Introduction
The most important question you will ever be asked in your entire life—DO
YOU KNOW 100% SURE IF YOU DIED RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD GO TO HEAVEN? Have you ever been asked this
question before? Have you ever
given this question any thought? There are many “If's” in life but this is NOT a matter
to be taken lightly. Your soul’s eternal
destiny is at stake! Many folks are
in the dark concerning their soul’s salvation. They’ve heard umpteen religious teachings all their life but aren’t
really sure of anything. They’ve
never really settled down to business on this matter. Friend, I would like to guide you in the following chapters
into many of these Scriptures—with a sincere desire that you may come to the
glorious knowledge of the truth and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
as your Savior. I use the term
“relationship” carefully, because Judas also had a relationship with the
Lord, but still went to Hell in his sins. By “relationship” I mean that you
have received Christ's death, burial and resurrection (the Gospel) as
payment for your sins, and now you are God's child.
I thank God for all the millions of Gospel tracts which get passed out
each year in this nation; however, it has always concerned me that too many are
vague and lacking any real substance. Nothing
can replace a personal soul-winner. Howbeit, many people have been led to the Lord Jesus Christ
by a simple and short Gospel tract. A
simple tract is helpful because many people will not take the time to read a
long brochure. Further, salvation
is not a difficult matter and God only requires a child-like faith to be saved.
Nevertheless, there are some people who need more than a simple tract.
It is not unreasonable for a person to have many questions and concerns.
I wish I had found a book such as this when I first began to seek the
Lord as a teenager. I have written
the following chapters in an attempt to “lay it all out on the table” in
hopes of giving you a more complete understanding of God’s wonderful plan of
salvation. This just may be the
world’s longest Gospel tract. I
pray that God’s Holy Spirit will speak to your heart as I speak to your mind
in the pages ahead.
There
are many uncertainties in this life, but your soul’s salvation does NOT need
to be one of them. You can KNOW
beyond
any shadow of a doubt that you are saved and on your way to heaven. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God; that ye may KNOW
that ye have eternal life…”
(1st John 5:13). We all know that
we have to die, but we don’t know when. Why
not take out a fire insurance policy with God and make ready your soul for the
day when you die and pass from this life into the next?
The honest truth is
that God has provided a simple and easy way for all mankind to be saved. God
does NOT want one single sinner to perish into Hell. “The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but
is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH,
but that
ALL should come to repentance.”
(2nd Peter 3:9). What a wonderful
truth! The promise mentioned is the
return of Christ as prophesied in the Bible. There were “scoffers” and “doubters” in
those days (just as there are today) who make light of the Bible and laugh
at the Scriptural teaching that Jesus Christ will someday return for His
own.
These scoffers are
known as “liberals” or “modernists.”
The apostle Paul here assures these
folks that God is not a liar and does indeed keep His promises. The
reason for the Lord’s delay is simply because He is “LONGSUFFERING
to us-ward, not willing that
ANY should perish, but that
ALL should come to repentance.” It is you my dear friend whom God is waiting for! God
does not want you to perish! You have
no idea how much God loves you, what He has made available to you and how
very much He wants you to get saved. Again,
it is my humble prayer that the Holy Spirit of God will speak to your heart
in the extremely important pages ahead.
The
only accurate way to interpret the Bible is to interpret the Bible with the
Bible. The Bible speaks for itself! May
I say, there will always be areas of doctrine that puzzle us. Someone
wisely said that BIBLE is an acronym which means: Basic Instructions
Before Leaving Earth. I like that.
Every answer brings ten more questions. We're either going to trust God or else
put Him on trial in our minds. I choose to trust God.
We are challenged in 2nd Timothy 2:15 to “STUDY to show
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
RIGHTLY
DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.” This is how we learn the Bible,
i.e., by dividing it (cross-referencing). When we compare one Scripture with other Scriptures, we obtain true
doctrine. This is where many people
get into big trouble—by failing to “rightly divide” the Word of Truth.
For example, we are told in Mark 16:16 that “Whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” The casual reader might mistakenly conclude that
water baptism is essential for
salvation. This would make water baptism
a sacrament. This is not correct
however because we are told elsewhere in the Bible that Paul was not sent to
baptize, but rather to preach the Gospel. “For Christ sent me
NOTTO BAPTIZE, but to preach
the gospel” (1st Corinthians 1:17). Paul never would have made such a statement if water baptism were
necessary for salvation. This is
just one of thousands of examples of why it’s important to know your Bible
well. It is my earnest belief that
every
Christian should have a thorough understanding of the Bible.
I’ve
written this book because I feel it is very much needed. I’ve met many people who thought they were saved, but in
fact were NOT. There is an
abundance of false teaching and false religion all around us in society. The
Devil is a master counterfeiter! Many
false religions have birthed from sincere
misunderstandings (false teachings) from the Bible.
2nd Peter 3:16-17 warns us about tampering with the Bible.
Those who do so, do it “...unto
their own DESTRUCTION.” Peter was wise to admit that he simply did NOT understand some of
Paul’s writings. Honesty is
always the best policy. There’s
nothing wrong or demeaning about saying “I don’t know.” Many people are blinded by arrogance and are too proud to admit their
ignorance on certain matters. May
I say, there are many things which I do not understand. I do not pretend to understand everything in the Bible.
On the contrary,
I have many questions for Jesus when I get to Heaven. We
are encouraged in 1st Corinthians 13:12 concerning this matter... “For
NOW WE SEE THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY; but
then face to face NOW I KNOW IN PART; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” What a wonderful truth—Someday we will
know God just as much as He
knows us. Until then, we must be content to “know in part.”
This
book is all about salvation. I am
going to share with you many of the practical truths which God has used to burn
my heart over the years. I think of
these truths often. I can
proclaim with Jacob, “I am not
worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the
TRUTH,
which thou hast shewed unto thy servant”
(Genesis 32:10). God is
wonderful to me and His truths are precious indeed. I fervently pray that the truths in this book will be a blessing to every
reader. These are NOT my truths,
they are God’s truths. I’m simply sharing them with you, gladly, as God has
taught them to me from His Word.
There
is NO greater matter in life than the destiny of a man’s soul. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and
LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?” (Matthew 16:26). The important thing is that you know your name is written in
Heaven in
the Lamb’s book of life. If you
are not saved, nothing else matters! All the knowledge and wealth in the universe will do you no good if
you die in your sins and go to Hell forever. As a Christian, Jesus Christ lives within my heart (and I live in His
heart). If you are saved, Jesus
lives within you (and you in Him). If you are NOT saved, Jesus Christ wants to
save you.
I have included several chapters
addressing the “assurance” of one’s salvation. I have personally known quite a few Believers
who couldn’t find peace
concerning their soul’s salvation. There
is no reason to fear and doubt. The
Bible teaches that we can KNOW beyond any shadow of a doubt that we are
saved. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name
of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye
have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”
(1st John 5:13).
When I was
younger, I was always afraid to go down into the basement when the lights were
out because I didn’t know what might be lurking in the dark. I
used to anxiously swing my arm feeling for the pull-string for the ceiling
light.
I was afraid of the unknown. This is
the same reason why a person doubts their salvation, i.e., they are ignorant
concerning the Scriptures. They fear,
“what if?” What if I’m not really saved? What
if I go to Hell? People often fear
that which they do not understand.
My goal is
not to impress anybody with a nice book; but rather, to help OTHERS.
Certainly, this book has been written with the lost in mind, hoping that
many unsaved people will come to the saving knowledge of the crucified on
the cross, buried and risen Lord Jesus Christ (aka, the “Gospel” - 1st
Corinthians 15:1-4). But moreover, I wrote
this book for struggling believers, who like me for seven long and
painful years of inexplicable mental anguish, fear with uncertainly, unable
to settle the assurance of personal salvation.
As a
teenager, “What if ___?,” questions daily haunted my mind. What if I'm not
saved? What if I did something wrong? What if I missed something? What if I
miss Heaven and go to Hell forever? I was terribly afraid. I often cried
publicly and privately. I was afraid to talk with anyone about it. It's not
easy in a Christian school, and a Christian church, where you've been
attending for years, to admit to your church family that you aren't sure
you're saved. What will they think about me? I know now, decades later, that
all my worries were over nothing. Remember, the world really doesn't center
around you, nor me. People are preoccupied with their own lives, burdens and
thoughts.
The Bible
warns that the fear of man bringeth a snare (Proverbs 29:25). Do you know what
is the first group of people listed in Revelation 21:8 who are damned to the
Lake of Fire? The first group listed are the FEARFUL. Could this be the people
who were too afraid to go to church, so they could hear the Gospel preached?
Could this be people who were too afraid to respond to an invitation to
receive Jesus Christ after a sermon? Could this be the people who were too
elite, wealthy and proud, afraid to be associated with the Savior? What was it
that kept them from getting saved? What were they afraid of, that hindered
them from asking questions and searching out the truth how to be saved? Please
don't let fear rob you of the gift of eternal life! My friend, you can have
eternal life, RIGHT NOW, right this very moment, completely free...
GETGODSGIFT.ORG (backup
video).
Having
said that, I authored this book on SALVATION for you my
friend, whoever you may be. I love you immensely in the Lord Jesus Christ,
Whose Holy Spirit indwells my body (1st Corinthians 3:16-17), and I want to be
a blessing for the Lord in your life if you'll please let me. I want to
engrain in your soul the Biblical truth that eternal life is a PROMISE
from God. Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life,
which God, that cannot lie, PROMISED before the
world began.” Salvation is not about human performance, not in the least
degree. And please notice in Titus 1:2 that we don't “hope” for eternal life;
but rather, WE HAVE A “HOPE,” because God made a solemn Promise TO ALL THEM
WHO believe on the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16; Romans
10:3-4; Philippians 3:9). 1st Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the
wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
It
is my heart’s desire to help you gain a greater understanding of God’s plan
of salvation in the chapters that follow. I believe you will find this book helpful. I’ve endeavored to keep the chapters brief, yet long enough to say what
needs to be said. Whether you're
saved, unsaved or not sure you're saved—there is something in this book for you. It is my sincere prayer that God’s Holy Spirit will speak to your heart
in the pages ahead as I speak to your mind. May God Bless you.
An undeserving
sinner saved by God’s loving and merciful
grace,
David J. Stewart
An Important Word From My
Heart Concerning My Book
By David J. Stewart | April
2014 | Updated November 2015
*Note from
my heart — Everyone, I don't care who you are, adjusts and changes your
beliefs over the years. Although not addressed in this book, I'll use as a
personal example. Years ago I used to believe in a Young Earth view (which
is a widely held view in Baptist churches today). As time passed, I took a
middle-of-the-road approach, simply because I didn't have any solid
convictions either way, but in recent years I have formed solid Old Earth
convictions based upon compelling evidence by faithful men of God such as
Dr. Curtis Hutson (see his 6-part series on DEMONOLOGY)
and Dr. Max D. Younce's book “DON'T
LET SATAN MAKE A MONKEY OUT OF YOU.” Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980)
believed in a Young Earth view; but his successor as editor of The Sword Of
The Lord, Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) believed in an Old
Earth (commonly known as the “Gap Theory,” which I am convinced is not a
theory, but Biblical
teaching).
I respect
the freedom of speech rights of others with whom I disagree and vise versa. I
love and promote both Dr. John R. Rice and Dr. Curtis Hutson, even though they
are diametrically opposed concerning the gap theory (old earth verses young
earth). Ultimately, we each have to do our own homework as believers and form
our own conclusions, or allow someone else to do the thinking for us (which
may be dangerous if the person you are following is wrong on salvation, so be
careful). Thankfully, Dr. Rice and Dr. Hutson both agreed 100% on salvation,
which is solely by God's grace through faith in Christ.
Many notable
Christian authors and leaders have changed their beliefs over the years. The
changes aren't always good. Whereas Dr. Kent Hovind of the Creation Science
Evangelism ministry once believed in a Pretribulation Rapture, he has recently
changed his position to a Postribulation Rapture view. Dr. Roland Rasmussen,
radio host Alex Jones and Pastor Steven Anderson also teach a Postribulation
view. Contrawise, Billy Sunday, Charles Spurgeon, Harry Ironside, Dwight
Moody, Bob Jones Sr., John R. Rice, Jack Hyles, Lee Roberson and many other
mighty men of God all believed and taught a Pretribulation Rapture, which is
exactly what I believe. The Lord said the timing of His return is a big
secret, to keep Christians on their toes (Mark 13:32-37). Only a
Pretribulation Rapture position supports the element of surprise, which is
compelling evidence of a Pretribulation Rapture taught in the Bible. Jesus
said NO ONE KNOWS WHEN CHRIST WILL RETURN!!!
Dr. Oliver B. Greene (1915-1976)
and Dr.
Max D. Younce believe and teach
that Hades
(Hell) was compartmentalized, which is what I believe, that is, the place
of Torment existed on one side, and Paradise was on the other side (called
“Abraham's Bosom.” See the factual story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke
16:19-31). Albeit, Dr. John R. Rice denied the existence of an Old Testament
place called Paradise and taught that all Old Testament saints all went
directly to Heaven when they died here on earth.
And finally,
there is a raging debate in our churches today, and this controversy has
existed throughout the millenniums, over exactly what is required by God to be
saved and go to Heaven. Dr.
Curtis Hutson correctly taught that
a person simply needs to admit their sinful condition and believe upon the
Lord. Brother Hutson's beloved predecessor, Dr. Rice used to say, “Every man
who goes to Heaven goes on a free pass, but he who goes to Hell pays his own
way.” And then he would quote Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Yet, sadly,
Dr. Billy Graham (who is arguably the world's most well-known evangelist in
history) teaches that a person must count the cost, make a full surrender to
Christ's Lordship, and pay the price of forsaking sinful living to be saved.
This is NOT the Gospel as taught in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4. Whether or not a
person believes in an Old Earth or Young Earth, Pretribulation or
Postribulation Rapture, saints went to Old Testament Paradise or directly to
Heaven, WON'T prevent them from going to Heaven if they trust solely upon the
crucified and risen Savior to get their sins forgiven. However, following the
false plan of salvation by Billy Graham WILL send you to Hell forever!!! Human
works have no place in Biblical salvation. Please read the awesome printed
sermon by Pastor Curtis Hutson, “SALVATION
CRYSTAL CLEAR.”
Now I've
shared all these things with you for a reason. When I originally penned this
book about SALVATION in 2001, I prayed and asked God's Holy Spirit to guide
me. I am very pleased with the book and believe that it has honored the Lord
over the years. Albeit, I was compelled for the benefit of my readers to make
some minor changes. One such change is the removal of references to asking
Jesus into one's heart to be saved. I am not against preachers who use that
terminology, but I prefer not to use it because you can ask Jesus into your
heart and still go to Hell. As Brother Jack Hyles (1926-2001) says in his
sermon, “STEPS
IN SANCTIFICATION (or the root
of all heresy)”... “You don't get saved by asking Jesus into your heart, but
Jesus comes into your heart when you get saved.” Most of the changes which I
have made to my book are helpful additions to the chapters on “Repentance” and
“Are You Really A Christian?” In addition I have added chapters 37, 38, 39 and
40 since the original writing in 2001.
I have since
learned that you don't have to ask Jesus to save you; but rather, the Bible
teaches to simply BELIEVE! It's not sinful to ask, but you you don't need to
ask. John 3:16 plainly teaches that “WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH
IN HIM” shall not perish, but have everlasting life! You don't have to
walk a church isle at invitation time to be saved. You can BELIEVE right in
your pew and be saved, just as I was at age 13 decades ago. Thank God for the
gift of His only begotten Son Jesus, the Christ!
With the
recent theological plunge in our churches into the heresy of Lordship
Salvation, I have read through my book to make sure that I carefully
worded my thoughts. Remember, I am just an imperfect sinful man, capable of
doctrinal error, but God's inspired words are perfect and very pure (if you
have a King James Bible). If my book ever disagrees with the Holy Bible, you
follow the Holy Bible! As I explain in my book on Salvation,
Lordship Salvation is not God's plan of salvation; it is a satanic deception,
intended to provide a substitute for the Gospel. My writings cannot, and
should not, replace the Word of God. That has never been my intention. My goal
is to simply share with you, the reader, many of the Biblical truths which the
Holy Spirit has taught me since I miraculously became born-again by the Holy
Spirit of God at age 13.
Remember,
Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life
without ever being born-again!!! Religion cannot get anybody into Heaven.
Religion wants to fit us with glasses, to see through man's view; but the Lord Jesus
wants to open our eyes! A man is better to have no hope than a
false hope, because a man with no hope is still searching. Acts
13:39, “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which
ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
