The Simplicity of the Gospel

“Then the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he escorted them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’ Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had believed God with his entire household.” (Acts 16:29-34)

Notice the bolded. This is the utter simplicity of the gospel message. It’s not an easy thing to believe, no, but it is absolutely understandable to even the most naïve of children. Yet, people keep trying to add something to the good news of Jesus Christ. Why? What purpose could it serve to complicate something that should be apparent to every believer? Who is the person who wants to sow confusion and make the lonesome branched path to Christ and eternal life a tree of woe?

Some who do this are well-meaning. They don’t wish to propagate “easy belief” for fear that it distorts the power of the gospel into mere intellectual assent. After all, Scripture does say:

“You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.” (James 2:19)

So, they argue, it’s not enough to merely believe that there is a God. You must believe on Christ, putting every burden, care, and worry that you have in His hands. This is good, but the problem that follows is the theology that these same people create based on the surrounding context in James.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith from my works.” (James 2:14-18)

Many denominations in the Christian faith take this to mean (erroneously) that one cannot be saved by faith alone. They perpetuate the message that if one does not have faith and works, he is not justified before God. But is this really what the Word says? What does Jesus say?

“Jesus said to her [Martha, the brother of Lazarus], ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25)

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Salvation is a gift from God. You did not earn it. You dare not say your self-righteousness deserved it. Scripture says:

“All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3)

So why the dispute? Why have various Christian denominations taken the call to good works as a binding contract for salvation? Do they believe the Word to be contradictory when He says we are saved by grace through faith? Are Paul and James and Jesus preaching different gospels entirely?

No, because: “All Scripture is inspired by God [God-breathed] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Knowing this, then, all of Scripture must be in agreement else none of it is true. God is the Word and He wrote the Word into the annals of the Bible. If that’s the case, then Paul, James, Jesus, Timothy, Moses, etc. must all be speaking the Truth.

So how do we reconcile faith and works? If we are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Christ, why does James harp on about works and so-called dead faith? Perhaps one should reread the passage above, particularly this:

“If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16)

This is important because it highlights why James is upset: Christians are proclaiming to be saved, yet they don’t care in any way about their fellow man. Oh, they’ll say a few kind words, but they won’t offer anything of sufficient help. They won’t provide clothing or food to their struggling brothers/sisters. They don’t share the gospel with them. They don’t demonstrate the new heart they’ve been given.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

These people in the church aren’t showing a regenerative heart. They’re sitting on their laurels, talking about how great they have it, not proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. They’re so self-interested that they’re neglecting their duty. Some of them might truly believe on Him (thus, they are saved) but because they are doing nothing, they might as well be telling a man dying of thirst in the desert to get a drink of water from his empty canteen.

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles. In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-17)

Like Jesus, James is warning against hypocrisy and false conversion. He’s telling people not that their works save them, but that a Christian can be known by their fruit, the fruits of the Holy Spirit. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? Scripture says:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22)

Be careful, however, not to make more out of these passages than meets the eye. Should a Christian be making disciples/sharing the Light of Jesus Christ? Yes. Should he presume that if he makes no disciples in his lifetime, that he isn’t saved? If you’re not soul-winning, are you condemned to hell? No, you’re not. Return to that passage in Acts. Does the jailer save anyone (other than his family) that we know of? No, he does not.

As Paul says to the church in Galatia:

“You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified? I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? Did you suffer so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?” (Galatians 3:1-5)

These people, who’d already believed on Christ, were being duped by certain Judaizers that they needed to keep the tenants of the Mosaic laws in order to remain saved. They were being manipulated into believing circumcision, among other ordinances, was a requirement of salvation. In fact, earlier in this book Paul says he had to rebuke Simon Peter for standing with the Jews who were saying and doing these things!

“But when Cephas [Simon Peter’s Greek Name] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.” (Galatians 2:11)

“We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not be the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.” (Galatians 2:15-16)

Perhaps the best example that works do not save is during Christ’s crucifixion. Jesus is situated between two criminals. One mocks Him. The other begs His mercy and rebukes the other outlaw.

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!’ And He said to him, ‘I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:42-43)

What work did the thief on the cross do? Nothing. He merely believed on the Lord Jesus Christ that He was the divine Savior of mankind come in the flesh.

Those who promote a works-based system, even in good faith, are in the wrong. They are confusing the simple message of the gospel (believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) with the call to action that follows salvation.

Many of us struggle with doubts about our future in Christ. How harmful it is when one of our own, such as a pastor, preaches a different gospel to the one we have heard! We become confused and disheartened, questioning our faith and salvation even more. But the Bible is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ. What does Paul say about twisted words and interpretations of the gospel?

“I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the good news about the Messiah. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:6-9)

Strong statement. Paul doesn’t mince his words. That being said, it’s probably not a good idea to go around cursing your pastor if he’s teaching a false gospel out of ignorance. It may be simply that he’s forgotten the simplicity of the good news of Jesus Christ. If you’re able, remind him of the grace of our Lord. Show him the Scripture. And if you think he won’t listen, it may be best to find a different church altogether.

If nothing else, I hope that this lengthy post has instilled in you the Truth of the gospel message. As someone who is known to let his anxieties get away from him, hearing a false gospel can be infectious and devastating. It’s one subtle way the enemy whispers in your ear. Don’t let him get you down! Turn your worries over to Christ, whom you believed on and thus were saved, and He will guide you through His Spirit.

Thanks and praise be to Him! Have a great day and God bless.