Jesus pointed out the difference between the truth and the traditions of his time by saying, "You have heard it said that . . . but I say unto you that . . ." I want to use that same formula now to point out the differences between the truth and Christian traditions held in high regard by many today.

1. You have heard it said that it is good for men to join Christian churches, but I say unto you that it is evil to teach that they can become a member of the body of Christ by joining anything. The family of God consists of Spirit-baptized saints. "For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body" (Eph. 4:4). God alone "hath set the members every one of them in the body", and any religious sect joined by man is an abomination to God.

2. You have heard it said that you must accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, but I say unto you that he is already your personal Lord and Savior, regardless of what you try to do about it. What makes sinners sinners is that they are not obeying their Lord. If Jesus were not already everybody's Lord, it would not be sin to live without him. The Bible states very plainly that "Jesus is Lord of all" (Acts 10:36). And besides all this, there is no such thing as any creature "accepting" Jesus, because it is always the case that the greater accepts the lesser. We don’t accept God; Jesus makes us acceptable to God by the washing away of our sins and the changing of our nature.

3. You have heard men implore other men to "make Jesus Lord of your life", but I say unto you that you can make Jesus nothing, and that it is evil to think you can. Peter said, "God hath made Jesus, whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). JESUS IS LORD OF ALL, ALREADY! We can add nothing to him. He is exalted "above the heavens" and has been given "a name above every name." Isn't it remarkable how we can invent to ourselves such high-sounding religious phrases, which in fact do nothing but exalt us and deny the Lord of Glory! And all these noble-sounding phrases accomplish is to provide men with places to hide from the truth that, despite all we claim or think, "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9). Let's stop running from the truth and let people know the real way out of sin: the holy Ghost baptism. Somebody will answer to God for their cowardice in refusing to stand for the truth. Somebody will answer to God for the souls who were told that they were prepared to meet God, when they were not. Don’t let it be you.

4. You have heard it said that you can repeat a few scriptures and "get saved", but I say unto you that salvation is the reward for the faithful, which Christ Jesus will bring to them when he returns. Jesus said, "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Mt. 10:22). For this reason, Paul could say that our salvation "is nearer now" than it was when we first came to Christ (Rom. 13:11). When Jesus was asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus did not respond, "Repeat Romans 10:9-10 after me." He said, "Keep the commandments of God."