On Board With Billy Graham

You do:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is about Jesus Christ, and specifically His Work.

Your gospel is about what the prospective convert must do.

While I agree that we are saved unto good works, and will inevitably bear fruit, your gospel is not a "poor way of presenting the Gospel," it is simply not the Gospel at all.

Find your gospel in Acts 10. Show why Paul does not teach the Gospel as a Mystery, the Hidden Wisdom of God. Show how the disciples understood the Gospel and embraced it. Deny the Lord's clear statement that they were unbelieving and hard of heart...because they did not believe He had risen from the Grave as He said He would. Show how Peter did not reject the Gospel on one of the few occasions He presented it to the disciples (well into His ministry I might add), then try to keep Christ from the Cross with a sword, and when that failed...

...denied he even knew Christ.

But you won't, because you cannot, because Scripture makes these simple truths painfully clear.


Continued...

 

Carefully consider that while Christ's teaching does have application to the Gospel, He was not actively revealing it to the public, not even to His Own Disciples.

Okay, so take notes:


Acts 10:34-44
King James Version (KJV)

34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all)

37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.


And I wonder if you had noticed that Cornelius was a just man, an Old Testament Saint:


Acts 10:21-22
King James Version (KJV)

21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.


Every bit as righteous as Abraham...but still in need of Eternal Redemption.

Cornelius was not saved until Peter preached the Gospel to him:


Acts 11:13-15
King James Version (KJV)

13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.


Peter preached the Gospel, and at no time made demands of Cornelius.

And Cornelius was granted repentance unto life:


Acts 11:16-18
King James Version (KJV)

16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.


Just simple truths which cannot be refuted.


Continued...

 

And once you understand the Lord was not revealing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Israel (those He said He came unto only)...

...you will understand the magnitude of the Cross better.

You'll better understand man's condition of separation and their need for Reconciliation. Their need for life, which is only given through the eternal indwelling of God.

As a matter of fact God calls men who are not even aware...they need saving.

Abraham could not believe and obey until God came and got him, lol:


1 John 4:10
King James Version (KJV)

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

In point of fact it is:


John 1:11-13
King James Version (KJV)

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.


John 3:14-16
King James Version (KJV)

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Twaddle.


Ephesians 2:8-10
King James Version (KJV)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.


You needlessly burden yourself with what God already intends to do in the life of every person He saves, lol. We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, not by them, and we will do those good works God determined beforehand that we should do.

And it saddens me that you would refuse to address these points, and walk away with the same haughty attitude you presented in your first statement in this thread.

As I said, it is quite biblical to tell people they need to ask Jesus Christ into their hearts.


Revelation 3:20
King James Version (KJV)

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

This is an invitation to salvation, and "overcoming" is synonymous with being saved.


1 John 5:1-5
King James Version (KJV)

1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?


Whosoever still means whosoever, even after almost 2,000 years.


God bless.

 

The scripture is quite plain: followers of Jesus must not follow any other. Giving accolades to mortals probably does not please God. If we do anything good in this life, the praise, honor and glory belong to God. The time for "well done, good and faithful servant" has not yet arrived.

Mr. Graham seems to have had a strange relationship with the holy see, which is the spirit of anti-Christ at least; perhaps even Mystery Babylon. Several folk are wondering why the SBC has seemingly never censored such behavior.

How can someone apparently lead people out of darkness, give them some literature and counseling and the then send them back to the darkness from whence they came?

At one time, I was caught up in the mesmerization of evangelistic crusades. There is something seriously lacking in "repeat after me salvation." The unregenerated can wind up in high places in the wonder world of religions of the world.

Beware: the wolves dressed like sheep.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

By the grace of God I was saved through the preaching by Billy Graham at age ten. The reason Jesus Christ had so much success through Billy Graham is because Graham kept his preaching focused on faith alone in Jesus Christ as the only way to God. Discipleship and Sanctification follows and follows at different speeds and at different times for each individual child born of God, for His purposes at His times.

 

Surely salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. The messenger gets no glory in this world.

The Word does not return void.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

Amen! No glory in this world among men, but Jesus allows us to share in His pleasure of bringing people to Himself, both through preaching and teaching the Gospel.

 

My first wife Charlotte was named where her Mother was born. She was born in Charlotte North Carolina and so was Billy Graham... He was her favorite preacher, him being a hometown boy... She adored him... I would see him occasionally on TV but never became a follower... I was to busy listening to the preachers in my own church to concentrate on Billy Graham... I know he had an impact on many but not me, I guess to each his own... Brother Glen