in fact a basic textual difference: they are translations of two different lines of Greek texts. A few examples must suffice:

In Matthew 1:25 the words "her firstborn son" are consistently omitted by modern versions. In Matthew 6:13 the ending of "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen" is omitted. This explains why the Protestant version of this prayer is more lengthy than the Roman Catholic rendition. The KJV is the text of the Protestant Reformation while the new versions embrace the Roman reading.

Verses such as Matthew 17:21 and 23:14 are omitted entirely, while in Matthew 24:36 the words "nor the Son" are added.

There are literally hundreds of these type textual alternations which have nothing to do with translation. They come because of the difference in what is being translated-the Greek texts being used are substantially different. And the difference is by no means insignificant.

In the modern versions numerous verses have been changed in such a way as to affect truths basic to the Christian faith. While many are quite subtle, they nonetheless provide the type of objective evidence which convicts these new versions of perverting God's Word. Again, space allows only a few examples:

In John 1:27 the words "is preferred before me" are omitted, so that John is made to say only that Christ came after him. In John 6:47 "he that believeth on me hath everlasting life" is changed to read: "he who believes has everlasting life" (NIV) The words "on me" are left out [footnote 1] .

John 6:65, 14:12 and 16:10, have Christ calling to God "the Father instead of "my Father," as in KJV. In Revelation 1:11 the phrase "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last," referring to Christ-and an obvious proof that Jesus Christ is the Jehovah of Isaiah 44:6-is omitted. Other titles of Christ which indicate His deity are regularly omitted or altered in such a way as to not connote deity (e.g., Matthew 27:64, 9:35; I Corinthians 15:47, 16:22; Romans 9:6, 14:10; Colossians 1:2; II Timothy 4:22, etc.).

Other vital truths are also affected. For examples, in I Corinthians 5:7 the words "for us" are omitted, affecting the doctrine of the vicarious death of Christ by suggesting merely that He was sacrificed and did die, but not necessarily "for us" (see also I Peter 4:1). It isn't surprising that Hebrews 1:3 omits the words "by Himself" from the phrase: "When He had by Himself purged our sins." There is also Colossians 1:14 where the clause "through His blood" is omitted, casting doubt on the necessity of the shedding of Christ's blood for redemption.

Then there is Luke 2:33 where the words "Joseph and his mother" are changed to read: "The child's father and mother," implying that Christ was not virgin-born. Not even a note of explanation is given. Surely the evidence for such an important change should have been offered.

In Luke 24:51 the words "And carried up into heaven," referring to our Lord's ascension, are omitted. In John 16:16 the words "because I go to the Father" are omitted.

By now it should be obvious that the new versions are not simply "better translations" or a revision of KJV. Rather they are new and different Bible texts. Nor is it true that they contain only minor changes which do not affect basic meanings.

The great number of passages (we have given only examples) altered or omitted so as to water down or attack the very truths the Bible teaches, especially where the person and work of Christ are concerned, is clear evidence that modern versions are dangerous to spiritual health.

1. We are using the New International Version for comparison quotes because of its present popularity. What is true of it however, is consistently true of other versions.

SERIOUS QUESTIONS

Because of the subtle nature of the deception used to corrupt God's Word, we want to offer three examples of the absolute devastation caused by these new versions. The complacent nature of current thinking in regard to these issues has caused some to pass off as only a minor irritant the numerous passages which are altered so as to eliminate or dilute statements on the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the vicarious atonement, etc. Because of this, and the emotional allegiance often attached to those recommending the modern versions, we ask our readers to consider the impact of these three passages on their faith. These three passages are irrefutable, objective evidence that modern versions are unsafe.

1. Matthew 5:22: Often it is difficult to grasp the impact of what seems to an innocent omission. Here is a verse where this syndrome is demonstrated to be a subtle trap leading to spiritual destruction. In KJV the verse reads,

"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."

The NIV renders the verse thus:

"But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell."

Did you catch the omission? The phrase "without a cause" is omitted from the statement "Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." This does not seem to be too very consequential at first glance. But for a Bible student who is serious about believing and honoring the Word of God, this verse is devastating.

If the reader is diligent it will not be long before he comes upon Mark 3:5, were we are told about our Lord:

"And when he had LOOKED ROUND ABOUT ON THEM WITH ANGER, BEING GRIEVED FOR THE HARDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS..."

The problem is obvious: If the NIV reading is to stand, our lord is condemned by His own words.

This is no small matter! By this seemingly unimportant omission in Matthew 5:22 the modern versions have destroyed the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ and established him as a sinner, condemned for failure to live by His own declaration.

2. Mark 1:2: This verse brings up the dementia associated with the use of modern versions. The following change is so amazing that we doubt anyone would believe it if the record was not clear. In KJV the verse reads,

"As IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."

The NIV rendering is consistent with other modern versions:

"IT IS WRITTEN IN ISAIAH THE PROPHET: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way."

Any reference edition or center column reference will quickly establish the problem for modern versions: The quotation in Mark 1:2 is not from Isaiah. It is from Malachi 3:1. Mark 1:3 is a quote from Isaiah 40:3. Thus two prophets are being quoted, not one. The statement in NIV (and other new versions) is simply false.

This is simply a case of the Greek text and resultant English translation being wrong. It is a mistake, plain and simple. No amount of sophistry can argue around it. Notice the verse does not say, "It was spoken in Isaiah" (as in the case of Matthew 27:9's quote of Jeremiah). No. The quote is clearly said to have been "written in Isaiah."

Two possibilities exits: Either Isaiah, as we have it, is incomplete, omitting the quote (and thus the Bible itself so not complete), or Mark is mistaken, having given the wrong reference (which would mean that the Holy Spirit made a mistake writing the Scripture).

These two choices leave us in the unenviable position of having to adjust our understanding of Biblical infallibility. The doctrine of infallibility will not stand the test if the reading of the new versions is accepted.

3. Hebrews 3:16: We add this reference because it too seems to be too impossible to be real. Unfortunately it is all too real-and illustrative of the caliber of modern versions. KJV renders the verse this way:

"For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit NOT ALL THAT CAME OUT OF EGYPT BY MOSES."

The verses changed in NIV to read:

"Who were they who heard and rebelled? WHERE THEY NOT ALL THOSE MOSES LED OUT OF EGYPT?"

In others words, KJV says that "not all that came out of Egypt by Moses" rebelled while NIV indicates that "all those Moses led out of Egypt" did rebel. Any junior in Sunday School knows which of the two is right!

After four decades of wilderness wanderings, Moses addressed Israel as she prepares to enter the promised land. Deuteronomy 29:2 tells us,

"And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the Lord did BEFORE YOUR EYES IN THE LAND OF EGYPT UNTO PHARAOH..."
(cf. Deuteronomy 1:30).

Obviously some of these who were in Egypt and saw with their own eyes what God had done there also entered into the promised land, having not rebelled in the wilderness. As we said, any junior aged boy or girl could name two of them: Joshua and Caleb! One wonders what the translators of the NIV and other versions have been reading.

Why should we accept a Bible version that is not true-especially when we have one that is? Why would we accept a Bible that openly denies the sinlessness of our Lord and that makes the doctrine of Scriptural infallibility a falsehood?
THE BOOK WILL DEFEND ITSELF

We do not fear for God's Word, He'll take care of it! We fear only for its readers. These new versions are simply unsafe to rely on.

We trust this information will help our readers to understand this issue more clearly. Compare the verses for yourself and you will see that we do have a reliable, dependable copy of the Word of God in our own language. God has preserved His Word and made it available to us in our own language in an absolutely dependable form, the King James Bible.