What Went Wrong?

If Jesus spoke so clearly about salvation, why are His words so often ignored or buried beneath other teachings?

It's a fair question. And the answer, sadly, is that things began to shift not long after Jesus left the earth.

From Revelation to Religion

Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to call people into the Kingdom of God, to teach them the will of the Father, and to show them the way to eternal life through Himself.

But once He returned to the Father, His message was quickly absorbed into the rising structure of what would become organized Christianity. That structure wasn’t inherently evil—but it wasn’t immune to confusion, pride, or power.

The Rise of Other Voices

The New Testament contains more than just the words of Jesus. Other voices—apostles, missionaries, church leaders—begin to speak and teach. Some of what they said supports Jesus. But not all of it does.

Over time, these other voices began to eclipse the words of the King Himself. The teachings of Paul, in particular, became the foundation of most church doctrine, while Jesus' own words were treated as background—important, but somehow “for the Jews” or “before the cross.”

This shift wasn’t always intentional. But it was real. And the result has been 2,000 years of confusion, debate, and division.

The Error in the Foundation

When Jesus said, “On this rock I will build my church,” He was referring to the revelation of who He is—not to Peter as a man. But a mistranslation of Matthew 16:19 allowed many to believe that Peter—and those who followed him—had authority to define salvation.

This one error helped justify a church structure that placed more emphasis on apostolic tradition and institutional power than on the words of the Savior.

And yet… Jesus’ words never changed.

A Simple Return

The goal here is not to tear down the church. It's not to argue with Paul or discredit the apostles. It's simply to return to the One we claim to follow—and to take His words as the final authority on what it means to be saved.

If we truly believe Jesus is Lord, then we must believe that what He said is sufficient, and that what contradicts Him—no matter how revered—must be laid aside.