We all know people who claim to know and believe the TRUE GOSPEL and the doctrine of grace that the true Gospel reveals but who compromise by claiming that false Christians are their brethren in the faith.  Many of them become angry with, and accusatory of, any who challenge this position.  How do they do this?  They take refuge in what they see as merely DOCTRINAL knowledge and positions and Christians differing in this knowledge and these positions.  Their refuge is usually stated as “Calvinism vs. Arminianism.”  They claim that they as Calvinist have a higher knowledge than other Christians who are Arminians.  The issue they need to face has nothing to do with John Calvin and Jacob Arminius.  The issue is this – WHAT IS THE TRUE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO GOD’S REVEALED WORD?  The true Gospel of God’s grace places all of the conditions of salvation (all of its blessings and benefits) upon the Lord Jesus Christ Who fulfilled all of those conditions by His obedience unto death as the Surety, Substitute, Redeemer, and Preserver of His people whom the Father chose and gave to Him before the world began (John 6:37-45).

     All false gospels place some or all conditions of salvation upon sinners in some way, to some degree, at some stage.  False gospels are always exposed by their claim that God has done “his part” to save us, but we have to do “our part” to make it powerful and effectual for our salvation.  These false gospels deny the Gospel truth that God is absolutely sovereign and just, and that man is absolutely dead spiritually in trespasses and sins.  They deny the effectual, powerful, and finished work of Christ to redeem His people from their sins and insure the complete salvation of all for whom He died, arose from the dead, and lives forever to intercede on their behalf.  They make Christ’s death on the cross totally ineffectual to save anyone unless sinners put their stamp of approval upon it.

     The true Gospel sets forth in preaching the glorious Person of Christ as God manifest in the flesh, and the ACCOMPLISHMENT OF HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS to demand and insure the salvation of all for whom He died.  His obedience unto death is the righteousness of God which God has freely imputed to all of His chosen people for their justification and complete salvation.  This salvation includes the gift of faith by which all for whom Christ died receive and rest in Christ for all salvation.  It includes the gifts of repentance and perseverance in the faith by which all for whom He died turn from their dead works and cling to Christ for all salvation.  The true Gospel shows that if we have Christ, we have all that God gives in the gift of salvation.