Lost in Simplicity

General Faith
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Religion is not going to save you. Being a good little “Insert religion here” is not going to save you. It is just the simple truth. Religion is a man-made concept and most of the time has nothing to do with the true God and or His plan of salvation.

Simply put, Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. Jesus is the key to Salvation. It is simply accepted by you or not, a fact that without Him, you cannot enter Heaven. It is also a fact, accepted by you or not, that “neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Since it seems a little slow here today, let me ask you this. God made His plan of salvation simple and easy for all to obtain.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18

Yet He is a rejected stumbling block. He is a subject of offense. Why do you think this is? Why do you think so many get so lost in the simplicity of Salvation through Christ? God made the way so simple. Open for all. Yet some find it so difficult.

Peter

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Good post here brother. The “crux” of the matter.

The Hidden Meaning of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil isn’t just about a forbidden fruit, it’s about something far deeper — something that explains everything about who we are, why we sin, and why the whole story of the Bible unfolds the way it does. Are you ready to see it for yourself? Then let’s dive in!

The Gospel Is Still Good News
Good news, not good advice

The gospel is not a set of tips for a better life. It is the royal announcement of what God has done in Christ. It is objective, finished, and unstoppable, whether the headlines applaud or protest.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) Salvation “exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

The finished work we proclaim

At the center stands Jesus Christ—incarnate, crucified, risen, ascended, and returning. The cross is substitution. The resurrection is vindication. The ascension is enthronement. His return will be consummation.

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

  • His obedient life fulfills all righteousness (Matthew 3:15; Romans 5:19).

  • His atoning death satisfies justice and secures mercy (Romans 3:24–26).

  • His bodily resurrection guarantees ours (1 Corinthians 15:20–23).

  • His reign fuels mission and hope (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20–23).

Grace that saves, truth that stands

We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Human effort cannot rescue us. Human boasting has no place at the foot of the cross.

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9) The proper response is repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; Romans 10:9–10).

All of this rests on the truthfulness of God’s Word. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Why literal truth matters

God speaks real words about real events in real history. The gospel is not myth or metaphor. Eyewitnesses testified to what they saw and touched (Luke 1:1–4; 1 Corinthians 15:5–8; 2 Peter 1:16). If Scripture is God-breathed, it is wholly true in what it affirms—in creation, covenant, cross, and crown.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

  • God: holy Creator and righteous King (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 6:3).

  • Man: made in God’s image, fallen in Adam, guilty by sin (Genesis 1:27; Romans 3:10–12, 23; 5:12).

  • Christ: true God and true man, crucified and risen (John 1:14; Colossians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

  • Response: repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:9–13).

  • Cost: deny self, take up the cross, follow Jesus (Luke 9:23–26).

  • Church: baptized into a body to gather, grow, and go (Acts 2:38–42; Hebrews 10:24–25).

  • Hope: Christ’s return, resurrection, and judgment (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Acts 17:31; Revelation 21–22).

How to share the gospel simply

Gospel conversations are ordinary steps of love led by the Spirit. Speak clearly, briefly, and personally. Keep Christ at the center.

  • Start with God’s character and design.

  • Explain sin honestly and personally (Romans 6:23).

  • Present Christ’s cross and resurrection as the only remedy (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

  • Call for repentance and faith, not vague spirituality (Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9–10).

  • Invite a response and connect to a local church (Acts 2:41–42).

  • Pray and follow up. The sower trusts the Lord of the harvest (Mark 4:26–29).

Disciple-making as the overflow

Evangelism aims at disciples, not mere decisions. Jesus authorizes us to make disciples by baptizing and teaching obedience to all He commanded (Matthew 28:18–20). Conversion births a lifetime of learning Christ.

  • Word: read it, hear it, do it together (Acts 2:42; James 1:22).

  • Prayer: ask, seek, knock for kingdom fruit (Luke 11:9–13; Colossians 4:2–4).

  • Life-on-life: model and multiply (2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:8).

  • Obedience: practice what He commands (John 14:15; Matthew 7:24–27).

  • Mission: go across the street and across the world (Acts 13:1–3; Romans 15:20–21).

A gospel-shaped life

The grace that saves trains us to live differently. The same gospel that declares us righteous also teaches us to renounce ungodliness and to say yes to holiness in the present age (Titus 2:11–14).

  • Pursue holiness without legalism (Hebrews 12:14; Galatians 5:16–25).

  • Practice hospitality and generous mercy (Romans 12:13; James 1:27).

  • Keep short accounts, forgive quickly, reconcile eagerly (Ephesians 4:31–32; Colossians 3:12–14).

  • Live quietly, work faithfully, commend Christ visibly (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12; 1 Peter 2:12).

When the gospel is opposed

The cross offends human pride. Some will resist, revise, or reject it. We stand firm with truth and tenderness, contending without being contentious (Jude 3; 2 Timothy 2:24–25).

This is right on topic.

J.

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In my experience, the biggest drawback to someone receiving the gospel is the church. To them, Jesus and the church are the same thing and we all know that the church’s history is not so great. This is what they know about and this is where they struggle. I’ve learned not to argue or even address there complaints because it goes no where. One thing that seems helpful depending on who you’re talking to is to say, “I’m not talking about the church. I’m telling you about Jesus.” After saying that, some will listen and those who don’t, won’t listen no matter what.

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Men are not lost because the gospel is confusing. Men are lost because the gospel convicts them.

It’s not complicated. Even a child can understand it. But it asks you to do something that the natural man abhors. It asks you to repent. Jesus never said “believe these facts about Me.” He said, “repent ye, and believe the gospel” ~Mark 1:15.

People want a Savior who will pardon them. But they don’t want a Lord who will control them. They want heaven without holiness. But Scripture says, “without holiness no man shall see the Lord” ~Hebrews 12:14.

Christ is offensive because He shatters self righteousness. The gospel says that your goodness won’t save you. Your religion won’t save you. Your morality won’t save you. Only God’s mercy through Christ will save you. “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” ~Isaiah 64:6.

The natural man will comply with ceremony, tradition, and outward devotion. But to bow down before Christ as a vile sinner with nothing in your hands, trusting Him for everything. That kills pride. And pride is the last idol to die.

Men aren’t lost in the simplicity of Christ. They’re fleeing from the conclusions of Christ.

The gate is narrow, not because God concealed it. But because man refuses to bow before it. “ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” ~John 5:40.

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You say the tree carries a deeper hidden meaning that explains everything about man. Scripture never says that.

God spoke plainly. “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it” ~Genesis 2:17. Man disobeyed. Guilt came. Death followed. And the doctrine is given without mystery: “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” ~Romans 5:12.

The problem in Eden was not a secret principle waiting to be decoded. It was rebellion. Man rejected God’s authority and chose his own judgment. That is sin. Nothing hidden about it.

When you add a deeper interpretive layer, you move the reader away from what is written. We are commanded “not to think… above that which is written” ~1 Corinthians 4:6.

Your gospel statements are true, but they stand because God said them, not because a theory about the tree explains them. Scripture points us to the last Adam, not to speculation about the first: “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” ~1 Corinthians 15:45.

The fall is simple. Man disobeyed God. The gospel is simple. Christ obeyed and died for sinners. We do not need hidden meanings. We need submission to what God actually said.

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The video you posted is not biblically true. It flat out accuses God of deception and shifts the blame for sin onto Him. Scripture does the opposite.

He raises the question about the command in Eden and then states:

“If God didn’t want her eating from it, why did he put it there? Why did he make it so appealing… Why did he make it tempting? If anybody is deceiving here, it’s God.”

Then he continues by assigning the origin of sin to God instead of Adam:

“It seems like it wasn’t Adam and Eve who bestowed upon humans a tendency to sin but God himself. Since that tendency was already there before the fall and indeed was responsible for the fall.”

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@PeterC, your intervention would be appreciated in directing this participant to his proper venue/forum, as his remarks display a degree of cognitive inconsistency that is hindering substantive engagement in this thread.

He is now accusing Nate of falsehood and Bob Utley.

J.

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Go back to your forum @bdavidc and don’t scout here, there is something wrong with you.

J.

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Ive found the best things in life are the ones you fight for. No one said it was going to be easy but it will be worth my struggle and yours. The prize is there and its good. Kinda makes me want to jump in the race. And win.

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Johann, if you present a teaching in a public discussion, it is going to be tested by Scripture. That is not hostility, that is obedience to the command, “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” ~1 Thessalonians 5:21.

When a claim contradicts what is written, it must be corrected. God is not the author of sin, because “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” ~James 1:13. So any teaching that shifts blame for sin onto God will be answered from Scripture.

If you post other people’s writing, expect it to be examined by the Word. The focus stays on truth, not on silencing correction.

If the posts did not contradict what is written, there would be nothing to correct. Scripture requires teaching to be tested, “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” ~1 Thessalonians 5:21.

So when a claim conflicts with the Word, I will answer it from Scripture. If the teaching stays aligned with what the Bible says, the corrections stop. The issue is whether the doctrine agrees with what God has spoken.

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Amen! I wish more people understoood this.

Amen to this as well. Thanks for adding your thoughts on this.

Peter

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I don’t believe that the first part of this is true. I found out early that the simple things of God are not so simple as you think, to those who do not know God. As for the rest, Amen. As @Johann pointed out.

It hurts sometimes. It often offends. Jesus did say, “Repent and sin no more.” It is the whole Repent, or turning away from something we love, that gets people to not follow through.

Amen.

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I suggest you rewatch the video. You definitly Got this worng. The whole point was to refute these statements. It was a pretty good video.

Peter

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Amen! I pretty much said the same thing to someone on another thread.

Peter

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Then I highly encourage you to do so. Jesus is not a weapon; He is your savior. Christianity should never be used as a weapon, but as a lifestyle and to bring the good news to people wherever and whomever they may be.

Peter

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The language of “rejected stone” and “stumbling” is not rhetorical flourish but covenantal fulfillment rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures and carried forward into apostolic proclamation. The imagery originates in Psalmic and Isaianic contexts where Yahweh Himself becomes either sanctuary or snare depending on the posture of the heart. The Messiah stands at the center of that division.

Peter explicitly unites these strands:

1 Peter 2:7–8[1]

The participle ἀπειθοῦντες (“being disobedient”) in the Greek text does not merely denote intellectual confusion, it indicates refusal to be persuaded. The stumbling is moral before it is mental. The “stone” is stable; it is the posture of the one approaching it that determines whether it becomes foundation or obstruction.

This derives from Isaiah’s prophecy:

Isaiah 8:14[2]

Notice the parallelism: sanctuary or stumbling stone. The same Lord, two radically different receptions. The Hebrew מִכְשׁוֹל (mikshol, “stumbling block”) denotes an obstacle over which one falls. The obstacle is not hidden; it is placed openly in the path. The problem is not obscurity but resistance.

The rejection theme intensifies in Psalm 118:

Psalm 118:22[3]

The “builders” are those presumed competent in spiritual architecture. The irony is theological: those entrusted with covenant knowledge misjudge the cornerstone. Christ cites this text against the religious leaders (~Matthew 21:42), exposing that the issue is not lack of revelation but misaligned expectation.

Why then is salvation, though simple, so difficult for many?

Paul provides the clearest exegetical explanation:

1 Corinthians 1:23–24[4]

The term σκάνδαλον (“stumblingblock”) signifies an offense that provokes rejection. A crucified Messiah contradicted Jewish messianic expectation of visible triumph, while Greek philosophical culture found the idea irrational. The cross exposes human presuppositions about power, wisdom, and worth.

Salvation is simple in structure but devastating in implication. It excludes boasting:

Ephesians 2:8–9[5]

The negation οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν (“not of yourselves”) and οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων (“not of works”) dismantle self-contribution. Fallen humanity does not struggle with complexity so much as with dependency. Grace requires surrender of merit.

Paul explains Israel’s stumbling in precisely these terms:

Romans 9:32–33[6]

The contrast is syntactic and theological: ἐκ πίστεως (“by faith”) versus ἐξ ἔργων (“by works”). The stumbling occurs where human righteousness attempts to coexist with divine grace. Faith receives; works achieve. The cross nullifies the latter.

Furthermore, the simplicity of salvation confronts pride at its root. The gospel declares that reconciliation with God is accomplished not through ascent but through substitution. The crucified and risen Christ bears sin, and the resurrection vindicates His atoning work (~Romans 4:25). The cross humbles; the resurrection confirms.

Human beings, however, prefer systems they can manage. The heart gravitates toward complexity that preserves control. Jesus Himself states the moral dimension:

John 3:19[7]

The verb ἠγάπησαν (“loved”) is decisive. The issue is affectional orientation. Light exposes; grace strips pretension. Many are not confused by simplicity; they are confronted by it.

Yet the invitation remains radically open:

Romans 10:9[8]

Confession and belief. The cross and the resurrection. No ritual complexity, no layered hierarchy of merit. The stumbling arises because this simplicity demands exclusive trust in the crucified and risen Lord.

In sum, Christ is rejected not because the way is obscure but because it is humbling. The stone stands immovable. Those who rest upon Him find foundation; those who resist encounter offense. The gospel is simple in proclamation, but it is absolute in demand. And human pride has always preferred something it can partially claim as its own.

Shalom.

J.

  1. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. KJV ↩︎

  2. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. KJV ↩︎

  3. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. KJV ↩︎

  4. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. KJV ↩︎

  5. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. KJV ↩︎

  6. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. KJV ↩︎

  7. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. KJV ↩︎

  8. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. KJV ↩︎

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Maybe for some that could be the case….Religion gets a bad minimized name today. We must also be careful when painting with such broad strokes.Religion is intended to help you stay close to Jesus, by encouraging a relationship with the One True and Living God.It should help you grow deeper into God’s word, be faithful and not forsaking the assembling of ourselves as we see the day approaching. The Church is the body of Christ……many members, One body. My religion challenges me and I could not have just grown in Christ personally without the Church and sound teaching and preaching ! I don’t think gathering with my brothers and sistes together to pray is JUST “religion” / or to sing praises to God Almighty. NO such thing as a Lone Ranger Christians.

Your religion should be Bible based, it also does not have to be scary, stiff-necked and dried up either.

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Absolutely. The problem comes in when “Religion”, which is a man-made concept, is created by one or a few, for self-gain and power. Think Islam. Think Seventh-day Adventist. Think of the Jewish Religion, not race, but religion. Christianity is not immune to this. Think Catholicism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the like.

The bottom line is, “Christianity” has always been, is not, and shall always be about a relationship. A one-on-one relationship with Jesus, God Himself. It was never meant to be something you did for an hour or an hour and a half, once a week, if you feel like going. It was never about singing and dancing, standing and sitting, giving money, and heading off to a BBQ, Game, or whatever. God is God 24/7.

Yes, we need to gather together in His name, learn, and grow together. That is why it is so important that you find a Bible-based, Bible-teaching, Holy Spirit-led Church. That is why it is so important to read the Word for yourself. This is why you will know the lies when you hear them.

Peter

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I hear that. I always took kingdom, kings and lords Serious, idk why, maybe i watched to many movies. Freeking hollywood. But to be a k8ng you should know all your servants. From the least to the most. Ive noticed in my life everyone seem to be growing at there own pace. Its like the song, god is great beer is good and people are crazy. Why because we realy dont understand. Who better to teach us but the king of gods house. However he chooses. For each one of us. That to me is a king. All for one one for all.

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This is a forum, all thoughts should be welcome hear. for we all have a voice. And should be heard. If there is a problem, it is our duties as christians to solve it.

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