A Diabolical Deception: While I decided not to bore you with statistics, suffice it to say that the American church is in trouble.  While Americans still largely consider themselves “Christian,” they hold ever-increasing un-Christian ideas.  Fewer and fewer believe in the concept of original sin and eternal punishment for it.  At the same time, more and more believe in access to heaven through good works, instead of faith in Christ.  Add to this the fact that Christians have integrated more with the world than with Christ, and you have a church in crisis (Barna research).  Yet in the face of this challenge, I declare to you today that the Bible is clear regarding sin, hell, salvation, and the Christ-life.  While Satan is no doubt happy about the deception he has wrought in America, let there be no doubt about the doctrine of Living Hope Church of God.  People are born into sin (Rom 3:23); the penalty for sin is death (Rom 6:23); the only way of salvation is Christ (Joh 14:6); and God’s people are people of the Word (Rom 12:2)!