1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
The resounding answer is, YES. Believing in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection to pay our debt of sin is ENOUGH to get to Heaven. Nothing more is required or permitted. I love and THANK GOD for pastors who faithfully preach a clear and simple free grace Gospel. Pastor Jesse Martinez succeeded Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold in 2020 as senior pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. I THANK GOD for this influential little church.
Is BELIEVING In Jesus' Death, Burial And Resurrection ENOUGH?
Pastor Reacts to David Platt's Heresy: “Is Jesus Lord of your life?”
What is “Easy Believism”? Usually the phrase “easy-believism” is a slam against those who teach that salvation is not by human works, but by faith in Jesus Christ alone. It is clear from the Scriptures that salvation is received by faith only in the finished work of Jesus Christ. “For 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" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
“Easy Believism” is a way of saying that salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone is just too easy. “It is too simple,” they say. Those who use the phrase “easy believism” are saying that there must be more to salvation than just faith in Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us that Satan uses the fact that the Gospel message is so simple to deceive people. II Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” One of the most common objections to the true gospel message is that “it is too simple”.
Satan changes the true gospel into a counterfeit message by addition and subtraction. In other words, Satan adds human works or effort to the plan of salvation in order to make the message of none effect (I Corinthians 1:17). Satan used phrases like “easy believism” and “it is too simple” to ridicule the true message of faith only (Romans 3:28).
To not believe the record as God gave it makes it null and void. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son" (I John 5:10). To add one human work to the plan of salvation would place a person before God without grace. 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.”
When we talk about believing, we are not talking about mental assent to a historical fact. We are talking about a personal trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who gave His life on the cross of Calvary, was buried and then rose again from the dead. The word “believe” comes from the Greek word “pisteuo”, which means to trust, to rely upon, to place one’s weight upon, etc. When a person puts his trust in Jesus Christ alone as his Saviour, he is saved.
Christ died-that is history. Christ died for me-that is salvation. The fact that Jesus Christ died is a historical fact. Accepting that truth about Jesus Christ’s death as a historical fact does not save. But the personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as a risen Saviour, who died for me does save.
This conflict over grace vs. works has been going on ever since Cain and Abel. Even the apostle Paul was slandered when he preached the gospel of the grace of God. Romans 3:8 says, “And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.” Some people were affirming that the apostle Paul taught that salvation by faith only was a license to sin. “Let us do evil, that good may come.”
We have now seen the two major objections to the true gospel:
“It is too simple”, and
“easy believism” means that I could live as I please and still go to Heaven.
Amazingly, when a person is saved, he is saved forever and cannot be lost. Jesus Christ gave His word in John 6:37 and 39, that “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ...And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” If one person were ever lost that was ever saved, then Jesus Christ would be a liar (John 6:39).
Therefore, it is true that no matter what a person does after he is saved that person is still saved. What the person can lose by living as he pleases is not his salvation, but rewards, joy, fellowship, power, testimony, etc. The things related to the Christian life and eternal rewards can be lost but not one’s salvation. This can also include the Lord taking a Christian home to heaven early. Many of the Corinthian believers were taken home to heaven early according to I Corinthians 11:30 which says, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” Also, I Corinthians 10:8 tells of 23,000 that the Lord took home to heaven in one day. It is clear that there are numerous illustrations throughout the Bible that God sometimes will take a Christian home before his time. God will not cast the delinquent Christian out, but God might take him home to heaven early.
Concerning the saved, God says in I Corinthians 11:32, “When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” God deals with His children as a loving father would correct his erring child. God is interested in our welfare and wishes for us to live a life that He can bless and reward. (See Hebrews 12:6-11).
So the Christian does not have a license to sin when he accepts Jesus Christ as his Saviour, even though the person is saved eternally and cannot be lost. Again, salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Romans 4:5 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
To add works to the plan of salvation would be heresy and would mean no salvation at all. Ephesians 2:8, 9 says “For 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.” I would hate to stand before God having no grace (mercy). To anyone who adds works to God’s grace, they will have no grace (mercy) according to Ephesians 2:8,9.
In conclusion, those who say “easy-believism” are rejecting the true gospel of grace (Ephesians 2:8,9), by saying “it is too simple” and “it is a license to sin.” Remember the true gospel is simple (II Corinthians 11:3), and God corrects (chastens) those that are truly saved (Hebrew 12:6).
We pray that you can say as the Apostle Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Roman 1:16).
2nd Corinthians 6:14-18, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
Charlie Kirk was WRONG to coddle unsaved Mormons and Catholics in their damnable heresy. You'll never win lost sinners in false religions to Christ by babying them in their hellbound state. I am sick and disgusted by Charlie's ecumenical influence.
Clearly, he was sitting on the fence, playing both sides of the table. I do not know if Charlie Kirk went to Heaven, but I do know that you don't get to Heaven by giving your life to Christ, nor by accepting Jesus as "Lord" of your life. It seems like half of the country is idolizing Charlie Kirk right now, but Christians needs to speak up to warn others that what Charlie Kirk promoted WASN'T the Gospel.
I don't hate Charlie, not at all, but I do hate the accursed deadly Roman Catholic and Mormon cults. I hate the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation. I hate ecumenical compromise that always leads to a works-based plan of salvation and apostasy. Bible fundamentalism is separating from false religion, worldly Christians and those who stray from biblical teaching.
Charlie Kirk was the product of neo-evangelical churches that preach the "repent of your sins" crap to get to Heaven, like nearly every Baptist church wickedly does in Pensacola. God's curse is upon any church that distributes toxic Chick Tracks, which pervert the Gospel of free grace.
You all can bow to Baal if you want, but I am standing with the Gospel of free grace, exposing Charlie Kirk for the ecumenical compromiser that he was. SHAME on Charlie for kissing up to the hellbound Catholics and Mormons. All he did was obscure God's simple plan of salvation. I think he was sincere, but sincerely wrong (Proverbs 16:25).
If anyone is so far from God and spiritually blind to claim that Charlie innocently used Mary's good character to allure Catholics to Christ, you are woefully wrong in your thinking. The Apostle Paul didn't go along with the cults to win their favor. Paul said he refused to tolerate false prophets for even one hour (Galatians 2:5).
Christian men should be exposing the WHORE of Rome, not boasting that your wife was baptized in the Catholic church, which is exactly what Charlie Kirk did. It couldn't be more obvious that he was trying to coddle them. It does matter, very much so. Roman Catholics everywhere love Charlie and his wife Erika because of their shallow and lame testimony. SHAME ON CHARLIE!!!
Someone made a stupid comment today on Facebook, falsely accusing me of hating Charlie Kirk. I unfriended and blocked out his stupid ass. Unbelievable! Folks, I don't hate anybody, certainly not Charlie Kirk. I hate what God commands us as believers to hate, "EVIL" (Psalms 97:10).
I hate the accursed Mormon sex cult. I hate the accursed whore of Rome, the despicable Roman Catholic cult. I hate the Devil's falsehood of Lordship Salvation. I hate the Satanic lie that you must "repent of your sins" to get to Heaven, which nonsense is not taught in the inspired King James Bible.
In the following video you will hear Charlie Kirk for yourself saying these heretical words:
“If your Christianity is nothing more than an insurance plan for the afterlife—that is not a conversion—that is not legitimate Christianity. If you're like, 'Hey, I went on Easter, I raised my hand (just in case the Christian thing is right); I'm going to Heaven because I did the thing, I signed the paper.' That is an insult to God. ...it's you acting as if God is there like BlueCross and BlueShield in case you have a broken leg.” —Charlie Kirk
Dear reader, that is so wrong on numerous levels.
Charlie Kirk STUNS hosts on Jesus Christ and the True Gospel
In the preceding video interview, Charlie is clearly implying that you cannot just raise your hand in response to a Gospel invitation. He clearly implies that more than faith is required to get to Heaven. Dear reader, there is absolutely nothing wrong, unbiblical or illegitimate about trusting the GOOD NEWS of Christ crucified, buried and risen to escape the fires of Hell. That is why most people get saved!
I have serious doubts about Charlie's salvation. You must keep in mind that every hellbound follower of Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, the Church of Christ, Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists and Calvinists—all agree with Charlie's vague and lame theology. They've all given their life to Christ. They're all trying to turn from their evil ways (works according to Jonah 3:10). What Charlie preached was simply NOT a free grace Gospel.
Please don't misunderstand my post. Today was Charlie Kirk's funeral. I just read that 200,000 people attended in Arizona at the State Farm Stadium. They said Charlie's funeral was the most televised event ever. I love Charlie Kirk. Someone today horribly accused me of hating him, but that is not the case at all. I love what Charlie stood for—decency, faith in Jesus, life for the unborn, family stability and normalcy. That being said, Charlie made some controversial statements, such as the one I just shared with you a moment ago, which cause me to doubt his salvation. Sadly, Charlie was so vague that it's hard to discern if he was saved or not.
I found the following article today, which is very disturbing...
‘A Hero’: Catholic Cardinal Hails Charlie Kirk as ‘Modern Day St. Paul’
Cardinal Timothy Dolan hailed Charlie Kirk as a “modern day Saint Paul” as he praised the conservative activist as a “hero” and “evangelist.”
Kirk was assassinated on September 10 during a public speaking event at Utah Valley University.
It is tragic when the biggest Satanic religious cult on the planet, Roman Catholicism, praises Charlie Kirk. The reason why is clearly because Charlie was ecumenical, who surreptitiously avoided offending the cults; namely, Mormons and Roman Catholics. Moment before his tragic assassination, Kirk told the audience that half of his staff are Mormons. I am not trying to cast a negative reflection on one of American's greatest people. Charlie Kirk is an American hero!
The reason I wrote this blog is to draw attention to Kirk's sinful ecumenical compromise with false religions, and to expose the counterfeit plan of salvation that he promoted. Kirk said in fifth grade he gave my life to Christ. That is NOT how you get to Heaven. He has often said that the way to Heaven is to receive Jesus as your “Lord and Savior,” but in fact you don't have to take Jesus as “Lord” of your life to be saved. You just need to trust Jesus as your personal Savior, receiving His sacrificial death on the cross as full payment for your sins.
The big problem with Charlie's statements about salvation is that every pseudo-Christian religious cult on the planet agrees with his shallow and lame statements. Every hellbound Mormon and Roman Catholic agrees with Charlie that Jesus is the “Lord and Savior,” and they have given their lives to Him. But Catholics also foolishly trust in their Seven Sacraments to get to Heaven, and errantly teach that there is no salvation outside of the Roman Catholic church. These are damnable heresies!
Mormons have another Jesus, teaching that He is not almighty God. Mormons trust in good works to get them to Heaven, yet speak of salvation by grace through faith. It is imperative that Christians warn the cults that sacraments, water baptism and good works are NOT necessary or permitted in God's simple plan of salvation. Charlie Kirk was so vague that after his death Catholics everywhere are suggesting that he was about to convert to Catholicism.
Report: Charlie Kirk was ‘this close’ to becoming Catholic just prior to his death
Turning Point U.S.A. CEO Charlie Kirk speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.
By Daniel Payne
CNA Staff, September 19, 2025 / 12:02 pm
Slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was reportedly strongly considering becoming Catholic just prior to his assassination, according to a bishop who spoke to him shortly before his killing.
Robert Brennan, a Los Angeles-based writer and the brother of Fresno, California, Bishop Joseph Brennan, said in a Sept. 18 column in the Los Angeles archdiocesan newspaper Angelus that Kirk had a “personal exchange” with the California prelate about a week before Kirk’s murder at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
The writer Brennan, who said Bishop Brennan gave him permission to share the story, wrote that Kirk had spoken to the prelate at a prayer breakfast in Visalia. The conservative activist “told the bishop about his Catholic wife and children and how he attended Mass with them.”
Kirk acknowledged “speculation” about his possible interest in becoming Catholic, Brennan wrote in Angelus; he subsequently told Bishop Brennan: “I’m this close” to converting.
In his Angelus column Brennan pointed to a recent video Kirk made in which he acknowledged some “big disagreements” with Catholicism but claimed that Protestants “under-value” the Blessed Mother.
“We don’t talk about Mary enough. We don’t venerate her enough,” Kirk said, arguing that Mary is “the solution” to “toxic feminism” in the U.S.
I am concerned that Charlie Kirk may have been more religious than a born-again Christian. The fact that he said if your Christianity is nothing more than an “insurance plan for the afterlife” to escape Hell, your conversion is not legitimate. Free grace believers don't talk that way! I am disturbed that hellbound Roman Catholics and Mormons are cheering and embracing Charlie Kirk, who coddled these false religions with ecumenical compromise.
Whether Charlie went to Heaven or not is irrelevant to me. I hope he did, but I am concerned about those lost sinners who are still living and still have an opportunity to get saved.
Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
Many Christians who witness the Gospel to others have been taught to use what is commonly known as a “Sinner's Prayer.” The Roman's Road is a popular set of Scriptures from the New Testament book of Romans which is used to lead a lost sinner to Jesus Christ, which presentation usually ends with an invitation to pray a sinner's prayer. Praying silently, asking or calling audibly to be saved are mere expressions of one's faith, but are not faith in and of themselves. We are saved by faith, plus nothing!
These expressions are not necessary to receive the new birth. I believe when someone responds to a salvation invitation to walk down a church aisle, they were saved before they even left their pew. Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” They simply went forward to find out what just happened, that is, they were saved by faith in Jesus Christ.
By the way, I agree full with my long time ministry friend Pastor Max D. Younce (1935-2023) that no one should ever be required to walk down a church aisle to learn how to be saved. By requiring lost sinners to walk forward to be saved, those preachers are adding an unnecessary step to God's simple plan of salvation. In fact, Dr. Younce felt so passionately about the issue that he wrote an entire book about it, titled: 'Salvation And The Public Invitation.'
Romans 10:13 is not part of the Gospel. The Bible plainly says in Romans 10:14 that a sinner is saved when they "believe," and then people usually call, ask or pray as an expression of their faith. That is quite normal, but not required. Neither calling, asking or praying saves a person, nor are they mandatory to be saved. You are correct that these are mere expressions of one's faith. Well said my friend.
I don't like the sinner's prayer because it confused me for several years after I got saved at age 13, but that is how I was later taught to go soulwinning at Hyles-Anderson College (1985-1993). I stopped using the sinner's prayer about 20 years ago. But if I do, I will always explain to people that praying is not necessary to be saved. I like something that Pastor Jack Hyles said in a sermon: “Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.”
Not all New IFB pastors preach that you cannot be saved unless you pray. Pastor Jonathan Shelley is guilty of doing it. He even preached a whole sermon against me for disagreeing with their heresy. Pastor Bruce Mejia on the other hand is okay, he doesn't teach that nonsense. I heard Pastor Anderson say in a sermon about 15 years ago that even though they use a sinner's prayer at Faithful Word Baptist Church, you can still be saved by faith alone without praying. But in recent years he seems to have changed his doctrinal position, now insisting that unless you call, ask or pray you cannot be saved, which is simply FALSE.
Many in the New IFB (the nuts) have relentlessly attacked my ministry friend Onorato Diamante on YouTube for his correct biblical preaching that faith is enough to be saved, without praying. I stand 100% with Onorato and am thankful for his YouTube channel and correct Bible exegesis.
John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
Kindly said, Pacific Garden Mission (PGM) in Chicago should change their radio program's title from “UNSHACKLED” to “SHACKLED,” because that is what they are actually doing, shackling lost people to a counterfeit plan of salvation.
Tragically, if you look at their employees, they're all young yuppie types who are neo-evangelicals caught in Satan's deadly trap of Lordship Salvation. Dear reader, UNSHACKLED radio today is a stinking toilet full of religious dung. I am being honest, not crude. One of the things that God hates in Proverbs 6:19 is “a false witness that speaketh lies.” PGM is very wrong on God's simple plan of salvation.
I listened to one of their recent episodes (#3890) titled, “Jilla and Mahmoud - Part 2,” in which you will hear Jilla telling her mother that she knows she is saved because she was bold to express her faith in Jesus publicly. Folks, that is absolutely NOT how you can know for sure that you're saved. Jilla says to her mother (as her Mom is trying to silence her)...
“I am a follower of Jesus and I don't care who knows it. I am not ashamed of Jesus and I do not care who knows it.”
Jilla then says...
“This is the moment I knew that I was born again. I knew it, and because she witnessed me going forward, my mother knew it too.”
Dear reader, this is the nonsensical rubbish that is typical in UNSHACKLED's problematic episodes, which are woefully devoid of a free grace Gospel message. You don't get to Heaven by becoming a follower of Jesus, as the unsaved false teachers in Matthew 7:21-23 learned the hard way, to their eternal horror and damnation in the fires of Hell. So, following Jesus cannot be used as evidence that someone is saved.
Furthermore, Peter was ashamed of Jesus and he was saved. So, not being ashamed of Jesus cannot be used as evidence that someone is saved.
And walking forward in response to a public church invitation is not evidence of salvation. PGM's UNSHACKLED radio programs are lame at best, and damnable heresy at worst. Please be aware of these dangers my friend. I care, which is why I am warning everyone. I have no doubt that PGM's staff are sincere, but what saith the Scripture? Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” No one in the Bible was saved by walking down a church aisle, following Jesus, repenting of their sins or surrendering to the Lordship of Christ.
Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) said it well...
WHEN THE REVIVALIST comes promising salvation to those "who make a full surrender" of all that they have to God, and who "pay the price of full salvation," he is preaching another gospel, for the price was paid on Calvary's cross and the work that saves is finished. It was Christ Jesus who made the full surrender, when He yielded Himself unto death for us that we might be redeemed from the curse of the broken law and forever saved from the judgment to come upon all who refuse His grace. —Pastor Harry Ironside, 'Another Gospel'
On their website, UNSHACKED wickedly promotes and bids Godspeed to some of the most corrupt preachers of our generation, including false teachers: John MacArthur, Chuck Swindoll, Robert Jeffress, Dave and Ann Wilson, James Dobson and David Jeremiah (to name but a few). It is sad and tragic that PGM's new management has succumbed to the demonic false teachers of our generation. All of the aforementioned names are wrong on the Gospel.
For example: Dave and Ann Wilson's lame messages that you must “surrender and repent” is not going to get anybody saved. It is discipleship not sonship. It is service not salvation. We must never confuse the two. Pilgrim's Progress author John Bunyan said it very well...
“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)
Lordship Salvation is the mixing of service with salvation, so that their plan of salvation now requires following Jesus as the “Lord” of your life, full surrender of your will to live for God, and a willingness to turn away from your sinful bad habits. This is all contrary to the free gift of God, which is eternal life through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ. Turning from one's sins is an act of human reformation (behavior modification), not biblical repentance (a change of mind). The problem today is that 99% of people follow the false teachers, instead of obeying the dear Savior's command in John 5:39 to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!
