Scripturally speaking there is NO such thing as one being saved before he has experienced a change of heart. In II Cor. 5:17 we read, “Therefore if ANY man be IN Christ (or His church) he is a NEW creature (to what extent?) Old things are passed away; behold, ALL things are become NEW” or different. Therefore, when a person who is supposed to he saved, goes right on throwing “mad fits ” cursing getting drunk smoking and chewing tobacco dipping snuff (see II Cor. 7:1 & Rev. 21:27) committing immoral sins, lying, stealing, and hating those he dislikes (I John 3:15) he has not experienced a change of heart See 11 Cor. 5:17.

True salvation must bring a deliverance to us from that “Old sinful and ungodly way of living.” The Apostle Paul informs This in Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation bath appeared unto ALL men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we (who are new creatures in Christ) should live soberly (and drink nothing that would in any degree intoxicate us. Then one must live) righteously and godly, (where?) in this present world.” Paul also said in verse 14, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.” Just ignore this paragraph if you have no desire to be saved. Ezekiel, one of the “Major Prophets,” also prophesied: “A NEW heart also will I give you… And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes (which are “God’s written rules of action” concerning moral matters).” For “Blessed is the man… (whose) delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law (or Word) cloth he meditate day and night,” or CONTINUALLY. See Psalms 1:1-6 with 84:11. This halfhearted living for God never pays any worthwhile dividends. King Saul finally found out that his halfhearted living for God had brought him into a terribly deplorable condition, and in a final confession he admitted: “behold, I have played THE FOOL, and have ERRED EXCEEDINGLY,” and  “God is DEPARTED from me. and answereth me NO MORE.”

A child of God is generally a long way out of line with God when his “communication line” is severed and he cannot hear from His Maker anymore. See Lam. 3:8. Let me exhort all of you who will be reading this message to spend much time in prayer, live close to God, and keep your “communication line” open to heaven ALL the time, by God’s grace. So you will not be left here to face all those horrible things that are soon to be poured out on this old ungodly and sinful world. Please read Matt. 6:33; I Peter 3:10-13; Rom. 8:35-39 & II Tim. 4:5-8. Saved, Yet Unsaved People can be saved according to their own opinion, or the opinion of others, and NOT be saved at all. It is a definite fact that a person is NEVER truly saved unless he is saved according to the Scriptures. In 11 Thessalonians 1:7-9, the Apostle Paul informs us that, “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven … in flaming fire taking vengeance on them (1) that know not God (which includes all heathen folk), and (2) that OBEY NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”–which is the ONLY gospel that will save anyone during this “dispensation of grace.” See Galatians 1:6-12 with St. John 8:24.

Many False Religions–Only ONE Saving Gospel Proverbs 14:12, says “There is a way which SEEMETH right unto a man, but (to the sorrow and disappointment of millions of people who are deceived thereby) THE END thereof are THE WAYS of death.” We read again, in Ephesians 4:5, about “ONE Lord, ONE faith (and) ONE baptism”–which points out that there is but ONE WAY to be saved. Jesus taught this same truth (St. John 14:6), when He said, “I am THE way, and THE truth, and THE life: NO man cometh unto the Father, but BY ME,” He also stated elsewhere that, “He that … climbeth up some OTHER way, the same (person) is A THIEF and A ROBBER” (St. John 10:1).

There are two ways in which we can define the title of this article. First it definitely applies to people who think they are saved because they have affiliated with some “denominational church” or joined some lodge or “secret order” –that claims one is saved and ready for heaven by complying with their MAN MADE rules and regulations. Certainly all “false religions” and “idol-worshippers” would be in this first classification. None of these ways religions or plans that have been concocted by man ever save anyone. See Jeremiah 10:23 with I Corinthians 2:14. Many so-called “Christian Churches” do not teach the same plan of salvation that the apostles preached in Acts 2:37-40; 10:44-48 with 11:13-18 and 19:1-7. These only present a “partial plan” or say “Just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you ARE saved” — right now and then! Though faith is required of all those who approach the Lord for salvation (Hebrews 11:6) faith ALONE never saves anyone. See James 2:17 20-24 and Mark 16:15-17 with II Thessalonians 1:7-9. None of the “heathen religions” of the “advocates of idol- worship” ever present any part of the “Bible Plan of Salvation ” and how could they since they DO NOT Know God and most of them have never seen any part of His Word? This is why we are duty- bound by tire Lord to get the gospel message of salvation to then,– by some means and by ALL means so help us God!

This SECOND classification of deceived folk in reference to their eternal destiny or salvation will certainly include all those who were ONCE SAVED by obeying the “Gospel of Jesus Christ;” but then later backslid departed from “THE faith” and embraced some false doctrine or they were made to believe “Once in grace ALWAYS in grace” — regardless of their lying (Rev. 21:8 and Proverbs 19:5,9) stealing cursing swearing getting angry getting drunk committing fornication adultery, etc. They and all (heir teachers and preachers have ignored such Scriptural references as “He that committeth sin IS OF the devil” –and, “Follow peace with all men AND HOLINESS without which NO man shall see tire Lord.” So folk can truly be saved and afterwards be lost if they depart from ” THE faith” or go back to living a sinful life. See Hebrews 6:4-6 with 10:26-31 Matthew 24:12-14 and II Peter 2:10-17, 20-22 with 3:10-14 and 17-18.

Hell is going to be an awful place for people who have once known God and tasted of the good Word of God and “the powers of the world to come” — “The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven ” and spoke in that heavenly language when they were BORN info God’s church “of water and of the Spirit ” according to St. John 3:5 and Acts 2:38.

THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE LATE ELDER B. E.

ECHOLS.  THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR
STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.