How do I balance that?

In our first article  we discussed having proper confidence that we are going to heaven by keeping the faith. How can Christians do this without thinking we are earning our salvation though? The key is to understand the difference between working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 4:16) and being saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). After all, faith without works is dead (James 2:24).

Consider Titus 3:1-8. In these verses, Titus is told what he is to teach the brethren. The teachings are broad and include everything from obeying the rules of the land to speaking evil of no one. He was to remind them to leave behind their former ungodly lives (verses 1-2). Notice that even with all the commands given, Titus is told that the demonstrated kindness of God did not come “by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” (verse 5). In essence, Titus is told that our good works do not earn God’s kindness because salvation was already offered to us.

God’s kindness came first and is seen in many ways. Logically, there would be no race to run if mankind was not given the chance to run it in the first place. Man could not keep a faith unless it had already been delivered (Jude. 3). How could we have a hope of heaven unless there was heaven to offer man and consequences if it was rejected?

The assurance Christians have is directly related to their trust in what the Lord said. Because faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17) and we know that hearing the word without obeying it is unprofitable (James 1:22), our hope rests in walking by faith. Those who believe you cannot be 100% certain of your chances of heaven show their lack of faith. If you do what the Lord says and do not question Him, you will have complete peace.

Anyone who is convinced they are right with the Lord should not be afraid to defend what they believe. After all, we are to give an answer for the hope that is within us (I Pet. 3:15).  Do you have that hope? And more importantly, do you know why? Consider these things and contact us if you have concerns.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Chuck

What grace is not

If you teach someone that 2+2=4, you should not have to also teach everything that 2+2 does not equal (2+2≠5, 2+2≠3, etc.). If someone was raised to believe that 2+2=5 though, you would have to teach both what 2+2 does equal (4) and also what it does not equal (5).

This is a common challenge when trying to teach what God’s word actually says. You might think that whenever someone teaches what the Bible says, they would not have to also teach what the Bible does not say. Sadly though, many people think the Bible teaches certain things that it does not. In this article, we will teach what grace is. But we also have to point out what grace is not. Why? Many religious teachers spread confusion by making claims about grace that are NOT Biblical.

The Biblical meaning of grace

The simple definition of grace is “a gift”. Paul stated that we are saved by grace through faith and not of works (Eph. 2:8-9). This shows that we can never earn our salvation – it is a gift from God and thus something that we do not deserve. If we did deserve it, it would not be a gift thus would not be considered grace. Specifically, God’s gift to us was the sending of Jesus Christ and providing a plan of salvation that leads to heaven (Eph. 2:1-7). 

Despite the Bible’s clear teaching, religious teachers have muddied the waters. Here are some things that grace is NOT:

Grace is not a license to sin

The brethren at Rome were told God’s grace was great due to the amount of sinfulness in the world (Rom. 5:20). Paul did not want them to get the wrong idea though, so he posed a question: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1). In essence, Paul asks if the brethren should sin more to make God’s gift even more necessary. He strongly answered his own question: “Certainly not!” (verse 2). The point of Christ dying on the cross and giving His life as a gift for us was so that we would no long live under sin (Rom. 6:2). Willfully turning to sin is a rejection of this gift. Therefore, grace is not a license to sin!

Grace is not God overlooking sin

For some reason, people want to believe that “the grace of God” means He sees Christ’s blood when we sin rather than seeing us commit the actual error.  This makes no sense. Mankind was in sin, so the Father sent His Son (Rom. 5:8) to help us find forgiveness (Eph. 1:7). Does this mean God will overlook sins after someone becomes a Christian? In the Bible, Christians who sinned were told that God saw their wrongdoing (I Cor. 5:2; I Cor. 1:11; Rev. 2:4, 14; 3:1, 15-16). They were never told these sins were overlooked.

Grace is not obtained without conditions

Many religious people today are confused about grace because they believe it is unconditional. They say that if there are conditions on grace, it would no longer be a gift. What about the conditions Jesus gave: “Unless you believe I am He you will die in your sins” (John 8:24)? Also consider this condition about repentance: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish,” (Luke 13:3). And this condition about baptism: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). To not abide in the doctrine of Christ is to miss heaven (II John 9). Keep in mind what we read earlier – we are saved by grace through faith. This faith must be active, not dead (James 2:26). Grace is the Lord’s part, and faith is our part. Our faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).

                                                                                         Chuck

Can you be a Christian and go to any church?

I am certain that most religious people believe Christians can go to any church they choose. What does the Bible, God’s preserved word, say? In a literal sense, anyone can do anything THEY want. Let’s rephrase the question to better seek the will of God: Can one be a faithful Christian and go to any church they want?

There are many questions that need to be answered. When we find the answers to these questions, then we will have found the answer to our original question.

1. What does the Bible teach about becoming a Christian? (Rom. 10:17; John 8:24; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 2:38; 22:16)

2. If a “church” does not teach what the Bible clearly states for question #1, then why would a Christian want to assemble with that “church”? (II John 9-10; I John 4:1)

3. Has the Lord specified which church a Christian must be of? (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; Rom. 16:16).

4. If the answer to question #3 is no, then would it really matter which church one was a member of? (Rom. 4:15)

5. However, if the Lord is being specific, then does this not answer the question given in the title? (Acts 2:47).

Allow me to be direct as we conclude this article. Jesus adds those who obey the gospel to His church, not some man-made organization. Becoming a Christian and picking any “church” you want is NOT authorized by the Lord. To make sure you are pleasing the Lord, study to show yourself approved (II Tim. 2:15). If you need further help identifying a church that is faithful to the Lord, do not hesitate to let us know.    

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Plenty of motivation

There is no question that Satan would like God’s people to keep the gospel to themselves. This is why Christ admonished His followers to not hide their lights under bushels (Matt. 5:15). Saints should not find joy in having the light and keeping it to themselves.  Rather, there are many reasons why children of God should seek out opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Here are a few to consider:

They are commanded

Those who make it their aim to please God know that they must walk by faith (Heb. 11:6).  This entails both listening to God’s word and doing what it tells us (Rom. 10:17; James 1:22). Jesus plainly stated that we ought to spread the good news (Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20). We should be honored that Jesus has invited us to share His message! Indeed, those who love the Lord will keep His commandments (John 14:15).  This alone is plenty of motivation for Christians to seek and teach others. But there is more.

They are aware of the terror of the Lord

Before becoming Christians, we all find ourselves guilty of sin and have no way to directly deal with it (Eph. 2:12). The thought of losing our souls and enduring eternal punishment is part of the reason we each became Christians. Recall what Paul wrote: "knowing therefore , the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (II Cor. 6:11). Because we know the awful fate that awaits those lost in sin, we too should be motivated to share the gospel message with those around us. But there is more.

They had people that helped them

Recall Jesus’ lesson about extending mercy because we each received mercy (Matt. 18:23-35). As Christians, we should appreciate those who took the time to teach us. It should also remind us of the importance of sharing that message with others. We might be the last person with an opportunity to give the good news to a person! This, too, is plenty of motivation to teach others. But there is even more.

They have joy in planting and watering God’s word

No one enjoys telling bad news. However, the gospel is fundamentally good news – it explains a way out of the sin we would otherwise be ensnared by!  It is hard to keep the story of Jesus Christ and salvation to ourselves (Acts 8:4). We get a thrill out of sharing God’s word. Imagine how we will at harvest (Luke 15:10). We should also be heartened to know that we are only tasked with planting and watering as God will give the increase (I Cor. 6-9). Thus, we should be motivated to know that we can share the word with everyone and not worry over who might receive it. But there is even more.

They know it helps them get stronger

When we share good news with someone else, we then share in their joy when they receive it. Students are not the only ones who benefit from lessons as the teacher must also study and prepare. When we are told that when we teach, we also teach ourselves (Rom. 2:1). This is exactly why saints are told it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). We should thus be motivated to share the gospel with others as we know we will receive joy in return. But there is even more.

They know the laborers are few

We know that sharing the gospel is an important task. With so few available to share it, we should be motivated to get to work (Matt. 9:37-38). God’s people want to be useful in His kingdom and are full of zeal (Titus 2:14).

Having discussed all of these points, how can God’s people not be motivated to go and teach the gospel?

                                                                                             Chuck