The background to this comment is point 4 on the Jesus and Salvation page which says:
4. You need to act to receive the gift of salvation.
John 1:11-12 'He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name , he gave the right to become children of God.'
Romans 10:9-10 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
Act 3:19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.'
Hi,
Number 2 and number 4 completely oppose each other. You state in 4 that salvation is by faith alone without works. But then you go on to say in 4 that people need to do a work to be saved. The scriptures are clear, no works to be saved. The minute you believe you are sanctified and justified. How do you think people in the last minute of their lives can be saved? They don’t have time to do works for sanctification according to your step 4. Brother, step 4 is a work and makes the cross of non effect. You should remove step 4!
Hi James,
Thanks for the email. You said that in 4 I say that people need to do a work to be saved. That's obviously not something I said. TBH I don't know what it is that you actually have a problem with. Is it that I used the word 'act' in the title? Or is it one of the three scriptures concerning salvation you don't personally like?
Blessings,
Iain.
Readers Reply
Can you help me understand what you are saying in step 4? Can you break it down for me what you mean by somebody having to 'act' in order to receive the free gift of salvation? Normally free gifts don't come with conditions. If a free gift comes with a condition, it's not free.
Thanks,
James
Hi James,
So here are a couple of illustrations. Let's say the chocolate factory in your town broadcasts widely and loudly that this coming Tuesday is 'Chocolate Tuesday'. You have been waiting all year for this day because all their chocolate is totally free. All you have to do is come to the factory and take it. You don't have to pay a cent. But if you don't act by going and receiving it, you don't get any. It is a totally free gift but if you just sit at home and think about it, you miss out. It's free, but you still need to do what the Choclate factory CEO says to get it!
Or, for a more Biblical example, Jesus gave the illustration of salvation in the story of those bitten by the snakes in the Old Testament (John 3:14,15, Num 21:5-9) Here the instruction from God was simple - you can be saved from the snake bites but you need to do what I say - you need to look at the snake that is lifted up upon the pole... and you will live. Those that acted, by following God's instruction and looking, lived. Those that didn't look up, those that looked the other way, and those that decided to try their own methods of healing, didn't live. It was a totally free offer of healing and salvation but they needed to act and follow what God said to receive it.
I hope that illustrates the 'acts' that I speak of. Yes salvation is a free gift and I will never compromise that. That is the gospel. But we need to do what God tells us to do to receive it. He tells us to repent (change our mind - especially in regards to the person, work and position of Christ), to believe/receive the Lord (these things are synonymous if it is a true faith and not just a head belief that James warns against (James 2:18-20) and acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Those are the three scriptures I used to illustrate point 4. None of them are 'a work'. There is nothing we can do to pay for our salvation and this certainly doesn't 'earn' salvation. It is simply the act of receiving the free gift... Like following what God said and lifting your eyes to the snake on the pole (or even, in a far less spiritual example, making the move to the chocolate factory to receive the free offer of chocolate).
And all of this can be very simple. It is not meant to be complicated. But should come from a true heart that sees their need. Think of the one of the greatest and most beautiful examples of salvation in all of scripture - the thief that died next to Jesus. Here is what he said:
Mat 27:44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Luk 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (40) But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? (41) We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." (42) Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " (43) Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
You will note that initially both robbers hurled insults at Jesus. Later, one repented. He changed his mind about Jesus and his sin. He saw that he was a sinner and was rightfully being judged. He saw that he deserved to die for what he had done. But he saw more than that. As he watched and listened to Jesus, he believed and acknowledged that Jesus was the promised Messiah, saying 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom'. So simple, but profound. And through that simple act of repentance, acknowledgement and acceptance of Jesus as the promised Messiah, through faith he received salvation. It wasn't earnt. It couldn't be paid for. He was about to die and justly so. But his actions and words showed that he came to faith on the Lord's terms and was granted eternal life.
I trust this helps.
Blessings,
Iain.
Unfortunately my email didn't help. Point 4 on the page linked above has three verses concerning salvation. One from John, one from Peter and one from Paul. It turns out that he doesn't accept any of the three verses (not even the one from Paul for some reason). Based on what he sent me I said I assumed he was a hyper-dispensationalist and asked whether he now understood how I am using the word 'act' (as described in the email above). He replied with:
"I am bible believing Christian, saved by God’s grace. I believe the preserved words of God. I take the bible literally. The verses are not the gospel revelation Jesus gave to Paul. I hope you will seek the truth in Gods preserved words in the KJB. Your life depends on it. Try not to call other bible believing Christians slandering names like hyper-dispensationalist."
I then asked why he doesn't accept salvation verses in the gospel of John, especially given that John puts such an emphasis on 'believe'. And why doesn't he accept Paul's word on salvation in Romans 10:9-10?
I didn't get a reply so that remains a mystery.