How many “Christians” know what the gospel is?

Dr. Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe stated on his Facebook page yesterday morning, “Jesus certainly can redeem you while you are still alive. If you ask Jesus to forgive you of all your sins, past, present, and future, and commit to make him the Master of your life, that is, put him fully in charge of your life and commit to follow his commands, he will redeem you.” 

A large church in my area has on their how-to-be-saved page, “Salvation is received through turning away from our sin (repentance) and turning toward God by asking for and receiving his forgiveness through his only son, Jesus Christ.” 

These are both organizations that “on paper” would say they believe in salvation by faith alone without works, but in practice they tell people otherwise. In Dr. Hugh Ross’s statement, he says you must put Christ “FULLY in charge of your life”. That is an impossible task. Who has put Christ fully in charge of their life? Besides it being impossible, that is a WORK. 

The statement from the large local church not far from me requires you to “turn away from sin” to be saved. They, like many people, falsely equate repentance with turning from sin. Repentance is a change of mind, not “turning from sin”. The first time repentance shows up in the Bible, it is God repenting (Gen. 6:6). God certainly has no sin to turn from. And besides these people having the wrong definition of repentance, turning from sin is a work. 

Jonah 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

And IF salvation in the present age of grace (Rom. 6:14) did require works, such as turning from sin, which sins are we required to turn from? All of them? That is impossible. Just the really bad ones? Who decides which ones are the really bad ones? The statement makes no sense no matter how you interpret it. 

If you listen to what a lot of “Christians” say about salvation, to include most evangelicals and fundamentalists alike, they are not giving the gospel of the grace of God. They may attest on paper on a statement of faith that they believe in salvation without works, but that is not what they practice. They are preaching another gospel that is riddled with works such as “turning from sin”, “give your life to Christ”, “walk the aisle so someone can pray with you to receive Christ”, etc. Such works are no different than the false religions telling people that they must give money to the church, get baptized, go to the priest, etc. It is a false gospel anytime you add to it. 

The gospel that saves is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised again the third day! You can receive Christ by believing on Him, trusting His sacrifice as the payment for your sins. 

1Corinthians 15 

[1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 3:

[20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
[21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
[22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
[24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
[25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
[26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
[27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
[28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Acts 16:

[30] And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
[31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.