Good Works

So our church embarked on an evangelism 
last Sunday after church and we all came 
back sad. I will tell you why. 
We realised most of the people we 
witnessed to were Christians and you 
won't believe their level of knowledge and 
understanding on salvation. 
Only one out of 10 believers knew about 
their salvation and their assurance of it. 
The rest were completely lost. 
These are some of the answers we 
received from some Christians. 
1. No body can tell if he or she is saved 
or not. Only Jesus can tell that when 
He comes. Till then, let's all wait and see.
2. I know I won't make it to heaven 
because I haven't lived a right life as 
Jesus expects me to. 
I am still going to church so that incase 
He comes, He can see me and have mercy 
on me because am in church.
3. I know am saved but I don't have any 
assurance of it.
4. I became a Christian because I was 
afraid to go to hell. 
5. If you live a right life, you'll go to heaven, 
if you live a wrong life, you'll go to hell.
7. God hates sin so if you don't want to 
perish, then don't sin. 
These and many more Christians told us 
as we ministered to them. 
We try explaining to them that salvation 
is a gift of God and faith in Christ is the 
only means of being saved and going to 
heaven, then they get angry and ask 
"so are you saying we should do what 
we like and we will still be saved?". 
These same people are battling with 
attitude problems yet when you tell 
them the goodnews, they're agitated 
and don't want to hear you. 
To a large extent, I blame a lot of pastors
 for this. I can boldly say without fear 
that in Ghana, only about 10% of Christians 
know and understand their salvation and 
their assurance and security of it. 
For the rest I can't say anything good.
We have been taught wrongly and badly. 
We have exalted other things above 
the message of the Gospel and no 
wonder we have so many false converts 
and ignorant believers all over who 
take their bibles, dress beautifully and 
go to church and still return as empty 
as they went. 
A lot of pastors today are teaching 
philosophy, logic, motivations and 
mammonism and call it the word of God 
and claim it's in the Bible. What a shame.
If you're a pastor and your congregation 
does not understand salvation, 
the assurance of Salvation, the New 
Testament, forgiveness, redemption, 
eternal life and other foundational truths 
of Christ work, you disappointed Jesus 
Christ and you need to repent. 
If a believer doesn't know about his 
salvation and his assurance of it after 
being a Christian for many years, then 
what at all has he or she been doing at 
church all this while?
A church that constantly and consistently 
makes money, deliverance, killing witches, 
breaking curses and doing all kinds of 
directions as it's hallmark will soon 
become Satan's stronghold to keep 
God's people captives and slaves. 
Listen, if a man goes to heaven because 
of anything good or right he did, then 
Christ died in vain.
If a Christian goes to hell because of anything 
bad he did, then Jesus disappointed humanity.
Salvation is grace alone through faith 
alone in Christ alone.
 Let this settle once and for all. 
If you have a hard time accepting this, 
you need to go back to your Bible.

Ephesians 2:7-9
7   That in the ages to come he might 
shew the exceeding riches of his grace 
in his kindness toward us through Christ 
Jesus. 
8   For by grace are ye saved through faith; 
and that not of yourselves: 
it is the gift of God: 
9   Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
Salvation is not of works, teach your 
congregation. You did not die for them. 
Let the know the truth. We are saved only 
by believing what God did in Christ.

Romans 10:9-10
9   That if thou shalt confess with thy 
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe 
in thine heart that God hath raised him 
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 
10   For with the heart man believeth unto 
righteousness; and with the mouth 
confession is made unto salvation.

This is clear and simple.

2 Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with 
an holy calling, not according to our 
works, but according to his own purpose 
and grace, which was given us in 
Christ Jesus before the world began, 

Titus 3:4-7
4   But after that the kindness and 
love of God our Saviour toward man 
appeared,  
5   Not by works of righteousness which
 we have done, but according to his mercy
 he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, 
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 
6   Which he shed on us abundantly 
through Jesus Christ our Saviour;  
7   That being justified by his grace, 
we should be made heirs according to 
the hope of eternal life. 

This is what we must affirm.

The Gospel is so simple that it takes 
an ignorant man to confuse you. 

Read your Bible well: anytime good 
works is mentioned, it has nothing to 
do with salvation, yet it's so important 
after salvation.

Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these 
things I will that thou affirm constantly, 
that they which have believed in 
God might be careful to maintain 
good works. These things are good 
and profitable unto men. 

Maintaining good works doesn't 
maintain salvation. 
The Bible doesn't teach that. 
It is profitable for men. 
Men need your good works. 
Jesus does both the saving and 
the maintenance.

Jude 1:24
Now unto him that is able to keep 
you from falling, and to present you 
faultless before the presence of his 
glory with exceeding joy, 

Let's teach the Gospel whether it fills
 a church or empties it. 

Good works brings glory to God. 
The Bible never said it brings salvation.

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, 
that they may see your good works, 
and glorify your Father which is in 
heaven. 

If anyone had another reason why 
he made it to heaven aside faith in Christ, 
this person insulted and assaulted Christ. 

We preach John 3:16 yet we still don't believe it:

John 3:16-18
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. 
17   For God sent not his Son into the 
world to condemn the world; but that 
the world through him might be saved. 
18   He that believeth on him is not 
condemned: but he that believeth 
not is condemned already, because he 
hath not believed in the name of the 
only begotten Son of God.

Whosoever? Believeth, Whosoever? 
Believeth, Whosoever? Believeth 

Do we have to do anything (good works)  
for salvation? No 

Do we have to do anything (good works) 
after salvation? Yes 

These are two different things. 

Good works are a results of allowing 
God's word to transform us through 
the renewing of our minds. 
I will do more teaching on this soon. 
God bless you.

Hope this blessed you? 

Isaac Love Pappoe