Experiences do not save 

 

When Jesus gave the commission to go into the entire world and preach the gospel to everyone, the saving message (the gospel) was the same for all (Mark 16:15-16). Jude 3 says there is a common salvation. Jesus did not provide unique ways to heaven for specific people – the same pathway is available to all of us. Unfortunately, some people want their conversions to be unique. They pursue this by claiming that some experience they went through “proves” they were saved. There are many ways to disprove these claims. However, this article will review some Bible accounts of unique experiences to determine whether those experiences actually saved the person.

 

Saul and the voice from heaven

In Acts chapter 9, there is no question that Saul of Tarsus had an experience. A light shone from heaven and a voice cried out, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (verse 3-4).  Jesus appeared to him and gave some instructions. However, it was not until Saul went into the city that he heard this message from the preacher: “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized washing away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord,” (Acts 22:16). If Saul merely had the experience with Jesus and then did not follow the instructions, he would not have been saved. If Saul had not gone into the city, he would not have heard the preacher’s message, would not have been baptized and ultimately would not have had his sins washed away. It is vital to see that this genuine religious experience did not save Saul. Salvation came when he responded to the same life-saving message that is extended to all of us today.

 

Cornelius and the Holy Spirit

In Acts chapter 10, we find Cornelius and his family having an experience. While the apostle Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon them (verses 44-45). There were Jewish Christians present, and this proved to them that the Gentiles could become Christians too.  After this experience, Peter proceeded: “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord,” (verses 46-47). Again, we need to see that the experience itself did not save Cornelius. He and his family, like any family today, were saved when they responded to the gospel call and had their sins washed away.

 

Philippian Jailer and the earthquake

In Acts chapter 16, we find a jailer facing an earthquake. Thinking that all the prisoners had fled and fearing for his own life, the jailer was about to kill himself. The apostle Paul (formerly known as Saul in the first example) called out: “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here” (verses 27-28).  The jailer then brings them out of their cell and asks what he needs to do to be saved (verse 30). He is told to believe in Jesus and receives some additional preaching (verse 32).  The man was then baptized (verse 33). Just like the other examples, the jailer would have been lost if he thought he was saved just because he believed. Salvation came when he responded to the life-saving message via baptism.

 

These three incidents help us see that even when strange things occur, they are not a substitute for conversion. Things happen that you might not be able to explain. Do not ignore the gospel by using the event as a confirmation of your salvation. The only thing that proves a person is saved is if they obey the gospel message (Acts 2:37-41; Rom. 6:3-7). Remember that it is the gospel message that saves mankind, not mankind having some experience. Beware those who teach a salvation other than the gospel (II Thess. 1:8).

 

                                                                                       Chuck

Can I really write that?

 

Some people will disagree with the first article because they feel that Christians should not do the things listed and, if they do, these people were never Christians in the first place. Such circular thinking is absurd. Read the verses and notice how they were all addressed to Jesus’ followers (during His time on the earth) or Christians (after His death). However, let’s pursue this line a thought some more.

 

Christians are constantly being warned in the word of God to take heed lest they fall (I Cor. 10:12; Heb. 3:12). Why warn God’s people of something that cannot happen? If Christians are being warned of things, then they are obviously susceptible. We also have passages that tell us that Christian can and have fallen away (I Tim. 4:1; II Pet. 2:20-22). Even Jesus spoke of such with the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.

 

So what should Christian do to make sure they do not fall away? The apostle Paul told the saints at Corinth to examine themselves regularly to confirm that they are in the faith (II Cor. 13:5). We do that by looking into the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25). The word of the Lord is designed to instruct, correct and chastise (II Tim. 3:16-17).

 

Then what should a Christian do when he/she sees another Christian fall away? First, remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5. If you want to help a brother, make sure you do not have sin in your own life. Next, help them come back (James 5:19-20). This is the wrong time to say “it is not our business”. We are all obligated to look out for the spiritual wellbeing of our brothers and sisters.

 

The hardest thing about all of this is seeing someone who needs help but thinks they are fine. The first article points out many of those possible scenarios. People can think they are alive spiritually when they are actually dead (I Tim. 5:6).

 

Each of us should go back over the first article and make sure we have not fallen victim to self-deception. As we stated already – “Take heed lest you fall.”  If we think it cannot happen, it will!

                                                                               

        Chuck

You cannot be a faithful Christian without repenting 

 

“Christian” is one of those terms used so loosely today that we have people claiming to faithful Christians when they are anything but. This is not new. There were individuals in Sardis that called themselves something they were not (Rev. 3:1). The fact is, one cannot be a Christian and walk in sin. Repent means “to turn away from”. To help make things perfectly clear, a person is not a faithful Christian if they do any of these things:

 

1. Marry someone unlawfully (Matt. 14:4; 5:32; 19:9).

 

2. Are a female preacher (I Cor. 14:34-35; I Tim. 2:11-12).

 

3. Are a member of a man-made religious organization – i.e., a denomination (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:47; Rom. 16:16).

 

4. Wear a special title as a religious leader (Matt. 23:7-10; I Cor. 1:12-13; Acts 10:25-26).

 

5. Refuse to belong to a local church that is Christ’s (I Pet. 5:1-2; I Cor. 11:17-18; Acts 9:26).

 

6. Try to follow the gospel and, at the same time, follow the law of Moses (Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 8:7-8; 9:16-17). 

 

7. Worship God based on what they like rather than seeing what God has authorized/instructed (John 4:24; Matt. 15:1-9; Col. 3:17).

 

8. Conform to the world via immodest dress, corrupt speech and sexual immorality (I Tim. 2:9; Eph. 5:4; Gal. 5:19).

 

9. Keep returning to the passing pleasures of sin with drugs, gambling, drinking and the like (I Cor. 9:27; I Pet. 4:3; Gal. 5:21).

 

10. Go through life trying to serve two masters (Matt. 6:24; I John 2:15-16).

 

11. Put their earthly family ahead of the Lord (Matt. 10:37; 6:33).

 

12. Serve as an elder in a church when not married or not meeting other qualifications (I Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).

 

13. Claim to love the Lord yet hate their brother (I John 4:7-8, 20).

 

14. Get married but refused to leave their father and mother (Matt. 19:4-6; Eph. 5:22-33).

 

15. Act kindly toward some people but have prejudices toward others (Gal. 2:11-13; Gal. 3:27-28).

 

16.  One who has accepted the world’s standard for entertainment when it ungodly (Rom. 12:1-2).

 

Many people are fooling themselves by saying they are Christians when they do not live Christ-like lives (I Pet. 2:21). Christians may sin from time to time, but they are required to repent (I John 1:8-10).  Remember, repenting means “to turn away from”. We all need to think about that.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Chuck

Do not kid yourself

 

We all like the ending to a good story. This is no more true than the story of the prodigal son, spoken by our Lord (Luke. 15:11-32). Jesus tells a parable about a son who went off and wasted his life with prodigal living, only to eventually home and tell his father he was sorry. A celebration was then held to rejoice over the return of the lost son.

 

It is dangerous to expect the same happy ending even if we change some of the facts around.  When you start modifying the story, you begin to miss the many lessons our Lord was trying to teach. For example, the story would be very different if Jesus did not describe how the son hit rock bottom. In Jesus’ parable, the son becomes so poor he hopes was willing to eat the pods fed to swine. How would the story change if the son’s father offered aid as soon as the son began to struggle? Would the father still have run to him, fallen on his neck, kissed him, put a robe on him and prepared the fatted calf? Do not kid yourself…

 

Like we pointed out in the first article,  you cannot do something different and expect the same result. Christ was clearly teaching that people need to repent and should not expect special favors (verses 18-19). What if his father did treat his returned son like one of his hired servants? The son said he wanted this. If he was treated this way and got angry, he would be guilty of lying. Would he apologize only for selfish reasons?  Without genuine remorse and change, the son would not want to be treated any differently than before he left. In short, the son’s remorse demonstrated that he had learned.

 

The party that the father threw was conditional on the repentance of his returned son. Having a feast without repentance would just reinforce the younger son’s behavior and encourage a repeat episode. Just as these lessons are true in our earthly lives, so they are also true in our spiritual ones. Let us remember the words of Paul: “God is not mocked,” (Gal. 6:7).  This is true because “What a man sows, that he will also reap.”   If you expect forgiveness without a change of heart, it is foolish to expect to be welcomed with open arms.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                             Chuck

 

Let’s think this through

 

I do not know how many times over the past month I have heard people say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” I like this statement, and it is thought provoking. From a Christian standpoint though, the opposite is also true. We could say “It is insane to do things differently and expect the same result.” Allow me to explain.

 

God’s people have been given a teaching that is unchanging (Rom. 6:17). This means we cannot add to it or take away from it (Gal. 1:6-9). Those who abide in the gospel are walking by faith (Rom. 10:17).  Now here is the clincher – without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, it is insane to do things differently than what God has authorized and still expect the same results as those who follow His word.

 

Everyone needs to understand that a person “doing things for God” is not automatically approved by God. If God does not approve of these things, then who are they truly being done for? If you insist that God approves of something (or if you think He should approve of it) and are unwilling to confirm this in His word, then you are really doing it for yourself. The Bible is filled with examples of this behavior Consider Cain (Gen. 4), Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10) and those Jesus called out (Matt. 15:7-9).

 

Read on to understand why some vainly do things differently than God’s word describe and yet expect the same outcomes as those who faithfully follow His word.
 

Is it the thought that counts?

If God does not care how we serve Him, then why give the gospel? Why warn of punishment for those who do not obey His word or abide in it (II Thess. 1:8; II John 9)? If all that counted was the thought, John 4:24 would have been written to say, “God is Spirit, they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit.” But we all know it continues on to say, “and in truth.”

 

Do the differences matter?

Our Lord commands that we sing (Eph. 5:19). Someone says, “We sing and play instruments in worship – it’s the same!” This is not the same – God’s word did not mention instruments. Our Lord commands that we belong to the church Christ built (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:47; 20:28; Rom. 16:16). Someone says, “We belong to a denomination – it’s the same!” This is not the same – Jesus founded His church, not the denomination. Our Lord commands we have authority for everything we do (Col. 3:17; II Tim. 3:16-17). Someone says, “We don’t have Biblical support for everything we do, but it is still the same!” No it’s not – without God’s word, you are establishing your own religion.

 

Should we focus on God’s love and not His wrath?

Most people are annoyed when someone tells us what should or should not bother us. Imagine how God feels when people insist that certain behaviors should not upset Him even though His word teaches on these subjects! God’s love and wrath co-exist. We know this because God loves everyone and does want anyone to perish (John 3:16; II Pet. 3:9). Does that mean love overlooks sin? Of course not, which is why many will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14).  For some reason, those who are in religious error always think the lost are somehow different from them. In reality, they themselves are lost.

 

Let us be rational thinks and not insane – if we do things differently than are described in God’s word, we should not expect the same outcomes as those who abide in His word.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Chuck