To everyone blasting this man. He never said you don’t need to repent. I think the point is that repentance is the fruit of salvation not the price tag. It’s His kindness that leads us to repentance, and what is His kindness? That after God saw that we had repented enough he died for us? No, that while we were still sinners who didn’t give a rip about Him he died for us. If y’all think the gospel is this message of be good enough (ie repent hard enough) then God will grant you salvation you’re wrong, that’s just law 2.0. Sure authentic conversion will lead to repentance and yes there are people who misappropriate Gods grace as a license to sin but why don’t you let God sort out the wheat from the tares lest you uproot the wheat that that hasn’t had a chance to grow into maturity? You don’t get your heart right with God to get saved, you get saved so you can get your heart right with God. You come to Him despairing of ever measuring up or changing by yourself, grateful for His forgiveness and when you get a revelation of His love things begin to change in your heart and you begin the journey of Him renewing your mind. I can’t “get my heart right with God” anymore than I can give myself a heart transplant in the natural. I also can’t make myself get born again anymore than I give birth to myself in the natural . It’s a mystery the Spirit blows here and there and you don’t see where it comes from. if the flavor of your gospel is fear, dread, threats, and self-effort well i don’t know about you but that doesn’t sound like Good News to me. My only complaint with the video is he said Russians instead of Romans once. I don’t think the Commies were oppressing Israel back then lol
This preacher is in error. Repentance is needed. A choice is to follow Jesus is required. Stop teaching a new gospel of that there was already preached to us in the Bible. There is a stern warning in scripture about this issue. Repent and correct your doctrine please Brother.
Repentance is required. The goats will be divided from the sheep, the chaff from the wheat, and they will say Lord, Lord...which means they believed in Jesus...yet He will say unto them: Depart from me, I never knew you. ... This is what Jesus preached Himself and must not be overlooked. I know pretty much all churches and all bible seminaries overlook this... but narrow is the gate...and not many will find it...
PART 1 Although I do appreciate this man’s desire to bring these people to Christ, the gospel he is bringing them is man-centered and will ultimately be responsible for creating lots of false converts. I was an officer in jail for 6 1/2 years, so I have lots of experience with inmates. I do understand how to talk to an inmate. I can cut through the fluff and lies pretty quickly. living in custody can cause even the strongest to become someone "different" then they used to be. They never thought they could or would live as they often do while in custody. I know how they live and what they have to put up with. It's a whole different world inside that building. But it doesn't stand a chance against the grace of God. I was honest as I could be with them, and as a result, earned a good reputation as an officer they could trust. I never did any favors or gave any breaks. I would simply treat them as I would want to be treated. I have served what would typically be associated as the worst of our society. Murders, rapists, molesters, thieves, drug dealers, gang members, addicts on and on. Believe it or not, these men and women are truly no different than you or I. We are all capable of doing the exact same crimes as they did. In fact, I would even go as far as to say if we were truly honest with ourselves, we have probably committed some of the very same crimes they have, they just went undetected. Well, God saw them all. We all desperately need Jesus. We are all in the same dirty bathwater. I know one thing is for certain though; the last thing any inmate needs is to hear is that the guilt they feel is not real. Or that they don't need to worry about what they have done because Jesus died for every sin. If that isn't tickling itching ears, I don't know what is. To tell them that no matter what they have done, God already loves them, and has already forgiven all their sins, will not give them a correct view of what scripture clearly says. Jesus did not die for every sin. He died for the sins of those He was sent to save. God will never cause someone to pay for a sin that His Son already paid for. That would be unjust. inmates (us as well), need to understand that they are in much worse danger than simply life in a man's prison. They first need to understand who this God is that will cast them into the lake of fire on that great and final day of judgment. They need to understand what exactly sin is. And that without Christ they will be righteously judged and punished for committing those sins against a Holy God. They need to understand that the penalty for their sin is final and eternal. There will be no end, parole, or probation. Then they need to understand that it is absolutely impossible for them to make themselves right, clean, not guilty, or to pay for their crimes or fines. Finally, they need to understand that the only way of salvation is through true repentance (a changing of mind and turning away from their sin) and that they must place their hope and trust in Christ alone for their salvation. How can I say this is the true and proper way to lead anyone to Christ? Well, it's by following the best example there is Jesus himself. Mark 10:17-27 ESV And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” [18] And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” [20] And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” [21] And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [22] Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. [23] And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [24] And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [26] And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” [27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Jesus didn't tell the young man He (Jesus) was going to pay for his sin, and to take heart that all his sin will be forgiven if he just puts his faith in him. He didn't tell him that he needed to pray to accept Him as his personal Lord and savior in his heart. He didn't tell him that all he needed to do is to say he was sorry. He didn't tell him that he would be saved because he was a Jew and so part of the chosen ones (assuming he was one).
You are 1000% correct sir. I'm an ex-convict I served 5 years in Soledad prison. Not a Disneyland but gladiator School. It was on a dark concrete floor that I gave myself to the Lord in 1972 I served my 5 years I got out and I haven't been back since. This is well-intentioned sincerely wrong Christian. As you said man-centered. I don't know what Bible he's been reading. But it's not the one that made me hate the things I once loved and loved the things I once hated. When the scripture tells us that God will give us the desires of our heart, he doesn't mean the things we want now in the flesh. The old man is the enemy of God. His desires are on evil continually. But God will give you a new set of desires and sanctify you over time. Until that day that are Redeemer draweth nigh...
Poor, poor doctrine. God is not already "okay" with them; your infernal Arminianism leads to that conclusion, but the truth is that God's wrath hangs over them. And "When I was in jail, you visited me" was spoken about believers. He even goes on to limit it to "...these, MY BRETHREN". So this verse has been misused in the video.
Lord I Ask That You Give These Inmates knowledge ,Let Them Seek Guidance An Wisdom That All know Lord No matter What The Situation God Can Change Any Situation Know You Are Love Without Blemish We are All God's Children Believe That His Love And Blessed By Grace That People Who Love And Have Faith In Him He Gives Forgiveness And Freedom of Ties Stress Peer Pressure We Are None To Good That We Think We Don't Need Him For With Him We are Everything Without We are Nothing Family And Relationships Can Change pray to God ask for things that Help you in your Time of need Give Them To God If They are overwhelming He Will Hear Your Prayers Lord Is Good Pray Give Him The Heart That He Knows But Wants you To Speak to Him About This You Are Loved By Him No matter were Or What you Do Or Don't Do Thank You Lord That They Are All Love And Needed By And Awesome God Seek The One Who Created You Life He Gave Air You Breath Earth And Everything In This Earthly life God Created Thank you Lord Amen
PART 2 No, He saw through the young man's sinful self-deception. The young man thought he was almost there. He would be what you and I would consider a good man. The Lord didn't mislead this man though. He told him exactly what he needed to do to be saved. He needed to repent of his sin of covetousness, greed, and idolatry turn away from his old life and follow after the Lord as his real treasure. The young man walked away disheartened. Why? He knew he heard the truth. He also knew he couldn't do what the Lord commanded him to do. He was in loved his sin more than he could love God. In fact, although he would look like a moral upstanding young man to us, he had no love for God. He actually hated God. There is one more stunningly huge but obvious fact here. Jesus did not go after this man. He let him go. There is nowhere in scripture where we see whether or not this young man ever became a believer. It is probably safe to assume based on the principle of this story, and in light of other text like Romans 8:7, that he was not saved. Through this man's example, Jesus made it plain that it is truly not within man's control to do what is necessary to choose to become a disciple of Christ. So, when there is a person that does repent and sell everything or has a complete change of his life's direction in pursuit of God's glory, it is a sign that the Holy Spirit has given that person new life and they have been truly born again. This is completely a work of God. Not of Man. He makes us alive in Him. Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- [3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- [6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. God placed the law on our hearts for a reason. He will never allow a single sin to pass without punishment. It will either be paid for on the cross of Christ, or on the head of the sinner. He is a righteous and good judge. We are all guilty and need to know that. God is a Holy God and we all need to see that. When a child of God beholds the unveiled face of the Almighty, he will NOT feel as though God has been sitting there waiting and hoping they will respond to his invitation of the gospel. Why? because the gospel is NOT AN INVITATION. IT IS A COMMAND TO BELIEVE IN JESUS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THE FATHER. Through Him is the only way of salvation. The truly repentant sinners will cry out for mercy as they see for the first time, the sobering truth of who they really are before the glory of the only true and living Holy God. They will know that they are a wretched wicked sinner. They will know they deserve God's righteous judgment and wrath for the awful life of rebellion they have lived. This is God's grace in action that by his grace alone, they have been given faith in Jesus alone, to believe that He is who He says He is, and He did what He said He would do. They will be aware of how much they truly don't deserve God's grace and mercy. That's when the peace of God comes through and they will understand that the war between God and them is over. Christ has done it! How will we know it's for real? The way the Word tells us we will know. We will know them by their good fruits. Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. God is the one who saves. Not us. If I can argue someone into the kingdom of God, someone else with a better argument can argue them out. It must be All God, or it is in vain. 1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; Psa. 62:1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. This man says that some of these people have pride believing they don’t need a savior and some feel as though they are beyond saving. To use this as an argument to bypass any form of repentance is the clearest example of the clear man-centeredness of his message. Why? Because this man is more concerned about their feelings then telling them the truthful condition before God according to His word. If you think you can rework the gospel message in some way that is less offensive so that it would be more effective, you don’t have the gospel message. The truth of the gospel is an offense. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth, we hated him for it and desired to kill him. Our reflection in the mirror of his perfection was intolerable. It is true that God loves men and desires to save them and this is good news. He doesn’t take pleasure in destroying the wicked. But he didn’t come to same all men despite the consent misuse and faulty exegesis of many portions of scripture. Just one single scripture disproves the universalist idea of Jesus dying for every single man. John 17:9-10 ESV I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. [10] All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. The problem is we can't demand this forgiveness from his hand even though it is a free gift. We will never want this gift if God doesn't change our desires first. We cannot! This is scriptural. Why would someone who either didn't believe they needed saving or felt they couldn't be saved, want to spend eternity with the very one who they believe ruined their life? As the scripture says, to them it is foolishness. John 1:9-13 ESV The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. If I am a true believer and a child of God, I will be moved with compassion to bring the truth of the gospel to all men. Why? Because of my love for God, my neighbor and my passion to glorify the God who saved a wretch like me. I can tell any sinner I meet that they could never out sin God’s grace. I mean, look at me.
I have become very interested in prison ministry through a new friend that I have been bringing in to church. He was incarcerated and his story made me think maybe God is leading me to this. I actually read everything you wrote and the word saved was probably auto corrected near the end I could tell you have a good grasp on the gospel. I could tell you spent a good deal of time putting all that down and also all the references in the bible. Great work. God bless.
I want to thank everyone who has commented because I just surrendered this morning. I came here looking for some idea of what I just did and found that JESUS is already here! Even in the comments.
On the note of repentance. The criminal on the cross. Repentance needs to be of the spirit. These men are sinners saved by Grace and prison can be UNFORGIVING to the believers. I pray for the mercy of God for those in prison ministries whether they are inmates or volunteers in Jesus name. Amen.
From what I heard, he did not say that repentance was not needed. I heard him say, first share the love that came before the Grace.... FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD that .....He life bed is first so we need to first share that life be with the lost and then repentance will come. Great teaching, thanks for sharing!
I dont agree with that Jesus was in line with the sinner at the baptisum, if you read the entire verse He said this that is writtem must still be forfilled in me, meaning that he would become a transgressor wen he was crucified and NOT before, be carefull to look at the whole text and not part of as you will not have the full understanding.
21:54 (this is error) your not forgiven unless you repent first and this repentance is a gift from God! It doesn’t start with man first but God. Please don’t lead the prisoners into further bondage that you will be held accountable for. Jesus came to set them free. It’s easy to give a man centred gospel, I challenge you to present the real gospel that takes true courage from man and faith from the Lord.
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. This is false doctrine, please be careful when listening to this.
God is love and God is Holy. His holiness is above his love. In that God hates sin and will cast those guilty of sin into an eternal lake of fire to be tormented forever. What this gentlemen is failing to do is that God's love is available to everyone, however those who reject his love will be damned.
I wonder what would happen if Levi went into a prison and taught a bible believing group of them the truth about the Word. Not seminary graduates bringing Christmas gifts and Easter baskets, but a covenant follower teaching them statutes, ordinances, mandates, and commandments.
He’s obviously read Love Wins and adheres to it’s main concept. Unfortunately, if we never come to grips with the fact that we are desperately wicked and need a savior, we will be condemned to eternity in hell.
To everyone blasting this man. He never said you don’t need to repent. I think the point is that repentance is the fruit of salvation not the price tag. It’s His kindness that leads us to repentance, and what is His kindness? That after God saw that we had repented enough he died for us? No, that while we were still sinners who didn’t give a rip about Him he died for us. If y’all think the gospel is this message of be good enough (ie repent hard enough) then God will grant you salvation you’re wrong, that’s just law 2.0. Sure authentic conversion will lead to repentance and yes there are people who misappropriate Gods grace as a license to sin but why don’t you let God sort out the wheat from the tares lest you uproot the wheat that that hasn’t had a chance to grow into maturity? You don’t get your heart right with God to get saved, you get saved so you can get your heart right with God. You come to Him despairing of ever measuring up or changing by yourself, grateful for His forgiveness and when you get a revelation of His love things begin to change in your heart and you begin the journey of Him renewing your mind. I can’t “get my heart right with God” anymore than I can give myself a heart transplant in the natural. I also can’t make myself get born again anymore than I give birth to myself in the natural . It’s a mystery the Spirit blows here and there and you don’t see where it comes from. if the flavor of your gospel is fear, dread, threats, and self-effort well i don’t know about you but that doesn’t sound like Good News to me.
My only complaint with the video is he said Russians instead of Romans once. I don’t think the Commies were oppressing Israel back then lol
I would like to go into a juvenile jail to preach the WORD.
Keep us in prayer please!
This preacher is in error. Repentance is needed. A choice is to follow Jesus is required. Stop teaching a new gospel of that there was already preached to us in the Bible. There is a stern warning in scripture about this issue. Repent and correct your doctrine please Brother.
th-cam.com/video/6v3ZlQxzB6Q/w-d-xo.html Helped me a lot.
You are preaching a false gospel if you are saying that you don’t have to repent.
Repentance is required. The goats will be divided from the sheep, the chaff from the wheat, and they will say Lord, Lord...which means they believed in Jesus...yet He will say unto them: Depart from me, I never knew you. ... This is what Jesus preached Himself and must not be overlooked. I know pretty much all churches and all bible seminaries overlook this... but narrow is the gate...and not many will find it...
I'm starting God Behind Bars any advice?
PART 1
Although I do appreciate this man’s desire to bring these people to Christ, the gospel he is bringing them is man-centered and will ultimately be responsible for creating lots of false converts.
I was an officer in jail for 6 1/2 years, so I have lots of experience with inmates. I do understand how to talk to an inmate. I can cut through the fluff and lies pretty quickly. living in custody can cause even the strongest to become someone "different" then they used to be. They never thought they could or would live as they often do while in custody. I know how they live and what they have to put up with. It's a whole different world inside that building. But it doesn't stand a chance against the grace of God.
I was honest as I could be with them, and as a result, earned a good reputation as an officer they could trust. I never did any favors or gave any breaks. I would simply treat them as I would want to be treated. I have served what would typically be associated as the worst of our society. Murders, rapists, molesters, thieves, drug dealers, gang members, addicts on and on. Believe it or not, these men and women are truly no different than you or I. We are all capable of doing the exact same crimes as they did. In fact, I would even go as far as to say if we were truly honest with ourselves, we have probably committed some of the very same crimes they have, they just went undetected. Well, God saw them all. We all desperately need Jesus. We are all in the same dirty bathwater.
I know one thing is for certain though; the last thing any inmate needs is to hear is that the guilt they feel is not real. Or that they don't need to worry about what they have done because Jesus died for every sin. If that isn't tickling itching ears, I don't know what is. To tell them that no matter what they have done, God already loves them, and has already forgiven all their sins, will not give them a correct view of what scripture clearly says. Jesus did not die for every sin. He died for the sins of those He was sent to save. God will never cause someone to pay for a sin that His Son already paid for. That would be unjust.
inmates (us as well), need to understand that they are in much worse danger than simply life in a man's prison. They first need to understand who this God is that will cast them into the lake of fire on that great and final day of judgment. They need to understand what exactly sin is. And that without Christ they will be righteously judged and punished for committing those sins against a Holy God. They need to understand that the penalty for their sin is final and eternal. There will be no end, parole, or probation. Then they need to understand that it is absolutely impossible for them to make themselves right, clean, not guilty, or to pay for their crimes or fines. Finally, they need to understand that the only way of salvation is through true repentance (a changing of mind and turning away from their sin) and that they must place their hope and trust in Christ alone for their salvation.
How can I say this is the true and proper way to lead anyone to Christ? Well, it's by following the best example there is Jesus himself.
Mark 10:17-27 ESV
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” [18] And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” [20] And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” [21] And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [22] Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. [23] And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [24] And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [26] And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” [27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Jesus didn't tell the young man He (Jesus) was going to pay for his sin, and to take heart that all his sin will be forgiven if he just puts his faith in him. He didn't tell him that he needed to pray to accept Him as his personal Lord and savior in his heart. He didn't tell him that all he needed to do is to say he was sorry. He didn't tell him that he would be saved because he was a Jew and so part of the chosen ones (assuming he was one).
You are 1000% correct sir. I'm an ex-convict I served 5 years in Soledad prison. Not a Disneyland but gladiator School. It was on a dark concrete floor that I gave myself to the Lord in 1972 I served my 5 years I got out and I haven't been back since. This is well-intentioned sincerely wrong Christian. As you said man-centered. I don't know what Bible he's been reading. But it's not the one that made me hate the things I once loved and loved the things I once hated. When the scripture tells us that God will give us the desires of our heart, he doesn't mean the things we want now in the flesh. The old man is the enemy of God. His desires are on evil continually. But God will give you a new set of desires and sanctify you over time. Until that day that are Redeemer draweth nigh...
Poor, poor doctrine. God is not already "okay" with them; your infernal Arminianism leads to that conclusion, but the truth is that God's wrath hangs over them. And "When I was in jail, you visited me" was spoken about believers. He even goes on to limit it to "...these, MY BRETHREN". So this verse has been misused in the video.
This video helped me a lot: th-cam.com/video/7jTf58y5ZKg/w-d-xo.html
Lord I Ask That You Give These Inmates knowledge ,Let Them Seek Guidance An Wisdom That All know Lord No matter What The Situation God Can Change Any Situation Know You Are Love Without Blemish We are All God's Children Believe That His Love And Blessed By Grace That People Who Love And Have Faith In Him He Gives Forgiveness And Freedom of Ties Stress Peer Pressure We Are None To Good That We Think We Don't Need Him For With Him We are Everything Without We are Nothing Family And Relationships Can Change pray to God ask for things that Help you in your Time of need Give Them To God If They are overwhelming He Will Hear Your Prayers Lord Is Good Pray Give Him The Heart That He Knows But Wants you To Speak to Him About This You Are Loved By Him No matter were Or What you Do Or Don't Do Thank You Lord That They Are All Love And Needed By And Awesome God Seek The One Who Created You Life He Gave Air You Breath Earth And Everything In This Earthly life God Created Thank you Lord Amen
My husband was involved in prison ministry for four years and I am praying he will be part of this ministry again.
PART 2
No, He saw through the young man's sinful self-deception. The young man thought he was almost there. He would be what you and I would consider a good man. The Lord didn't mislead this man though. He told him exactly what he needed to do to be saved. He needed to repent of his sin of covetousness, greed, and idolatry turn away from his old life and follow after the Lord as his real treasure.
The young man walked away disheartened. Why? He knew he heard the truth. He also knew he couldn't do what the Lord commanded him to do. He was in loved his sin more than he could love God. In fact, although he would look like a moral upstanding young man to us, he had no love for God. He actually hated God. There is one more stunningly huge but obvious fact here. Jesus did not go after this man. He let him go. There is nowhere in scripture where we see whether or not this young man ever became a believer. It is probably safe to assume based on the principle of this story, and in light of other text like Romans 8:7, that he was not saved.
Through this man's example, Jesus made it plain that it is truly not within man's control to do what is necessary to choose to become a disciple of Christ. So, when there is a person that does repent and sell everything or has a complete change of his life's direction in pursuit of God's glory, it is a sign that the Holy Spirit has given that person new life and they have been truly born again. This is completely a work of God. Not of Man. He makes us alive in Him.
Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- [3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- [6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God placed the law on our hearts for a reason. He will never allow a single sin to pass without punishment. It will either be paid for on the cross of Christ, or on the head of the sinner. He is a righteous and good judge. We are all guilty and need to know that. God is a Holy God and we all need to see that. When a child of God beholds the unveiled face of the Almighty, he will NOT feel as though God has been sitting there waiting and hoping they will respond to his invitation of the gospel. Why? because the gospel is NOT AN INVITATION. IT IS A COMMAND TO BELIEVE IN JESUS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THE FATHER. Through Him is the only way of salvation.
The truly repentant sinners will cry out for mercy as they see for the first time, the sobering truth of who they really are before the glory of the only true and living Holy God. They will know that they are a wretched wicked sinner. They will know they deserve God's righteous judgment and wrath for the awful life of rebellion they have lived. This is God's grace in action that by his grace alone, they have been given faith in Jesus alone, to believe that He is who He says He is, and He did what He said He would do. They will be aware of how much they truly don't deserve God's grace and mercy. That's when the peace of God comes through and they will understand that the war between God and them is over. Christ has done it! How will we know it's for real? The way the Word tells us we will know. We will know them by their good fruits.
Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
God is the one who saves. Not us. If I can argue someone into the kingdom of God, someone else with a better argument can argue them out. It must be All God, or it is in vain.
1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Romans 8:7
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Isaiah 42:8
I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other,
Psalm 3:8
Salvation belongs to the LORD;
Psa. 62:1
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
This man says that some of these people have pride believing they don’t need a savior and some feel as though they are beyond saving. To use this as an argument to bypass any form of repentance is the clearest example of the clear man-centeredness of his message. Why? Because this man is more concerned about their feelings then telling them the truthful condition before God according to His word. If you think you can rework the gospel message in some way that is less offensive so that it would be more effective, you don’t have the gospel message. The truth of the gospel is an offense. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth, we hated him for it and desired to kill him. Our reflection in the mirror of his perfection was intolerable.
It is true that God loves men and desires to save them and this is good news. He doesn’t take pleasure in destroying the wicked. But he didn’t come to same all men despite the consent misuse and faulty exegesis of many portions of scripture. Just one single scripture disproves the universalist idea of Jesus dying for every single man.
John 17:9-10 ESV
I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. [10] All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
The problem is we can't demand this forgiveness from his hand even though it is a free gift. We will never want this gift if God doesn't change our desires first. We cannot! This is scriptural. Why would someone who either didn't believe they needed saving or felt they couldn't be saved, want to spend eternity with the very one who they believe ruined their life? As the scripture says, to them it is foolishness.
John 1:9-13 ESV
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
If I am a true believer and a child of God, I will be moved with compassion to bring the truth of the gospel to all men. Why? Because of my love for God, my neighbor and my passion to glorify the God who saved a wretch like me. I can tell any sinner I meet that they could never out sin God’s grace. I mean, look at me.
I have become very interested in prison ministry through a new friend that I have been bringing in to church. He was incarcerated and his story made me think maybe God is leading me to this. I actually read everything you wrote and the word saved was probably auto corrected near the end I could tell you have a good grasp on the gospel. I could tell you spent a good deal of time putting all that down and also all the references in the bible. Great work. God bless.
Old Testament and New Testament same message Repent, trust and obey! Acts 2 Do what they did, get what they got! 🎉
Yes, He forgives everyone but we must receive it. Right?
I want to thank everyone who has commented because I just surrendered this morning. I came here looking for some idea of what I just did and found that JESUS is already here! Even in the comments.
On the note of repentance. The criminal on the cross.
Repentance needs to be of the spirit. These men are sinners saved by Grace and prison can be UNFORGIVING to the believers. I pray for the mercy of God for those in prison ministries whether they are inmates or volunteers in Jesus name. Amen.
From what I heard, he did not say that repentance was not needed. I heard him say, first share the love that came before the Grace.... FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD that .....He life bed is first so we need to first share that life be with the lost and then repentance will come. Great teaching, thanks for sharing!
I dont agree with that Jesus was in line with the sinner at the baptisum, if you read the entire verse He said this that is writtem must still be forfilled in me, meaning that he would become a transgressor wen he was crucified and NOT before, be carefull to look at the whole text and not part of as you will not have the full understanding.
Repentance is necessary. Don't leave that out. Read the book of Acts, it's all over in it. Calls to repentance.
21:54 (this is error) your not forgiven unless you repent first and this repentance is a gift from God! It doesn’t start with man first but God. Please don’t lead the prisoners into further bondage that you will be held accountable for. Jesus came to set them free. It’s easy to give a man centred gospel, I challenge you to present the real gospel that takes true courage from man and faith from the Lord.
My opinion
Don't throw anything out someone has counted someone else out .
Not sure after all his talking what gospel of grace really means. And repentance seems important.
Galatians 1:8
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
This is false doctrine, please be careful when listening to this.
God is love and God is Holy. His holiness is above his love. In that God hates sin and will cast those guilty of sin into an eternal lake of fire to be tormented forever. What this gentlemen is failing to do is that God's love is available to everyone, however those who reject his love will be damned.
You can’t be saved unless you Romans 10:9
Awesome content
I wonder what would happen if Levi went into a prison and taught a bible believing group of them the truth about the Word. Not seminary graduates bringing Christmas gifts and Easter baskets, but a covenant follower teaching them statutes, ordinances, mandates, and commandments.
Ok
I need resources for the jail ministry.will you please help on this regard..
Look of Rock of Ages Prison ministries.
The problems a prisoner takes to church without saying.
Could be in or out of prison the problems are stated .
I lost it at the tax collector thing. As a metaptor, sure....I need to review this.
He’s obviously read Love Wins and adheres to it’s main concept. Unfortunately, if we never come to grips with the fact that we are desperately wicked and need a savior, we will be condemned to eternity in hell.
Wonderful video.
This is good stuff
🎒🧃🍊🍪🕌🛎️
Scriptures. We you did it to the least ones you done it unto me .
The fine print 👣 is what counts.
The picture is what I'm into.
.ttyl.
May God bless y'all over there .
BEEN IN JAIL, PRISONS YRS HELP ME GET BACK IN TO HELP
James Evans no such name qq poo
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