How Good Do You Have To Be? Proclaiming the Gospel – Mike Gendron

As we share the Gospel with people we meet, we often ask the question, “Do you know where you will spend eternity?” The most frequent response is, “I hope I am good enough for heaven.” People who respond this way do not know the Bible and are convinced that God will grade their lives on a scale. They have a foolish notion that as long as their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, God will let them into His heaven. That is the furthest thing from the truth because no one can ever be good enough. God’s standard is beyond human achievement because He requires perfect righteousness for entrance into heaven. Furthermore, God does not save us because of any righteous deeds we have done (Titis 3:5). We can never boast about our salvation because it is purely of God’s grace, not of works or anything else we can do (Eph. 2:8-9).

Christ’s Righteousness Is Man’s Only Hope

Since our Holy God created us, He has the right to set the standard by which we are to live. It was God’s perfect man and man’s perfect God who declared, “You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mat. 5:48). Clearly, no one can meet that standard because “whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” (James 2:10). When man realizes he is hopeless to obey the law perfectly, the law may become his tutor to lead him to Christ (Gal. 3:24). The Lord Jesus Christ is man’s only hope to all who have faith in Him. Those who believe His Gospel are credited with His perfect righteousness (Rom. 3:22). In the Gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith so that the righteous man shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17).

Paul Exchanged His Righteousness for Christ’s

If anyone had reason to boast in his righteousness, it was the apostle Paul. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. He wrote, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil. 3:8-9). Paul knew his righteousness would fall short of God’s perfect standard.

Zeal for God Without His Righteousness

Paul’s fervent desire and prayer to God was for the salvation of his fellow Israelites. They had a zeal for God, but they did not know about His righteousness. Out of ignorance, they were trying to establish their own righteousness. They did not know that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:1-4). Tragically, there are many who are on the wide road to destruction because they are trusting what they must DO, instead of what Christ has DONE. From the cradle to the cross, Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the law so that His righteousness can be credited to those who trust Him (Rom. 5:17).

Man’s Sin Exchanged for Christ’s Righteousness

The greatest exchange in human history took place at Calvary’s cross for everyone who repents and believes God’s Gospel. It was at the cross that God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Our great God and Savior took all of our guilt, shame, sin and punishment, and in exchange, He gave every believer His perfect righteousness. To Him be all glory, honor and praise, now and forever!

You can now listen to Mike’s popular book Preparing for Eternity on audio. The audible Audiobook can be purchased on Amazon. Preparing for Eternity presents an objective contrast between the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and the word of God. It is an excellent discipleship manual for Roman Catholics who have not discovered the narrow road that leads to eternal life.

This book prepares the listener for eternity by showing how the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient to save sinners completely and forever. Mike Gendron knows this subject well, having spent 35 years in the Catholic religion and more than 30 years sharing the Gospel with Catholics. He presents the truth in love and compassion for those who are where he once was, on the wide road to destruction, and not even aware of it. The book forces Catholics to chose between Christ and his word or the official teachings of the Catholic religion. It is impossible to believe both. Order here.

Hundreds of people have flocked to a town in Missouri to see a nun whose body has barely decomposed since 2019. Some say it’s a sign of holiness in Catholicism. Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster was exhumed in April, according to a statement from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, in Gower, Missouri. Visitors were allowed to touch her, because in real life, she was always accessible to people. Lancaster’s body will now be placed in a glass shrine. Visitors will still be able to see her body and take dirt from her grave, but they won’t be able to touch her. Read more.

I am aware of your sad and unfortunate “ministry” as you seek to influence Catholics to embrace your brand of fundamentalism that unsurprisingly includes false representations of the Catholic Church. I watched as much of your YouTube video that I could stomach. The lies and falsehoods mounted up faster than the U.S. Federal debt. R.O., Internet

Mike, Can a fully devout Catholic be saved by practicing and adhering to Catholicism? R.P., Internet

R.P., Not according to God’s Word. They must repent of the false gospel of Catholicism and believe the true Gospel of God (Mark 1:15). They need to turn to God from their idols, the Eucharist, carved images, statues, relics, etc. (1 Thes. 1:9; 2 Cor. 6:14-16). They need to come out of their apostate church and worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). They need to turn from their sacerdotal priests and be reconciled to God through the One mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).

Mike, I listened to the debate between you and Tim Staples where you said 7-day old babies do not have the ability to believe and therefore are not justified since justification is by faith. The Catholic Church teaches water baptism is the sacrament of justification. Where in scripture does it convey to us that babies can’t believe or have faith? How do you know that with certainty? Thus, like circumcision, baptism can be given to children as well as adults. The difference is that circumcision was powerless to save but “baptism…now saves you” (1 Pet. 3:21). Let me know your thoughts! M.E., Internet

M.E., Water baptism does not save anyone. It is a believer’s act of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ after he has been saved and has received the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:47). The apostle Paul spent his entire ministry proclaiming and defending the Gospel of salvation and he never included water baptism as part of the Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-4). He states that “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel” (1 Cor. 1:17). The “baptism that saves you” in 1 Peter 3: 21 must be understood in its context, which is salvation from God’s wrath. When God poured out His wrath on the earth during the flood, only 8 people who trusted God were saved (1 Pet. 3:18-22). Corresponding to God’s judgment of sin and wrath on the earth is God’s judgment of sin and wrath on Jesus in Luke 12:50. Jesus said, “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!” The Greek word for baptism, “baptidzo”, means to “immerse”. Jesus was referring to His immersion (baptism) in the wrath of God on Calvary’s cross. It is His baptism in God’s wrath that saves believers from the punishment they deserve for their sins.

Hello my dear brother, As I read your newsletter and the scathing angry comments of those held in bondage by the Roman Church, many memories came to mind.

I met you and your ministry 30 years ago after having been a Catholic for 47 years. I too felt you had it in against Romanism. Very quickly I realized that you had it “for,” not “against”, those in Romanism. But you were contending for the faith against the multiple heresies, lies, superstitions, and myriad encumbrances which that apostate church propagates. Encumbrances to the freedom of receiving God’s amazing grace, and the redemption obtained for us at the cross by Jesus Christ. You kindled my hunger to know Jesus. I began in earnest to search the Scriptures like the Bereans. It is heart breaking to see the anger and vitriol of some of the letters, but we rest in the knowledge that God’s redeeming grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will quicken some unto salvation. And with the choir of angels we will praise the Lord. May God continue to strengthen you as you continue to contend for the faith. J.O., Plano, TX

The Counterfeit Christ of Catholicism

Mike shows how Catholics are committing the most serious sin of idolatry when they worship the Eucharist. In this message, he shows how we can use the truth of the Bible to call Catholics to repent and trust the true Christ who is gloriously revealed in Scripture. Watch the message here.

Mike is interviewed on The Bridge Radio and explains how his book Preparing For Eternity has been successful in setting Catholics free from the bondage of religion deception. You can hear the interview here.

Catholic Cardinal Asks Americans To Give Up Rights to Bear Arms

A powerful and influential Catholic Cardinal, Joseph W. Tobin, of Newark, New Jersey, has written a letter urging the American people to give up their Second Amendment freedom to keep and bear arms. Here is the report. Here is a powerful video rebuttal.

This Gospel tract reveals that man can never DO enough to merit heaven. People will never repent of their dead works until they know that Christ has DONE everything necessary to save sinners completely and forever. An excellent tract for everyone who is relying on a works-righteousness salvation.

Order here.

All Christians are called to proclaim the Gospel faithfully and contend for it earnestly. These two books will equip and encourage you to be effective witnesses for Christ, while contending for the Gospel against the relentless attacks on its purity and exclusivity.

Order here.

Mike Gendron’s most popular Keynote messages are available on one flash drive. They cover a range of biblical topics including Bible prophecy, Catholicism, Discernment, Contending for the Faith, Evangelism, and Apologetics. To order click here.