Over time the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been slowly and sometimes suddenly perverted by the thoughts and desires of men. By adding extra steps or removing essential components we push out the Grace of God necessary for true salvation and take away the power needed to make disciples, defined as a fully engaged follower of Christ. Two of the most common and extreme occurrences of this perversion is found in the man-made doctrines of Free Grace and Lordship Salvation.

Although there are variations, Lordship Salvation is generally referring to the teaching that a person must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord and stop or at least be willing to stop sinning while producing good works or fruit. Ultimately making salvation a two-step process requiring faith in believing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and active following Jesus’ teachings, evidenced by the production of fruit. The proponents of Lordship Salvation claim that the proof of this two-part salvation plan can be found in Luke 14:27 “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Clearly, this verse is teaching on discipleship, not salvation. Lordship salvation also teaches that salvation will always be evidenced by fruit or good works. While this is partially true the task of defining good works often falls to the opinion of flawed men as to what is and is not acceptable. Overtime time Lordship Salvation becomes more about checking off boxes on a list rather than truly producing good fruit. This false plan of salvation often causes followers to feel that they have never done enough to earn God’s Grace or love.

The major failing of Lordship Salvation is in the tying of works to the act of salvation. By adding our works to salvation, even in the smallest amounts, we minimize the work done by Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Further Romans 11:6 declares “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Adding a small number of works to Salvation is comparable to adding a small amount of poison to a glass of water. The water is no longer good to drink and the grace is no longer good for salvation.  Works are the result of salvation, not the causal effect. We had a saying growing up “don’t put the cart before the horse”, the cart follows the horse but the horse is not real because of the horse, and salvation is not made real because of the works that follow.

It is my experience that Lordship Salvation produces disciples that are more concerned with the sin in someone’s life rather than the Savior needed for Salvation. They become legalistic and hypocritical in their judgment of sin.

On the other end of the spectrum is the teaching of Free Grace Salvation which teaches that belief alone is enough for salvation. The problem with Free Grace Salvation is in the elimination of repentance on the part of the believer.  Often cited as proof of this teaching is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The lack of the mention of repentance in this and other verses is often declared to be proof that it is not necessary for salvation, resulting in a watered-down gospel that only requires the reciting of a prewritten prayer or asking Jesus into our hearts to force God’s hand to save the individual regardless of how they view their sin or whether or not they desire to stop sinning. Those who teach this “Easy Believeisim” style of salvation ignores the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance was the thrust of Jesus’ message to the lost world. The elimination of repentance from the plan of salvation reducing the act down to turning over a new leaf. The great tragedy is the false sense of security given to someone who may never seek out salvation again, resulting in their eternal condemnation in Hell.

Free Grace focuses heavily on the supposed conversion of the lost but fails in discipleship because the person being converted does not possess the changed heart or the power of the Holy Spirit needed to be true disciples.

As with most extremes, the truth is often found in the middle. The Biblical plan of salvation includes elements of both Lordship Salvation and Free Grace. Biblical salvation includes repentance and faithful belief. The lost person needs to have some degree of understanding of how his sin has separated himself from God and how he must desire to move away from that sinfulness and in faith turn to Jesus Christ and the price He paid for those sins on the cross of Calvary. The evidence of this is the changed Heart that no longer desires sin. A change of vision that sees the world the way God sees it, lost, and in need of salvation. And ultimately a change of will, where the person’s Will aligns with the Will of God. We see this evidenced many times in the New Testament. This complete transformation and repentance of the Woman at the Well, John 4:28-29, where she not only left her earthly duties but began to proclaim the Messiah and in the Changed life of Zacchaeus and his desire to change his past wrongs in Luke 19:8.

CONCLUSION

 Although possibly well-intentioned, any changes to the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ condemns souls to Hell. Lordship Salvation adds hurdles to Salvation that is evidence of Salvation, not part of the act of Salvation. Free Grace Salvation takes the process of Salvation to the opposite extreme, oversimplifying the Salvation process to the point of being ineffective by the removal of the need for repentance.  Both fail to make true disciples of Jesus Christ. The true Salvation process of repentance and belief through faith in Jesus Christ is the only means by which one can be reunited with the Father. From that true conversion, true disciples can be made.

At Crossroads Baptist Church we are currently right in the middle of an original sermon series helping people strengthen their relationships. Part of that training is making sure we set aside time to have date nights on a regular basis. Now sometimes date night should be the time to put on your best clothes and spend a little money, most date nights are more about the company than the price. So, I thought I would take a moment and share some great cheap date nights for couples in Central Florida! BTW, if you are interested in watching the sermon series you can check it out on my YouTube channel.

1. Go to the Beach – You’re in Florida, take advantage of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Looking for waves and sunrises? Try Daytona or one of the other 100 East coast beaches. Looking for calmer waters and romantic sunsets? Go west young man (or lady) Sanibel Island, Naples, Clearwater are all great choices and only a few hours from home.
2. Go to the Beach at night – When my wife and I first started dating I was dream rich but cash poor which made dating limited. Fortunately, we lived only minutes from the beach. So, our cheap date night was walking on the beach, in Delray Beach, FL, talking and dreaming. We got to know each other better walking that beach than we ever would have sitting in a restraint or movie theater.
3. Theme parks – I know, not cheap, but did you know that Walt Disney World and Universal Studios have lots of free shopping areas where you can experience the “magic”, see some entertainment and even watch the fireworks? You live close take advantage of it, but buy your souvenirs off property.
4. Walks at the lakefront – One thing we have more of than ocean beaches is lakes and most of the cities have safe, well lit lakefronts that are begging people to take walks on them.
5. Nature Walks – Don’t forget that you live in a diverse paradise that has more than beaches and theme parks to offer. Check out traillink.com for some of our state’s amazing hiking trails.
6. Pack a lunch – Parks are everywhere. Pack a lunch and make a lunch date. With my wife and my hectic schedules some days if it wasn’t for Publix subs and a picnic table at lunch, we wouldn’t even see each other.
7. Paddle a boat – Another benefit of living around lots of water is lots of water activities. Rent a canoe and make a day of it or visit Lake Eola Park in Orlando and rent a paddle boat shaped like a swan for $15 per half hour.
8. Go fishing – Not my thing, but to each his own. Florida has some of the best fresh and sea fishing in the world!
9. Go fly a kite – Hobby Lobby sells kites for less than $5 or make your own and spend the afternoon together flying it.
10. Take a class together – The library offers many free classes and you can find cheap classes at community colleges and online. Or, spend a little more and take a cooking or dance class together. The great thing about classes is that you not only spend time getting to know each other but you may also discovery a new hobby or business that you can experience for years to come!
11. Work out together – At home, at the gym or with a personal trainer exercising together is a great date time and you get the added benefit or getting healthier at the same time. My wife and I regularly work out together and it is a time that we both look forward to each week. The weigh-ins, not so much.
12. Play in the rain – When was the last time you ran to the rain instead of away from it? Playing in the rain isn’t just for kids but a great way to have some child-like fun with your spouse. Jump in a few puddles, dance a little or do your best Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds impersonation and   do a little Singin’ in the Rain!
13. Putt-putt around – Miniature golf is a cheap date night that is oddly more enjoyable than it sounds.
14. Go courting – You don’t really know someone until you play them in a little one-on-one on the basketball court! Dust off the ol’ basketball, lace up the shoes and have some fun!
15. Hit the range – Take advantage of the plethora of golf courses and visit the local driving range. Not only a great date time but you also get to relieve some stress by slamming some little white balls.
16. Hit the other range – Florida is still a 2^nd amendment friendly state and gun ranges give a great opportunity for date night! Bring your own gun or many ranges will rent you one for a low fee.

These are only small sampling of cheap date night ideas. I would love to hear some of yours in the comment section.

One of the greatest questions you can ask is simply; “Why?”. After a failure, instead of dwelling in the wreckage of the past ask the question; “Why did it fail?”. Look for what can be learned that will avoid failure next time and improve the odds for future successes. After a great Win ask yourself; “Why did this work?”. Look for what can be duplicated or made better.

But “Why?” isn’t just for you. When someone treats you poorly ask “Why?”. We often take criticism as a reason to change or stop working, but, often the “Why” of their criticism has nothing to do with you and everything to do with their own shortcomings.

There is great value to not taking everything at face value but instead looking for the “Why?” behind the curtain.  “Why?” moves us forward to a better understanding and a better success.

Your thoughts?

Be Good, Pastor Jay

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (KJV)

Paul gives us a warning of fact in Romans 8:6; to be carnally minded is death.  Notice it doesn’t say it could be or might be death, it states it “is death”. A stern warning that deserves more than just a cursory answer. But before we can answer the question, “Am I carnally minded?”, we need to better understand what it means to have a carnal mind.

A carnal mind is one that focuses upon the flesh more than the Spirit. Where a man keeps his mind and what he thinks about determine who he is and what he does. A man that keeps his mind and thoughts in filth, becomes part of the filth. If he keeps his mind upon the good, he becomes better. When a man focuses upon worldly success, he achieves success in the world. When a mind is filled with religious thoughts, that mind becomes religious. If his thoughts are focused upon God and righteousness, he becomes godly and righteous. A man becomes and does what he thinks.

A person with a carnal or “fleshly” mind often reveals itself in one of three areas of their lives;

1. The carnal mind may focus upon the immoral, the violent, the material, and the physical flesh. This is usually the life-style most people think about when a carnal or fleshly person is mentioned. Their minds are consumed with the lust for sex, power, money, houses, things, recognition, position—concerned and filled with the earthly and the worldly. More worldly pleasure is the goal, but the reward is empty, and the desire is never satisfied.
2. The second area of a carnal mind focuses on culture, morality, refinement in the worldly sense. Often this person desires a better educated and refined community. Social work and political activism is often born out of this carnal mind. They often try to mask their carnal mind under the guise of enlightenment, diversity or inclusion. And while the desire may seems good on the surface it is actually based in carnality, separate from anything of God.

3. The third type of carnal mind manifests itself in religion. Focusing on living a life of service, ceremony and good works. This type of carnal mind seems godly, but their mind is not focused upon God but upon themselves and this world. They serve to carry out a religious function or ceremony and any personal relationship with God is nonexistence. The stress of the carnal religionist is his religion and its rituals and ceremonies, its welfare and projects. Such a focus is fleshly and carnal.

The point is this: a carnal mind does not necessarily mean that a man’s thoughts are upon the filthy, immoral, and vicious. Any mind that does not find its basis in God is a carnal mind.

So, I must ask the question again – Are you carnally minded?

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

By now I am sure you have heard of the senseless act of violence that took place at Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl. As has become the norm, the smoke had barely started to clear before some politicians were calling for stricter gun laws and others were calling for more funding for the treatment of individuals with mental health issues. Unfortunately, none of them have chosen to identify the real problem or offer any real solution. Instead they pretend like the real problem isn’t a problem at all, leading they way to more and more destruction.

When I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s (yeah, I know I’m old) the gun culture was very different. It was not uncommon to see guns displayed in the back windows of trucks sitting at the grocery store, banks, and even schools. Students had guns that stayed in their vehicles and the though of bringing them into the school or hurting someone with them never crossed our minds. It was easier to get guns back then. You could walk into a Walmart, K-mart, TGY&Y and a dozen other places and walk out that same day with a rifle, shotgun or even a pistol. Very little paperwork needed to be filled out and no background checks were ever done. I was working at TG&Y at the time and at the end of the week we would mail the one page of information to the ATF, what they did with it I have no idea. And about once a year someone would stop by from the ATF and look over our copies that we kept on file, thumbing through them and then leaving. Rare was the home invasion and rarer yet was the school shootings.

Today it is harder to buy and posses a gun is harder than it ever has been in the history of our country, yet violence continues to increase. It seems with every restriction placed on gun owners, gun crimes go up exponentially. I do not believe we can legislate ourselves out of the perceived gun problem for one very simple reason. We do not have a gun problem.

And, while I think that mental health is sorely underfunded, I don’t believe that even with full funding would it make a dent in the violent shootings. We have always had those around us with mental health issues, but rarely did they turn to hurting others in mass. Mental health makes a convenient excuse to distract us away from the voices trying to enact new gun laws, but the will not stop the killings.

America’s problem is not one of guns or mental health – America has a sin problem that has gone untreated for to long. As a nation we have turned our back on God and embraced everything He warned us about. We murder thousands of children a day and call it “Health Care” and there are many pushing to have the right of abortion to newborns as well, or former President and current political activist being one of them. We have chosen to embrace every perversion man can dream up and label any who resist as intolerant and bigoted. We have spit upon the gift of marriage and turned it over to perversions. We accept politicians that lie, cheat and steal as long as they say the things we want to hear. We pour our money into Hollywood who knowingly hid serial a serial rapists from the world because our entertainment is more important that the safety of women. Our churches are no exception, running to ordain men and women who do not hold the qualifications to be ordained, simply because of our desire to be inclusive. We look at Worship as a way to get some blessing or to be filled because after all, it’s all about us, right? We have Pastors standing in pulpits afraid to mention Hell or sin because they may offend some one and lose favor, yet they don’t have any problem offending God.

The solution to the violence is simple – Repent from our wicked ways and seek after God. It will require the 95% of people who claim to be Christians but who do nothing to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to do something meaningful for Christ. What would have happened if one Christian had reached the gunman with the Gospel?

When was the last time you invited someone to church or shared the Gospel with someone? A better question is who will you invite to church or share the Gospel with next?

I don’t read a lot of fiction, Christian or otherwise, but I Just finished Like A Flood, by Elizabeth Proske, and I’m glad I did! I really enjoyed this book! Having a very full schedule, I found myself looking for downtime to be able to read more. Pleasantly, it was much more intense and emotional than I expected. Having been on several Mission trips I can attest to the reality of the conditions and some of the obstacles faced, although I have never experienced the intense action detailed here. I was worried with the number of characters that it would be difficult to keep them all straight as I read, but the author overcame this with thorough, ongoing character development. There is a great diversity of characters and each is at a different point in their spiritual life causing each to respond to each other and the crises they face accordingly. I doubt you can read this book without seeing yourself in one or more characters. The times of doubt and spiritual struggles they faced seemed real and made the characters very likable and watching them live out their faith despite the adversity was very encouraging for me. I would love to see this turned into a screenplay, that’s a movie I would watch! I highly recommend for teens and adults.