Questions - Monday

How accurate are the Left Behind books in describing these events?

The Left Behind series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye are books of theological fiction which attempt to give an account of what the events of Revelation (and other passages) might look like. The basic timeline of events described in the books are certainly in line with our understanding of how the end times will play out, though the authors have taken some liberties in describing specific places and names that cannot be known with certainty from the information Scripture gives us. The books are good, but no substitute for reading Scripture for yourself.

Are Judaizers (Jesus plus works) disqualified from salvation?

Much of Paul's ministry was dedicated to addressing people who wanted to add good works to the front-end of the Gospel. The entire book of Galatians was written to people who tried to add good works to the message that we can have eternal life and forgiveness of sin by trusting that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin through His death on the cross - the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Paul says adding something to the Gospel changes the Gospel into something that is not the gospel at all (Galatians 1:6-7), and that people who teach a different gospel should be "eternally condemned" (Galatians 1:9). Jesus is not cooperating with our good works to save us. If He were, He would only be part Savior. The gospel of Jesus as part-savior is no Gospel at all.