The

Nonnegotiable

Gospel
{D AV E HUNT }

BEND • OREGON
 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL
by Dave Hunt

©1998, 2006 by The Berean Call

3nd Edition
ISBN-13: 978-1-928660-43-9

Scripture quotations are from:

The Holy Bible, King James Version

Printed in the United States of America

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
form or by any means—electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without
prior written permission.

For information:

THE BEREAN CALL

POST OFFICE BOX 7019
BEND, OREGON 97708-7019
 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
—ROMANS 8:38, 39

CONTENTS
The Gospel of God 5

Mercy vs. Works 19

The Call to Discipleship 33

 Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel . . . for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth [it].
—MARK 16:15, ROMANS 1:16

THE GOSPEL
of GOD
What is the “good news” of the gospel—and from
what does it save us?
In order to answer that question, we must
begin in the Garden, for it was there, in the most
perfect environment that God’s heart of love and
His creative power could design, that sin had its
awful beginning.
Surrounded by beauty, satisfied by abundance,
and enjoying the fellowship of their Creator Friend,
our first parents nevertheless fell to the seductive
lies of the Serpent. “Ye shall be as gods” was
Satan’s promise, while Adam, in loyalty to Eve,
whom he loved more than God himself, joined
5
6 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

in her disobedience and ate of the forbidden fruit

(1 Timothy 2:14). Thus, “by [this] one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned” (Romans 5:12).
Death not only ends this short earthly life;
it separates the sinner from God forever. In His
infinite foreknowledge, wisdom, and love, how-
ever, God had already planned how He would
restore life and reunite mankind with Himself.
Without ceasing to be God, He would become
a man through a virgin birth. Only God could
be the Savior (Isaiah 43:11; 45:21, etc.), thus
the Messiah had to be God (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah
45:15; Titus 1:3, 4, etc.). He would die for our
sins to pay the penalty demanded by His justice:
“ ’Tis mystery all, the immortal dies!” hymn writer
Charles Wesley declared. Then He would rise from
the dead to live in those who would believe in and
receive Him as their Lord and Savior. Forgiveness
of sins and eternal life would be theirs as a free gift
of His grace.
Centuries before His incarnation, God
inspired the Old Testament prophets to declare
His eternal and unchangeable plan of salvation.
THE GOSPEL OF GOD 7

Definitive criteria were provided by which the

coming Savior would be identified. Jesus and His
apostles did not invent a “new religion.” Chris-
tianity fulfills scores of specific prophecies and is
therefore provable from Scripture!
So it was not a new gospel that Paul the apostle
preached, but “the gospel of God (which he
had promised afore by his prophets in the holy
scriptures,) concerning his Son Jesus Christ...”
(Romans 1:1-3). Thus the Bereans could check
Paul’s message against the Old Testament (Acts
17:11); and he could use the Hebrew prophets,
which were read in the synagogue each sabbath,
to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah
(verses 2, 3). Not Buddha, not Muhammad,
not anyone else—only Christ has the required
credentials! The fulfillment of scores of specific
prophecies in the life, death and resurrection of
Jesus of Nazareth should be absolute proof that
He is the true and only Savior.
In Hebrews 2:3, the vital question is asked, “How
shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”
The answer is so starkly plain; there is no escape.
The Bible makes that solemn fact abundantly clear.
To reject, add to, take from, or otherwise pervert
8 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

or embrace a substitute for “the gospel of God” is

to perpetuate the rebellion begun by Adam and
Eve and to leave one eternally separated from God
and His proffered salvation.
No wonder Paul wrote, “Knowing therefore the
terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” (2 Cor-
inthians 5:11). So must we, too, persuade men
through the gospel!
The “gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13)
“wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved”
(1 Corinthians 15:1, 2) is simple and precise,
leaving no room for misunderstanding or negotia-
tion: “that Christ died for our sins according to
the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he
rose again the third day...” (verses 3, 4).
This “everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6) was
promised “before the world began” (2 Timothy
1:9; Titus 1:2) and cannot change with time or
culture. There is no other hope for mankind, no
other way to be forgiven and brought back to God
except through this “strait gate and narrow way”
(Matthew 7:13,14). Any broader road leads to
destruction.
THE GOSPEL OF GOD 9

{ The Gospel’s Three Elements }

The one true “gospel of God’s grace,” which God
offers as our only salvation, has three basic elements:
1) who Christ is—fully God and perfect, sinless man
in one Person (were He less, He could not be our
Savior); 2) who we are—hopeless sinners already con-
demned to eternal death (or we wouldn’t need to be
saved); and 3) what Christ’s death accomplished—the
payment of the full penalty for our sins (any attempt
by us to pay in any way rejects the Cross).
Christ has commanded us to “preach the
gospel [good news!] to every creature [person]”
(Mark 16:15). What response is required? Both
the desperate question and uncomplicated answer
are given to us: “What must I do to be saved?...
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved” (Acts 16:30, 31). Neither religion, ritual,
nor good works will avail. God calls us to simply
believe. “For by grace are ye saved through faith”
(Ephesians 2:8)—whosoever believes in him will
not perish, but has eternal life (John 3:16).
It is the gospel alone that saves those who believe
it. Nothing else will save. Therefore we must preach
the gospel. Paul said, “Woe is unto me, if I preach
10 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

not the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Sentimental

appeals to “come to Jesus” or “make a decision
for Christ” avail nothing if the gospel is not clearly
explained and believed.
Many are attracted to Christ because of His
admirable character, noble martyrdom, or because
He changes lives. Such converts have not believed
the gospel and thus are not saved. This is the solemn
teaching of Scripture (John 3:36)!
Paul said that “the gospel of Christ...is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”
(Romans 1:16). He also called it “the gospel...
by which also ye are saved” (1 Corinthians 15:1,
2); and “the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians
1:13). Clearly, from these and other scriptures,
salvation comes only through believing the gospel.
Christ told His disciples to go into “all the world,
and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15), a gospel
which the Bible precisely defines.
Salvation comes on God’s terms and by His grace,
and we negotiate the gospel neither with God nor
with one another. “The Father sent the Son to be
the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:14). Salvation
is a work of God and His Son. We either believe it
or reject it. We don’t “dialogue” about it.
THE GOSPEL OF GOD 11

It is also called the “gospel of Christ” (Mark

1:1; Romans 1:16; 15:19; 1 Corinthians 9:12, 18;
2 Corinthians 4:4; 9:13; 10:14; Galatians 1:7; Phi-
lippians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Thessalonians
1:8). He is the Savior, and salvation is His work, not
ours, as the angels said: “For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Paul specifies the gospel that saves: “that Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that
he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,
4). “I am the door,” said Christ: “by me if any man
enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9).
The gospel contains nothing about baptism,
church membership or attendance, tithing, sacra-
ments or rituals, diet or clothing. If we add anything
to the gospel, we have perverted it and thus come
under Paul’s anathema in Galatians 1:8, 9!
The gospel is all about what Christ has done. It
says nothing about what Christ must yet do because
the work of our redemption is finished. “Christ
died for our sins.” His was a past act, never to be
repeated, for Christ triumphantly declared, “It is
finished” (John 19:30)!
12 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

Nor does it say anything about what we must

do, because we can do nothing. “Not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but accord-
ing to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5); “for by
grace are ye saved through faith...the gift of God
(is) not of works, lest any man should boast...”
(Ephesians 2:8, 9).
Instead of works, the gospel requires faith. It
is the power of God unto salvation to those who
believe. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth
on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5)...“that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The gospel is a two-edged sword. It declares,
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.”
The same verse also says, “and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him” (John 3:36).

{ The Difficult Part }

Right here we come to the most difficult part
of the gospel to accept—that those who do not
believe it are eternally lost, no matter what good
works they do.
THE GOSPEL OF GOD 13

The reasons for that fact are grounded in both

God’s love and His justice. God’s justice requires
that the infinite penalty for sin must be paid. In
payment we would be separated from God forever,
so He became a man through the virgin birth
to pay the penalty for us. No one can complain
against God. He has proved His love by doing all
He could for our salvation. He has himself paid
the penalty and on that basis can be both “just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus”
(Romans 3:26).
Christ pleaded in the Garden, “if it be pos-
sible (i.e., if there is any other way mankind can
be saved), let this cup pass from me” (Matthew
26:39). We know that there is no other way or
God would not have required His beloved Son to
bear the full brunt of His wrath against sin. The
fact that men nailed Christ to the cross would
only condemn us. But on the cross, when man
was doing his worst to his Creator, Christ paid
the penalty for our sins in full.
Only if we accept that payment on our behalf can
we be saved. “[T]here is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved” (Acts 4:12); “what must I do to be saved?...
14 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt

be saved” (Acts 16:30, 31).
To “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” includes
who He is and what He has done.
Jesus said, “...Ye are from beneath; I am from
above...if ye believe not that I AM [this is God’s
name, Yahweh], ye shall die in your sins” (John
8:23, 24). Jesus himself says we must believe that
He is God, for He is; and no one less than God
could save us. We must believe that the sinless One
“died for our sins,” and was buried; and that He
rose bodily from the grave. Only by believing this
gospel are we saved. So says God’s Word.
Why could not even a Mother Teresa get to
heaven by good works? Because we are all sinners;
and because once we have broken one of God’s
commandments we “[are] guilty of all” (James
2:10); and “by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20).
Keeping the law perfectly from now on could never
make up for having already broken it.
For God to grant salvation by any other means
than faith in Christ alone would be an insult to the
One whom the Father insisted had to endure His
wrath as the sacrifice for sin. Furthermore, God
THE GOSPEL OF GOD 15

would be breaking His own code of justice and

going back on His Word. No, even God himself
could not save earth’s most notable “saint.” Christ’s
blood avails only for repentant sinners.
Oswald Chambers warned lest, in our zeal to
get people to accept the gospel, we manufacture
a gospel acceptable to people and produce “con-
verts” who are not saved. Today’s most popular
perversion is the “positive” gospel, which is
designed to offend no one with truth. One of
our most popular televangelists, for example, has
said that it is demeaning to call anyone a sinner
and that Christ died to restore human dignity and
self-esteem. He claims to win many to Christ with
that seductive message—but such a gospel does
not save sinners.
Evangelistic appeals are often made to “come
to Christ” for the wrong reasons: in order to be
healthy, happy, successful, to restore a marriage,
or to handle stress. Others preach a gospel that is
so diluted or perverted that it deceives many into
thinking they are saved. No fraud could be worse,
for the consequences are eternal!
Religion, not atheism, is Satan’s main weapon.
“The god of this world hath blinded the minds
16 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

of them which believe not, lest the light of the

glorious gospel of Christ... should shine unto
them” (2 Corinthians 4:4). To combat “the gos-
pel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), the great
deceiver has many false gospels, but they all have
two subtle rejections of grace in common: ritual
and/or self-effort.
Ritual makes redemption an ongoing process
performed by a special priesthood; and self-effort
gives man a part to play in earning his salvation.
The one denies the finality of the Cross. The other
denies its sufficiency. Either one robs God of the
uniqueness of the gift He wishes to bestow upon
fallen man: “For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord” (Romans 6:23). ✝
THUS, AMAZINGLY, MAN’S REBELLION

AGAINST GOD IS SEEN MOST CLEARLY

IN HIS RELIGIONS, ALL OF WHICH

ARE BUT MIRROR IMAGES OF BABEL—

INGENIOUS AND PERSISTENT ATTEMPTS

TO ‘CLIMB UP SOME OTHER WAY ’

INSTEAD OF ENTERING THROUGH

THE DOOR THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED

IN HIS SON.
 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me . . . And
if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not
build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it,
thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps
unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered
thereon.
—EXODUS 20:24-26

. . . [L}et us build us a city and a tower [of Babel],

whose top may reach unto heaven . . .
GENESIS 11:4

MERCY vs.
WORKS
No two tenets of faith could be more opposed to
one another than those presented above.
On the one hand, we have God’s rejection of any
human effort to buy salvation or His favor. If man
is to come to God, it must be solely by His grace
and His provision, not by any human work.
On the other hand, we see man’s flagrant repudi-
ation of God’s prohibition against self-effort, and
his arrogant attempt to build a tower that would

19
20 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

enable him to climb by steps of his own making

into heaven itself.
God’s instructions were explicit. If the ground
was too rocky to gather up a mound of earth for
an altar, stones could be heaped together—but
they could not be cut, fashioned, or polished with
a tool. Nor could the altar be elevated. Not one
step must be climbed to reach it. There must be
no illusion that man could contribute anything by
his own efforts to his salvation. God himself is the
only One who can save man, and salvation must be
a gift of His grace. Such is the gospel consistently
presented from Genesis to Revelation. Consider
the following:

I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there

is no saviour (Isaiah 43:11); For unto us a child
[the Messiah] is born...[He is] The mighty God,
The everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)....thou shalt
call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people
from their sins (Matthew 1:21)....they that are
in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8).
For by grace are ye saved....not of works, lest
any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9); Not
by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us (Titus
3:5); Being justified freely by his grace through
MERCY vs. WORKS 21

the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans

3:24); And if by grace, then is it no more of
works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it
be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise
work is no more work (Romans 11:6).

It was the incredible act of rebellion in Eden

against the Almighty that separated man from his
Creator. No less astonishing is the fact that man
continues his defiance in his very attempts to be
reconciled to God—and so persists in his self-
righteous resolve to contribute something toward
his salvation.
Thus, amazingly, man’s rebellion against God
is seen most clearly in his religions, all of which
are but mirror images of Babel—ingenious and
persistent attempts to “climb up some other way”
instead of entering through the door that God has
provided in His Son (John 10:1).
Babel may be traced from ancient paganism to
the “high places” (elevated altars) of heathen wor-
ship adopted by Israel (Leviticus 26:30; 1 Kings
11:7; 2 Kings 23:15; Ezekiel 16:24-39, etc.) and
on to every religion on earth today. The ornate
temples or mosques and elaborate ceremonies
found in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism,
22 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

and other cults and the occult are obvious continu-

ations of Babel. So are the magnificent cathedrals,
lofty steeples, exalted and gilded altars, luxurious
vestments and impressive rituals of today’s “high
church” denominations.
Such pomp turns off many non-Christians who
rightly want nothing to do with a God who is
influenced by fleshly enhancements.
But was not Solomon’s temple most magnificent?
Yes, but it was uniquely designed and commanded
by God. Both the tabernacle in the wilderness and
the temple which succeeded it were “a figure [pic-
ture]...of good things to come [i.e., of Christ and
heaven]” (Hebrews 9:9-11). God said to Moses,
“See...that thou make all things according to the
pattern shewed to thee in the mount [Sinai]”
(Hebrews 8:5).
No such pattern or approval was given by God for
any other religious structure. Although Protestants
reject relics, statues and icons, they often refer to their
places of worship as “sanctuaries,” as though God
dwells there. In fact, God inhabits the Christian’s
body (“your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost”
—1 Corinthians 3:17; 6:19), which is therefore to
be kept holy. Paul reminded the Athenians:
MERCY vs. WORKS 23

God that made the world and all things therein,

seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwell-
eth not in temples made with hands; Neither
is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he
needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and
breath, and all things;...(Acts 17:24, 25).

Jesus explained that God does, indeed, desire

our worship—but it must be “in spirit and in truth”
(John 4:23, 24). Affectations, whether in physical
adornments, props or ceremonies, appeal to the
flesh and, far from enhancing worship, deny both
the truth and the Spirit, by which it alone can be
offered to the God who created and redeemed
us. Sacramentalism—the belief that liturgy’s
form and formulas transmit spiritual power and
that salvation comes through the sacraments—too
readily creeps into even Protestant thinking. In
fact, some still believe that baptism saves and that
taking the bread and cup brings life, etc.
Alas, we are all Eve’s children by nature
and still prone to follow the ways of Cain and
Babel. Every place of worship that has been
adorned for the purpose of hallowing it or
gaining God’s favor or making worship more
acceptable violates Exodus 20:24-26 as well
24 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

as the rest of Scripture. All such “sanctuaries”

are monuments to man’s rebellion and his proud
and perverted religion of self-effort.
Unfortunately, it is all too easy to fall into the
error of imagining that belonging to a church and
periodically “worshiping” in its “sanctuary” makes
one a Christian and compensates for one’s lack of
consistent, personal holiness.
Of course, no one in this day and age is under
the illusion that one can climb a physical tower to
heaven. Yet the folly of today’s religions is every
bit as monumental, and the anarchy against God
that motivates those beliefs is just as evil as was
the Tower of Babel. Billions continue, in the spirit
of Babel, to pursue equally futile, self-oriented
religious programs, hoping to earn their way to
heaven. In the process, truth and doctrine are
relegated to a secondary role, or none.

{ Faith is Not a “Power” }

Sadly, for many, faith is a power of the mind, and
God is merely a placebo that helps one “believe”
and thereby activate this mind power. “Prayer is
communicating with the deep unconscious....Your
unconscious mind...[has a] power that turns wishes
MERCY vs. WORKS 25

into realities,” says a popular writer. He says further,

“You don’t know the power you have within you!...
You make the world into anything you choose.”
It is Babel again in a more sophisticated form. The
power of “thinking” becomes the magic stairway
that leads to the paradise where all one’s wishes
can be fulfilled.
For others, faith is a mind power that even God
uses—a force contained in words and released
when one speaks forth “the word of faith.” “By
the spoken word,” declares one of their leaders,
“we create our universe...you create the presence of
Jesus with your mouth...through visualization and
dreaming you can incubate your future and hatch
the results.” Here we have an evangelical form of
Christian Science or Science of Mind!
Many Christians have unwittingly believed a
similar lie. They imagine that faith is believing that
what they are praying for will happen. Of course,
if believing something will happen causes it to hap-
pen, then who needs God? Men themselves have
become gods. The power of belief becomes one’s
tower of Babel, the magic steps by which one climbs
to that “state of mind called heaven.”
Biblical faith, however, is believing that God
26 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

will answer one’s prayer. That changes every-

thing! I could never truly believe a prayer would
be answered—nor would I want it to be—unless
I were certain it was God’s will. Faith is not a
magic power we aim at God to get Him to bless
our plans, but “the obedience of faith” (Acts 6:7;
Romans 1:5; 16:26; 2 Thessalonians 1:8, etc.)
brings us into submission to Him as the instru-
ments of His will.
Humanists also have their Babel-like, do-it-your-
self religion. They call it science. It, too, reflects
man’s continued rebellion. Modern man hopes
to conquer the atom, space, and all disease and
thus to become immortal master of the universe.
The materialist’s “heaven” is a peaceful cosmos
populated by highly evolved, space-traveling
civilizations that have restored paradise through
supertechnology.
Such was the dream (“to join a community of
galactic civilizations...[is] our hope in a vast and awe-
some universe”) that President Carter, a professing
Christian, expressed to anticipated extraterrestrial
contactees on the gold record carried into space
by Voyager in 1977.
Rank materialism leaves the soul empty, but
MERCY vs. WORKS 27

adding a touch of religion to science seems

to fill the void while keeping faith “rational.”
There is no more deadly delusion than a sci-
entific religion. It is the delusion of Babel
all over again, with advancing knowledge building
the steps that both lead man to “heaven” and open
to him the very powers of God.
One of Christian psychology’s major appeals to
evangelicals is its false claim to being scientific. It
fails, however, the litmus test of Exodus 20:24-26.
Its altars are built of the cut and polished stones
of human wisdom; its rituals are not found in
Scripture; and self rather than God is the object of
worship. Moreover, on its altars burns the strange
fire (Leviticus 10:1; Nahum 3:4) of humanistic
theories unacceptable to God.
Religious science is a major element in the
environmental movement, where the earth is
increasingly viewed as sacred. Ecotheology, says
a Georgetown University professor, “starts with
the premise that the Universe is God.” Carl Sagan
exemplified today’s scientific paganism. “If we must
worship a power greater than ourselves,” intoned
this high priest of cosmos worship, “does it not
make sense to revere the Sun and stars?” Here
28 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

we go again! To draw closer to, and thus better

observe and worship, the heavenly bodies was a
major purpose of the Tower of Babel.
The environmental movement is a humanistic
attempt to restore the lost paradise of Eden without
repenting of rebellion against the Creator.
Such is the message that is being seductively
presented to America’s children in the public
schools.
New Age is being purposefully promoted in the
public schools through such programs as America
2000. As governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton initi-
ated a school reform that had much to do with
remolding the students into planetary citizens
alienated from parents, including the worship of
self and the universe as God.
Exodus 20:24-26 is a foundational pas-
sage that makes it clear that the earth is nei-
ther to be honored nor worshiped but to be
used as an altar. Sin brought a curse upon
the earth, a curse that could only be removed
through the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11).
Animals were sacrificed upon an altar of earth in anti-
cipation of the Lamb of God, who would, “by the
sacrifice of himself ” (Hebrews 9:26), once and for
MERCY vs. WORKS 29

all obtain “eternal redemption for us” (verse 12).

It is for man’s own good that God visits sin with
death. How horrible it would be for mankind to
continue forever in its state of rebellion, thus per-
petuating ever-increasing evil, sickness, suffering,
sorrow, and death. Only out of death in payment
of the full penalty for sin comes resurrection (not
reincarnation’s amoral recycling of evil) and a
whole new universe into which sin and suffering
can never enter.
Such is God’s desire and provision for all man-
kind. Those who reject the free gift of eternal
life offered by His grace will experience eternal
regret.
There are peripheral issues on which Christians
may differ, such as diet, dress, mode of baptism,
honoring certain days, how and how often to
keep the Lord’s supper, etc. Salvation, however,
is the central issue on which all must agree. Paul
cursed those who taught that one must believe
the gospel and keep the law in order to be saved
(Galatians 1:6-12). Such a slight addition destroyed
the gospel. No one believing that message could
be saved! Nor is anyone a Christian who believes
one of today’s popular diluted gospels.
30 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

The “gospel of God,” as we have seen, is very

specific and must be believed for one to be saved.
“[S]trait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”
(Matthew 7:14). That “narrow-minded” statement
was not the invention of some dogmatic fundamen-
talist but came from our Lord himself.
“The faith” for which we must “earnestly con-
tend” (Jude 3) has definite moral and doctrinal
content and must be believed for salvation. All
else is Babel. ✝
AS JIM ELLIOT, ONE OF THE MARTYRS

KILLED IN ECUADOR, SAID WHEN AS A

YOUNG MAN HE CHOSE THE MISSION

FIELD OVER MORE POPULAR CAREERS,

“HE IS NO FOOL WHO GIVES UP WHAT

HE CANNOT KEEP TO GAIN WHAT HE

CANNOT LOSE.” THAT CHOICE IS ONLY

LOGICAL IF ONE BELIEVES THAT TIME

IS SHORT AND ETERNITY ENDLESS ...

 Go ye therefore, and [make disciples of]
all nations, . . . Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
—MATTHEW 28:19, 20

THE CALL to
DISCIPLESHIP
Christ directed His disciples to preach the good
news of the gospel to everyone everywhere. This
command to His original followers has become
known as the “Great Commission.” It is stated in
two ways: “go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel” (Mark 16:15); and make disciples (Mat-
thew 28:19, 20). Those who preach the gospel
are to disciple those who believe it. Born again
by God’s Spirit into His family (John 3:3-5; 1
John 3:2), converts begin a new life as Christ’s
followers, eager to learn of Him and to obey the
One to whom they now owe such an infinite debt
of gratitude.

33
34 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

Christ warned that some would seem to receive

the gospel with great enthusiasm only to become
entangled in the world, discouraged and disillu-
sioned. They would eventually turn back from
following Him. Many maintain a facade of Christi-
anity without inward reality, deceiving perhaps even
themselves. Never fully convinced in their hearts,
they are unwilling nevertheless to admit their unbe-
lief. “Examine yourselves,” Paul warned, “whether
ye be in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Of those who are genuine, all too few are able to
give a reason for the hope that is in them (1 Peter
3:15). How many Christians are able to convinc-
ingly persuade an atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, or
New Ager with overwhelming evidence and sound
reason from Scripture? God’s Word is the sword
of the Spirit, but few know it well enough to quell
their own doubts, much less to convert others.
One of today’s greatest needs is for the solid
Bible teaching that produces disciples who are able
to “earnestly contend for the faith once [for all]
delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). That faith for
which we must contend was delivered by Christ
to the original twelve disciples, who were then to
teach those whom they evangelized “to observe all
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP 35

things” that Christ had commanded them.

Through succeeding generations of those who
have been won to Him and who have in turn, in
obedience to their Lord, discipled others, this
unbroken chain of command comes down to us in
our time. Not some special priest or clergy class but
each Christian today, like those who have passed
before, is a successor to the apostles. Think of
what that means!
At the heart of Christ’s call to discipleship is the
daily application of His cross in each life. Yet one
seldom hears in evangelical circles Christ’s defini-
tive declaration: “And whosoever doth not bear
his cross, and come after me...[and] forsaketh not
all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke
14:27-33). The call to discipleship must be honestly
faced. Through the Cross we die to self and begin
to live to our Lord in resurrection power (Galatians
2:20). Indeed, Christ’s death on the cross would
have been a hollow act if it did not bring forth
new life, for now and for eternity.
Resurrection life reckons the old life dead and
makes no provision for the flesh (Romans 6:4,11;
13:14). Instead of the popular self-esteem, God
calls us to deny self, to love truth and hate folly,
36 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

to please God instead of others or ourselves, no

matter what the cost in this life. Never mind social
pressures from what others think, say, or do. We
must be fully persuaded that what God thinks and
what He will say when we appear before Him one
day is all that matters.
As Jim Elliot, one of the martyrs killed in
Ecuador, said when as a young man he chose
the mission field over more popular careers,
“He is no fool who gives up what he can-
not keep to gain what he cannot lose.” That
choice is only logical if one believes that time
is short and eternity endless. Such commitment
brings heavenly joy, peace, and a fulfillment that
nothing earth offers can rival.
To those whom He called into a saving rela-
tionship with Himself, Christ said, “Follow me”
(Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 16:24, etc.). This
simple command, which our Lord repeated after
His resurrection (John 21:19, 22), is as applicable
to Christians today as it was when He called the
first disciples.
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP 37

{ Following Christ }
What does it mean to follow Christ? Did He
promise His followers that they would be successful,
wealthy, and esteemed in this world?
God may grant earthly success to a few for His
own purposes. On the whole, however, our Lord
declared that those who were true to Him would
follow in His path of rejection and suffering: “If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it
hated you....The servant is not greater than his lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute
you....for my name’s sake...” (John 15:18-21).
Such was the lot of the early church. Yet today,
as the key to “the good life,” Christianity is popu-
larized. The idea of suffering for Christ doesn’t
suit a worldly church. How strange such verses as
the following seem to Christians in America: “For
unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not
only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his
sake” (Philippians 1:29). Suffering is given to us?
Paul speaks as though it were a precious privilege
to suffer for His sake! After being imprisoned and
beaten, the early disciples rejoiced “that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”
38 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

(Acts 5:41). Such is the commitment to which

the gospel actually calls us.
Christ told His disciples after the Resurrection,
“As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you”
(John 20:21). The Father sent the Son as a lamb
to the slaughter into a world that would hate and
crucify Him! And as the Father sent Him, so Christ
sends us into a world that He promises will treat
His followers as it did Him. Are we willing? Is this
not your idea of Christianity? Then think again, and
check it out against the Scriptures. We are further
from Him and His truth than we realize!
Peter, who failed so miserably and was restored
by the Lord, explained that Christians would be
hated, falsely accused, and persecuted, and would be
expected to suffer these wrongs patiently (1 Peter
2:19, 20; 4:12-19; etc.). Under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, he wrote,

“For even hereunto were ye called: because

Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example,
that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when
he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his
own self bare our sins in his own body on the
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP 39

tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto

righteousness...” (1 Peter 2:21-25).

Christians are being imprisoned and martyred

again in communist China, in Muslim countries, and
at the hands of Catholics in Mexico. Similar perse-
cutions could well overtake us in America. Already
pastors are being fined and imprisoned and churches
locked and sold by the state. In 1986, for example,
Jefferson County, Kentucky imposed a licensing fee
upon every “business, profession, trade, or occupa-
tion”—including pastors and churches.
Recently I listened, with tears welling in my
eyes, as my wife, Ruth, read to me some of the
stories from her Anabaptist heritage. For being
rebaptized after they became Christians (and thus
denying the efficacy of Rome’s infant baptism),
these Anabaptists were burned at the stake. To
escape the flames many fled the Inquisition in
Holland to Prussia. From there they fled to Rus-
sia, and in the closing days of World War II, many
attempted an escape from godless and oppressive
communism back to the West.
Out of one group of 611 leaving Russia, only
31 arrived back in Holland. Tramping day and
40 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

night through the snow, unable to find food or

shelter, some were caught and returned. Others
were killed or died of exposure. Children were torn
from parents, husbands from wives. The terror and
agony were beyond imagination.
As Ruth read of the indescribable suffering, I
thought of the thousands of Christians in America
who find it necessary to enter “therapy” and spend
months, if not years, dealing with comparatively
trifling “hurts from the past.” I thought of the thou-
sands of Christian psychologists who encourage
their clients to pity themselves, to pamper their
“inner child,” when what they need is to deny self,
take up the cross and follow Christ!
In contrast, I was inspired by the testimony of
those who suffered the loss of possessions, of loved
ones, of almost every earthly hope and joy, yet
triumphed through their faith in Christ. Going to
a “therapist” and engaging in self-pity would have
seemed incomprehensible to them when they had
the Lord and His Word and when they knew that
“our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17)!
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP 41

{The Strength to Stand}

Whence comes the strength to stand against
overwhelming suffering and to triumph as Christ’s
faithful disciples? Oddly enough, victory comes not
through our strength but through our weakness.
When Paul cried out for deliverance from
a severe trial, Christ replied that He had allowed it
to make Paul weak enough so that he would trust
only in the Lord, rather than in his great abilities.
“[M]y strength is made perfect in [your] weakness,”
our Lord promised (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Paul exhorts us, “As ye have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colos-
sians 2:6). Did we not receive Christ in weakness
as helpless, hopeless sinners crying out to Him for
mercy and grace? That, then, is the way we are to
walk this path of triumph in suffering—as sinners
saved by grace, weak and helpless in ourselves, and
trusting totally in Him.
We are earthen vessels, but we contain a great
treasure: “that the excellency of the power may be
of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7) Such
is the secret of our triumph over the world, the
flesh, and the devil. The load is too heavy for us
42 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

to carry. What a relief to turn it over to Him! And

what a joy to be delivered from the fear of man,
from seeking to win the acclaim of this world,
from seeking anything but His “Well done, thou
good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) in
that coming day.
Some manage to amass a fortune to leave
at death to their heirs. Others have little of
this earth’s goods but have great riches laid up
in heaven for eternity. It takes little wisdom
to know who of these have made the wisest
choice and who have been truly successful.
God has an eternal purpose for our lives. Our
passion should be to know and to fulfill that
purpose, beginning here on this earth. One day,
very soon, we will each stand before Him. What
a tragedy to miss the very purpose for which we
were created and redeemed!
You may say, “Yes, I want to be used of God,
but I don’t know what He wants me to do.” Or,
“I try to serve Him, try to witness for Him, and
it all seems to come to nothing.”
Learn this: Greater than anything God can do
through you is what He wants to do in you. What
counts most is not quantity but quality, not so
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP 43

much your outward effort but your motive within

—the purity of your heart rather than your prom-
inence with men.
Moreover, what seems much in time may be very
little in eternity. It is not one’s talents or energy but
the empowering of the Holy Spirit that produces
genuine and lasting results: “Not by might, nor by
power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts”
(Zechariah 4:6). Trust God for the filling and
empowering of His Spirit.
Millions have laid down their lives for the faith.
Their commitment to Christ meant so much that
they would not compromise when threatened with
the most excruciating torture and death. Can we
fathom their choice?
The martyrs could have chosen the ecumenical
path of compromise, of avoiding controversy and
affirming the “common beliefs of all religions,”
and thus have escaped the flame or the sword.
They chose instead to stand firm for the truth, to
contend earnestly for the faith.
Christ calls us to do the same.
Paul said he had been “put in trust with the
gospel” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). So have each of
us. Let us be certain that we keep that trust for
44 THE NONNEGOTIABLE GOSPEL

the sake of the lost and in honor of our Lord who

paid such a price for man’s redemption!
There is no escaping the eternal choice
that confronts us. Will we follow from afar, or will
we seek to follow in our Lord’s very footsteps?
One day we will give an account before God for
the path we choose. What joy there is now and
will be eternally in being true to Him! ✝
 BOOKS BY DAVE HUNT

THE GOD MAKERS —Ed Decker & Dave Hunt

Mormons claim to follow the same God and the same Jesus as Christians.
They also state that their gospel comes from the Bible. But are they telling
the truth? One of the most powerful books to penetrate the veil of secrecy
surrounding the rituals and doctrines of the Mormon Church. 292 pages.
ISBN: 1-56507-717-2 • TBC: B04023

DEATH OF A GURU: A REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF ONE

MAN’S SEARCH FOR TRUTH —Rabi R. Maharaj with Dave Hunt
Rabi R. Maharaj was descended from a long line of Brahmin priests and
gurus and trained as a Yogi. He meditated for many hours each day but
gradually, disillusionment set in. He describes vividly and honestly Hindu
life and customs, tracing his difficult search for meaning and his struggle to
choose between Hinduism and Christ. Harvest House, 208 pages.
ISBN: 0-89081-434-1 • TBC: B04341

THE SEDUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY: SPIRITUAL

DISCERNMENT IN THE LAST DAYS —Dave Hunt & T. A. McMahon
The Bible clearly states that a great Apostasy must occur before Christ’s
Second Coming. Today Christians are being deceived by a new worldview
more subtle and more seductive than anything ever before experienced. As
delusions and deceptions continue to grow, this book will guide you in the
truth of God’s Word. Harvest House, 239 pages.
ISBN: 0-89081-441-4 • TBC: B04414

IN DEFENSE OF THE FAITH: BIBLICAL ANSWERS

TO CHALLENGING QUESTIONS —Dave Hunt
Why does God allow suffering and evil? What about all the “contradictions”
in the Bible? Are some people predestined to go to hell? This book tackles
the tough issues, including why a merciful God would punish people who
have never heard of Christ, and how to tell the difference between God’s
workings and Satan’s. Harvest House, 347 pages.
ISBN: 1-56507-495-5 • TBC: B04955
BATTLE FOR THE MIND —Dave Hunt
Positive thinking is usually better than negative thinking and can sometimes
help a great deal, but it has its limitations. To deny those commonsense
limitations and to believe that the mind can create its own universe is to
step into the occult, where the demons who foster this belief will eventually
destroy the soul. The Berean Call, 48 pages.
ISBN: 1-928660-09-6 • TBC: B45650

DEBATING CALVINISM:
FIVE POINTS, TWO VIEWS —Dave Hunt & James White
Is God free to love anyone He wants? Do you have any choice in your own
salvation? Calvinism has been a topic of intense discussion for centuries.
In this lively debate, two passionate thinkers take opposite sides, providing
valuable responses to the most frequently asked questions about Calvinism.
Multnomah Publishers, 427 pages.
ISBN: 1-590522-73-7 • TBC: B05000

WHEN WILL JESUS COME? COMPELLING EVIDENCE FOR

THE SOON RETURN OF CHRIST —Dave Hunt
Jesus has promised to return for His bride, the church. But when will that
be? Dave compellingly shows that Scripture illuminates the truth that Jesus
will return two times, and that His next appearance—the “rapture” of His
church—will occur without any warning. The question is, are you ready?
Harvest House, 251 pages.
ISBN: 0-7369-1248-7 • TBC: B03137

COUNTDOWN TO THE SECOND COMING: A CHRONOLOGY

OF PROPHETIC EARTH EVENTS HAPPENING NOW —Dave Hunt
At last, a book that presents in a concise manner the events leading up to
the return of Christ. Dave Hunt, in his characteristic direct style, answers
questions such as, Who is the Antichrist? How will he be recognized? How
are current events indicators that we really are in the last of the last days? The
Berean Call, new paperback edition, 96 pages.
ISBN: 1-928660-19-3 • TBC: B00193
A WOMAN RIDES THE BEAST: THE ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH AND THE LAST DAYS —Dave Hunt
In Revelation 17, the Apostle John describes in great detail the characteristics
of a false church that will be the partner of the Antichrist. Was he describing
the Roman Catholic Church? To answer that question, Dave has spent years
gathering historical documentation (primarily Catholic sources) providing
information not generally available. Harvest House, 549 pages.
ISBN: 1-56507-199-9 • TBC: B01999

WHAT LOVE IS THIS? CALVINISM’S MISREPRESENTATION

OF GOD —Dave Hunt
Multitudes who believe they understand Calvinism will be shocked to discover
its Roman Catholic roots and Calvin’s grossly un-Christian behavior as the
“Protestant Pope” of Geneva, Switzerland. It is our prayer that this book will
enable readers to examine more carefully the vital issues involved and to
follow God’s Holy Word and not man. The Berean Call, 576 pages.
ISBN: 1-928660-12-6 • TBC: B03000

SEEKING & FINDING GOD:

IN SEARCH OF THE TRUE FAITH —Dave Hunt
With compelling proofs, this book demonstrates that the issue of where one
will spend eternity is not a matter of preference. In fact, there is overwhelming
evidence that we are eternal beings who will spend eternity somewhere. But
where will it be? And how can we know? The Berean Call, 160 pages.
ISBN:1-928660-23-1 • TBC: B04425

JUDGMENT DAY!
ISLAM, ISRAEL, AND THE NATIONS —Dave Hunt
In what is possibly the most comprehensive and clear-cut examination of
ancient biblical prophecy and modern-day Middle East politics, Judgment
Day! reveals the ancient agenda against the Jews, and traces its twisted
trail to modern-day deceptions of U.S. Presidents, foreign ambassadors,
military leaders, businesspeople, educators, and world leaders alike. In this
no-holds-barred documentary, Dave Hunt skillfully dissects the myth of
Palestinian claims to “the Promised Land,” and exposes the fraud, deceit, and
treachery of an international community allied against the Jewish nation.
ISBN:1-928660-42-8 • TBC: B05858
 About The Berean Call
The Berean Call (TBC) is a nonprofit,
nondenominational ministry which exists to:

ALERT believers in Christ to unbiblical teachings and

practices impacting the church
EXHORT believers to give greater heed to biblical
discernment and truth regarding teachings and
practices being currently promoted in the church
SUPPLY believers with teaching, information, and
materials which will encourage the love of God’s
truth, and assist in the development of biblical
discernment
MOBILIZE believers in Christ to action in obedience to
the scriptural command to “earnestly contend for
the faith” (Jude 3)
IMPACT the church of Jesus Christ with the necessity for
trusting the Scriptures as the only rule for faith,
practice, and a life pleasing to God

A free monthly newsletter, THE BEREAN CALL, may be received by

sending a request to: PO Box 7019, Bend, OR 97708; or by calling

1-800-937-6638

To register for free email updates, to access our digital archives, and
to order a variety of additional resource materials online, visit us at:

www.thebereancall.org

BEND • OREGON