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The Pitch
Contributed by Richie Oswald on Jan 1, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: I am not a salesman trying to sell you a new way of life. I am a spokesman telling you the truth about the life available to you.
(NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
I do not write sermons nor do I preach sermons under the pretext of being a salesman trying to sell you a better way of life. That would lessen the quality of the message that I try to present to a lost world. If I preached in this manner, I would give you the impression that the gospel is something that you could "try on for sides" and if you didn’t like it you could simply discard it. No worse for wear. If I preached in this manner I would give you the impression that there are other gospels out there that you might try that would do just as good and serve the same purpose as the gospel that I preach. If I preached in this manner I would give you the impression that you really didn’t need the gospel. That your old way of life was perfectly all right. That you would only need my brand of the gospel if you wanted a change and felt extravaggant.
All of these notions are as equally foolish as they are false.
Observe what Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:4-6, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5)One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6)One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
I am not here to sell you a new product that will give you forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven. I am here to tell you of the only way, truth, and light that will wash you clean in the sight of God and through whom God will welcome you to heaven one day.
That way, truth, and light is Jesus Christ. The Son of God.
Your church, whatever denomination or lack thereof, is not your ticket to heaven. You can go to church from now until the day you die and still wind up hell. Baptism, no matter what form, is not your ticket to heaven. You can get baptized from now until the day you die and still wind up in hell. Your preacher, your family, your social status, you church office; none of these is your ticket to heaven.
The scriptures say "God is no respector of persons."
Let me tell you the real way to live a life knowing that you have the blessed and eternal security. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, John 3:16, Mark 16:16. Believing that Christ died on the cross for your sins and that through Him your sins are washed away. That is the way to be free from the shackles of this world and the sin that lies in it.