THE TRUTH IN PRINT, Vol. 8: Issue 9,
October 2002.
A Publication of the Valley
=======================================================
By Bob W. Lovelace
Dear
reader, have you ever found yourself frustrated concerning the important matter
of “salvation”? Additionally, are you at times upset because you feel like
others are simply not getting what it means to "be saved"? Such is
understandable in view of the variety of explanations offered due to diverse
human philosophies and beliefs. These often exist because of
"incomplete" presentations of what the Bible does teach one must do
to be saved. Thus, it is no wonder that few people understand "the
beginning point" that eventually leads to one's salvation. If you will
take your bible and read each scripture in this brief study this will enable
you to be honest with yourself (see Acts
Concerned reader the term
"Pentecostalism," by one definition, denotes those that hope to have
the so-called "Pentecostal experience." These will speak of being convicted of sin
and a desire to lay it aside. Because the supposed "proof" of one's
salvation will often be said to be found in a personal "experience,"
explanations of faith and conversion from individuals of this background often
involve a wide range of "stories" tending in many ways to be
repetitious. For such there seems to be a dependence upon the necessity of
having an "experience" that is supposedly supernatural (highly
unusual) and thus evidential of salvation (they say). A friend who said that he
was driving down the road related one such "experience" to me.
Suddenly, he said, a bright light shined through the windshield. He stated that
he pulled over, and upon his accepting the Lord he "got saved." Thus,
significance is given to the definiteness of one's "experience" at a
precise point in time at which the individual says they "knew" they
were saved. Yet another may speak of a feeling of deep sorrow for sin in one's
life, along with having "prayed through" for salvation. Such
explanations will readily admit to a profession of one's belief that Jesus is
the Son of God, and this often with a frank admission that one must repent
(Acts
Consistent with this belief their own
striving to lead others to salvation involves a certain suggestiveness that
others should be "looking" for their own experience or
"sign." Many thus influenced give evidence that they are in a
"waiting" stage, having not yet experienced what they'd be willing to
equate with the supernatural. One "premium" put on modern day
"tongue speaking" (This is not really the "languages" that
were actually tongues in the New Testament. See Acts 2:8 "our own
language.") is that the "experience" once it comes is equated in
the individual's mind (and others in company) as being "proof" of
their own personal relationship with the Lord. Thus, once again, we see the
value of the "Pentecostal experience" which for all practical
purposes "is" one's supposed proof of their own salvation.
One particular occasion I sat in a
Pentecostal church and listened to a mother as she tearfully testified of her
intense desire that her son, a good friend of mine, would get
"tongues." It was more than obvious that this mother was anxious with
regard to her son's salvation "status," thus seeking to confirm that
he did have a relationship with the Lord. Dear reader this a
deceptive, self deceiving concept with regard to "salvation." That
particular mother was so eager to confirm her son's relationship with the Lord
that she as much as asked God to give him "tongues" to relieve her
anxiety over the matter! While it is one
thing to be anxious about the salvation of those you love, it is quite another
thing to try and force an experience upon them when the New Testament teaches
no such thing. Such is spiritual confusion concerning salvation!
Skipping over to another
concept now ~ the matter of infant baptism. Here one is taught that a
parent or adult may assume the "faith" for the infant and profess
such unto the infant's salvation. Concerned reader, no such thing is found in
all of the New Testament! Yes, some
parents just can't wait till they see their child respond to the influence of
the congregation to point where they finally "act" as encouraged by
all (And often with a slight push if you know what I mean). Thus comes an
utterance of syllables ran together in some sequence or string that sounds like
a catcher trying to make a batter strike, and that to the relief of all
especially the parents. Similarly, other young parents can hardly wait to get
down to the local priest and have some "holy" water sprinkled on a
crying infant, all the while being told that the "faith" is another's
"for" the infant until such a time as the child grows and is able to
profess its own. While such formality is
comforting to the parents and Godparent, this too is spiritual confusion! It
flies in the face of passages such as Romans 6:17 where we are taught that
those in
Going on now, here's another scenario
concerning yet another false concept of salvation. A mother stands at the sink
washing dishes. She's thinking about her children whom she desires to be
"saved." According to her belief all that is required is that they
profess a personal belief in the deity of Jesus, that He is the Son of God
(Acts
Friend, these things happen every single day
but none equate with what the New Testament teaches that one must do to be
saved. Becoming a Christian is a teaching process. Hear Jesus, "No man can
come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him
up at the last day. [45] It is written in the prophets, And
they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that
hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me" (John
In order that all men everywhere might hear
and BELIEVE Jesus gave His apostles this commission: "
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but
he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark
THE "
If you will "USE" this God given
beginning place for yourself and others, rather than allowing emotions or some
human philosophy to enter in, you will be able to discern for yourself what is
necessary. Moreover you will not be guilty of leading another astray! Thus far
we have established that upon HEARING the word that one BELIEVES in the deity
of Jesus as God's Son. And that Jesus said the one who believes and is BAPTIZED
shall be saved (Compare Acts 18:8).
As Peter preached the Gospel on the day of
Pentecost the people cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
(Acts
God's Word presents yet another step
preceding baptism for the remission of sins, that being one's
"Confessing" the deity of Christ. Hear Paul, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation" ( Romans
10:9-10).
Thus by God's plan key elements stand out in
the eunuch's conversion recorded in Acts
NOTE:
In our On Line Correspondence Course,
“Fundament Lessons on the Church” under Lesson Three you will find a complete
lesson on what one must do to be saved. The title to Lesson Three is
“Membership Requirements According to the First Century Revelation.” This can
be accessed on our web page at either the home page or the complete Article
Index. Or, just click here