It’s essential to be mindful of the fact that the Bible talks a lot about false teaching, as mentioned in verses such as 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, Galatians 2:4, and several others. With that being mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible, it’s vital to stand firm on the true gospel of salvation and to distinguish between what is true and false regarding this crucial topic.

The true gospel of salvation for today is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and it puts all of the emphasis on what Jesus did for us. It’s through faith alone in the finished work of Christ as the sufficient payment for your sins that you receive forgiveness of all sins past, present, and future (Colossians 1:14). There is absolutely nothing anyone can do to save themselves, which is why we all need a savior.

The false gospel takes the focus off of the finished work of Christ, and puts it on you, and makes it seem like you can help God save you. The false gospel tries to get you to do everything except trust in the finished work of Christ alone. For example, you might hear some people adding to the gospel by preaching things such as giving your life to Christ, turning from sins, asking God to save you, asking Jesus into your heart, committing to reform your life, etc. According to the Bible, none of those things contribute to your salvation; none of those things can wash the sins off of your soul. 

You have to come to Christ through faith alone; either you receive salvation by grace through faith alone, or you don’t receive it all (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:4-5, Galatians 2:21, and more).