Jesus Who? Part 1

Introduction

The Son, with regards to the triune nature of GOD, is LORD of the universe (Colossians 1:16-19). The Gospel concerns GOD’s Son and His work for us to remove our sin. The Son of GOD came as the Savior (1 John 4:14); salvation is a gift freely given, not earned. Our part is to believe the work of salvation the Son offered to the Father on behalf of all mankind. And once we believe, we are to become His disciple and then to declare the Gospel to others, in unending faithfulness to the Savior, to make disciples of the others who accept as true our declaration so that they too can fulfill the calling (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

But if our declaration focuses on something else other than the cross and His resurrection it is not the Gospel of Christ—it is a “different Gospel”—and if we take away from Christ any part of His pre-incarnate nature or the absolute necessity of “God our Savior” (Titus 3:4-7), having to “became flesh” (John 1:14), we have “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4), who is not the Jesus that saves—it is antichrist (2 John 1:7). In which case, even where the name is the same, that is the name of “Jesus,” it is not the Jesus of the Bible. It is a different or another Jesus (allos, gk.), with superficial similarities.

T. A. McMahon states that he was once engaged in a conversation in which it was said: “Brother, I’m not interested in any of your divisive doctrinal talk. All I care about is knowing that a person loves Jesus. If someone tells me that, no matter what church he goes to, he’s my brother in Christ!” McMahon then comments, “I felt compelled at least to get a question in before the conversation ended. ‘When you talk with someone who tells you he loves Jesus, do you ever ask that person, “Jesus who?”’ This is a critical question, because as McMahon also comments: “‘Jesus who?’ Is a pivotal question for every believer in Christ. We should first of all ask it of ourselves, testing our own beliefs about Jesus (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). Misunderstandings about Him inevitably become obstructions in our relationship with Him” (Electronic media, T.A. McMahon, Jesus Who?, electronic media, http://www.thebereancall.org/node/5838, 1995). And we jeopardize the relationship with Jesus that others could have, if we preach a distorted message, which promotes “another Jesus.”

Wolves

The most critical issue at stake is that “another Jesus,” as already mentioned, cannot save. Additionally, there is “another Jesus” that takes on many forms in the world and all of them are actively promoted, while GOD the Son, that is, the biblical Jesus is demeaned or ignored. Even worse, this putrid phenomenon is prevalent within the churches. Dr. Walter Martin warned in his classic sermon: “There is a twofold warning to the Christian Church. Now we are speaking this morning on the warnings of GOD…that after the apostles would leave the Church there would be savage wolves…Ravenous wolves who will enter in and they will not spare the flock…We have those savage wolves today… Apostates who deny the only LORD GOD and our Lord Jesus Christ. Apostates who will ordain you if you deny the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, and the second coming…Apostates who have come in and are chewing up the Church…Paul said, I warned you day and night for three years to the point of tears.” (For full text see: http://www.letusreason.org/Wf26.htm; cf., Acts 20:17-38).

Granted, revisions of the Christian message have always been with us, but today Paul’s prophecy has taken on exponential dimension as the denigration of Christ and His work is as rampant and contemptible in the churches as it is in the world. This is a truly sad state of affair and yet it was made known prophetical by Christ. “Many” He said, “will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many” (Matthew 24:5). While this verse is to find ultimate fulfillment in the Tribulation, John the Apostle reminds us: “even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:28). The truly sad thing is many in the Church have failed to take Christ’ admonition to heart: “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). So much so is this fact confirmed that many false religions and some of the pseudo-Christians cults would blush at what is now being said from so-called Christian pulpits.

Who Do They Say He Is?

Jesus asks all His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And “who do you say that I am?” Can we like Peter unashamedly answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-16).

In November 2003, then President George W. Bush, a self-proclaimed born again believer, stated: “I believe in an Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That’s what I believe.” This is a disturbing sentiment, but widespread in the churches where it is almost automatically assumed that Allah and YAHWEH are one-and-the-same. Putting aside other religions for now the question begs to be asked, Is the Almighty GOD that I or any other Christian prays to the same as the god of Islam? The answer to this is emphatically no!

To discover this fact, all one needs to do is a cursory examination of how Muslims view Jesus. In the Muslim mindset Jesus is a created being and not eternal: “The example of Jesus, as far as GOD is concerned, is the same as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was” (Sura 3:59). As is plain to see, according to their sacred scripture, He is merely a created human being. Furthermore, the Islamic Jesus is not the Lamb of GOD who was slain for the sins of mankind: “And for claiming that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of [Allah]…For certain, they never killed him. Instead, [Allah] raised him to Him…Everyone among the people of the scripture was required to believe in him before his death. On the Day of Resurrection, [Jesus] will be a witness against them (Sura 4:157-159). Finally, salvation is earned by the Muslim in the “Five Pillars of Islam,” which states the specific works that the Muslim must perform in order to be saved. (A description of these “ways” to Islamic salvation can be found here: http://www.carm.org/five-pillars-of-islam).

It should be clear that Allah is not Almighty GOD of the Bible and the Muslim Jesus is “another Jesus.” If you, however, a believer in Christ agree with the former President in this matter, it gives me no pleasure in telling you that you are deceived (2 Corinthians 4:4). My sincere hope is that you will earnestly seek the Father in prayer to ask Him to show you the truth of who He says Jesus is—“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18).

Then there is the case of Buddhism, which is a religion of morality; its belief system emphasizes an ethical way to live in the here and now in order to gain the ultimate state; which they call Nirvana (again we see a works based creed). Regarding deity, Gautama, the founder of Buddhism did not deny the existence of gods; he taught that the worship of gods obstructed one’s quest for Nirvana. He never claimed to be a god; instead, he claimed to be one who pointed the way to Nirvana, but each adherent finds their own path to walk in life. Additionally, according to Buddha the gods exist in the cosmos as the totality of creation, but are themselves finite, impersonal and impermanent beings. Therefore, they is no Almighty GOD who is an infinite and eternal Deity; no need for the Savior; no worship of, praying to or believing in Deity to save. It offers no form of redemption, forgiveness and no heavenly hope; the only salvation it offers is in the individual’s own self. Buddhism also teaches that Bodhisattva, that is, one who has reached Nirvana, can voluntarily materialize on earth to help the rest of mankind. Christ is no Bodhisattva; He came not to offer sound advice to live by so that we can achieve Nirvana. Instead, “He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself;” and “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 2:2).

Buddhism has much in common with humanism and atheism, but Buddhism is not atheism just because they don’t believe in an infinite, eternal and personal GOD. It is more like pantheism, where the impersonal “force” of the universe causes its self into being in never ending cycles of annihilation and re-beginning. While there are many noble and humanitarian teachings found in Buddhism, such as those that educe compassion and understanding for our fellow man, these cannot save. And Buddha is no Savior of mankind. What is alarming, however, is that some Christians seem to think there is little difference to Buddhism and Christianity and they ignorantly think it possible to harmonize its practices and teachings into the Church.

Pantheism, as briefly described above, is the position that deity and nature is the same thing. Pantheism comes from two Greek words, pan meaning all and theos meaning god. It teaches that all the universe: the stars, galaxies, planets, mountains, wind, rain, flora and fauna, etc., are the totality of what deity is. So, the pantheist says, that creation is god, and therefore, he holds all things sacred. In contrast, biblical Christianity teaches that GOD is separate from His creation and He created it (Gen. 1:1-30), whereas pantheism says that deity and creation share the same nature and essence.

A huge problem with pantheism is that it logically cannot account for the existence of the universe. The adherent believes the universe is infinitely re-born from the void. Therefore, the force/deity, which is the universe, also has a beginning--each time it is re-born--by causing itself into existence. But how can something bring itself into existence? This is impossible! This leaves us with the question of where force/deity comes from as nothing can cause itself. Pantheism cannot answer this question and it naturally leads to absurdities.

Conclusion

Is Christianity any better than the religions of the world? Of all the religions that exist how can it be that only Christianity is true? If GOD exists, is it not better to assume that He uses all religions and that all paths lead ultimately to Him? Why should anyone trust in Christianity over Islam, Buddhism or anything else? There is a simple answer to all of this: truth is absolute; there is no such thing as relative truth or subjective truth. Therefore, if it is true what we learn in the Bible concerning all that Jesus said and did, then all religions are false. If it is true that Jesus claimed that He alone is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6), then no other religious ideals, no matter how sincere, can offer another way to GOD through salvation—and salvation is a necessity for all mankind. Either Jesus is true and all the religions of the world are false or the religions are true and Jesus is false. There are no other options—“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

English translation of the Koran taken from, Submission.org, Copyright © 1997-2007, www.submission.org/suras

What The Gospel Is Not, Part 2

Introduction

There is a multitude of ways in which the Gospel is corrupted in attempts to compromise grace with works. In last week’s post I stated that, the salvation of the LORD, which He offers to all mankind is secured by believing in Christ as Savior (Acts 18:4-8). To this one requirement no other obligation can be placed on the unbeliever (Ephesians 2:8). Any addition would nullify “the power of GOD” to save and wreck total havoc on this essential doctrine of Scripture, which clearly defines salvation as by grace alone (Romans 3:20). Furthermore, it is rightly affirmed by all who comprehend the extent of GOD’s grace that even the least amount of human collaboration added to the work of salvation, other than faith, as a means of securing GOD’s favor is simply ludicrous and the height of human pride (Romans 2:23).

Believe and Confess Christ

It is recognized that well intentioned Gospel preachers in their zeal and sincere desire to see and account for conversions to Christ will often prompt a public confession of Christ from those who would be saved. But to the detriment of those being offered the invitation to believe, in the minds of the unsaved, it is often the case that the demand for confession is errantly coupled with saving faith and seen as equal importance with faith. However, as nothing can be added to GOD’s gracious gift, the demand of a public confession can work to confound GOD’s mighty working in the matter of salvation of the lost; and therefore, the demand for a public conversion can become a “different gospel.”

While there are two very emphatic and much used Bible texts that seemingly justify the need of confessing Christ as a means, couple with grace, toward achieving grace, it will be shown here that these Scriptures do not offer the unsaved a path toward salvation through public confession, plus believing He is the Savior.

The first of these much used text is Matthew 10:32, which states: “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Here the case for a public confession seems strong, as it is Christ Himself who places this demand. However, the meaning and context of the verse is brought to light by the most excellent Bible-teacher and theologian Lewis S. Chafer, who says:

“This verse, which occurs in the midst of Christ's kingdom teachings and as a part of His instruction to His disciples whom He is sending forth with a restricted message to Israel (cf. vv 5-7) and which was to be accompanied by stupendous miracles (cf. v 8) such as were never committed to preachers in the present age, applies, primarily, to these disciples themselves in respect to their faithful delivery of this kingdom proclamation, and could be extended in its appeal only to Israelites to whom they were sent. The carelessness which assumes that this Scripture presents a condition of salvation for a Jew or Gentile in the present age is deplorable indeed.”

The second verse is Romans 10:9, 10, which states: “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” While difficult see how confession can be an excluded qualification for salvation from these two verses the next three verses clarifies the Apostle’s understanding of the place confession plays in a new believer’s new life and not in the life of the unbeliever. Romans 10:11-13, says: “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” “For there is no distinction…the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.” Here it is clear that salvation is promised to all on the one condition that they believe. Of confession the Apostle says: “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED;” thus making the confession of verses 9 and 10, the prerogative of the person who first has responded in faith to the promise of salvation through grace that God offers to all in Christ. Therefore, confession of Christ is a Christian’s privilege and duty and it may take place the moment one is saved, but it is not a condition of salvation by grace.

Furthermore, as Chafer point out: “There are two convincing reasons why the Scripture under consideration does not present two human responsibilities in relation to salvation by grace. (a). To claim that a public confession of Christ as Savior is required in addition to believing in Christ, is to contend that 150 passages in which believing alone appears are incomplete and to that extent misleading. A certain type of mind, however, seems able to construct all its confidence on an erroneous interpretation of one passage and to be uninfluenced by the overwhelming body of Scripture which contradicts that interpretation. (b). To require a public confession of Christ as a prerequisite to salvation by grace is to discredit the salvation of an innumerable company who have been saved under circumstances which precluded any public action” (Lewis S. Chafer, The Saving Work of the Triune God, published in Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 107 (Oct.-Dec. 1950): 389-416).

Believe and Be Baptized

Many have held to the idea that baptism is a required action that must take place in the prospective convert before salvation is achieve. This is known as the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. The proof text often used to support this doctrine is Mark 16:15-16, which says: “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.” With regard to this verse, the question begs to be asked, Is Mark speaking here of the real baptism by the Holy Spirit or the ritual baptism with water? The answer that best fits is the one, which agrees with the overwhelming evidence of Scripture that says that salvation is always by grace. These verses speak of real baptism and not the rite of water baptism; and the real follows belief unto salvation by grace. Therefore, the conclusion is that it is the real baptism by the Holy Spirit that is contemplated by this passage.

Furthermore, Spirit baptism is the act by which a believer is taken “into Christ Jesus” and “into His death” (Romans 6:3). This new state is further explain by Paul at 1 Corinthians 12:13, and at Galatians 3:27, where he states respectively, “we were all baptized into one body” and “all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Believing has the influence over the soul, through the power of GOD in accordance with His promise in the Gospel, of bringing the one who believes into the estate of salvation with all its values which are received from Christ. The new relation to Christ of being in Him is produced by the Holy Spirit’s baptism and it could not be absent in the case of anyone truly saved.

While there are other passages in the Bible that couple belief with baptism (cf., Acts 2:28), the examination of Mark that is here presented should dispel any notion that baptismal regeneration, through the rite of water baptism, however administered, is a condition, which is to be added to believing as a necessary step in salvation. Any attempt to make this so qualifies as a “different gospel.”

Believe and Surrender to God

This is a most subtle deception: to believe and surrender one’s self to GOD! The Bible boldly proclaims the utter inability and spiritual death of the unsaved. They are shut up to the message that Christ is the Savior and they cannot accept Him; much less surrender to the One who sent Him. The Word of God declares, unless illuminated by the Holy Spirit, saving faith is not a possession of mankind (Eph 2:8). Only the elect Christian has been enabled by GOD to surrender to His will.

As all this is true, it follows that to impose a need to surrender the life to God as an added condition of salvation, other than belief in Christ as Savior, is most unreasonable. This notion is a mere human attempt to meet GOD on our own terms and not on His. While a hollow show of religious self-dedication to GOD is possible on the part of the unsaved, this most subtle, self-satisfying form of “works” can only serve to condemn any who fall for this “different gospel.”

Believe Make Restitution

One of the ways the natural man proposes to be saved and yet retain his dignity, supposed worthiness and separation from GOD is through the act paying restitution. This is a false notion, but one which is widely accepted by Christians as a necessary addition to saving faith as mean of salvation. Christianity is not a twelve step program. And thanks be to God it is not, because the truth be known an unregenerate person cannot improve his fallen condition by “paying his debt to society.” Sin cannot be taken back and harm cannot be undone—there are no “mulligans” in life—and any who holds this human ideal for salvation are fooling themselves. It is God who justifies the ungodly (Rom 4:5); it is while men are enemies of GOD that Christ died for them (Rom 5:6-10); and all their unworthiness is accounted for by Christ in His death. However, for the Christian there is a duty to set things right—after they are saved—and none should neglect this responsibility. It therefore remains true that those who are saved are saved on the one condition of believing upon Christ; requiring the unbeliever to make amends prior to belief is a “different gospel.”

Believe and Implore God to Save

To implore GOD to save is the favorite trick of the self-pious preacher of a “different gospel.” None of the errors being considered seems more reasonable than this, and yet none strikes a more deadly blow at the foundation of divine grace. The error includes the claim that the sinner must seek the Lord with all his heart and plead with God to be merciful. But this is wholly unnecessary due to the fact that salvation begins in the heart of God. The entire breadth of salvation is the reflection of His infinite love; and salvation awaits the sinner’s right response to the invitation, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). With this marvelous revelation in view, there is no place left for the idea that the sinner must seek GOD or plead with Him to be merciful: this is a “different gospel.”

Conclusion

Salvation is wholly a work of the triune GOD: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mankind’s sole responsibility is to believe the Gospel, which is:

“First of all…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures… He was buried…[and] He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. The Gospel was no new thing in God’s mind. It had been predicted throughout the Old Testament times. Every time the coming Savior was mentioned, there was proclamation of the Gospel. It began in Eden when the Lord said, “The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head.” It was typified in every sacrifice that was offered. It was portrayed in the wonderful Tabernacle, and later in the Temple. We have it in the proclamation of Isaiah, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we are healed.” It was preached by Jeremiah when he said, “This is His Name whereby He shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness” (Jer.23:6). It was declared by Zechariah when he exclaimed, “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones” (Zech.13:7) All through those Old Testament dispensations, the Gospel was predicted, and when Jesus came, the Gospel came with Him. When He died, when He was buried, and when He rose again, the Gospel could be fully told out to a poor lost world. Observe, it says, “that Christ died for our sins.” No man preaches the Gospel, no matter what nice things he may say about Jesus, if he leaves out His vicarious death on Calvary’s cross (Electronic media, http://www.gotothebible.com/HTML/whatisgospel.html).

What The Gospel Is Not, Part I

Introduction

The salvation of the LORD, which He offers to all mankind is secured by believing in Christ as Savior (Acts 18:4-8). To this one requirement no other obligation can be placed on the unbeliever (Ephesians 2:8). Any addition would nullify “the power of GOD” to save and wreck total havoc on this essential doctrine of Scripture, which clearly defines salvation as by grace alone (Romans 3:20). By the very nature of all that is accomplished in salvation, if it is to be produced at all, it must be GOD’s doing alone. This is so, because salvation is the eternal display of His sovereign power to save by grace (Romans 5:21), those who by Divine right deserve judgment instead (Ephesians 2:3); and no human hand can be allowed to mar this wondrous opus of the Creator (Hebrews 7:17-28). It is rightly affirmed by all who comprehend the extent of GOD’s grace that even the least amount of human collaboration added to the work of salvation, other than faith, as a means of securing GOD’s favor is simply ludicrous and the height of human pride (Romans 2:23).

But even when the supernatural character of salvation is recognized, it is possible to encumber our intended message of grace, where the lone human responsibility is faith, with various human works; in which case we preach a “different/another gospel,” thus our message, no matter how sincere we are, becomes ineffectual to all who are in desperate need of salvation. “Another” gospel can be defined as one that targets self-gratification. It is a “gospel” that offers another Jesus who can benefit you in the flesh by denying the cross. To the church at Philippi, Paul wrote, “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ...” (Philippians 3:18). It is the purpose of this article (and subsequent ones) to clarify the doctrine of Divine sovereign grace by showing that the infinite and eternal GOD alone in able to accomplish salvation. The practical bearing of this truth is that the message and method of would-be soul-winners, if they are to fulfill their parts in Christ’s unfinished business in the world, must be in complete agreement with the tenets of grace. There must be no attempt at conforming grace to the human ideal, which says, mankind through good thoughts, purposes and deeds can please GOD and cause humanity to move towards achieving its own salvation (Genesis 3:6). An endeavor such as this has already resulted in disaster for the human race and recycling the effort will only produce continued pain and suffering (Genesis 3:16-18; Romans 5:12-15).

Must I First Repent?

The first “different gospel” to be considered is the imposition on the unbeliever that repentance is prerequisite to belief in Christ as Savior. While true repentance is essential, too often repentance is conceived of as a separate act on the human-side for salvation. And what a ridiculous assertion this is shown to be, when one stops to consider the impossibility of requiring that the crystal methamphetamine addict quit his habit before he can believe in Christ and be saved! What of others, mixed up in the endless variety of human sins,—everyone is a sinner—do all have to repent of whatever their sins are before believing in Christ? How can those who have harmed others repent; can the murder or rapist undo their crime? They cannot! But are they then excluded from salvation? Not if GOD has chosen them to be saved (1 Corinthians 1:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:13) .

Salvation by sovereign grace through faith establishes a Christian in what he has become: a new creation--“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10; cf., 2 Corinthians 5:17)--which is the condition of the one now in Christ, for whom everything is new. While the final and complete transformation of the believer is future, the work of renovation starts at the moment one first believes; and not prior to belief. The transforming of the new believer is the sanctifying work of the Spirit--a cleansing, so to speak--that takes place in believers and guarantees their safe-keeping and maturity. In this endeavor, on the human-side, though confession and repentance of personal sins are required, these acts are accomplished only as the believer submits to the Spirit and utterly relies on Him. This work of the Spirit in the believer continues unceasingly until the moment the Christian is brought home to heaven conformed to the image of Christ (Ephesians 1:14). But at the onset where a unbeliever repents and becomes a "new creation;" the repentance spoken of is not the need in the unbeliever to first cleanse himself and then to believe. The true Gospel knows nothing of a self-purging by the unbeliever as a means toward achieving GOD’s grace.

At this juncture, the biblical meaning of repentance is beneficial: in every instance in the Bible where the word repentance is used it means a change of mind. With regard to the wrong definition of repentance, it is a common practice to read into this word the idea of heart-felt sorrow. There is no reason why sorrow should not accompany repentance or lead to repentance, but the sorrow, whatever it may be, is not repentance. In 2 Corinthians 7:10, we read that “sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance,” that is, it leads on to repentance; but the sorrow is not to be confused with the change of mind, which it may serve to produce. The New Testament call to repentance is not an urge to self-condemnation, but is a call to a change of mind which promotes a change in the course being pursued. When the Philippian jailer asked: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” From the context it is clear that this man was truly sorry for his treatment of the apostles in his custody, but he was informed by Paul and Silas, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” They then instructed the jailer and all in the household in the ways of the Lord, then as a show of their belief in Christ the jailer “was baptized, he and all his household” (Acts 16:30-33). In essence, Paul and Silas asked the jailer and those of his household to quit their current confidence in temporal, non-eternal things for safety and security and to trust in the true GOD.

Essential Repentance

Significantly, while the demand for repentance from past sins prior to salvation is absent from Scripture the relation of repentance to believing is essential, but it is wrongly added as a separate requirement for salvation; i.e., that one needs to quit their previous life-style before they can be acceptable to GOD and saved by Him. Conversely, too often, when it is asserted—as it is here—that repentance is not to be added to belief as a separate requirement for salvation, it is assumed that repentance is not necessary to salvation. But this is a wrong assumption too. I already stated, repentance is essential to salvation and none can be saved apart from repentance, but it is included in believing in Christ for salvation and it cannot be separated from it. In every instance where repentance is related to the unbeliever, for Jews or Gentiles alike, it means to either return to or begin belief in the true GOD (cf., Acts 2:28; 3:19; 5:31; 8:22; 11:18; 13:34; 17:30; 19:4; 20:21; 26:20).

To believe on Christ is one act. It is not turning from sinfulness to sinlessness; but rather turning to GOD from idols. To turn to Christ from all other confidences is one act and in that one act repentance is included: “you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). This text provides no comfort for those who contend that people must in remorse turn from sins as a first act and afterwards as a second and separate act, turn to belief in GOD. The text recognizes but one act—“turned to God from idols”—and that is the act of faith that produces repentance unto salvation.

Only GOD Saves

Repentance, therefore, is a change of mind, which is included in believing, because no one can turn to Christ from loyalty in an idol—be it from religion, self, wealth, etc.—without a change of mind. This change of mind is the work of the Spirit (Eph 2:8). As those who are amenable to the Word of God will confess, the essential preparation of the heart, which the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the unsaved, prepares them for an intelligent and voluntary acceptance of Christ as Savior. And this change of mind, by Spirit-illumination, to Christ from dumb idols is all the repentance a spiritually dead individual is capable of (John 16:8-11). The unsaved that come under this influence are given the clear understanding concerning one sin, namely that “they believe not on me;” this is the only sin the unbeliever must repent of and it is accomplished at the moment one believes.

In the coming weeks, I will supplement this writing with other examples of how humans works are subtly added to GOD’s grace. No matter how trivial an addition of works to GOD’s grace seems it is rightly called: “a different gospel,” which is not “the gospel of your salvation” (Galatians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13) and therefore, void of the saving power of GOD. No one is saved by works. Therefore, the Gospel preacher must adhere to proclaiming the true Gospel; to preserve it from being made to depend upon any degree of human responsibility other than saving faith in Christ; because grace plus anything else is not grace and only by grace is anyone saved! That is the simplicity of faith.

Concluding Thought

“The Gospel is not a call to repentance, or to amendment of our ways, to make restitution for past sins, or to promise to do better in the future. These things are proper in their place, but they do not constitute the Gospel; for the Gospel is not good advice to be obeyed, it is good news to be believed. Do not make the mistake then of thinking that the Gospel is a call to duty or a call to reformation, a call to better your condition, to behave yourself in a more perfect way than you have been doing in the past.

“Nor is the Gospel a demand that you give up the world, that you give up your sins, that you break off bad habits, and try to cultivate good ones. You may do all these things, and yet never believe the Gospel and consequently never be saved at all.

“Over and over and over again in the New Testament we read of the Gospel. It is the Gospel not a Gospel. People tell us there are a great many different Gospels; but there is only ONE. When certain teachers came to the Galatians and tried to turn them away from the simplicity that was in Christ Jesus by teaching “another Gospel,” the apostle said that it was a different gospel, but not another; for there is none other than the Gospel. It is downright exclusive; it is God’s revelation to sinful man” (Harry Ironside, What Is The Gospel, Electronic media, http://www.gotothebible.com/HTML/whatisgospel.html).

There Is A Way That Seems Right...

Introduction

Everyone possessing intellect will either consciously or unconsciously view the world according to programmed presupposition. That is to say, there are no completely freethinking, open-minded individuals. This seems particularly so with regard to one’s belief (or unbelief) in GOD. Someone believes in certain things concerning GOD, another believes something else, but no one can present absolute, concrete evidence that satisfactorily proves to another that what he believes is true and what the other believes is false. To give an example, the atheist believes there is no GOD and the agnostic says we cannot know if GOD exists. The aforementioned parties, while capable of presenting a line of reasoning in support of their divergent positions, both, in the end can only say that they believe their perception to be true and the other’s to be false. Without the ability to present any evidence their arguments are based on mere presupposition on their parts. Their beliefs, as they are, shape their worldviews, but either party cannot prove their view to be the true one.

Continuing the example, the theist says, there is a GOD that we can know personally and the theist, at least, has at his disposal compelling evidence to prove his belief: “that which is known about God is evident within them [i.e., all of mankind]; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Romans 1:19,20).

While there is actual evidence in the human make up and in nature that proves the existence of GOD, is it enough to sway the unbeliever into changing his point of view? Of course not! After all, where is the living human eyewitness (cf. Job 38:4) capable of substantiating the biblical testimony? And where is the unbeliever in GOD who would confess that really deep down he knows GOD must exist? Also, is what in man and seen in nature all there is to know about GOD? No, there is much more that can be known about GOD, but not from the physical realm or in fallible human musings; further information can only be found in the realm of the spiritual through Spirit-enabling illumination of the human mind. All unbelievers are blinded to that which is spiritual (John 18:37, 38). Thus, absent supernatural revelation and Spirit-enabling influence the non-theist cannot concede their worldview and replace it with theistic belief; based solely on the evidence of some mysteriously implanted knowledge of GOD ingrained in mankind’s make up; and in spite of the fact that there exists a natural world that can only be explained by the truth that creation demands there be a Creator.

Truth is Always Absolute

Since unbelievers are spiritually blinded and cannot know that what the Bible teaches is true (cf., 2 Corinthians 4:4), they must immediately pronounce that belief in GOD is no better than unbelief, as belief in GOD, in their estimation, is also best explained as just presupposition too. In this regard, the unbeliever due to his materialistic worldview is quasi-correct, because it is by the non-material substance of faith alone that the believer has “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” and “by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” GOD Himself has laid this stipulation on any who would find Him: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:1, 3).

Anyone, therefore, who would gain greater knowledge concerning GOD, must proceed with specific presumptions. But the watershed presupposition of any Christian must be—thought it is recognized by this writer that it rarely is—the belief that the Bible alone presents absolute truth. Consider the fact that the unique revelations of the tri-unity (or Trinity) of GOD, of His plans and dealings with mankind and most importantly of His free-will offer of salvation to man through faith alone in Christ as Savior (cf., John 3:16); these revelations are found only in the Bible. If the Bible is not true, then we can know nothing of substance concerning GOD. For surely we learn nothing of the Trinity, Christ or the great salvation that He offers from that which is seen in nature or by finite human reason. If the Bible is wrong in even one assertion that it makes or if part of it is relegated to myth, such as the creation account, or another part is considered mere alegory, such as its prophetic messages, then the entire Scripture must be considered unreliable.

The Bible is unquestionably the most critically examined document of all history and yet, time and again, it has proved its veracity even in its most ridiculed content; that being the predictive prophecy contained in its pages, which to date has proven to be one-hundred percent accurate. No other historic or contemporary document shares this accolade and none can because: “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16), and no other writing (or spoken oracle for that matter) can legitimately prove this claim of its self. Even where partial truth is present in non-biblical writings or utterances, absolute truth by definition and by circumstance is absent. Therefore, while some truth can be derived and known from other sources, any information, whether or not written or spoken, that does not completely align itself with what the Bible teaches must be false: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Therefore, if Christ has called you as one of His own (cf., Romans 1:6), the written revelation in the Holy Bible must be the only source—because none other can be trusted—by which illuminated men and women are directed to the solution to all that vexes humanity. And so to, it must be the only source from which the believer develops a worldview (cf., Ephesians 4:17). There can be no compromise in either of these areas, because as Christ says: “thy word [O GOD] is truth” (John 17:17); and He never makes this claim about anything or anyone (cf., John 1:1) else! Of His own ministry to the world He says: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37).

The classic example of absolute truth versus untruth is prominently found in the facts surrounding creation, as presented in the Bible (cf., Genesis 1; 2; 3), and the foolish theory of evolution. I say foolish, because although there is no evidence to support the theory it is continuously imposed upon us by atheistic “academia” and many, even among those who call themselves Christian, have foolishly accepted evolutionary theory as fact. Some have even been dissuaded of their Christian belief. As for example:

“…in Charles Templeton’s life. He was at one time the preaching partner of Billy Graham. Darwinism turned him into an atheist. In his book, Farewell to God, he tells of writing to Billy: Billy, it’s simply not possible any longer to believe, for instance, the biblical account of creation. The world wasn’t created over a period of days a few thousand years ago; it has evolved over millions of years. It’s not a matter of speculation; it’s demonstrable fact (Electronic media; http://www.thebereancall.org/node/8312).

But what fact is he claiming? Many persons, even those not of Christian belief, would disagree that any facts supporting evolution exist. As in the follow cases:

“Johns Hopkins University Professor Steven Stanley of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences declared, “The known fossil record fails to document a single example of phyletic evolution accomplishing a major morphologic transition [a structural change relating to descent] and hence offers no evidence that the gradualistic model can be valid.” In the same vein, Professor Heribert Nilsson, director of the Botanical Institute at Lund University, Sweden, declared after forty years of study: “The fossil material is now so complete that...the lack of transitional series cannot be explained as due to the scarcity of the material. The deficiencies are real; they will never be filled....The true situation is that those fossils have not been found which were expected. Just where new branches are supposed to fork off from the main stem it has been impossible to find the connecting types” (Electronic media; http://www.thebereancall.org/node/8361).

The proven untruth of evolution is the underlying belief system that forms the worldview of most secular unbelievers. Oddly, though, many Christians have capitulated to this false system; seemly, although they have accepted the ultimate truth of Christ as Savior, they have not surrendered to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit (cf., John 8:31, 32; 16:13).

So the question is raised, Is the Bible God’s infallible Word to mankind? If it is then by its very nature, because God has spoken, then every word must be absolute truth. And this is the claim that the Bible makes for its self in many passages of both the Old and New Testaments. This is the most fundamental basis for the Christian faith, for without this belief we cannot preach Christ crucified and risen with certainty; the facts of salvation by grace become muddled; and the Holy Spirit has no true Word by which to convict the unbeliever. Thus, no one can be saved if the Bible is not true! Of course, this is not always the accepted view of many in so-called Christian academia. Dr.John Franke, a liberal Professor of Theology mocks, “You don’t have to listen to most of the defenders of absolute truth very long before you realize they not only believe in the idea, they think they have it.” There is an on going battle between those who believe in absolute Bible truth and those who have condescended to relativism and a side must be chosen by all who profess Christianity as there is no middle ground in this fight.

GOD Speaks

The unyielding source material for all Christian thinking and belief is limited to what is contained in Scripture. If then our spring of knowledge is so limited then it is crucial that the believer take care in receiving and grasping its message. When Paul preached the Gospel in Berea he found: "[the Bereans] 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 17:11). No less than a thorough examination of what the Bible says is expected of every believer as this will determine how we present its message.

It is only logical, then, that we approach any study of the Bible and doubly important that we approach a presentation of the Gospel message from a normal interpretive method. That is to say, if we presuppose that GOD has given the Bible as His revelation of Himself, He must desire to communicate with us that which is true and not to obscure His message from us in any manner. We, therefore, take the message in the Bible to be literal in content and it must be understood and read as such. This is the normal way of interpreting all written, non-fictional material. Should we afford GOD any lesser consideration? Absolutely not!

It is further presupposed that although GOD is the author of the Bible—as He has been pleased in various ways and at different times (cf. Hebrews 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and His purposes and plans—He committed its writing to men under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This process of communication is known as biblical inspiration (i.e., an act of GOD by which He made every word of Scripture completely without error and completely what He wanted, but incorporated the writer’s own style, education level, culture, etc., in the writing). It is through inspiration that the original human co-authors of the Bible penned His revealed Word. Finally it is presupposed that He has preserved His Word for us today as the inerrant and infallible record of Divine revelation. However, the Holy Bible is not merely the record of revelation it is also the revelation itself in a written form. And all saving knowledge is only obtained from the Word of GOD; it is the indispensable means to salvation through the influencing work of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:15, 16; 1 Pet. 1:23). These presumptions must be fully acknowledged by the believer if ever he is to be an effective witness of the Gospel of Grace.

Deception is Always Deceptive

The Bible alone can rightly be called the Library of Divine Revelation and the written Word of GOD, because the inspired human writers of its several books were GOD’s means of communicating this revelation (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). Granted, there are many religions writings, so called sacred text, that purport to be revelations from divinity and there are even the concoctions of self-touted higher human reasoning that imagines itself as beacons of enlightenment. But these mystical writings and cleaver deductions offer no solutions. Indeed, they create more questions, because they come not from true Divinity, but are either satanic deceptions or presumptuous presentations of man-made formulas. While other non-biblical writings seek, too, a way of deliverance from the pain, suffering, indignity and ultimate death that characterizes all human existence, being of satanic or man-made origin, they are doomed to fail all mankind where our need is the most profound (again I quote: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”). In opposition to what so-called wise men have taught, Christ affirms, “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers…The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly,” and also, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 10:8, 10; John 14:6).

Also, the speculations of science offers no reasonable explanation as to the state of mankind’s universal plight: much of what was considered good science yesterday is known to be bad science today and much of what we consider good science today will be tomorrow’s alchemy. This line of reason is evident in the above presentation of the fallacy of evolutionary theory. And we are right in affirming that any future scientific discovery will be as void of saving truth as are its previous discoveries. No matter how vital and useful to humanity the findings of science may be, it too, like religion and philosophy, can never show us how to relieve our existence from the hatred, greed, lust, envy and pride that has continuously led our species down the road of a common desire to destroy one another for selfish gain.

In fact, science as a whole while “professing to be wise” (Romans 1:22), is always really just so much foolishness and has discredited its assertion that it seeks truth, because it engages primarily in a fool’s pursuit to bring into disrepute all belief in GOD as the Creator. It thereby seeks to bring into question that sin is an offense to the Creator’s holy nature (everyone knows by instinct right and wrong, cf., Genesis 3:7; Psalms 51:3); thereby attempting to negate the truth of the harm that sin has caused. Thus, mitigating in humanity the need to know that by the “predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23), He sent into the world His Savior who “through [His] death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).

Correction of Deception

The salvation undertaken by GOD on behalf of mankind is clearly stated in the Bible alone. In the Bible we see that He alone is able to effectuate the salvation of humanity and bring about the eternal cure of all our mutual ills. No other teaching of the myriad religions that have come and gone or remained and evolved; no humanistic worldview or scientific observation has presented this one truth that is essential to our survival: salvation from sin is through GOD’s grace by faith in Christ as Savior. As stated by one prominent Christian apologist:

“The Bible makes uncompromisingly clear to all mankind its claim to be the infallible, inerrant Word of the only true and living God. It denounces all other gods and scriptures as false, as well as the religions they represent. Of Jesus, God’s Word declares, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (Jn 3:36). Peter told Jewish religious leaders (and was beaten, imprisoned, and killed for testifying to Christ's resurrection): “There is none other name...given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“Such unequivocal statements cannot be misunderstood. Jews would not have been persecuted and killed had they presented Yahweh as just one more god to be added to the Roman Pantheon. Christians were considered an even greater threat because in obedience to Christ they preached the gospel everywhere and thereby “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Even they would not have been persecuted and killed had they presented Jesus Christ as merely one of many possible saviors. It was their firm proclamation of Christ’s claim, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Jn 14:6), that threatened Caesar and aroused such vicious hatred. Today, however, to avoid the objectionable exclusivity of their faith, “Christians” often compromise and many ecumenically deny the biblical gospel.”

But, as this writer further elaborates:

“Christianity is a biblical faith…” (Electronic media; http://www.thebereancall.org/node/6242).

The Believer’s Way

We, the believers in Christ, must treat Christianity as the true faith of the Bible. As such we must never find occasion to compromise its message—ever! Only then are we standing on firm ground, because neither has science nor religion and philosophy reached any rational conclusions that are helpful in pointing us toward the right way to achieving absolute peace with God and our fellow human beings (and for that matter, all of creation too).

For this reason: “I am ready to preach the gospel…For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:15-17).

And you too, child of GOD, should neither be ill prepared to preach the Gospel nor ashamed of it. As Paul instructs us: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). And: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

Concluding Thoughts

In the book of Job, which is the oldest written text in the Bible and quite possibly mankind’s oldest manuscript, Job, the personage for whom the book is titled says, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth” (Job 19:25). Job, you should know, was unfairly singled out by Satan to be the focus of unrelenting and vicious attacks against his property, his family and finally his health. As stated, these attacks were supernatural in scope and its purpose was devised by the devil to prove that humanity is not worth saving. But even here, in the most ancient of all Bible texts, we see the idea of a coming Redeemer to redress all that is wrong with the existing plight of mankind. By his inspired words, Job presents the idea of the coming Christ, the one who is “First and Last,” the “Alpha and Omega,” who would yet take up the sinner’s cause and bring the salvation of the Lord to all who believe.

Just as Job predicted, Christ the Savior has come! And He will return at any moment to establish righteousness on earth!

May GOD richly bless you and send the Holy Spirit to guide you to a saving belief in His grace through faith in Christ Jesus as Savior. And in accepting the gift of GOD, may He then guide you into all truth and empower you to proclaim the Good News of Christ.