BE NOT DECEIVED PART 1 Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) May 11, 2012 Throughout the New Testament Christ and the Apostles warned us all about being deceived. The word deceive means to mislead the mind; to cause to err; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to delude, to beguile and to cheat. We are warned repeatedly about men who deceive, false prophets and false teachers who deceive, doctrines that deceive and miracles that deceive. Deception is something we must be on guard against at all times. In Paul’s day many believers had been deceived and today the deception continues. There are a number of doctrinal deceptions God has singled out for us to be on guard against. In these studies they all begin with the letter “S”. Salvation The biggest deception about salvation today is the false belief that salvation is earned by works. There are millions of people who are deceived into believing they can gain salvation by the works they do in this life. It is one of the most common deceptions in the world today. More people are deceived by this error than any other. Most people believe God keeps a record of their works. They believe that when they die God will compare their good works with their bad works and if their good works outnumber the bad, God will allow them into heaven. This lie is believed by people of all walks of life; rich and poor, religious and non religious, educated and uneducated. In witnessing I have had countless people tell me that when they die they hope their good works will outweigh their bad works so that God will let them into heaven. ----First, if you are not saved all of your works are bad including those you think are good. Consider what Paul says about all lost Jews and gentiles. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:9-12). ----Second, if you could get saved by works Christ died in vain. Galatians 2:21 says: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. This verse plainly says that if a person could obtain righteousness or salvation by works, such as the works of the law, the cross of Christ was vain and void and useless. Why would God subject his Son to the horrible death of the cross if we could gain righteousness or salvation by the works we do in this life? ----Third, no one can be saved by grace and works at the same time. Romans 11:6 says: And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Salvation today is by grace and if it is by grace it cannot be by works. Grace and works cancel each other out. When it comes to salvation your works, good or bad, do not count. Neither have any part in gaining or keeping salvation today.