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).
