Standard

Posted by

Posted on

July 10, 2015

Posted under

Christianity, Salvation

Why is faith the deciding factor in salvation?

Most Christian churches insist that faith is necessary for salvation. Even among those groups who believe certain acts or rituals must be practiced to gain salvation, faith is still taught as holding a major role, usually the decisive one, in a person’s salvation. The pastors who are a part of the Everlasting Truths ministry unapologetically preach that one only receives salvation through faith in Jesus. Why is faith such an important part of being saved?

The first reason, which is sufficient by itself, is the Bible commands faith. The message of salvation is called by the Bible “the gospel”. The gospel is defined a set of facts about Jesus (He is God, He became man, He died on the cross, His death was to pay the punishment of men’s sin, following His death He was restored to life again and the Bible is the accurate record of these salvation truths). The gospel is that these truths of salvation are to be received by faith. The apostles Peter and Paul describe unbelievers as those who “obey not the gospel”. The book of Hebrews describes rejecting salvation as disobedience to God. In Romans 16 Paul says the gospel is published throughout the world, “for the obedience of faith.” 1 John 3:23 commands we believe in Jesus for salvation, “This is (God’s) command, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 3:23) Faith is a command of God. As the Author and Provider of salvation, God has every right to determine the conditions by which He will give salvation and to forbid salvation to those who will not come to Him under the terms He requires.

Second, faith is required for salvation because it is impossible for a person to save himself by his own effort. Salvation is either accomplished by something the person does for himself or by something Jesus does for the person. The Bible denies that any one can be good enough or obedient enough to save himself. Titus 3 says salvation is, “not by works of righteousness which we have done.” Ephesians 2 says salvation comes, “not of works, lest any man should boast.” Romans 3 and Galatians 2 both declare that the keeping of God’s laws are totally unable to bring righteousness to man. The problem is so great, that the one who attempts to earn salvation by his obedience is in fact condemning himself with every failure to obey. Faith is necessary to be saved because salvation is not attainable by the effort or goodness of any individual. Salvation is a gift that must be received, but can never be earned.

Faith is the deciding factor in salvation because salvation is only possible by the grace of God. He who refuses to receive God’s gift, whether it be by the unbelief that denies the truths of salvation or the unbelief that thinks a person can be saved by his own ability, cannot be saved because he has rejected the only means of eternal life. Faith in Jesus for salvation is necessary because it confesses the individual’s inability to save himself. Faith asks God to give a person the salvation he cannot gain in any other way. Christianity does not teach the necessity of faith so it may condemn all those who do not believe as Christians believe. Christianity teaches faith as necessary for salvation because God declares the necessity of faith. Faith is necessary for salvation because only God saves, and God only saves those who rely fully on Him, and Him alone, for forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Him.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

July 9, 2015

Posted under

Death, Heaven, Life Questions, Salvation

Comments

1 Comment

Do babies that die go to heaven?

Few tragedies in life tear the heart as the death of a little child. A life cut off before it has even gotten past the beginning is a tragedy that leaves all involved in deep sorrow. Though the child was not able to live a full life, she may never have learned to walk or talk, yet the tiniest infant is an eternal being with an eternal soul. The eternal state of that soul is a matter of great importance.

Most people who believe in heaven and hell are inclined to think a baby that days is given a free trip to heaven because he has not had a chance to do anything wrong. This perspective is certainly appealing, but is it Biblical? When considering the eternal destiny of any person, be he infant or adult, sentiment and superstition have to be rejected. Only God can declare the eternal destiny of a person. Only God’s Word teaches what conditions must be met for one to go to heaven. To answer this difficult question all sentiment must be set aside and Scripture be allowed to speak for itself without interruption by the heart of men.

First, every person, is under the curse of sin from the moment of conception. David declares this in Psalm 51:5, “In sin did my mother conceive me.” From the moment human life springs into existence the spirit of man is in bondage to sin and separated from God. The infant, though limited in ability to express and understand sin, is not free of sin. The infant labors under the same curse that afflicts the adult. The curse of sin is why death is found among infants.

Second, God’s grace is extended to all who will believe. Salvation is by the grace of God, through faith in Him alone. The little child is not able to respond in faith to the message of salvation. The infant is not able understand the Word of God, feel his own weight of guilt, repent or trust Christ alone for salvation. However, the infant is not without hope.

Though the Bible is not definitive on this matter, several passages give hope. These passages give confidence that the little child is not condemned in his guilt but God in His grace holds the child in innocence because of the little one’s physical inability to believe and be saved. In Psalm 106 the children of the idolatrous and disobedient Israelites are said to be innocent. The book of Jeremiah describes the children of vicious, oppressive idol worshipers as innocents. In the gospels Jesus says, “Allow the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” He seems to be saying that heaven is populated by little children. Not just those who receive Him with childlike faith, though He does say that elsewhere, but heaven is filled with children.

Though the Bible is not as clear on this matter as we would like two things are certain. God is good, always doing what is best in every situation and every life. Every child that is in heaven is in heaven because of the grace of God and the blood of Jesus. No child is free of sin and guilt. No child, however small, deserves to go to heaven. God’s goodness and grace exceed all human comprehension.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 24, 2015

Posted under

God, Humanity, Salvation

In a few places the Bible says God hardened a man’s heart. How is it fair of God to send someone to hell if He hardens the heart?

The Bible’s descriptions of God’s dealings with men leaves us with some questions and difficulties. Mankind has a hard time understanding how God can be sovereign, remain just and hold man responsible for the decisions he makes. We will not fully understand God’s dealings with man until heaven. In the meantime, we must trust God and rely on what He has told of us Himself in His Word. The Bible does describe God as being fair. Fairness is doing the same for everyone regardless of ability or what they deserve. God does not operate on terms of fairness, but in terms of justice and equity. God is just, always treating all men according to the perfect standards of His holiness. He does not modify justice to suit His desires or because He prefers one person over another. God judges all men according to the same standards. Equity is closely related to His justice. Justice is God’s dealing in relation to His holiness. Equity is God’s dealings in regards to people. God does not play favorites with anyone. The religious are not preferred by God, the wealthy are not preferred by God, and the poor are not preferred by God. God deals with all men according to His justice regardless of the personal merits of any individual.

What about those places in the Bible which describe God’s hardening someone’s heart? How is that just? One of the most familiar places which describe God hardening someone’s heart is in Exodus regarding Pharaoh. Pharaoh and others like him lived in rebellion against God. God does not judge them for His hardening of their hearts. Instead, God’s hardening of their hearts is His judgment against them for their rejection of Him.

Consider more fully the case of Pharaoh. Setting aside Pharaoh’s life of idol worship and his persecution of the Israelites, one passage will suffice to show the true nature of this case. Exodus 5 recounts when Moses and Aaron first approached Pharaoh with the request for Israel to be allowed to go into the wilderness and make sacrifice to God. Pharaoh responded, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD.” (Exodus 5:2) Yes, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in later exchanges with Moses, but Pharaoh’s heart was already opposed to God. God did not prevent a man from turning to Him who might otherwise have repented and worshiped God. God confirmed Pharaoh in his rebellion.

The same is true with all others who are condemned by God. Romans 1 teaches that when men rebel against God and replace Him with idols, He judges them by no longer restraining the wickedness of their mind. Every man is naturally a rebel who refuses to worship God. Only the grace of God at work in the heart is able to draw a man from rebellion to worship. Those who refuse the grace of God are justly condemned by Him.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 19, 2015

Posted under

Death

Do people who die become angels?

Many wonder what happens to them after death. Because this question is such a presing one, many different answers and speculations have crept into the popular understanding. Much of this speculation is nothing more than superstition. Some speculation finds roots in the Bible. One such superstition is the belief that when someone dies he becomes an angel. Angels are a completely different kind of being from humanity. Angels are might spiritual beings which were created by God, probably on the first day of creation before God created much of anything else in the universe. The angels of heaven are God’s servants and messengers. Some angels spend all their time worshiping God. Angels were created by God before He created mankind and serve specific, God ordained purposes. Man was created by God in His image on the sixth day of creation.

Though the Bible gives us only a little bit of information about angels, it gives abundant information about what happens to a person after death. At death people do not stop existing. At death the individual does not disappear and go into nothingness. After death the person enters into either heaven or hell. In Luke 16 Jesus tells of two men who died. When these men died, one went directly into hell and the other went directly into heaven. At death the person goes immediately into heaven or hell. Those who have turned from their sin and trusted in Jesus for forgiveness go directly into heaven. Those who have not trusted Jesus for salvation go directly into hell. In hell the dead endure conscious sufering and torment. Those in hell are not able to leave or to have any involvement with events on earth. Those who go into heaven join the angels in service and worship of God, but they do not become angels. The dead in heaven appear to have some awareness of what is happening on the earth, but no involvement with earthly affairs.

The book of Revelation depicts the saints of God around the throne of God, praising Him and pleading for His justice to be executed on the earth. The book of Revelation shows the angels around the throne of God praising Him and going out into the world to do His bidding. Though angels and the saved dead share the abode of heaven and join together in the worship of God, the Bible, particularly the book of Revelation, shows them to eternally continue as two distinct groups.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 17, 2015

Posted under

Christianity, The Bible

Where do things like the Gospel of Thomas fit into Christianity?

The Bible is made up of sixty-six books, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation. Recent years have seen an increased interest in ancient books like the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas is one of fifty-two books known as the gnostic gospels. The Gnostic gospels were all written sometime between 100-300 A.D. and generally claim to have been written by apostles or other individuals who had close relationships with Jesus. Other well known gnostic writings include The Gospe of Judas, The Gospel of Mary and the Gospel of Phillip. The collection of gnostic gospels cannot be summarized easier because have many different themes and purposes. Some claim to reveal information about Jesus’ life not discussed in the New Testament. Some claim to present a different perspective on Jesus’ ministry that the New Testament writers wanted to keep hidden. Some claim to offer a new angle on the events recorded in the New Testament gospels, interpreting the episodes in Jesus’ life according to Gnostic beliefs.

Since many of the gnostic gospels claim to give factual information about Jesus and His disciples that was not included in the New Testament, how does the Christian view these books? They have no legitimate claim to be the Word of God. They make fraudulent claims about their authorship. They make factual statements that contradict the New Testament. They teach doctrines contrary to the doctrines of the Bible. No gnostic gospel was ever recognized as God’s Word by any ancient Christian church.

The gnostic gospels are not Scripture, but do they offer some historical insight like some Apocryphal books? The length of time between the life of Jesus and the writing of the gnostic gospel (at least one hundred years) means the information included is less trustworthy than that found in the New Testament. The unique historical claims of the gnostic gospels have no confirming evidence in other historical records. A number of the gnostic gospels present historical details that are clearly fallacious (like those found in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas). Some of them, like the Gospel of Judas, rewrite history to present an account that supports gnostic theology.

The gnostic gospels are books written by men promoting a body of beliefs contradictory to the New Testament. The books make claims based on the imaginations and theological errors of the gnostic heresy. These books are intentional fabrications. They offer much insight into gnostic theology but they provide no useful information about the early life, the personal life or the secret life of Jesus. A quick comparison between any of the most popular gnostic gospels and any of the New Testament gospels will reveal an obvious difference. The gnostic gospels read like poor imitations of the New Testament or feeble attempts to create epic mythology. The gnostic gospels are unreliable as anything but historical curiosities. They are not Scripture and offer nothing to aid the understanding of the life of Jesus or to promote true, Biblical theology.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 10, 2015

Posted under

Heaven

Are there different levels in heaven?

Many years ago I was given a booklet that claimed certain Christians would have positions of great benefit and joy in heaven. The rest of the saved would be in heaven, but would not have the joy of being always in the presence of God. Certain religious groups teach that only a select few will enjoy the New Jerusalem, while most will live in a new earth. Does the Bible teach that certain saints will have higher positions, better mansions, more importance or greater joy in heaven than others?

The Bible teaches of a time coming when Jesus will reign over the world from Jerusalem. Jesus’ earthly kingdom is not heaven or eternity. Jesus’ kingdom is an empire that will cover the earth and last for a thousand years. During His rule over the world, certain faithful disciples of Jesus will be given positions of leadership and responsibility in His kingdom. Some will be entrusted with greater positions of service in Jesus’ millennial kingdom. Jesus’ empire will never cease, but the thousand year kingdom will end with another rebellion from Satan and the total destruction of the universe as it currently exists. After the final destruction of the universe, God will create a new earth and new heaven. The new heaven and new earth are the places of eternal bliss most often described when one talks about heaven and eternal joys.

The Bible does not give much information about what things will be like in heaven. What it does say does not give any indication that there are different levels in heaven. Sometime after death, God’s servants are rewarded for their faithfulness in service to Him. However, the Bible indicates that these rewards are not kept but are given back to Jesus as an act of worship recognizing that He alone is worthy to be praised. (Revelation 4: 10) In the eternally perfect universe, heaven, the Bible doesn’t say anything at all about certain people having positions of special privilege or rank. The clearest teachings in the Bible about the eternal state are found in Revelation 21 and 22. Describing the saved who inhabit heaven, Revelation 21 says, ” Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Revelation 22 says, “And his servants will serve Him, and they shall see His face.” It seems that in heaven those who are saved will have equal status as God’s servants and equal access into His presence. All will share equally in eternal bliss. None will be in greater joy and none will be closer to God than others. There will not be any low level Christians nor VIP saints in heaven.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 5, 2015

Posted under

Current Events, Life Questions, Sexuality, Sin

Is homosexuality a sin?

Recent months have seen increased discussion about the permissibility of homosexual marriage. The public debate will probably continue for many months. For many who have a religious background the debate has gone beyond what is publically permissible to center on what the Bible teaches. Some churches have declared the Bible does not teach homosexuality is sinful. Some churches have become more ardent in their protests that homosexuality is sinful. With these issues certain to stay in the public eye for quite a while, it is necessary to answer the question, does the Bible say homosexuality is a sin.

The answer is really very simple. Yes, homosexuality is a sin. The Bible plainly and repeatedly condemns homosexuality. Jude 1:7 identifies homosexuality as one of the reasons Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed. The Mosaic law specifically forbade any kind of homosexual behavior, including cross dressing. Romans 1:25-27 speaks of those who have rejected God and the punishment of their idolatry. “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

Romans 1 identifies homosexual behavior as the punishment of rejecting God. Homosexuality is not a lifestyle to be embraced, but Divine judgment that should promote repentance not rejoicing. 1 Corinthians 6:9 includes homosexuality, “abusers of themselves with mankind”, in the list of sins which will not be found in the true child of God. 1 Timothy 1:10 says that homosexuals, “them that defile themselves with mankind”, are behaving in a way that is opposed to truth.

These are the specific Biblical prohibitions against homosexuality. Added to this is the Biblical definition of the only category of permitted sexual behavior, that which occurs between and man and his wife. The commands against all forms of illicit sexual behavior always encompass homosexual behavior. To state the case succinctly, the Bible plainly forbids all sexual desire, fantasy or activity outside the relationship of a man and woman in marriage. God’s Word does not just condemn the action it condemns the lusts. How any one can attempt to offer legitimate argument against the Bible’s clear statements is rather baffling. The statements of the Bible are plain. The only way to read the Bible as giving anything other than a consistent condemnation of homosexuality is to make one’s own ideas and philosophies more important than the plain reading of the Bible.