GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

RADIO MESSAGE

I CALL IT HERESY!

Don Fortner

 

This religious generation has been tricked, deceived and lied to by modern prophets of deceit. They preach for gain and make merchandise of your souls. And they are leading thousands into hell by their easy believism and mass-evangelism. The time has come for God's servants to speak in plain language and tell men the truth. "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle?" I publicly and deliberately denounce as heresy any form of doctrine which teaches that salvation is in any measure accomplished by man. "Salvation is of the Lord!" Any doctrine that promotes the dignity of man and diminishes the glory of God, I call heresy! I may stand alone in this matter. I may be accused by many of being hard and contentious. Be that as it may. I have counted the cost. And here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. The glory of Christ, the truth of God, and the souls of men are at stake. I cannot be silent. I am opposed to every false gospel and every preacher of a false gospel. THE MAN CENTERED RELIGION OF OUR DAY IS ANTICHRIST! The issue is just this - HOW IS SALVATION ACCOMPLISHED? Some say that salvation is accomplished by the works of men. Some say that salvation is partly the work of God and partly the work of man. I call it heresy! The Word of God is perfectly clear in this matter. "Salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). "The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord" (Ps. 37:39). "He that is our God is the God of salvation" (Ps. 68:20). Salvation is "not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Rom. 9:16). "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).

Eternal life is not an offer of grace. It is a mighty operation of grace. Salvation is not an invitation. It is the gree gift of God. The gospel is not a generous proposal. It is a blessed proclamation of accomplished redemption. In preaching the gospel, we are not offering men some good advice. We are proclaiming the good news of real atonement in Christ. Salvation does not come by man's decision. Salvation comes by Divine revelation. Salvation is not the result of man's will. It is the result of God's will. Salvation does not come by man's choice. It comes by God's choice. Repentance and faith are not moral persuasions brought about by the talents of a gifted preacher. They are holy dispositions created in the heart by almighty grace. Salvation is not in coming to an altar. It is in coming to a Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is what I am saying - From start to finish, "Salvation is of the Lord!" It is the work of God's rich, free, immutable grace in Christ. it is not in any way to be attributed to man. GRACE PLANNED OUR SALVATION in the eternal counsel of the Holy Trinity. GRACE PURCHASED OUR SALVATION by the blood atonement of Christ at Calvary. GRACE PRODUCED SALVATION IN US by the effectual power of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. GRACE PRESERVES SALVATION IN OUR HEARTS by the continual influence of the Spirit, by the intercession of Christ, and by the power of God. And GRACE WILL BRING OUR SALVATION TO PERFECTION in eternal glorification.

Talk of human merit in any form, and I call it heresy. But if you speak of true, saving grace, together we shall praise God our Redeemer, the God of all grace.