I'll tell you a better way than trying to believe with your own soulish strength, a way that will always work. Call on the name of Jesus.

Don't order Him to give you money, heal you, or make you feel like an Olympic athlete. Tell Jesus you love Him and you would like for Him to meet your needs—even grant you your desires! But remember, Christ is not your butler. You are His slave. Read your Bible!

What about super-grace? Grace, grace, grace. What about Jesus did it all? What about God sees us through Christ? What about unconditional grace?

These are all horses from the same corral. Satan uses these notions for one purpose: to keep you from taking up your cross and following the Lord.

As long as you cling to your mental image of salvation, your set of mental beliefs, Satan is safe. The moment you cast this all aside as a deception, give your life to Christ, take up your cross and follow Him, Satan is in trouble.

"Yes, I agree with all this, but will I be saved even if I don't?"

This always is the question.

Okay, I'll give you the answer.

If you as a Christian bury your talent you will be saved into the outer darkness.

If you as a Christian do not bear the fruit of Christ-likeness you will be cut out of the Vine and saved for the burning.

If you as a Christian turn from the way of righteousness you will be saved in your vomit.

If you as a Christian are lukewarm you will be saved by being spit out of Christ's mouth.

If you as a Christian sow to your flesh you will be saved to corruption.

If you as a Christian ignore Christ's commandments you will be saved to shame and everlasting disgrace.

If you as a preacher do not warn God's flock of the judgment that is coming to America you will be saved to have their blood on your hands.

If you as a Christian do not press into the rest of God you will be saved to destruction.

If you as a Christian build wood, hay, and straw, maybe you will be saved after all, suffering nothing worse than losing all reward in the Kingdom and having part of your personality burned away so you enter the Kingdom as a naked spirit, like what almost happened to the believer in Corinth. On the other hand, maybe you won't get even this opportunity!

I could go on and on and on like this, referring to one passage after another.

In my dotage, maybe I can convince one man or woman, boy or girl, that we Evangelicals are preaching false doctrine. We are denying the inspiration of the Apostle John.

Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. (I John 3:6,7)

How can you improve on those words?

"Yes, but will I still be saved?"

Please don't call me up and ask me this. I am giving you the answer in advance.

Dearly beloved, if you continue in sin you still will be saved. No matter how you live you will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant" even though you have been bad and treacherous.

When? When horses sprout feathers, chickens have teeth, and frogs grow hair.

I'm done arguing. (I hope!)