“What must I do to be saved?” – The most important question that has faced mankind since the Fall. All Christians realize that Jesus is the only door that we can enter Heaven through, but then the debate arises as to how exactly we obtain forgiveness through Him and what conditions must be met in order for Him to bestow it. How can it be that entire denominations have formed and split over the very foundational tenet of the Christian faith?

I was raised in a fundamentalist church that taught salvation is “by grace though faith alone”. While it is true that we cannot in any way earn salvation, it seems that we must examine what Biblical faith is. I think it can be best summarized by the old hymn titled “Trust and Obey”. While the belief part is the one we seem to emphasize, and we certainly should, the other side of the same coin so to speak, is obedience, and that is the part that we seem to minimize lest we hear words such as “legalism” and “works” thrown about. However, consider such passages as James 2:14-26 and 2 Thes. 1:8 which says “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus”. [italics mine] Of course, there are many scriptures that teach we must believe (trust) in Christ. But it is clear that salvation also requires obedience, but what specifically?

Obedience to the gospel includes a lifestyle of continued repentance from sin. Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19

Obedience to the gospel includes baptism (immersion). Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Gal. 3:27

Obedience to the gospel includes evangelism. Mark 16:15 Mat. 10:32-33 Mat. 28:18-20

1 John 2:3-6 puts it simply by stating, “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” [italics mine]

I have noticed that many places in the Bible that little word “if” has huge significance. I know this issue may be a sticking point for many and they will defend their way of thinking to the end, but the only one that matters is the Lord’s. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not trying to be harsh, divisive, or judgmental, and I am by no means perfect nor do I feel that I am qualified to be a Biblical scholar. However, we should all be concerned with pursuing absolute truth instead of reciting denominational dogma. I am deeply concerned and sorrowful for many who seem to preach and/or believe a “watered down” gospel with the evidence showing itself through the spiritual apathy and moral decline that seems to be accelerating in this country with a majority population that claims to be “Christian”.

James 4:4 equates friendship with the world with hatred toward God. How many of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus express hatred toward the One whom we say we love by the things we desire, entertainment we consume (see http://www.hollywoodandGod.com ), events we attend, and relationships we cultivate. I am not advocating separatism where we hide out in communes and do not interact with anyone who we deem “unholy”. We need to be salt and light among the nations in order to point the way to Christ to a people who desperately need Him. The trick is to be in the world without becoming part of it.

I have been looked down upon by some of the brethren from my past for now attending a Restoration Movement New Testament church that teaches “something in addition to faith only as a requirement for salvation” as if I had joined some kind of heretical sect, and this has been quite troubling to me because that “something” is nothing more than obedience to the very commands of Jesus. How little we Christians know of the love of Christ! May God forgive us for failing to mourn over the scores of people who are daily being swept into eternal torment while we arrogantly spar in the prideful contest of denominational superiority. Unfortunately it seems that perhaps there needs to be a clarification, if not purification among those who claim to be saved. Consider 1 Peter 4:17,18 “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Once again we see that not only is the Gospel something that must be believed, it is also something that must be obeyed.

We will never achieve perfection this side of eternity. Spiritual growth is a lifelong process that requires discipline, perseverance, and a whole lot of grace. But does the fact that we are under grace mean we do not have to obey God? Sure we have to believe, but that’s only the beginning. Keep in mind what Jesus told the father of lies in Mat. 4:4, “But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

We have to live by every word, not just the scriptures that we feel apply to us!

I am afraid that there are those who make Biblical conversion too easy. Not only is the gate to eternal life small, but the road leading to that gate is narrow and not well traveled. The fact that there will be more people in Hell than in Heaven has caused me to literally weep, and how I wish with everything in me that was not true! And perhaps most tragically, many professing Christians will end up condemned to everlasting fire because they were deceived. However, Jesus himself warned of that reality in Mat. 7, and I have no choice but to accept His words. That is why it is so important that we heed the stern warning in Gal. 1:7 not to pervert the Gospel of Christ no matter how “noble” our intentions.
I know this is a long post, but thank you for reading and I would welcome any feedback.

I didn’t understand that you were asking me that question, so if it seemed as though I was avoiding an answer, I wasn’t. I think if you read what I last wrote to NateW it would answer the question, however. I can’t judge whether someone is saved or not, but I can separate from him as a brother or separate from him AS a heathen man and publican. Either way, I’m separated from him because of belief and practice.

NateW,

Nothing got lost in the shuffle. I understand what Phil has written. I’ve read several articles and comments that he has scribed about this. Phil knows too that I understand what he has written. My point is that what I know he said is actually not Scriptural. I gave a few Biblical points and those have not been dealt with. I asked you questions and you didn’t answer them. That’s your prerogative; it’s a free country and this is your website.

I also understood your “gotcha” argument—if I am not consistent in my practice it somehow might prove that what I am espousing isn’t true. Respectfully, it is a weak (or no) argument even if I was inconsistent. I also believe that the burden of proof for this new doctrine of tertiary/primary (even according to Phil not found in historic material) rests upon you. I’ve shown Scripturally it is wrong. Regarding my practice, I believe I am consistent, and where it is pointed out that I am inconsistent, I will change. What the Bible teaches and what I believe results in true unity in churches and between churches. Our church has many churches with whom we fellowship and we are all independents tied together by nothing but the truth. Even so, what is this concern for a circle of fellowship being small—what is this disposition with numbers? Jesus never said we would be large. Concern with numbers is weak faith. Leave the numbers to God. Let Him do the counting. When David numbered the people what occurred? What I want is Scriptural fellowship, Scriptural unity, not some faux-fellowship based on reducing doctrines to a manageable number. That is nowhere in Scripture.

John MacArthur may write a book to “help the body,” that is, work at getting Charismatics to see the light, but separation is what God ordered us. Separation is God’s way. You could add a disclaimer when you preach certain doctrines—this is not a doctrine important enough to separate over, it’s just in God’s Word.

I believe the point of Phil’s article was to explain the need for men to understand which doctrines we should ultimately break fellowship over. I realize that you are saying that you do not believe Scripture makes any distinction between doctrines, but the reason I asked the above question is that I would venture to guess that your practice says something different. You continue to say that you seperate over what the Bible teaches. I don’t think anyone else who has commented on this site would say that they don’t try to uphold everything Scripture teaches. We can all try to uphold what Scripture teaches, disagree on what we believe it teaches on certain issues and still fellowship as believers.

The point is that in our practice there are some doctrines which people will break fellowship over and some they will not, even though they disagree. Do you fellowship with anyone who believes something different than you? Maybe its church polity, or end times, or music selection, or mode of baptism, or any number of other issues. Your circle of fellowship would be terribly small if you only fellowship with those who believe all the same things you do. Once you agree to fellowship with someone who believes something different than you, your practice betrays your belief that some doctrines are worth seperating over and some can be disagreed upon and fellowship still be enjoyed. I’m not trying to pick apart your personal views on seperation, I am just trying to clarify what I believe Phil was writing about and that somehow got lost in the shuffle.

I wasn’t asking you to say whether or not Piper or MacArthur were saved. I was just using them as examples of men who have differing views on things.

The hypothetical is: Can a dispensational cessationist AND a historic premil, covenental continuationist both be saved?

I’m not trying to get you to commit to something and then trap you. I’m just trying to understand what you believe. To that effect, I would really appreciate a yes or no answer only. If you could do that, I’d be grateful. If not, I understand.

MIKE

Thanks for asking, and very well worded question. If I say “yes,” then separation is about me, about agreeing with me. And since you use the word “interpretation,” it means that it is about interpretation, which usually has fairly wide latitude. That’s where this subject relates to the emerging movement. They say we can’t be sure about interpretation. Is that what you say NateW? I see the emerging movement just moving the line of Scriptural ambiguity further than where you would draw it. For instance, I don’t see you separating over infant sprinkling. They don’t separate over homosexuality. Why are they worse for not doing so? I would venture to say that the doctrine of infant sprinkling has resulted in more people going to hell than the practice of homosexuality.

I practice Scriptural separation over what the Bible teaches. I don’t separate over every “interpretation,” i.e. Jephthah’s daughter and the “sons of God” (angels or line of Cain) in Gen. 6. I don’t separate over every differing application either. To practice NT doctrine and practice, I separate over what the Bible teaches us to believe and do. I don’t cut people off. “Be patient with all men.” We can’t preserve the truth unless we will separate over it. Truth is antithetical. No one can believe two conflicting truths. Jesus came not to bring peace but a sword.

I can explain my position more Nate. I would want to. I haven’t yet heard a Biblical theology of this primary/secondary. It seems to be based on pragmatic reasoning, fitting a doctrine to a predisposed and comfortable practice. The arguments are solely rhetorical. Thanks again for asking.

Do you fellowship with anyone who does not agree with you on every single interpretation of every passage of Scripture? Just curious…

NateW

Thanks. I get the jist of your first paragraph. Certain issues are non-Scriptural. Obviously Scriptural issues are more important than non-Scriptural ones. The use of drums is not non-Scriptural. The Bible prescribes the use of percussion instruments (Ps. 150). It isn’t that we use them, but how we use them. Every issue of obedience relates to the gospel. Are we saying the gospel is license to sin in some other area than not believing the gospel? Rom. 6:1. God forbid.

Scripture relates imminence to holy living (2 Pet. 3:10-12), whether you can find a holy living, non-imminence person or not? God’s authority stands. We should agree or disagree on this and all other issues based on what Scripture teaches regardless of our backgrounds.

Thank you for the interaction. I fully agree with the point of what you said about imperatives.(I must not have been clear about what I was saying) Jesus, and any other Scripture writer, does not have to say something in the imperative for us to obey it. Is there a difference in Scripture between perscription and discription though? (That is the point I am trying to make) Are we equally outraged at the misunderstanding of the Gospel as we are the use of drums in church? Do we respond the same way?

BTW The point you make about imminence and holy living is a red herring in my mind. I have many brothers in the Lord who are covenental and believe much differently about the end times than I do, yet they manage to live holy lives. (BTW I am a very committed pre-mil dispentaionalist but benefit from others outside of “my camp”) Eschataological views differ not because God is not clear but because we are sinful and do not know our own hearts. (Jer. 17:9)

The point and scope of this article is not about being wishy-washy in the truth and I suspect you know that. (knowing what you do about Phil). It is about the spirit in which we contend for the truth. Are we pugalistic always? (Think 1 John 4:15-21; 1 Cor. 13:1-3)

Kent, I would agree with a lot of what you have to say on this topic and have benefitted from some of your previous writings, but think you and I will not agree on this topic due to our backgrounds. That is ok, I still consider you a brother and am unified with you around the truth of the Gospel.