So tell me…
What is the difference between these two signs?

The first sign conveys only a portion of a whole message, while the second sign gives us all the information we need. The second sign paints the entire picture regarding free sandwiches being offered.

The first sign implies free sandwiches, no matter what, anytime, to anyone, without any conditions what-so-ever.
The second sign also indicates free sandwiches, but with clarifications and specific conditions.
If someone sees the first sign, they will feel entitled to free sandwiches, all the time, no matter what.
There is only one problem…
The first version is only a partial picture. It is not a complete message. It is going to result in some people being disappointed when they don’t get a free sandwich.

What do free sandwiches have to do with scripture?
Why am I showing this illustration?
I want to use it to show the same concept in the bible.
The whole bible gives us a complete message. However, if we pick and choose little bits and pieces, we can quickly become believers of a false concept. If enough people make this mistake, then false concepts become mainstream knowledge, and false expectations will ensue…

We can apply this to many biblical concepts, but let’s take a look at the popular “Once Saved, Always Saved” philosophy. Many people believe, and many churches teach, that salvation is forever, no matter what happens afterwards…
However, if you read the entire message (the whole bible), we see some conflicting thoughts…

Romans 11:22 – Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

1Corinthians 9:24-27 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

1Corinthians 15:1-2 – Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Luke 12:41-48 – Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”
42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Matthew 13:18-22 – “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

We must be careful to avoid building doctrine with partial information.  For example, we must read ALL of John 3 to develop a full understanding of what  is being stated.

John 3:16 gives us a very encouraging idea and promise. It is sort of like “unconditional free sandwiches.”
However, just as we see in the signs above, there is more to the story.  John 3:36 gives a bit more clarification…

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:36
 He who trusts in the Son has eternal life. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

The information presented in John 3:36 adds clarification to the promise made in John 3:16. It is important to have this clarification and to understand it!!

Scripture tells us that a matter is established with two or three witnesses. Is there other scripture that would indicate more is required than just “believing in Messiah” as John 3:16 states?

Check out Hebrews 10:26-31.
²⁶ For if we keep on sinning willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but only a terrifying expectation of judgment and a fury of fire about to devour the enemies of God.  ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the Torah of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severe do you think the punishment will be for the one who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, and has regarded as unholy the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know the One who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “Elohim will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

OK, what about a third witness?

James 2:14-26
¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in shalom, keep warm and well fed,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is that? ¹⁷ So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder! ²⁰ But do you want to know, you empty person, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Wasn’t Abraham our father proved righteous by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? ²² You see that faith worked together with his works, and by the works his faith was made complete. ²³ The Scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”—and he was called God’s friend.  ²⁴ You see that a man is proved righteous by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And likewise, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also proved righteous by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out another way? ²⁶ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

If you want to understand the message of the bible, if you want to understand Yahuah’s will for your life, if you want to understand the whole truth of the gospel message, you must read the WHOLE bible. James 1:5-8 tells us how to seek God’s wisdom. Do you want to understand the WHOLE gospel message? It is not complicated.
Approach it in this way:
James 1:5-8 – If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Yahuah, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

I am not posting this to offend anyone. I’m not posting this to start an argument. I am simply posting this to illustrate that the gospel is a WHOLE message, and latching onto just a portion of it will lead to confusion and possible disappointment.

If you are wondering if I’m implying the mainstream church has this concept wrong (Once Saved Always Saved), then yes, I am implying that.
I’ve been asked (and not very nicely) how it is that I could possibly think and believe something different than millions or hundreds of millions of Christians before me…
How could I be so arrogant to think that my study of scripture could come to a different doctrine than what the churches teach?

Believe it or not, it is predicted in scripture.
Jeremiah prophesied about this very idea.

Jeremiah 16:19-20
¹⁹ O Lord, my strength and my fortress,
My refuge in the day of affliction,
The Gentiles shall come to You
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Surely our fathers have inherited lies,
Worthlessness and unprofitable things.”
²⁰ Will a man make gods for himself,
Which are not gods?

Please pray about these things, and study these things!!