In today’s times it is very hard to find someone to give a clear gospel message. Pastor Yankee Arnold is truly one of the few men who does exactly that. I had the pleasure of meeting Pastor Yankee Arnold and his sweet wife Betty, who are now dear friends of ours, four years ago due to circumstance that I believe were led by the LORD. Pastor Yankee Arnold is strictly bible and backs everything he say with scripture. Today I would like to share with you his latest newsletter. I pray it brings clarity and assurance or even light to any questions you may have.
Making the Gospel Great Again
Dr. Ralph “Yankee” Arnold
When Christ commanded his disciples to go into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature, it must have been a message that the creator of all the world wanted everyone to hear. Whatever the gospel message was, it must be delivered just as it was given, without change.
You will notice in these two verses, that the serpent, (through his subtilty) wishes to corrupt your minds from the simplicity of another Jesus, another spirit, or another gospel.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
If you knew the true gospel, it is very easy to recognize the wrong, false, or another gospel. WE should always establish the reason for the good news first.
The bad news:
All have sinned.
All must be eternally separated from God in Hell.
Nobody can save themselves (impossible) by their works.
The good news:
The true gospel states that God loves the whole world.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world,
The true gospel states that God’s Son, Christ, paid for All our sins.
John 3:16 that he gave his only begotten Son,
The true gospel states that We must only believe that he did this for us.
John 3:16 that whosoever believeth in him
The true gospel states that We cannot go to Hell. (Guaranteed)
John 3:16 should not perish, (Guaranteed)
The true gospel states that We will go to Heaven. (Guaranteed)
John 3:16 but have everlasting life. (Guaranteed)
If salvation is by Grace, then it cannot be by works.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
If the true gospel is by grace through faith alone, then “another” gospel must be adding works to the gospel.
Rom 11:6 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.
If salvation is by grace, then it cannot be determined by how we live. Another gospel must be a false gospel.
Gal 1:6-8 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 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.
Perversions of the gospel
Any teaching that gives the idea that there must be a pre-determination of the will that something more is required than just simply believing, is a false gospel. If more is required, what is the more and how much more?
Repent of your sins to be saved.
Now, before you get on your high horse, think, think, think! What do you believe the lost man thinks when this is mentioned? Wouldn’t this mean to stop being bad in his mind? What does this mean to you? Do you really believe the Bible says for a man to stop sinning to be saved? If you know your Bible, you know also that there is no verse in the Bible that commands a lost man to turn from sin to be saved.
A man must repent to be saved, meaning, he should change his mind from unbelief and believe. If a man must turn from sins, could you honestly tell which ones. Who decides? Is it some or all? Be specific because a man’s soul depends on it being right. Have you turned from all of yours? Would you ask a lost man to do what you haven’t done? Doesn’t this addition cloud the main issue of free grace?
Make Christ the Lord of your life to be saved.
Many are teaching that a lost man must commit his life to Christ when in reality, it is a commitment to keep the LAW. Why do so many preach, “If Christ is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all?” Because that is what the LAW demands.
Mark 12:29-31 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Notice, this is your tulip guarantee of perseverance, meaning, if you are really saved you will persevere until the end. Where in the scriptures does the Lord promise to save us if we promise to serve him? I thought it was a free gift.
Gal. 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Requiring a lost man to make Christ the master of his life to be saved is a slick way to poison the truth of the gospel. This is placing the lost under the keeping of the LAW. Lordship salvation is not the gospel. It is false. If one is saved, he must immediately put on his magnifying glasses to examine his life to see if he really is saved. We call these “fruit-inspectors”.
Does bad works proved you were never really saved because it would prove you never really turned from all your sins?
Doesn’t it appear that the simplicity of the gospel has truly become corrupted by these add-ons. If anyone believes they can lose their salvation, isn’t it true that something more than grace must be needed? Can you tell me what it is exactly what is needed and how much more of the more is required? If grace means grace, how can anything other than faith be required?
If good works are required after you are saved to determine (prove) that you are really saved, would the bad works you find proved you were never really save at all? Remember, the way you live will never prove that you are saved, but it will prove that you are not saved if you must turn from your sins or make Christ the lord and master of your life.
See how complicated it gets when you add works to the gospel instead of just believe? Which would be simple for a child to understand?
I do not make Jesus Christ a savior and I do not make him a Lord that is who he is and saving people is what he does. When I trust Christ as my savior that was my decision to trust him for what he did on the cross for me. When I decided to serve the Lord after I was saved, I wanted Christ to be the Lord of my life but not to be saved, stay saved, or prove I am saved.
Remember; To be saved is a decision to TRUST Christ.
To be a disciple is a decision to SERVE Christ.
To trust Christ is to be born into God’s family forever. To serve the Lord is a decision to be made after one is born. Keep the two separate or risk total doubts and confusion. A believer is free to choose obedience or disobedience.
For the sake of the gospel, every preacher, missionary, evangelist, Sunday School teacher, and every child of God should commit themselves to the pure free grace gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe it’s a shame that so many preachers have compromised the clear gospel of GRACE with such corruptible terminology.
Making the Gospel Great Again
BECAUSE
It is the power of God unto salvation
It is the only hope for mankind
It is true Eternal Security
It is Once Saved Always Saved
It is by Faith alone in Christ alone for the Glory of Christ alone
SO, LET’S KEEP THE GOSPEL
CLEAR, WITHOUT WORKS, SIMPLE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL THE WAY IT IS, AND DON’T BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO HAVE ANY MAN-MADE ADDITIONS TO PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF GRACE.
Yankee Arnold Ministries
Ralph ‘Yankee’ Arnold