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Salvation: An Introduction The Cluttered and Confusing Options Absolute vs. Relative "Truth" A Sampling of Evangelical Confusion Reading the Bible The Recipe for “Salvation Pie” Ask Good Questions Conclusions ----------------------------------------------- For those who retain a basic Biblical outlook, the topic of salvation has to be one of the most important issues for people to understand. That’s what the Bible is all about - God’s plan to send a Savior into the world to redeem mankind - “salvation” has to do with restoring our relationship with God, having our sins forgiven, and gaining access to eternal life. It also has to do with "coming to our senses," regaining "self-control" over our appetites and lifestyles, and even affects how we think and what kind of earthly citizens we are in the place where we live. However, Two thousand years of church history has brought us to the place where there are multiple versions of just about every topic that arises in connection with Biblical teaching. One of the most crucial doctrines that comes in multiple and contradictory versions has to do with salvation, specifically "how one becomes a Christian." The difference between the teachings found in the New Testament and what we hear today could be compared to drinking water from the Mississippi River - you probably would do so at the headwaters in Minnesota, but few would dare drink down at New Orleans, after hundreds of miles of other stuff dumping into it! So it is with many issues in Christian Doctrine - the New Testament is good drinking, but the wide and polluted thing called “Christianity” today is enough to chase away the most earnest seeker. Rather than try to figure out what is going on in spiritual "New Orleans," we ought to work our way back up this river towards the headwaters in order to get started on the right foot. I would say that most people who call themselves "Christians" and pay any serious attention to what the New Testament teaches, would agree that Jesus is Lord and Savior, the Apostles were His authorized spokesmen, and the ideals of Christianity under the Apostles' leadership were correct. All we really know for sure about Jesus and His Church we learn from the New Testament writings and assume that at least what the Apostles taught and practiced is valid and authentic. We see in the New Testament that the Apostles were in agreement with each other (Acts 15; Galatians 2:7-9; 2Peter 3:14-17), taught the same thing in every church (1Corinthians 4:17; 7:17), and the doctrine was not to change or "evolve/develop" over time (Galatians 1:6-9; Jude 3). And it is here that our confusion begins, for 2,000 years of church history has brought us to the point where there are, literally, hundreds of denominations and sects that teach different things. Open the telephone book of any larger city and go to the Yellow Pages section on "Churches" and the bewilderment is almost overwhelming. My suggestion is that you do not start with the biggest and closest church building or any of the guys on television, but go back to the only authoritative standard and guidebook we have, the New Testament and see what you can learn about Jesus and the "Apostles' Teaching" (Acts 2:42) from that source. Then, you will have some foundational ideas to aid you in sorting out the mess that now presents itself as "Christianity" to a world in need of some love, hope, and truth. The Cluttered and Confusing Options Liberals have pretty well dropped the Biblical “salvation” issue (and many others) in hopes of becoming more “in tune” with modern culture - so they have adopted evolutionary naturalism as their creation story and embrace such things as abortion and homosexuality in the name of “welcoming diversity” and trying to be “relevant.” However, God’s people have always been called to be different from the world, not surrender to, mimic, or accommodate it. Amongst those who still claim to “believe the Bible,” the lists of things required to become a Christian are as varied and confused as the number of groups who are trying to “win the world.” Some “baptize” babies that have no idea what is going on, nor do they have any faith or even willingness to participate. Others only baptize believers, but some do it as an element in receiving salvation and others claim it is a mere symbol that they are already saved and are becoming members of a particular local congregation or denomination. Some virtually reject outward “ordinances” altogether as they proclaim salvation by “grace alone” or “faith alone.” Some believe that “faith” is divinely implanted in the elect, while others view “faith” as a responsible human response to evidence/information. Some teach that salvation is available to all, while others believe God determined on His own at the beginning who He wanted to save and who would be condemned apart from any decisions or actions on their part. The variety of what you may encounter as "Christian Doctrine" is ever increasing, but the New Testament foundations remain the 27 books agreed upon by the early churches. Absolute vs. Relative "Truth" Prevalent again (always?) is the cultural battle over "absolute truth" versus "relative truth" - the external universe that really exists versus every person's individual imagined universe. Or you could call it "the Truth" versus "my truth." How old is this issue? It has been with us since the beginning. God told Adam how things really were (Genesis 2:15-17), then our spiritual adversary started raising questions about how God does thing, Eve restated her version of what God said, then the Devil contradicted that, and, finally, Eve made her decision totally on the basis of what her senses and logic told her and she immediately shared "her truth" with her husband (Genesis 3:1-6). Unfortunately, "Eve's truth" did not turn out to be a valid substitute for the way things really are in God's universe and we are all still paying the bill for that one and repeating her mistake. I will tell you this to begin with - you will need to decide if you are going to seek Biblical truth to resolve this issue or trust your own version of "truth" and assume that “salvation” is just one more fuzzy issue without any absolute truth to find so that you can believe whatever you want and “feel good” about all of the nice people in different churches that believe and teach different things. There are some very nice people in most of the churches you will encounter, but doctrinal ideas do not become "truth" because a "nice person" believes them and on judgment day we are going to answer to God, not one of those nice people. The foolish notion that "everyone determines their own truth" is correct only so far as to suggest that each of us has the opportunity to do our own thinking and arrive at our own conclusions - however, doing our own thinking and reaching our own conclusions does not guarantee that either is ultimately true and beneficial. External reality and Truth does not change so as to conform to my "personal truth." Outside of my mind and ideas, there is an external reality that we bump into from time to time - when I kick my toe against something walking across the bedroom in the night, my imagined clear course ahead did not reconfigure reality, for that object was there whether my "personal truth" believed it or not! Whether we like it or not, when we pull up to a stoplight, the colored lights have unchanging objective meaning, which police and traffic courts will remind you of if you drift too far into your own La-La-Land. Regardless of how healthy you feel, the reality of an undetected disease is still there. Even though you "think and feel" within your own mind that your mate is faithful, your job is secure, and that you made that deposit and there is plenty of money in your bank account, there may be a very different objective reality waiting to slap you in the face later on. In grade school, I remember often turning in math homework and taking tests in which I put down answers with as much sincerity and belief that they were right as I could muster, but I still received red marks all over most of those papers - each student's "personal truth" didn't carry much weight with math teachers back then! I don't ever want to climb into an airliner or lay down on an operating table with a pilot or surgeon that lives by their own "personal truth" - I want them well-grounded in the real external Truths of aeronautics, physics, and human biology/physiology! The actual shape of planet earth does not change if people sincerely believe that it is flat or square or triangular - it stays the same shape regardless of what we “think” its shape is. In the same way, an individual’s subjective convictions about God and what the Bible teaches might not be the same as God’s objective truth and nowhere are we told that “sincerity” is a valid substitute for truth! Instead, we are told that God is interested in "sincerity/spirit AND truth" (John 4:23-24). We should be “sincere” in what we believe, but objective truth does not change according to how sincerely we believe something. Our sincerity and conception about something speaks only of the degree to which our expressed beliefs agree with our inward convictions. How well our “sincere beliefs” agree with external reality is another matter, ranging from true understanding of reality all the way to total "fantasyland." “Ignorance is bliss” only to the degree that the errors in our thinking have not hurt us yet! How many items we think are in a box has no bearing on the actual number that exists there unless we put them in there or guess correctly. The point - there is an external truth/reality about things that does not necessarily match what I am thinking inside my own mind. Nobody creates their own "Truth" - all we create is our own belief about what "the truth is" and how soon external, objective reality "teaches us a lesson" depends on (1) how close our thinking accords with reality, (2) time, and (3) circumstances. There are areas where "personal opinion" is very valid and the best anyone can do, but there are other areas where conforming our opinion to external reality is, literally, "life and death" stuff! And don't take too much comfort in being in a large crowd that shares you opinion, for when lots of people agree on a faulty view of reality, that view does not become objective “truth” but is nothing more than a "popular falsehood." Thus, our goal needs to be pursuing truth about the external realities, so that we can bring our “sincere thinking” into harmony with what is real. If you don’t have the desire and courage (and primary loyalty to God) to seek ultimate truth and recognize error against the standard of Scripture, then you may want to stop reading at this point. I believe the thoughts above apply to Christian Doctrine and our relationship with God. Some folks express a religion of "love" that tolerates and accepts all viewpoints as equally valid, but the Bible says that Godly love "rejoices with the truth" (1Corinthians 13:6). God and His truth remain unchanged, even though people and cultures drift all over the place. "And in the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." (Acts 14:16-17) "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said,' For we also are His offspring.' "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. " (Acts 17:23-31) There are also patterns of life that people think are good and true, but they are deceived about their path and hold onto a false security, There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12) Thus, it is important to look beyond personal, family, and church traditions for the objective and external Truth that was delivered through Jesus and His chosen Apostles. The New Testament certainly does not teach that "doctrine/beliefs" are unimportant or that people are saved by "sincerity alone." In fact, we are told a number of times that salvation is closely associated with hearing, knowing, and believing the Truth, "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24) . . . and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " (John 8:32) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16:13) "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. (John 17:17) . . . who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:4) . . . Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. (2Timothy 2:15) . . . . with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, (2Timothy 2:25) Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, (1Peter 1:22) In the same way, we find that Jesus, Paul, and James all indicated that teachers have a high responsibility (and accountability) to God because what they teach plays a large role in what others believe and where they wind up, Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up. "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." (Matthew 15:12-14) Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (1Timothy 4:15-16) Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment. (James 3:1) So, if you still with me to this point, let's focus some attention on the tangled mess of beliefs and arguments that confront us on the issue of "how to be saved" in the context of claims about Christian doctrine. And don't be frightened of the word "doctrine," because it only means "teaching/body of beliefs" and we all have this - we just don't all agree on the content of what that "teaching/doctrine/body of beliefs" should be. A Sampling of Evangelical Confusion As you examine just the modern evangelical movement and various expressions of it, you become aware of how varied and confusing human formulations of "how to be saved/born again" really are. These samples come from a number of "evangelical" ministries, “acknowledge, repent, confess, forsake, believe, receive”[1] “ask Jesus into your life right now, admit your sins, and because you have received his Son, Jesus Christ, who died for your sins, God will forgive you and make you a part of his family. Honest admission and repentance of sin are essential.”[2] “Here is a simple way to respond to his call: Recognize that all have sinned (Rom. 3:23), Realize that God loves you (Jn. 3:16), Receive him into your life by faith (Jn. 1:12), Commit yourself totally to God’s plan for your life. Read Romans 10:9-13."[3] "But knowledge alone will not, cannot, save you. You must take the step of faith: ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved’ (Acts 16:31)."[4] "Simply admit you are responsible for the sin in your life and receive Jesus Christ by faith. He died to pay your debt of sin and bridge the gap between you and God. “. . .to all who received him (Jesus Christ) he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was trust him to save them” (Jn. 1:12). The moment you do that, you experience the reality of a living relationship with your heavenly Father."[5] "Romans 10:13,14 tells us that anyone may become a Christian if he will “call upon the name of the Lord.”[6] "The Four Spiritual Laws – (1) God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, (2) Man is sinful and separated from God, (3) Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin, (4) We must individually receive Jesus Christ (through prayer) as Savior and Lord (Jn. 1:12; Eph. 2:8,9; Rev. 3:20)."[7] If there is one thing that all of the positions reflected above have in common, it is that “water baptism” has nothing to do with salvation - even "repentance" is absent in most. This alone (and primarily?) makes our position seem so strange and offensive to people schooled in evangelical theologies. It is amazing the number of people who tell us how troubled they are by our insistence that water baptism is an essential part of Christian salvation. Of course, people are usually troubled by this because it is not a common teaching any more - Evangelical “faith-only theology” is the commonly-assumed orthodoxy in our time and many assume it must be correct since those who advocate this have some big churches and ministries. Everybody knows that the Bible teaches that salvation is by “grace-alone” and “faith-alone” - right? Well, what does the Bible teach about salvation? Reading the Bible A lot of the problem has to do with how people read the Bible. Many (most?) learn their beliefs from some other person or church organization and then go to the Bible (to certain verses pointed out by their source) to “support” ideas they really learned elsewhere. The verses that people are pointed to ("proof-tests") will usually appear to support the meaning they have been taught. However, if what you were taught is not in complete harmony with all of what we find in Scripture, then you may occasionally stumble upon another passage somewhere else that says something different from what they were told to believe and their proof-texts seemed to teach. What people do at this point reveals a lot about them: (1) you can wrestle with the new information and possibly reformulate your beliefs, (2) you can dogmatically stick with your prior understanding and invent creative ways of “explaining away” the new information as meaning something other than what it says or as not applying anymore, or (3) you can avoid reading or dealing with the verses that create questions or doubt because they make you uncomfortable. My strong suspicion is that most of the “problem” that people have with some passages of Scripture is not the fault of God or the Scriptures, but that they drew the circle of what to believe too small and simply do not know what to do with new information outside of their predetermined circle. I have shown things in the New Testament to people who have fairly strong beliefs who responded with “I don’t think I have ever read that verse before - maybe I need to re-think this matter!” I think that there are probably a lot of people in “Christian circles” that embraced a set of beliefs without first reading all (or even most?) of the New Testament and doing what the "noble-minded" Bereans did, And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:10-11) Like much of what we read, the Bible was written with several basic assumptions about it's readers. One of these is that you will read the whole thing BEFORE you try to draw conclusions about what the Bible says. Another is that no passage says everything you need to know about a topic - that’s why there are a lot of other verses that you should also read! What we are talking about is a literary device called the synechdoche, where readers are supposed to be familiar enough with the larger whole of a topic that you can mention any element or combination of elements and your readers are expected to think in terms of the larger understood whole, not a legalistic “this only” approach by which you then ignore and explain away important elements discussed elsewhere. Read so as to let what is written guide your understanding (exegesis - what is really said in the text), rather than force your prior beliefs into a “proof-text” even when nothing in the passage suggests what you want it to be saying (eisegesis - reading your beliefs into the text). To learn what the Bible really teaches on a topic, begin with an open mind, collect all pertinent passages, exegete each one, and then form conclusions (this is called induction and it is how good science operates). To test / prove / disprove a claimed Bible teaching, begin with a clear understanding of the conclusion/position at issue and then evaluate all available evidence to see if it supports or contradicts the conclusion/position (this is called deduction). A warning - you can get into serious trouble when you draw conclusions from only partial evidence that you think is complete or do not evaluate/present a position honestly/fairly. When you read a passage, be sure to read the verses around it (the literary context), because there is often more going on (and important related stuff) than you see in just one verse. Verses read “out of context” easily become “partial information” or maybe even “distorted” information used to "support" an erroneous idea. The Recipe for the “Salvation Pie”
If we are going to understand everything the New Testament teaches about salvation, then we will have to collect and harmonize all of the pieces. First of all, we need to understand this issue for the benefit of our own salvation, but also so that we can accurately share it with others. Paul made a couple of comments to Timothy that indicate the importance of putting these various pieces of Biblical information correctly, Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (1Timothy 4:16) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. (2Timothy 2:15) How do we know that something is an important piece of the "salvation pie/puzzle?" Simple, the New Testament writers will associate it with salvation - anything that they associated with "saves, salvation, justification, forgiveness of sins, etc." must belong in the pie.
There are a lot of folks around today who have been taught that the “salvation pie” only has 1-3 ingredient-labeled pieces in the dish. They have been taught that salvation is by “faith alone” and they can “prove” that by pointing to the verses that only mention faith/belief in connection with salvation, . . . that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15-16) . . . and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31) Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:1) From these three verses, salvation by faith-alone” seems to be a Biblical idea. Then, there are others who assert that salvation is by “grace-alone” and they have their own favorite verse that they point to, . . . even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (Ephesians 2:5) Since these folks are usually allied with (or are the same as) the “saved by faith-only” folks, they also like to use another verse a couple of clicks down, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This verse also has the added advantage of offering text that can be used to teach that people do not do anything ("not as a result of works") in connection with their salvation. This group has one other very popular passage that they cite as "saying it all" as far as salvation is concerned, . . . . that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10) The fact that “grace/faith/confession” are not all specifically mentioned in each verse cited is handled by saying that "you need to read all of these passages to understand what is involved in salvation." This “salvation recipe” is the signature dish at many of the Baptist and Evangelical restaurants scattered throughout the land. For these folks, adding anything else to the recipe is a grave error, for anything other than “grace / faith / belief / confession” is labeled as a “work” (and Ephesians 2:8-9 says "not as a result of works") and trying to “add to the finished work of Christ,” thus it cannot have anything to do with receiving salvation and must be something you do “after” you are saved. However, there are those who read the New Testament cookbook for themselves and find that there appear to be more than three pieces of pie in the dish. In addition to the elements of “grace / faith / belief / confession,” which definitely are important pieces of the “salvation pie,” there were a number of other things that the New Testament writers associated with salvation and many find it difficult to pluck the ingredient labels off and discard them as the previous folks do. One of the remaining pieces of pie identifies two items identifying who is/will be saved, And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16) A good number of Evangelical folks appear to suffer from Dyslexia because when they read Mark 16:16 they keep seeing “he who believes and is saved should be baptized,” but this isn’t what the verse says. I guess these folks operate by the principle that if a verse of Scripture doesn't say what you believe, then edit it so that it agrees with your theology! Then, when we get to the Book of Acts, we find the Apostles beginning to execute Christ’s “Great commission” (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48) and Peter responding to the first folks who asked what to do about the Gospel message by telling them, Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:37-42) I wonder why Peter didn’t tell these earnest seekers that they were already saved, since they obviously believed ("pierced to the heart") the message he had just shared with them? Maybe Peter felt more bound to stick with what Jesus commanded in the "Great Commission" than a lot of modern folks do, thus he told them to repent and be baptized and continued to urge them “to be saved” until they submitted to baptism and then they were said to be “added.” Why this information doesn’t figure anywhere in the recipe for some today is beyond me. This same Peter noted both of these items in separate comments later on in his letters to Christians, And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1Peter 3:21) The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2Peter 3:9) Both of these items certainly seem to have been essential ingredients in the recipe for salvation in Peter’s understanding ("baptism saves you" and "perish or repent"). God’s specially appointed messenger (Ananias) to Saul of Tarsus told him, in his new believing and repentant condition, what he should do to “wash his sins away,” 'And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' (Acts 22;16) Does this mean that Paul's sins were not washed away until baptism and that baptism is part of "how" we "call on the name of the Lord" - so it would seem from what Ananias told Paul. Before I draw any conclusions about "how one is saved," I want to put all of this information into my folder also. Jesus identified another element that seems to deserve to be a conditional element in the salvation pie, "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13) For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. . . . Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 10:36 & 12:1) So, is "faith" not an instantaneous event, but an ongoing worldview and lifestyle that we enter and then continue in? So it would seem. This information also will go into my file folder before I start to formulate any conclusions. Then we find another piece of the pie that identifies the crucial role of the cook crucial role in bringing all of these elements together, So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13) I don't believe that we create the salvation path or provide the atonement blood, but it would seem that we are supposed to approach this with seriousness and humble submission to God. It is obvious from reading the New Testament and writings of the early church fathers that the original church was aware of all of the pieces of pie that we have noted and was not interested in disconnecting any of them in favor of a simpler "this-only" approach. However, for several valid reasons, back in the 16th century a bunch of Swiss, German, and English cooks revolted against the arrogant Italian chief cooks (Popes who had messed with some of the items in the recipe a bit), but then decided to trim down the recipe for the salvation pie a bit themselves to make the pie seemingly simpler to make. Some of them decided that you could make a good enough pie with only one ingredient (“faith alone” or “grace alone”), although Christ’s Apostolic cooks said that you cannot make a “justification pie” with “faith alone” (James 2:24). Those who have embraced the Reformed Recipe decided that they knew more about it than James and tend to ignore him, because they have put all of their trust in a line from their favorite page in the cookbook that Paul wrote to the pie-eaters in Rome (Romans 5:1). *Note that Peter later said that Paul wrote some things that people misunderstand and distort (2Peter 3:14-18). From time to time, to avoid being fooled by the Evil One, it is good to check what is being said by other creatures against what God said. This seems to have been the problem back in Genesis 2:15-17 & 3:1-6. Satan will raise questions about how God does things, directly contradict His Word, and even promise things that God has not authorized. As I compare the old recipe book to the popular recipes making the rounds today, I find some alarming things. Today, we hear a lot of people preaching that salvation is by "faith alone," but Jesus' half-brother James is the only person who ever used the phrase "faith alone" in Scripture and clearly said that justification is "NOT by faith alone” (James 2:24), This same crowd disassociates baptism from salvation by labeling it as a “work” and applying Ephesians 2:8-9, but Peter said that baptism "does save" (1Peter 3:21) and the only thing associated with salvation that any of the New Testament writers identified as a “work” is belief (John 6:29). When I started reading the New Testament, I didn't have any theology notions to defend or reject and it certainly looked to me like the New Testament writers were teaching that water baptism has a close associated with salvation / forgiveness / and becoming a child of God (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38-41; 22:16; Galatians 3:26-27; 1Peter 3:21). When I encounter such obvious contradictions between what the Word of God says and what comes out of the mouths of uninspired creatures, I remember Genesis 2-3 and my “deception-meter” starts wiggling!
Mixing the ingredients - First of all, let's paint some broad strokes. Salvation is by grace because the whole offer of pardon through the blood of Jesus originated in the undeserved kindness of God, extending an offer of pardon to rebels who's deeds and lifestyles did not "deserve" it (thus, it is "not by works that any should boast" - Ephesians 2:8-9). However. this salvation offer that originated in God's undeserved kindness (or "grace") does have to be appropriated at some recognizable point in the same ways as "conception" is hard for us to pinpoint by our senses, but there is no doubt about exactly when our children were "born"! This is one more element of confusion created by the "faith-only" advocates, who eliminate water baptism from salvation, but still recognize the need for a tangible "new birth/transition marker" and substitute things of their own devising - "the mourner's bench," saying and/or signing a "salvation prayer," and the "every head bowed and every eye closed, then raise your hand" ceremony. We believe that Jesus and His Apostles already provided the authentic tangible "new birth/transition marker" in Christian baptism. "Conversion" involves people changing their entire worldview so that they have an assurance and conviction ("faith") that God exists and rewards seekers ( Hebrews 11:1,6) and has offered forgiveness and life through the death and resurrection Jesus (1Corinthians 15:1-4). Thus, we are saved by God's Grace through/by means of our faith in God's benevolent working as He promises (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:18-21). Biblical saving faith is not a mental activity that occurs in a single brief moment, but it is a changed ongoing worldview that motivates and includes appropriate action and submission to God's instructions. This is why (1) Hebrews 11 summarizes the faith of Old Testament saints and tells us what they did in response to God's will because of their faith, (2) Paul emphasized the "obedience of faith" (Romans 1:5; 15:18; 15:25-26) which James described as "faith that works/obeys" (James 2:14-26), and (3) The writer of Hebrews said that Jesus will save those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:8-9). Since "faith" motivates and includes Divinely-commanded obedience, there is no problem with the need to "obey God and work out our own salvation with fear" (Philippians 2:12-13) or eventual "judgment on the basis of deeds," as we take serious God's call to follow Jesus and submit to His lordship. None of the other things that New Testament writers associated with salvation were humanly devised "meritorious works" to earn salvation, but Divine conditions set by grace for those seeking this gracious pardon. Repentance (metanao) is the inward change of mindset by which we realize our sins and "turn" our lifestyles to be in harmony with God's expressed will. Because our rebellion/sin separates of from God, there can be no forgiveness or salvation until we inwardly determine to change our rebellious way of life (and demonstrate with appropriate deeds - Matthew 3:8; Acts 26:20). Our beliefs about Jesus being the promised Messiah must be confessed before men (Matthew 10:32-33), as Peter did (Matthew 16:13-20). As God sent John with a "baptism of repentance" that divided the submissive from the self-righteous (Luke 7:29-30), so Jesus commanded baptism as a focal point for the transition of state/citizenship and the place where His blood is applied to our faith ("for the forgiveness of sin" - Matthew 26:28 & Acts 2:38; 22:16), where we bury the old man of sin and are born again into a new life (John 3:5; Romans 6:3-11; Colossians 2:9-13), where by faith we are clothed with Jesus' righteousness and become a child of Abraham (Galatians 3:26-29), and where we give our covenant answer and pledge (1Peter 3:21). We should not miss the models that God provided before Pentecost - Israel was not free of their Egyptian bondage until they were "baptized into their deliverer" in the Reed Sea (Exodus 14; 1Corinthians 10:1-4), nor were they "inside" the Promised Land until they passed through the Jordan River (Joshua 3-4), and Jesus was not acknowledged by God as "My son" or marked by the Holy Spirit until His water baptism (Matthew 3:13-17). If Jesus, who was without sin, needed to be baptized "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15) and those who scoffed at John's baptism were "rejecting God's purpose for themselves" (Luke 7:29-30), then it is certainly specious reasoning and a rebellious spirit that underlies the outright hostility towards Christian baptism that fills the hearts of so many evangelicals today! Upon faith and repentance, with baptism comes the forgiveness of sin and the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 5:32), a down payment on the glory still to come (Ephesians 1:13-14) and God's spiritual presence within to aid us in the struggle against the flesh and the development of spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:16-18,22-23). Since "faith" is an obedience-motivating and ongoing worldview, we also must endure/persevere and continue in that faith until the end of our lives and not turn back (Revelation 2:10). None of the required responses to the Gospel are "meritorious works," but they are essential "submission/response" elements of faith, which is why the jailor and his family listened to the teaching provided and responded in baptism and then rejoiced "having believed in God" (Acts 16:30-34). Could it be that the "saved by faith-only, baptism has nothing to do with believing the Gospel" crowd only wants to quote Acts 16:30-31 because their understanding of "saving faith" is inadequate to also handle the whole account, including Acts 16:32-34? Ask Good Questions Socrates believed that individuals already had “truth within,” so he developed a method of teaching by asking questions so that the person could, by thinking and answering, realize truth. While I disagree that “truth” is already within each of us, I do agree that questions can help to focus our minds on issues that need to be investigated and point in some helpful directions for finding truth. The following questions have come up often and many people are already thinking about these issues - thinking is good and can lead to wisdom. It is my belief that your pursuit of solid answers to all of these questions will place you well on your way towards understanding what the New Testament concept of Christian salvation is all about. You will also have enough background to start making some determinations about what to think of all of the alternatives being offered.
Why does anybody need salvation? What are people “saved” from?
The only reason that I can come up with for people needing to be “saved” is that they must be in some kind of danger as they are. The Bible teaches that all of humanity has sinned (2Chronicles 6:36; Romans 3:9,19,23) and stands deserving of judgment/death (Ezekiel 18:4). When that judgment comes (and the date is already marked on God's calendar - Matthew 24:35-36 & Acts 17:30-31), only those who’s names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will be spared and the others will be condemned (Revelation 20:11-15). Christianity rests upon the belief that God will eventually bring all of humanity to judgment and the only certain “safety” is under the atonement blood of Jesus. Jesus, Paul, and John all spoke of what is ahead for unredeemed humanity - outer darkness and “the wrath to come” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 1Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 20:15). Christians believe that God exists, will punish sin, and have taken the pardon we believe was offered through the sacrifice of Jesus. Might there be any exceptions? Possibly a few (Romans 2:11-16), but I would not want to be judged by my behavior/conscience and the only certain safety is found under the blood of Jesus (Romans 8:1; 1John 1:6 - 2:2).
What do people get out of “being saved”?
Forgiveness of sins is major, since sin separates us from God (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:2). We also get the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) that can empower us to change our lives (Galatians 5:16-26), adoption as God’s children, a new body someday (1Corinthians 15:20ff), eventual entrance into the heavenly kingdom, and a great fellowship with other believers now (Acts 2:42-47).
Is “salvation/being saved” some kind of private and individualized mystical experience that God zaps certain people with when He wants to or something more like a prodigal son choosing to return to a family, adoption into a family, changing citizenship, entering a covenant relationship that any may seek and do?
While each of us will have our own "emotional reaction" to embracing the Gospel, Christian salvation is NOT a private mystical experience, divinely directed at selected individuals, but is God's gracious offer of pardon through Christ's sacrifice to all in the hope that they will all come to know and love truth (2Thessalonians 2:10-13; 1Timothy 2:3,4) and repent (Acts 17:30-31; 2Peter 3:9). The basis by which this will happen is by encountering an believing a particular message that has objective content (Romans 10:14-17; 1Corinthians 1:21; 15:1-4). This message was to be shared with all of mankind (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 17:30-31; Titus 2:11-14). The Bible portrays salvation as a restored relationship with God in a number of ways: as being in the format of a covenant willingly entered (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8); like being born again and starting life all over (John 1:12-13; 3:3-5; 1Peter 1:3); being redeemed from slavery (John 8:31-33); Romans 6:12-22), being adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:14-17,23; Galatians 4:4-5); like a branch being grafted into a tree (Romans 11:17-24); as a rebellious son choosing to return home to his family (Luke 15:11-24); as changing citizenship from one kingdom to another (Acts 26:16-18; Philippians 3:20); burial & resurrection/coming to life out of spiritual death (John 5:24-25; Romans 6:3-11; Ephesians 2:1-9; Colossians 2:12-13; Revelation 20:4-6), etc.
How does one “become saved” and what other terminology is used for this transition that might help to clarify what it is?
For other terminology, see the previous question/answer. This all-important restoration of relationship with God through Christ is called: salvation, redemption, justification, adoption into God’s family, being born-again, made alive from death, etc. On how one becomes a Christian, I have come to believe that the best way to understand New Testament Apostolic teaching on Salvation is to follow a simple three-step approach:
(1) what did Jesus command in terms of world evangelism in His “Great Commission” before His departure? And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. " (Matthew 28:18-20) And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16) and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47) As the Apostles were aware of the content of other Gospels and were writing to different audiences, the best approach seems to be to collect the information from all three for the fullest picture. Thus, we can begin with this information: Jesus holds all of the authority and commanded ongoing world-wide disciple-making to the end of the age. This was done by baptizing and teaching those who heard and believed the Gospel message. People everywhere were to be told that repentance and forgiveness of sins was part of the deal. Now, all you have to do is combine all of these elements and you should have a good guide as to what is essential to the Gospel message of salvation and a key to what you should find the Apostles do as they carried that commission out in the first generation, recorded in the book of Acts.
(2) what did the Apostles preach and do as they carried out this commission (book of Acts)? From Pentecost 30 AD onward, we see the Apostles teaching nothing more than the elements Jesus commanded - wherever you are, proclaim the Gospel, command repentance and baptism of those who accept the message, and then continue teaching them everything Jesus taught. Numerous accounts of conversions are contained there (Acts 2,8,9,10,16,18 etc.), with different elements emphasized and mentioned in different accounts (but remember the synechdoche - Luke did not think he would have to spell out all of the essential items in every case, you are expected to understand the larger whole from reading and taking seriously all of the New Testament writings.
(3) finally, what further explanation of these things did the apostles write to those who had embraced the Gospel? Read the New Testament letters and you will find fuller explanations given on various items written to those who had become Christians under the Apostles’ ministries. In their letters, Paul and Peter explain more things about what faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and living faithfully are all about. Examined this way, I think you will find things pretty clear and consistent. This material is all that anyone really has to go on as to how people became Christians when the authorized leaders were in place - changes and innovations that have come along since then we have no way of knowing whether God approves of these or not. Old Testament precedent would suggest that God’s covenants are in effect, as instituted, until God changes them - a thousand years after it was established, the Law of Moses was still in effect and to be obeyed (Malachi 4:4). Similarly, the Apostle Paul indicated that the original Apostolic Gospel messages would be in effect without authorized changes until the end of this age (Galatians 1:6-9) and that those wishing to avoid trouble should follow Apostolic tradition (2Thessalonians 2:15). Unfortunately, many church institutions have gradually “edited” their own version of this teaching and you will find things that have been added, subtracted, or changed from what you read in Scripture - this is one area where we think it best to stick with the original information (everybody believes that was right). What we can’t all agree on is which (if any) changes have God’s approval!
Is salvation an event, a process, a restored and ongoing relationship, a covenant that people chose to enter, a mystical private experience, etc.?
Salvation is spoken of from a number of different perspectives and all are important. First of all, Scripture indicates that salvation is an ongoing renewed relationship between God and man (Romans 5:1; 2Corinthians 5:19), in some ways like being "adopted" into a family (Romans 8:14-16) or being received back into a family after deserting it (Luke 15:11-32). Secondly, salvation is a space/time event in which a person "crosses a line" or "changes states."[8] Thus, we encounter comments about people transferring their citizenship from Satan's kingdom to God and "receiving forgiveness" (Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13,14) in the sense of a time/space event in this life. "Eternal life" is actually entered into at conversion, while we are still in our mortal bodies.[9] Third, salvation is an ongoing process, which we enter and then "grow" in.[10] The message of salvation is portrayed as a "seed" which grows according to the various types of human "soil" it falls into (Luke 8:4-15; 1Peter 1:23-25). Fourth, salvation is a future state which has not yet fully arrived,[11] so endurance is required (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Revelation 2:10). Finally, this salvation is a "new covenant" relationship with God which supersedes the Mosaic system and redefines our relationship with God (Matthew 26:28; 2Corintians 3:6; Hebrews 8; 9:15; 12:24).
Does salvation involve only a single item (Grace-alone or faith-alone) or a combination of elements - and if a combination, then how many items?
First of all, the New Testament NEVER portrays salvation in terms of one-item alone (grace-alone or faith-alone)! This is one of the most un-Biblical emphases of the post-Reformation evangelical movement, for it directly contradicts the only Biblical reference to the phase in which Jesus' half-brother declared that we are "not justified by faith alone." To build and strongly proclaim an alleged version of "Christianity" upon a clear contradiction of Biblical teaching gives me an uneasy feeling! To understand how many things are associated with “salvation,” it would seem sensible to use a concordance to locate every time in the New Testament that the words “save / saves / saved / salvation” appears and read each one to begin to get an idea of what the inspired writers associated with salvation. Then, you should expand this to include whatever is associated with other terms closely related to salvation - forgiveness, justification, born again, etc. You may be in for quite a surprise - the New Testament writers associated quite a few elements with salvation. Here are the ones I found, arranged in alphabetical order, - Baptism in water as one's "appeal/covenant response" (eperotema) to God's offer of pardon for a good conscience through Christ's resurrection (1Pet.3:21) - Belief in the preached Gospel message and baptism (Mk.16:15,16) - Calling on the Name of the Lord (Acts 2:21; 22:16; Rom.10:13-17) - Christ's Coming (Lk.19:10; 1Tim.1:15). - Christ (Mt.1:21; Jn.3:17; 10:9; Rom.5:9b; Heb.7:25) - Christ's life (Rom.5:10b) - Christ's Name (Acts 4:12) - Coming to the knowledge of the truth (1Tim.2:3,4) - Confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom.10:9,10) - Endurance (Mt.10:22; 24:13; 2Tim.2:12; Heb.3:6; 10:36; Rev.2:10) - Faith/believing (Eph.2:8; 1Pet. 1:9) - Faith/belief in Christ (Jn.3:16; Acts 16:30,31) - Faithful teaching (1Tim.4:16) - God saved us through the "bath of rebirth & renewing by the Spirit" (Titus 3:4-6) - The Gospel Message (1Cor.15:1-4) - Grace (Acts 15:11; Eph.2:5) - Grace through Faith (Eph.2:8) - Hearing and believing the preached word (Acts 10:22,33+11:14; 1Cor.1:21; 1Th.2:16) - Hope (Rom.8:24) - having a Love for truth (2Th.2:10; 1Tim.2:4) - Obedience and working out your own salvation (Phil.2:12,13) - Obeying Jesus (Jn.3:36; Heb.5:8,9) - Paying close attention to your teaching (1Tim.4:16) - repentance (Lk, 13:1-5; 2Cor. 7:10; 2Pet. 3:9) - the "word of the Cross" or Gospel message (Rom.1:16; 1Cor.1:18) - wisdom from the Scriptures (OT) that leads to salvation through faith in Christ (2Tim.3:15)
I hope you look each of these up for yourself - quite a list, isn’t it? Such a list better reflects what the Christ-chosen and inspired leaders of the early church taught and raises some serious questions about why so many of these items have been eliminated by those who fill pulpits and stand in front of TV cameras in our time, mixing a little Bible with a lot of fund-raising into their "ministry"! If people would begin by searching the Scriptures instead of following the “this-only” deceivers, things would be less confused.
Does God do everything associated with salvation? Or, has God provided and offered something on His terms that all must make a decision about? Or does each person work out their own personal, mystical little deal with God?
If we were supposed to all work out our own little deal, then there would be reason to have Jesus die and send the apostles out with a single message - just let everybody make up their own deal. But that is not the way it is, so let’s move on. We can take our earlier list of things the NT writers associated with salvation and categorize them - what does God do and what does He want us to do in response? Salvation is a gracious gift, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to meet God on His terms to get the gift!
GOD'S PROVISION OF SALVATION - There are things provided or actions which originate with God and are part of His work in providing salvation for humanity.
1. Christ: (Mt.1:21; Jn.3:17; 10:9) - His coming (Lk.19:10; 1Tim.1:15) - His life (Rom.5:10b) - His Name (Acts 4:12) 2. God saved us through the "bath of rebirth & renewing by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:4-6). God is the active party in Christian baptism by His removal of our sin/guilt and bestowing of the Spirit, while we simply submit to it in faith that He will work as He promises (Col. 2:12). 3. The Gospel Message (1Cor. 15:1-4) - the "word of the Cross" or Gospel message (Rom. 1:16; 1Cor. 1:18) - the OT Scriptures announce and prepare for Christ (Gal. 3:24; 2Tim. 3:15) 4. Grace (Acts 15:11; Eph. 2:5; Titus 2:11) - by God’s Grace through our Faith (Eph. 2:8) (or our faith in God’s grace?)
HUMAN ACCEPTANCE OF SALVATION - Having provided salvation through Christ, God also stipulated through the Apostles how people are to accept and appropriate the gift of salvation. New Covenant salvation is not "earned" by any meritorious works (especially not by living under the Mosaic Law/Covenant and its works), but it is to be accepted on the Giver's terms through a New Covenant, which Jesus inaugurated (Mt. 26:27,28; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24) and His Apostles proclaimed and explained. The elements that the apostles tied to salvation are: 1. Baptism (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1Pet. 3:21) 2. Belief in the preached Gospel (Mk. 16:15,16a; Rom. 10:14-17; 1Cor. 1:21) 3. Calling on the Lord (Acts 2:21; 22:16; Rom. 10:13-17) 4. Coming to know the truth (Jn. 8:32; 1Tim. 2:3,4) 5. Confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 10:9,10) 6. Endurance (Mt.10:22; 24:13; 1Tim. 2:12; Heb. 3:6; 10:36; Rev. 2:10) 7. Faith/believing in Christ/Gospel (Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:30,31; 1Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 2:8) 8. Faithful teaching (1Tim. 4:16) 9. Hearing and believing the preached word (Acts 10:22,33+11:14; 1Cor. 1:21; 1Th. 2:16) 10. Hope (Rom. 8:24) 11. having a love for truth (2Th. 2:10) - an inference 12. Obedience and working out your own salvation (Phil. 2:12,13) - not creating your own path to God, but applying yourself and persisting in Christ 13. Obeying Jesus (Jn. 3:36; Heb. 5:8,9) 14. Paying close attention to what you teach others (1Tim. 4:16) 15. Gaining wisdom from Scripture that produces faith leading to salvation (2Tim. 3:14-16) 16. Repentance (Lk. 13:1-5; Acts 2:37,38; 2Cor. 7:10; 2Pet. 3:9) 17. Keep yourselves in the love of God (Jude 21)
What will happen to those who don’t care about salvation?
We have already talked about the coming judgment, outer darkness, and lake of fire. Several comments were made in the New Testament letters about this, For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-- for our testimony to you was believed. (2Thessalonians 1:6-10) For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? (1Peter 4:17,18) If I find that the Bible teaches something other than what I have always believed, what should I do? If I obey what I now believe Scripture is teaching, am I rejecting everything that I have believed for years? Am I dishonoring my parents or grandparents who believed differently?
In some ways, this is an easy one. The first principle that we can “take to the bank” is that it is always right to love God first and totally (Matthew 22:36-38) and, when forced to choose, to obey God rather than people (Acts 4:19-20; 5:29). Since God knows and will judge even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Romans 2:16; Hebrews 4:12-13), it is always right to do what you believe to be true (Romans 14:22; James 4;17). If I had to make a guess about how God will extend mercy, I believe God will probably extend more mercy to those who were honestly ignorant of something than to those who knew God’s will but chose to place "loyalty to Church/family tradition" or "personal opinion" on a higher level (read: Matthew 10:32-37; Luke 12:47-48). Second, all of us are in the process of learning as we move through life. Some really seek truth and broad understanding, while others learn only as much as they really have to for survival. If you really seek truth, the question should not be focused on how loyal you should be to past misunderstandings, but how responsible are you to continue seeking truth and embrace it? Whatever you have previously believed that continues to “ring true” with God's Word is probably good stuff and you should hold onto it. However, when you encounter something that indicates some part of your past thinking may be incorrect, then you have to make a “character” decision - do you continue pursuing truth or do you pull back and decide to be loyal to beloved past thoughts (which. at this point, turns into “willful ignorance” and rebellion). It was, no doubt, very painful to Israelites in Ezra’s time to separate from foreign wives who did not embrace Judaism, but the Law was very clear and with Ezra’s help the Israelite men knew what they needed to do (Ezra 9-10). As you search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), you may come across some things that help you to see where you were incorrect (of various levels of importance) and you will have to wrestle with where your primary loyalty is - to God or to human tradition. As for dishonoring your parents, if they are already dead, they won’t know the difference and they will each give answer to God for their own personal knowledge, actions, and life - not what you know and do with your life. Even if they are alive, you need to honor God first - you may lead them toward a more accurate knowledge or they may reveal that they value human tradition above humble obedience to God. An event in the life of King Saul indicates that God is more interested in our submission and obedience to His Words than devising religious actions of our own (1Samuel 15). If dead relatives truly followed their understanding in good conscience, they also might do better in judgment than descendants who act against what they conclude to be true. What you do and believe has no bearing on the fate of your dead ancestors, except in your own thinking, for each person will stand before God and give answer for their own life alone, on the basis of their own thoughts and actions compared with God's unchanging truth and standards (Proverbs 9:12; Ezekiel 18; Romans 2:1-16; 14:12; 1Corinthians 3:10-15; 4:5; 2Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 6:4-5; Revelation 2:23). God will have a standard of judgment (the Gospel/Words of Christ - John 12:48; Romans 2:16) and He will judge the secrets of each heart and each person's conscience will testify as to how they behaved in the light of what they knew/believed to be true (Romans 2:5-16). Jesus said that each person is going to be handled on the basis of their own awareness of and response to God's will (Luke 12:47-48). This very issue of submitting to newly-recognized truth versus continuing in family religious traditions was the central point of Jesus comments to His disciples as they went out to minister to their own Jewish countrymen and families (Matthew 10:32-38). It is replayed in every generation where family tradition differs from Scripture - sometimes parents become Christians after their children are raised and refuse to follow their parents’ new-found faith, or maybe the children grow up and discover Biblical truth that is not a part of their parents’ religious tradition and then they must follow their new understanding out of conviction. Let me say this as strongly as I can - It will not benefit you or anyone else for you to refrain from obeying God according to your knowledge of His will and conscience. Conclusion At this point, you need to ask yourself some questions - who am I going to trust to give me the “real truth” about salvation? Am I going to follow what Jesus’ Apostles taught or what some earthly “church” organization teaches? If the New Testament writers and the theology you encounter in various churches are not the same, then you are going to have to make a decision about where authoritative doctrine is to be found - upon what foundation are you going to plant your feet and stake your eternity? Most churches have some very nice and sincere people involved, but human niceness and sincerity are not the standard for Christian doctrine or God's judgment. The Devil and his workers can appear as “angels of light” (2Corinthians 11) and we find Biblical examples of many who were very sincere, but still in error (Matthew 16:21-23; John 16:2; Acts 26:9; Romans 10:1-3; 1Timothy 1:12-13). Jesus’ words/the Apostles’ Gospel/God’s books will be the standard of judgment (John 12:48; Romans 2:16; Revelation 20:11-12,15). Much of the doctrinal confusion that exists is rooted in a failure to discern the authoritative source of truth and read it carefully, These problems have plagued humanity since the Garden of Eden. Adam’s sin was in listening to his wife where God had already spoken (Genesis 3:17) and this is repeated whenever we choose to follow the words and teachings of men where they differ from God’s Word. The problem is often NOT discerning what God’s Word says - the problem is whether or not to forsake others and follow God alone or follow this or that religious leader who seems sincere, but says something different.
My approach - Modern church leaders, regardless of the size of their churches, how many hours a week they are on TV, how big of a crowd they can draw, or how many books they have written are NOT the foundational authority sources for Christian doctrine. Popularity and success in drawing a crowd is NOT a trustworthy guide to Biblical truth, for Jesus said that the false prophets that misled Israel were very popular (Luke 6:26) and Peter said that false teachers who would come during the Church Age would mislead many (2Peter 2:1-3). Rather than give the New Testament “lip-service” as our guide, but then really listen to popular evangelical explanations for what we should believe, I advocate reading the New Testament, collecting the verses that speak about salvation, justification, remission/forgiveness of sin, etc., trying to understand what each is saying, and then trying to see how all of these passages and ideas can fit into what must have been a “harmonious larger picture” in the mind of God. After Scripture, I look to see what early Christians believed, as recorded in the writings of the early “church fathers.” I do not regard them as inspired (nor did they claim to be), but they are showing us how Scripture was understood by Christians all around the Mediterranean in the next few generations after the Apostles had finished their ministries. The foundation of Jesus’ church is quite clear (Ephesians 2:19-22), so the next best thing after Scripture is seeing how key passages were understood by those who were taught by the Apostles, and by those in the next few generations who are still very close to what the apostles taught. Corruption and various “interpretations” would creep in over time, but if we find a widespread, common, and harmonious understanding of Scripture in those first few generations after the Apostles, then we are probably looking at the original “Apostles teaching” and this should aid us in determining how to understand Scripture passages that have come to be “interpreted” in many ways after 2,000 years. What we see in the New Testament and its reflection in very early Christian beliefs is authentic “Christian Doctrine,” but as you move on down through the centuries you encounter more and more uninspired human philosophy, speculation, and tradition being blended in until you have a number of conflicting (and sometimes contradictory) theological systems - all claiming to be “Christian Doctrine.” However, some of these teachings are false notions originating with demons and spread by men with damaged consciences (1Timothy 4:1-3) or teachings crafted to tickle the ears of people more interested in their own favorite ideas than sound doctrine (2Timothy 4:3-4). Christian doctrinal truth should not be determined by who has the biggest buildings and the most members in their organization in 2,000 A.D., but by what the Christ-Appointed Apostles’ taught. They told us that the authentic message was NOT going to change and to be suspicious of any variation from what they originally taught, no matter who it came from! I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:6-9) Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3) Notes: [1] Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International. [2] Have Good Day, February 1977 (Tyndale House Publishers). [3] Have a Good Day [4] Have a Good Day, January 1977 (Tyndale House Publishers). [5] "Have a Good Day" pamphlet [6] Operation Andrew – The Wayne Bristow Crusade in Cadillac, MI. 1977 [7] Bill Bright, writing for Campus Crusade for Christ, 1965. [8] Eph.2:5,8; Col.1:13,14; 2Tim.1:9; Tit.3:5 [9] "Eternal life" (literally "life of the ages") refers not only to the ongoing nature of this life, but also its quality - it is the type of life one would want to continue. As for entering it while still in this life, see: Jn.5:21-24; 11:25,26; 2Cor.5:17; Eph.2:1,5; 1Jn.5:11-13. [10] Acts 2:47; 1Cor.1:18; 2Cor.2:15; Php.2:12; 1Tim.4:16; 1Pet.2:2; 2Pet.3:18 [11] Rom.8:24; 13:11; Php.3:11-14; 1Pet.1:5,9 A Ministry of Severn Christian Church (Severn, Maryland) Unless otherwise noted, all material produced by Charles E. McCoy All Scripture citations/quotations from New American Standard Bible To send a question to Chuck: chuck@severnchristian.org
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There is probably no piece of literature that is more abused in how it
is read and "interpreted"
than the Bible, especially the New Testament. The New Testament
was not written as systematic theology, but presents us with pieces of
doctrinal information scattered throughout the Gospels, Acts, and
letters. To understand any topic, we will need to collect
pertinent information from all over and then harmonize it into a larger
picture. Because of this, it has been easy for different people
and movements to "carve up" the New Testament in different ways, like
cutting a pie into pieces. To see the whole "salvation" pie or
puzzle, you will need to collect all of the pieces and then come up with
a way of harmonizing all of them into a larger picture. (graphic right).
Although the New Testament writings are the original and most
trustworthy cookbook you can follow when putting together your "Christian
doctrine" meal, a lot of people prefer to use the recipes handed down by
one of the 16th century Reformation chefs or their students since then.
Being of the school that the Prophet Jeremiah was appealing to (Jeremiah
6:16), I chose to go back to the oldest source of trustworthy
recipes
for Christian Doctrine, the New Testament, and trust that. Where the
old and new recipes agree, I follow the old one and where they disagree,
I still prefer to follow the old one. To understand the original recipe
for salvation, we need to see the whole pie - all of the ingredients and
pieces in place - before men start carving
it up into their own pieces. Only then can we get an accurate
picture of what the whole pie
looks like and all of the ingredients that God wants mixed together to
make it taste so good (right).
