“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” – Hebrews 4:2
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT my text mentions the ineffectuality of hearing the gospel, when there is no faith with which to mingle it. It does not say “not being mixed with works in them that heard it”, because no amount of works can ever make a man righteous before God. It does not say “not being mixed with turning from sins”, because human reformation can never justify a man before the Almighty. It does not say “not being mixed with surrendering one’s life to Christ”, because vowing to follow Jesus as one’s “Lord” can never wash away a man’s sins. It does not say “not being mixed with having a religious experience”, because no degree of personal sensations and human emotions can enable a man to escape the damnation of hell.
It says faith, because it is by faith that men are saved. It is by faith that they acknowledge they are sinners who are condemned by God’s holy law to spend eternity paying for their sins in the lake of fire. It is by faith that they receive Christ’s death, burial, and bodily resurrection as their only hope for heaven. It is by faith that they cease from trusting their own goodness to save them, and instead rely solely upon the merits of the Redeemer and the precious blood he shed for them.
Merely being familiar with the principles of Christianity, or even pledging to follow and defend them henceforth, is not faith in the gospel. Agreeing with the historical fact that Jesus Christ existed and that he was crucified is not faith in the gospel. Even acknowledging that Christ is the Son of God is not sufficient for salvation, if one’s hope for heaven is not solely in the truth that Immanuel gave himself on Calvary’s cross for the world’s sins, was buried, and was bodily resurrected three days later unto the justification of all who believe on his name.
You may hear the true gospel – not that baleful lie called “Lordship Salvation”, or some similar perversion thereof which purports men must turn from their sins and invite Christ into their lives before they can be saved – I say, you may hear the true gospel, but if you do not decide to solely believe on Christ as your only hope for heaven, you will not be saved. Faith in Christ plus faith in your good works is no faith at all, and is as ineffectual in obtaining you salvation as if you were to deny Christ entirely.
Going to heaven is not a matter of horseshoes, dear reader. Getting close to the truth, or even partially believing the truth, is not good enough. You must completely place your trust in Christ’s death, burial, and bodily resurrection as being the only thing that can ransom you from hell, apart from all your good works and pious deeds. For salvation is not of works, in whole or in part (Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:16, Titus 3:5). If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law (Galatians 3:21). But by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the Almighty’s sight (Romans 3:20), and any attempts to circumvent this implacable truth, no matter how sincere and well-meaning they may be, will ineluctably lead the unregenerate sinner into the Lake of Fire. For except a man be born again – no matter how religious he is, or how frequently he tithes, or how many people he tells about Jesus, or how many scriptures he has memorized – he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).
CONCLUSION
Have you mixed faith with the gospel, dear reader? The word preached will not profit you unless you do. Please do not make the mistake of thinking you must contribute something to your salvation. You can do nothing of the kind, neither are you asked to do so. You are asked only to come to Christ as you are – as a guilty sinner who has violated God’s law and is utterly incapable of delivering yourself from eternal punishment in hell. And if you will believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed his blood to pay for your sins, was buried, and was bodily resurrected three days later unto your justification, you will mix faith with the gospel, and profit exceedingly thereby. You do not need to go hell. But receive Christ as Savior, and you shall have eternal life.