by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 6, 2025 | Not of Works Series |
Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace
Anchor Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
When everything is so confusing—when “faith plus fruit”—being good, and doing good is preached as grace and obedience is elevated as the evidence of salvation—we must return to the source:
What is the gospel that saves?
Not what tradition says.
Not what any preacher says.
What does the Bible say?
📜 The Gospel According to Paul
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
by which also you are saved…”
—1 Corinthians 15:1–2
Paul says this is the gospel by which we are saved:
“…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
No steps. No striving.
Just believe that this is true—and that it was done for you.
🩸 The Power Is in the Blood
Salvation is not an invitation to behave better.
It is the good news that Jesus Christ paid your sin debt with His own blood.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…”
—Ephesians 1:7
He died in your place, satisfying God’s justice.
He was buried.
And He rose again—proving the debt was fully paid.
This is the gospel.
Believe it—and you are saved.
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
—Romans 10:9
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
—Romans 10:10
👑By this Gospel All Mankind will Be Judged
The apostle Paul makes it graphically clear that all mankind will be judged by his gospel. The gospel that was revealed to Paul alone many years after Pentecost.
in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
—Romans 2:16
❌ Do Not Add to It
“If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
—Galatians 1:9
Don’t add fruit.
Don’t add endurance.
Don’t add holiness.
Don’t add anything.
🗝️ Key Takeaway
The gospel is not “Christ + something.”
It is Christ alone.
You are saved by grace through faith—nothing more, nothing less.
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by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 6, 2025 | Not of Works Series |
Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace
Anchor Text: Romans 6:23
Salvation is not a paycheck for good behavior.
It’s not a reward for perseverance, obedience, or fruitfulness.
It’s a gift.
And if it’s a gift, it’s not earned—it’s received.
🎁 What Does the Bible Say?
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
—Romans 6:23
There’s no footnote.
No conditions.
No fine print.
Eternal life isn’t granted at the end of a faithful life. It’s given the moment a sinner believes the gospel.
🛑 The Danger of Treating the Gift Like a Reward
Many preachers often redefine grace like this:
“Salvation is by grace alone… but you must prove it’s real by the way you live, or you won’t receive eternal life.”
That’s not grace.
That’s wages.
“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.”
—Romans 4:4
If you’re trying to prove, earn, or finish your salvation—you’ve left grace behind.
✅ A True Gift Has No Strings Attached
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
—Romans 3:24
“It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
—Ephesians 2:8–9
There is no holiness quota.
No fruitfulness clause.
No secret performance standard.
The gift of eternal life is offered freely—paid for by the blood of Christ.
All God asks is that you believe.
🗝️ Key Takeaway
Eternal life is not the reward of the righteous.
It is the gift to the guilty.
No striving. No proving.
Just believing.
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by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 6, 2025 | Not of Works Series |
Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace
Anchor Text: 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
⚠️Many denominations—especially in America—preach some form of “final salvation.”
Over the years, I’ve met countless people who didn’t even realize they were trusting in a faith plus something gospel.
Whether it’s faith plus fruit, obedience, baptism, law-keeping, or perseverance, the result is the same:
They weren’t resting in faith alone in the finished work of Christ on the cross. But in another gospel!
‘But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ‘
Galatians 1:8
Satan’s strategy has never been to deny religion—it’s to corrupt it.
He doesn’t just appear in sin and darkness. He shows up in pulpits. In churches. In robes and suits and smiles. And the message he promotes sounds very holy.
“Live right.”
“Pursue holiness.”
“Faith alone isn’t enough—you must finish strong.”
It sounds biblical. But it’s another gospel—a deadly mixture of grace and works.
👔 Not What You’d Expect
Paul warned the Corinthians about false apostles who preached a gospel that sounded good—but was anything but grace.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness…”
—2 Corinthians 11:13–15
Satan doesn’t show up saying, “Reject Jesus.”
He shows up saying, “Follow Jesus better… or else.”
🔥 A Gospel That Demands Holiness to Be Saved
The modern “gospel” being preached today sounds like this:
“You’re justified by faith alone—but only finally saved if your life proves it. You must bear fruit. You must pursue holiness. You must kill sin—or you won’t get in.”
It sounds like light. But it’s bondage in disguise.
“Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
—Galatians 3:3
This is Satan’s strategy: distort the gospel, elevate human effort, and make you trust in your performance rather than the finished work of Christ.
❌ These Are Not Minor Errors
Paul doesn’t say “be careful” with these teachers.
He says they are accursed (Galatians 1:9).
Why? Because they turn the good news of free salvation into a system of religious performance.
🗝️ Key Takeaway
Not all who preach righteousness are preaching the gospel.
Some are Satan’s ministers, preaching a message of condemnation dressed up as holiness.
But the true gospel is simple:
Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again. Believe it—and you are saved.
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by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 6, 2025 | Not of Works Series |
Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace
Anchor Text: Hebrews 12:14 (rightly divided)
One of the most misused verses in Scripture is Hebrews 12:14:
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”
It’s often quoted to claim that holiness is a requirement to get to heaven—as if eternal life is granted only to those who maintain a life of ongoing purity and godliness.
⚠️Many denominations—especially in America—preach some form of “final salvation.”
Over the years, I’ve met countless people who didn’t even realize they were trusting in a faith plus something gospel.
Whether it’s faith plus fruit, obedience, baptism, law-keeping, or perseverance, the result is the same:
They weren’t resting in faith alone in the finished work of Christ on the cross. But in another gospel!
‘But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ‘
Galatians 1:8
But is that what the verse really teaches?
Let’s take a closer look.
🔎 Who Was Hebrews Written To?
The book of Hebrews was written to… Hebrews.
Specifically, Jewish believers who were being tempted to return to Judaism and abandon the faith, and to Jews that were on the fence about Jesus being the Christ. The entire letter is an about what came before was good but now after the cross it is better. The book of Hebrews is also an exhortation to remain in the truth, not a gospel tract outlining how to be saved.
Hebrews 12:14 is an encouragement to walk worthy—not a condition for salvation.
✝️ Holiness Is a Result, Not a Requirement
Holiness is not what gets you into heaven.
It’s what God produces in you once you’ve been saved.
“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
—Hebrews 10:14
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…”
—1 Corinthians 1:30
You don’t pursue holiness to get saved—you pursue holiness because you are saved.
⚠️ The Danger of Twisting Hebrews 12:14
To say that holiness is a condition for entering heaven is to:
- Add works to the gospel
- Strip the believer of assurance
- Turn sanctification into a salvation requirement
It replaces grace with effort, and it preaches fear instead of freedom.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
—Galatians 5:1
🗝️ Key Takeaway
Holiness matters. But not as a ticket to heaven.
It is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in you—not the basis on which you are accepted by God.
‘I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”’
Galatians 2:21
We are saved by grace through faith in Christ’s finished work—not by our personal holiness.
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by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 5, 2025 | Not of Works Series |
Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace
Anchor Text: Galatians 3:3 & Romans 4:5
We are living in a time where spiritual fruit has become the proof of salvation—not the result of it.
If your life doesn’t meet the approved checklist of visible transformation, many say, you were never saved in the first place.
“Many denominations—especially in America—preach some form of “final salvation.”
Over the years, I’ve met countless people who didn’t even realize they were trusting in a faith plus something gospel.
Whether it’s faith plus fruit, obedience, baptism, law-keeping, or perseverance, the result is the same:
They weren’t resting in faith alone in the finished work of Christ on the cross but instead it was another gospel.”
But Scripture turns that idea upside down.
🍇 Fruit Is Not the Root
The modern gospel says:
“You’re justified by faith, but true faith always produces fruit—and without fruit, you’re not really saved.”
Sounds convincing. Sounds holy. Sounds biblical.
But it’s not.
“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”
—Romans 4:5
Paul separates faith and works completely.
He does not say, “You’re justified by faith, which is proven by your behavior.”
He says you’re justified by faith apart from works.
⚠️ Why Fruit-Based Assurance Is So Dangerous
- It shifts your assurance from Christ’s work to your walk.
- It causes constant fear, doubt, and introspection.
- It leads people to either:
- Pretend to be something they’re not, or
- Despair because they’ll never “measure up.”
- It adds works to the gospel under the guise of “evidence.”
This is not a small error—it’s another gospel.
✅ Fruit Comes After Salvation
Of course, God desires our lives to be fruitful and holy. But that comes after we’re saved—not to prove it, not to secure it, and certainly not to keep it.
“Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
—Galatians 3:3
🗝️ Key Takeaway
Don’t place your confidence in your fruit.
Place it in Christ alone. The gospel isn’t “faith plus fruit.”
It’s faith in the finished work of Christ—and that alone saves.
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by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 5, 2025 | Not of Works Series |
Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace
Anchor Text: Romans 5:1
The popular claim today is that justification is just step one—a sort of “legal standing” that must later be confirmed by fruit, holiness, and endurance.
According to this logic, you’re not truly saved yet. You’ve only started the journey. Final salvation, they say, comes later—if your life proves it.
This is nothing more than salvation by works with new labels.
And Paul demolishes it.
✅ Justified by Faith, Saved Completely
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
—Romans 5:1
The moment you believe, you are:
- Justified (declared righteous)
- Reconciled to God
- At peace with Him
- Sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)
- Complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)
Justification is not phase one of a two-step process.
It is salvation.
🩸 Justification Means the Debt Is Paid
You are not waiting to be cleared at a future judgment.
“Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
—Romans 5:9
Your sin debt was paid in full at the cross.
There is nothing left to prove, earn, or complete.
❌ A “Justified But Not Yet Saved” Gospel Is Another Gospel
Satan is subtle.
If he can’t get people to deny grace outright, he’ll dress up works as part of the process.
This is how people end up believing they are justified by faith—but will only be saved if they live a holy enough life.
That’s not assurance. That’s bondage.
And it’s not what Paul preached.
“But to him who does not work but believes… his faith is counted for righteousness.”
—Romans 4:5
🗝️ Key Takeaway
Justification is not the beginning of salvation.
It is salvation.
You are not waiting for confirmation.
You are not being weighed and measured.
You are complete in Christ the moment you believe the gospel.
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