POKER AND A FALSE GOSPEL

There 's a tern used by poker players (so I'm told) called a "tell." For the uninitiated, a tell is a change in a player's behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player's assessment of their hand. What's psychologically fascinating about a tell is that the player commits the tell unconsciously; he has no idea that what he's doing is communicating to his opponents the contents of the cards upon which he's gazing. 

There's a tell by which you can spot a proud person.Whenever he  does something that isn't easy, he swells with pride. It wasn't easy for him to do his first job interview. But when he's done, he's proud about the fact that he managed to do it well. He was proud because he did something that wasn't easy. He can't wait to tell you how great he performed many, many times. 

That's the way it is with a false gospel. There's a tell that goes along with it. Here's an example of a false gospel, brought to you by an organization that promotes this "gospel:" "Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything. Salvation is a free gift from God to those who believe, but discipleship and obedience are the response that will no doubt occur when one truly comes to Christ in faith." (The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

With a twist of the English language, the BGEA giveth and the BGEA taketh away by saying, "Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything." The logical fallacy is evident on its face, and all the more so when we leave out parts of the sentence: "Salvation is certainly free . . . but at the same time, it costs everything." Wait a minute! "It's free but at the same time, it costs?" That would be like my saying, "This BMW is absolutely free. But it'll cost you your house, your savings account, your checking account, and your pension fund. Everything."

Where does this idea come from, this idea that we're saved by faith but that salvation will cost you everything? One of the places it comes from is from those who do what Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to do in 1937 by proposing the packing of the Supreme Court to get his New Deal proposals approved. There are those who pack the word "faith" and expand it to mean "a lifetime of good works." The packers are legion,but some famous names are James Montgomery Boice, John  MacArthur, R. C. Sproul, and Wayne Grudem who all say that everlasting life is received by faith alone, apart from works. But then . . . hold on ....

But then they define faith in such a way as to include or guarantee a lifetime of good works, cramming it into "faith."They put it this way: "We are to die to ourselves as we change into the likeness of Christ. Where easy believism fails is its lack of recognition that a person with faith in Jesus will lead a progressively changed life."

It's easy to see how such an earned salvation can lead to an overweening and insufferable pride. "I did it! I changed! I gave up smoking! I quit watching R rated movies! I'm now singing in the church choir!" But read Romans 3:26-27--. . . [S]o that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law ("principle")? Of works? No, but by a law ("principle") of faith."

Notice how they slam "faith alone in Christ alone" by calling it "easy believism.' It's a derogatory term that flies in the face of the Bible which clearly says faith, believing, IS easy. It never presents faith as hard to do; it presents faith as the ONLY thing to do. 

Is taking a sip of water easy? Is eating a piece of bread easy? Is looking easy? Is receiving a gift easy? These are all pictures of faith found in the Bible: Is. 45:22; John 3; John 1:12; John 6:51; John 7:37; John 4; Revelation 22:17. This is precisely where II Cor. 11:3 enters the playing field: " But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from the SIMPLICITY and pure devotion to Christ.Yes, faith is easy as the Bible says.

They call faith alone "easy believism." But, as one pastor asked, "What is 'hard believism?" Good question.

The fact is that even within Christianity, the majority don't believe that salvation is without cost. Yet, the Bible signs off with God's final invitation to man to come and do something easy: ". . . come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost."