Have you ever been given the wrong directions and gotten frustrated? It causes confusion and often makes you late to your final destination. But those consequences aren’t nearly as devastating as the results of wrong instructions regarding salvation.
We know there are false teachers and religions that claim ways to earn God’s acceptance, but even well-meaning Christians, in their compassion for the lost, at times present an incomplete gospel. This can happen if believers lose sight of the main goal and simply try to help an individual overcome problems. But lost people don’t need fixing; they need life because they’re spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1).
Scripture is clear about how we’re to be saved: When we trust in the Savior’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf, we don’t simply add Jesus to our life—a new nature replaces the old sinful one, and we become a brand-new creation. Jesus completely exchanges His life for our deadness.
Let’s not forget the fact that unbelievers’ spirits are dead, and they can’t do anything to bring themselves to life. Salvation is the only way, and regeneration happens solely by God’s grace through faith in Christ. May the Lord guide us to present the whole truth to those who need it.