The BIG Picture (Q&A)

QUESTION: According to Ephesians 2v8-9, is faith a gift from God or is it self-generated? If I believed and made it to heaven and you didn't did I save myself by my faith? ANSWER: Great question. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear that salvation is by grace through faith , and not of ourselves —it’s the gift of God , not of works , lest anyone should boast. But what does that mean for faith itself? Some believe faith is part of the gift , that God gives it directly and irresistibly. That’s the Reformed view . But from a dispensational perspective , which I hold to, grace is the gift , and faith is the means by which we receive it. Faith isn’t meritorious —it doesn’t earn salvation—but it is the God-ordained condition for receiving it. Romans 4:5 backs this up: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” So no, you didn’t save yourself by believing. God saved you—through faith . You responded to the gospel,...

The Natural Man: Spiritually Blind and Incapable “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” — 1 Corinthians 2:14 This verse is not a passing remark—it is a doctrinal pillar. It tells us plainly that the unsaved man—the “natural man”—is spiritually blind. He cannot receive the things of God. He cannot understand them. To him, spiritual truth is not merely confusing—it is foolish. This is not a matter of education or intelligence. It is a matter of spiritual incapacity. The natural man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and dead men do not see, hear, or respond. If the Gospel Is Hid, Who Then Can Be Saved? This raises a serious and necessary question: If the natural man cannot receive spiritual truth, how then can he be saved? If the gospel is hid to those who are lost, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, then what hope is there for the unregenera...

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." — Zechariah 8:23 (KJV) A Prophecy of Israel’s Future Prominence This verse reveals a profound prophecy concerning Israel’s restoration and role in the future millennial kingdom . It describes a time when people from all nations will seek out Israel , recognising that God’s presence and blessing are uniquely upon them . The image of Gentiles taking hold of the skirt of a Jew is symbolic of their desire to be associated with God's chosen people , acknowledging His divine favour upon Israel. The phrase "In those days" refers to a future period , distinct from the current dispensation. This is not a reference to our present age of grace , but rather to the time when Christ establishes His earthly reign as ...

SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION: Why do Christians fall for Paul, who openly admitted that he was a liar (Rom 3:7), crafty (2 Cor 12:16), chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15), a blasphemer (1 Tim 1:13), a murderer (Acts 22:4), preacher of his own gospel (Rom 2:16) who never even met Jesus? MY REPLY: Paul, like every one of us, is a sinner. His self-admitted flaws—being a persecutor of Christians (Acts 22:4), a blasphemer (1 Timothy 1:13), and the "chief of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15)—highlight the universal truth that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23, KJV). Even Peter, James, and John were not without sin. Peter, for instance, denied the Lord three times (Luke 22:61-62), yet millions 'fall for Peter' as a saint. Despite these shortcomings, God’s grace transformed their lives and used them mightily for His purposes. Similarly, Paul’s violations you mention are no different from those of any of us. We are all in the same boat as sinners needing a Savior, and ...

Hello friend, In Hebrews 11:1 it tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for. If you want to be SURE of salvation, which you hope for, you need faith. Thus, the actual question one must ask is, “How do I get faith”, which will give one surety of salvation. Fortunately, the bible gives us the answer to this question. We find it here: Rom 10:14-17 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (15) And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! … (17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If you want faith, you need to hear the word of God. To hear the word of God is to receive it into your understanding. This can be by means of hearing or reading the words of God and then processing what you have recei...

SOCIAL MEDIA STATEMENT AND QUESTION: John 3:7 paraphrased - “… I said unto you that everyone must be born again”. Everyone is everyone - not just Jews being born again. Remember what Jesus said in John 3:3? “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Here Jesus is talking about the “kingdom of God”. So, is this a Jewish kingdom or a heavenly and eternal kingdom of God message? MY REPLY: Everyone must be saved, yes. But we must understand the different plans of salvation in the Bible. The earthly ministry of Jesus was only to the Jews. In the KJV the word “Ye” is not a reference to 'everyone' (as you suggest), but a reference to Israel exclusively. Jesus never addressed Gentiles , Matt.15:24. Prophecy even dictates that it is Israel first that must be saved so that they would be a light unto the Gentiles. This is the reason why Jesus said to that woman, Matt.15:26 “But he answered and said, it...

QUESTION: Do you teach that the Jews of the Old Testament were saved by works of a combination of faith and works, and if so, do you argue that from James 2? ANSWER: I’m glad that you say Old Testament Jew and distinguish their salvation as different from today. It is important to clarify that in this grace dispensation today, under the grace gospel, there is no Jew or Gentile, Gal.3:28. We are all the same and people of all nations have access to God and salvation though the gospel of Christ. Now, concerning Old Testament, from Moses to Jesus, I can answer your question by referring to this verse: Rom.3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision BY faith, and uncircumcision THROUGH faith. As the verse identifies, today, Gentiles obtain righteousness THROUGH having trusting in what Christ has done for them, or in other words, NOT BY THEIR OWN FAITH but through the faith of Jesus Christ, Gal.2:16; Phil.3:9. It is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to Gentiles...

What does "all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13) mean? Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. For This passage quotes Joel 2:32 and attributes it to the Lord Jesus. The exaltation of Christ through His resurrection exemplifies His sovereignty in offering salvation; He extends it to everyone. Salvation is attainable solely through Him. This serves as scriptural evidence of God's all-encompassing mercy. whosoever shall call The word “whoever” is understood as (Greek—“all”). Salvation is available to all. Here, "calls" signify a petition of need; it represents a self-humbling before the LORD. We are insufficient to meet the criteria for salvation. In this context, calling is tantamount to believing in all that God has pledged to us. We rely on His nature to fulfill His promises. Acts 2:21, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. upon the name of ...

First, consider that the word gospel originates from the Old English gōdspel, which combines gōd (meaning “good”) with spel (meaning “news” or “a story”). So, at its core, gospel signifies good tidings, truth, and the message of salvation in the Christian faith. With this in mind, we should ask, “where in the Bible do we encounter the very first occurrence of good news that tells us that God would save us from eternal death?” Many people would say that it is in the gospels of the New Testament, but this is incorrect. To find the very FIRST occurrence of the gospel, we must go way back to the very beginning of the Bible. Read this scripture, Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. This scripture is known as the proto-gospel. This label is not important, but what is, is the message it tells. What this scripture is saying is that in the aftermath of Adam and Eve'...

ORIGINAL STATEMENT: Here is a question: If a Jew comes to your church will you tell him what Peter commanded in Acts 2:38,39 or tell him something else. Remember you said Peter’ doctrine was only for the Jews. Another thing if a non-Jew comes into you church do you tell him what Peter commands the gentiles in Acts 10:48 or would you tell him something else? CORRECTION: If a Jew comes to your church, will you tell him what Peter commanded in Acts 2:38,39 or tell him something else? No. I’d tell him Paul’s gospel. Why? Because Peter’s gospel in Acts, although 100% valid and accurate, was for the Kingdom program, under prophecy. God suspended this program (Rom 11:25) when He called Paul. Thus, the Kingdom program hangs in limbo until God reactivates it again when the 7-year Tribulation begins (after the rapture of the Body of Christ). Only the Grace program is active today and both Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace according to the gospel of Paul (1Cor 15:1–4). Peter NEVER preached th...

ORIGINAL STATEMENTS: Salvation: ask forgiveness, sin no more, and the other, I don’t agree. His name is not (JC); his name is Yahawashi (Paleo Hebrew). We don’t call our savior (JC); for we know the Catholic Church give the earth an imposter. He (Yah) died for the sins of his people (Isaiah 46:13, and 49:6). Just believing is not enough. We must have faith with works (James 2:26). “Man cannot live by the word alone;” he must walk in the spirit; otherwise, he will be mystified. These two scriptures are important for those who walk in the spirit (1 Corinthians 13:9; 2 Timothy 3:16). CORRECTION: It is strange that you quote from Paul’s texts, but you appear to completely ignore what he teaches concerning salvation by grace. Concerning grace salvation: It is clear from Paul’s epistles that by placing faith in Christ alone, without works, God justifies you and saves you. Believing is not only enough, it is the ONLY thing you can do and the only thing God needs. Anything beyond believing is ...

QUESTION: So, you mean to tell me that Demas who left Paul because he loved the present world more than the gospel as stated in second Timothy, four verse 10, would go to heaven anyway, even though he abandoned the faith? ANSWER: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world: There is no conclusive evidence that Demas forsook the faith. Paul says he forsook him, not ‘the faith’. In addition, we cannot interpret, having loved this present world, to mean, necessarily, that he was a materialistic man, or that, he loved the honours or wealth of this world. It could be interpreted that he simply ‘desired to live’. He was not willing to stay with Paul, and subject himself to the probabilities of persecution or martyrdom; and, in order to secure his life, he departed to a place of safety. So, there is no reason why Demas should be held up as an example of a worldly man. That he desired to live longer; that he was unwilling to remain and risk the loss of life, is indeed cl...

I received a comment on one of my posts where the person was stating that in all dispensations, only faith was necessary for salvation. Now this is true of the current Grace dispensation, but from what I read in the Bible, I cannot agree with this comment. Works played an important part to prove that believer's  faith. You see, the difference between our dispensation and all others is that we, today, are freely imputed the faith and works of Christ. This is the very foundation of God's 'grace' towards us through Christ. Other dispensations did not have the cross, and thus, their gospels required additional works to prove their faith. Below is the comment and my reply with reasons why I disagree with this. COMMENT: The Jews were saved by faith alone just like we are. The OT believers looked forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. Their faith was based on this. Those promises were fulfilled in Christ. Anyone in the OT or the NT who depends on works of any kind will ...

How does it work for believers in the Kingdom program? The Kingdom gospel in Jesus’ day was a works-based gospel. In other words, the Jews would believe in Jesus as his Messiah, but then he would have to add works to his faith by repentance, water baptism, Spirit baptism, obeying the commandments, forgiving his brother, selling all his possessions, and enduring to the end. These ‘works’ would prove his faith and commitment to his Messiah and he would qualify for the Kingdom. Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died w...

Let me answer the points in your question with some facts. Sin has separated us from God. The bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom 3:23). We cannot restore that relationship. We never could and we never will be able. You see, sin is in our nature. It’s not our works or efforts that is the issue, it is us ourselves. It is our very nature that is at enmity with God. The bible says,  Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. No good works or efforts that you do, to appease God or try to earn favour with Him, will count for anything! Again, the problem lies inside of us, inside our very nature as humans. So then, what is the answer to your question? If we cannot do anything to find peace with God, how can we be saved? Well, the bible gives us these answers too. God has provided us with grace through Jesus Christ. The answer is to believe in Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus wi...

When you consider the progression of the dispensations and that in each dispensation, God had a different relationship with humans, the answer to this question becomes clear. As a simple example, consider that when Noah lived, there was no Israel nation and Mosaic law. Obviously, Jesus had not come yet and there was no prophesy concerning His life and death. So, how then would Noah be saved? It could not be by Jesus or the cross! When we understand progressive dispensations and we take the text in the Bible for what it is, then the answers start to form in the Word. Noah and his family were saved because Noah obeyed God’s word. What was God’s good news to Noah? Build a boat. So, Noah obeyed God and built a boat and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is...

Salvation has NOTHING to do with you. Ask yourself these simple questions. Do you believe that the cross work of Jesus is your only hope? Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and was resurrected for your justification? Do you truly trust that you cannot do anything to save yourself and are wholly dependent on what Jesus did for you? If you say yes, THEN YOU, my friend, ARE SAVED! …. And there is NOTHING you can do to ‘unsave’ yourself because God has sealed that contract in heaven. Your righteousness and justification are not dependent on your performance or choices. Your righteousness and justification are settled because of the performance and obedience of Jesus. I’m sorry to say, but once you are saved, you, my friend, CANNOT get out of it, whether you want to or not. Have you ever seen a baby get ‘unborn’. It is physically impossible. Likewise, it is spiritually impossible to become ‘unsaved’. Just make peace with it and continue to grow in the only other instruction th...

Justification is the FIRST step in being saved. It starts by hearing the grace gospel. What is the gospel? It is to come to the understanding that without Christ, you have no hope and you have fallen short of God's righteousness because you are a sinner and at enmity with God. It is then to know that because of God's love for you, Christ died for you and through His death, burial, and resurrection, you have a way to come into right standing with God. Having heard these things, it is a matter of choosing to believe in Christ, and trust that His cross work has the power to save you. It is to understand that because of your decision to trust in God's Son, He will justify you and seal you unto that day of redemption. Understand that your choice to trust in Christ sets in motion a transaction in heaven that permanently and utterly saves you. All this is God's work, that once done, due to your decision to trust Jesus Christ, is irreversible and sealed. God cannot go against...

QUESTION:  I am half and half with my salvation. Deep down I feel like I'm saved, but doubt shoots that down quite often. I do want to be saved. I do feel love for Jesus and have a longing for him and to obey and follow him. I've been told that this longing that I feel is proof that I'm saved and then I've also been told that that's not enough. I'm guessing where you stand on this, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Is that longing to be with Jesus enough? Or “evidence"? Or something else? ANSWER:  The first thing to mention is that faith is not a feeling. I mention this because 3 times in your comment above you mention this. Can I speak plainly (and bluntly). Forget about feeling anything. Feelings are just going to mess with faith. So, get that off your chest!! The next thing to say is this: Have you heard the gospel of the cross, how that Jesus Christ died for your sins, (so you could be forgiven and redeemed), and how that Jesus was buried and ...