It sometimes is taught that every person who "makes a decision for Christ" is ex officio an overcomer, a victorious saint. Apparently the purpose of such an unsupported position is to perpetuate the myth that all we have to do is "accept Christ" and everything else has been accomplished. We are an overcomer by identification with Christ, or some such.

The most superficial reading of the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation will reveal that Christ is speaking of works, not belief. If it were true that we automatically are an overcomer by a profession of belief in Christ then the two chapters are nonsensical.

In the prison and jail work conducted by our church and others with which we are familiar, the message of the Kingdom of God, of righteous living, is remarkably well received. Many of the inmates have at one time or another "made a decision for Christ." Now they are beginning to realize that there is a life to be lived and they are laying hold of it in an extraordinary manner.

Yesterday one of the prison workers north of here called me and said, "Help! Send me some literature. Someone is getting in here with the 'grace message.' " By "grace message" he meant the typical lawless-grace-rapture-Jesus did it all-go live in a mansion preaching.

At long last people are beginning to see the difference. The inmates of the state prisons and county jails recognize the difference between the two gospels and are asking for literature to help them combat the "Jesus did it all" teaching.

Many of them had "made a decision for Christ" previously, but then they were not taught we have to keep the commandments of God. So they are back in jail.

The issue is being joined in our day. Which is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is it "make a decision for Christ and you soon will be raptured to Heaven to live in material wealth in a mansion, possessing a harp, golden slippers, and acres of diamonds"? Or is it "turn away from your sin, take up your cross, follow Jesus every day until you become a new righteous creation in Him"?

Is Jesus the ticket or the way? Is salvation a change of location or a change of personality? Is grace an alternative to character transformation or is Divine grace the wisdom and power from God through Jesus Christ to enable us to obey the commandments of Christ and His Apostles?

One of these doctrines is scriptural. One is not. One is not an enlarged version of the other. They are coming from two different spirits. One is building the Kingdom of God and one is tearing down the Kingdom of God.

The "change of location" gospel is held by the great majority of Evangelical churches in America.

The "change of personality" gospel is held by an increasingly vocal minority.

The majority of the lemmings are rushing into the ocean. Do you have the will, the character, to be an Antipas, to stand against all, to accept the sufferings of Christ including rejection by the majority?

Will you turn again to God and separate the priceless from the worthless?

Will you walk with Jesus Christ against the tide?

Someone said a hundred thousand lemmings can't be wrong. What do you say?

To be continued.