Would you like to understand the Bible, really understand it? God has provided a way. Instead of pursuing understanding through human reasoning and diligent study, the Bible tells you to receive understanding through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. This is because spiritual truth is spiritually understood. The best explanation of this principle is found in 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. To read the text and find out more, Click Here.

5 Insights that will dramatically improve your understanding of the Bible. More

Important Note: True Gospel Ministries does not ask you to believe what you read on this website. But we do ask that you read the material carefully and then take it to the Lord and pray something like this, "Lord, is this your truth? If it is, open my eyes; if it is not, protect me from deception."

Why is Jesus the Only Way to God? Click Here

What Does It Mean to be Saved? Click Here

Why do Believers Still Sin? Click Here

Are Believers Righteous? Click Here

Are Believers Under the Law? Click Here

Are Believers Eternally Secure? Click Here

What is Faith? Faith is simply following. Faith is actively following Jesus Christ who literally lives in you. Jesus Christ, as His Holy Spirit, is now joined as one with you in your new born again spirit. His life is your life. You experience this new life as you live by faith, that is, as you follow the life that Jesus is living in you.

Jesus lives through you in a general sense when He loves other people through you, is patient with others through you, etc. But, He also lives through you in a very specific way through the spiritual gift that the Holy Spirit gave you. These gifts are described in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. A spiritual gift is the way that Jesus does His good works through you; as a member of the Body of Christ, you are His hands and feet in the world today.

You can understand what this means by looking at the life of faith that Jesus lived. Over and over Jesus said that He did not initiate the works that He did, but it was the Father in Him who initiated the works.

John 5:30a  I can do nothing on My own initiative.

John 14:10b … The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

Acts 2:22a Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst ...

Here are some characteristics of what the Bible really teaches about the Gospel and about the life of a believer in Jesus Christ. The Gospel is always focused on Jesus Christ; it is simple, beautiful and welcomes all people to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. The New Testament teaches grace; grace is possible because Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law and took away sin. Grace means that God initiates and supplies everything necessary for you to be saved; you respond in faith. And, grace means that God initiates and supplies everything necessary for you to live the Christian life; you follow the inner life of Jesus in faith. Three of the primary characteristics of believers, collectively called the Body of Christ, are [1] loving others, [2] sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and [3] living by indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Jesus living in you). If you do not experience these things from a person who claims to be a Christian, then religion, not true Biblical faith, is getting in the way.

The "Good News" of the Bible proclaims that the Cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ has benefited all people, not just some. The Scriptures teach that the reason God sent His Son into this world was to live a sinless life, die on the Cross and be raised from the dead so that you can have new life in Christ Jesus.

Your Sins Have Already Been Forgiven

The Bible teaches that all sins of all people for all time have already been forgiven and forgotten on the Cross of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. Only one single sin, the eternal and unforgivable sin of unbelief in Christ as Savior, was not forgiven on the Cross. This single sin of rejecting Christ is the barrier that people place before God and His free offer of salvation unto eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus. All are forgiven but not all are saved because salvation is more than forgiveness.

Being Saved = Being Born Again = Eternal Life in You

Because your sins were already forgiven, something else happens when you trust in Christ as Savior - God removes your old sinful spirit (a.k.a. "heart" or "nature") and replaces it with a brand new, clean heart. Now being a "clean vessel" in your new heart, the Holy Spirit has a place in you to live. His indwelling presence makes you literally righteous because He joins as one with you in spirit. A new heart filled with the Holy Spirit is what Jesus was talking about when He said, "You must be born again."  Whereas forgiveness was the necessary first step before God could redeem you, having a new, righteous heart is specifically what saves you. Only the righteous can be saved. You are made righteous in your new heart because the Righteous One lives in you; and, you possess eternal life because Eternal Life now dwells in your heart.

Why Faith is Necessary

Whereas your inner spirit is redeemed and made righteous fully and forever, your outer mortal body has not yet been redeemed. Thus, your spirit is alive because it has been made literally righteous but your physical body is still dead because of sin.

Romans 8:10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Explanation of Romans 8:10 If Christ is in you (this verse is speaking to people who are already saved), though the body is dead because of sin (because your mortal flesh has not yet been redeemed), yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness (because your inner spirit has already been redeemed and made righteous).

This is the specific reason you live by faith; in your own human strength, you cannot live righteously or do "good" works*. But, as Christ lives out His righteous life through you, you will live a life pleasing to God and complete the good works that God has prepared for you.
(*Note: Good works are those works that have eternal value; see Ephesians 2:10. Good works, as the Bible defines them, are always and without exception initiated by Jesus Christ who lives in you; they never originate from your mortal mind.)

Your life is now a life of faith. The Apostle Paul explains this when he said ...

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

To learn more about the essential elements of the Gospel: forgiveness, cleansing, righteousness, union and faith, Click Here.

To find out more why this definition of the Gospel is what the Bible really teaches, Click Here. (Note: This is detailed; but if you want to seriously examine the Biblical Gospel from the perspective of how the Apostles understood it and taught it, this might be of interest to you.)
 

This may be the best explanation of the Christian life you will ever hear. It is a 42 minute audio by Norman Rideout, a 2nd generation missionary in northern Thailand where believers experience life as they did in the Book of Acts: miracles are common, Satan actively opposes them and it is evident when someone is filled with the Holy Spirit or with a demon. Listen to this amazing story. Click Here

Handbook for Christians Click Here

Handbook for Christians - Printable Version Click Here

Collection of Grace Bible Verses Click Here