Why is the word ‘Gospel’ offensive to people? Because the Gospel gives all the credit to Christ’s finished work on the Cross and thereby gives all the glory to God through His Son. Humanity cannot stand not getting any of the credit because each individual must abandon the concepts of human merit and human ego, and trust the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to save them from God’s wrath.
In other words, human beings must go against their nature of working for whatever they want to accepting Christ’s work on the cross to save them. That in itself is not an easy thing to do considering we are all taught to be self-sufficient. We are all of the “work to eat, or starve” mentality. So, we have the Gospel of Christ as the Savior of the world, and they have the gospel of ego as the savior of the self. Which one is offensive to you? Why? Just remember only One saves us from God’s wrath, which is to come. The other destroys us.
Can one swallow one’s pride and admit one has not been perfect? Can one admit that one has a human nature like every other human?
If so, we are on the right track. One must take control of the ego, and that is the first step to trusting Christ as Savior.
Our own human nature is stained by Adam’s fall in the garden. As a result, our own work for salvation is stained. This alone should tell us we have a couple of problems: 1). Our human nature, which we receive at physical birth; 2). God is Absolute Righteousness, therefore He demands perfect righteousness. We cannot possibly hope to provide perfect righteousness, regardless of effort or personal piety. The sin nature is imputed to us at physical birth, which means we are literally born losers, but Christ makes us winners through faith in His Cross.
Grace means God does one-hundred percent of the work for us, then gives Salvation to us as a free gift, all because of what HE did. Ego means ‘God can’t do it alone,’ and we have to ‘help’ Him.
Believing in God does not save you. Being a devoted Catholic or Christian or Baptist or anything else does not save you. Only belief in Christ can save you.
You are not going to Heaven because you have been a faithful practitioner of a particular religion. Other than your personal faith and belief, you have no part whatsoever in your salvation. If you could help Christ, then there would be little need for Him to have gone to the Cross. It’s as if you’d say, “Wait, God! You’re not quite perfect enough. Here, let me help.”
We are all condemned by our human nature. Without receiving Christ as personal Savior, we will perish. We will perish because of our pride, our ego, our refusal to trust Christ alone to save us. This is why Christ died and this is why you cannot save yourself, nor can your church save you. You’re just never going to be good enough to satisfy God’s perfect justice. Some people simply cannot accept that. If they cannot accept that, they cannot accept Christ.
Man is therefore his own worst enemy, and shall have no one to blame when he stands before the terrible day of judgement. The same Christ that died to save you, will judge you. You shall be found not guilty of sin, but judged guilty of not believing in Christ alone for your salvation.
Why is religion so offensive to people? Because religious people are egotistical, blinded by religion, legalistic, self-righteous, and hypocritical.
Why is religion so offensive to God? Because religious people are egotistical, blinded by religion, legalistic, self righteous and hypocritical. Religion is also offensive to God because ‘religious’ people crucified Christ.
Don’t let your ego, religion, or religious people keep you from God. Pride is one’s own worst enemy. God is not your enemy unless you reject His Son. Reject religion but don’t reject the cross – accept Christ. Humble yourself, admit you can’t be good enough to save yourself, and believe. Trust the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, He died for you so you don’t have to die for yourself.
The penalty for sin has been paid. That is why Christ died – He died for you! He made it easy for you.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
“For by Grace are you saved and that not of yourself, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
It is wonderful to be a faithful Catholic or Protestant all your life, but that is not the way to Heaven. Christ alone is the only way to Heaven. Maybe you didn’t realize this because nobody ever bothered to explain how to go to Heaven.
Do you have a Bible? Please see for yourself. Please get it. Open it to the Book of Saint John – it’s right after Saint Luke toward the back if you have the Old Testament and New Testament in one book. Now, find the third chapter of Saint John and read verses 15-18, and verse 36. Then please turn a few pages until you find chapter 5, and read verses 22, 24 & 39. Turn a page or so and find chapter 6 and read verses 29 through 51. See also verse 63. Now look at chapter 8 and verse 47. Please turn a few pages to chapter 10 and read verses 9-30. Were almost done! Now go to chapter 11 and find verse 25 & 26. Continue on to chapter 14 and read verses 1-6. Please keep turning pages toward the back of your Bible until you find the book of Ephesians. Go to the second chapter and read verses 8 & 9.
I hope you read these verses of God’s Holy Word for yourself, and I pray that you have better clarity God’s plan of salvation.
Why don’t you take a moment and bow your head and tell God, “I trust only the death and resurrection of Christ to save me. I realize that my church cannot save me and I cannot save myself by being faithful in church attendance or by helping You in any way. I now understand that Christ did all the work on the Cross to save me, and I trust Him only.”
If you prayed this to God and really believe it in your heart then Heaven will be your home. May God help you to see the light.
Please do not be offended because I care enough to share God’s plan of salvation with you.
Speaking of offensive, why would anyone be offended by the Gospel of Christ unless their ego was in the way. Ego in the way will keep you from God’s Way – faith only in Christ only.
Love always, Buddy Craig.