Eternal Salvation
There are two crucial questions that everyone should be prepared to answer. Please consider these for a moment:
· What if you died tonight and found yourself at the judgment seat. When God asks you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?”—how will you answer?
Have you come to the point in your thinking that you are certain whether you will go to heaven?
The most important question that a person must face is how he will spend eternity. Sadly, many people—even many professing Christians—are not sure about their eternal destiny, nor are they aware of the answers the Bible gives to these ultimate questions. This question in theological terms is referred to as soteriology—the doctrine of how we are “saved” or how we get to heaven. Related to this is the doctrine of justification—how we become righteous in God's eyes.
We may also ask, what are we saved from? We are saved from the wrath of God, the dominion of sin, and the power of death (Romans 1:18, 3:9, 5:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).
There are several ways that people may answer these questions. If your answer is that you expect to get to heaven because you are basically a “good” person, the answer fails the test. That particular answer is clearly a non-Christian answer. Based on some of the material we have gone over, man is separated from God because of his sinfulness. Christianity is unique in teaching that man is by nature sinful, not good by nature. This certainly does not mean that man can do no good whatsoever, but that every aspect of our lives is touched by sin. We are guilty before God and deserve his wrath.
Some religions—such as Islam—would answer the questions by focusing on the good that they in fact do. This is different from the previous answer in that it does not address our nature, but rather it suggests that surely we must be able to do enough good for a loving God to let us in to heaven. But such religions fail to appreciate the depth of the separation of man from God. In reality, members of every religion fall short of even their own rules. Fifty-one percent won’t get you out of junior high, let alone into heaven.
Further examples of inadequate answers might be: living a decent life, loving your fellow man, born into a Christian family, attending church, performing religious rituals, etc. These are wrong answers because the Bible makes it clear that nobody is good enough. Remember the Bible verses above about man’s sin? No one can even begin to stand before a holy God and proclaim self-sufficient adequacy.
· What if you died tonight and found yourself at the judgment seat. When God asks you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?”—how will you answer?
Have you come to the point in your thinking that you are certain whether you will go to heaven?
The most important question that a person must face is how he will spend eternity. Sadly, many people—even many professing Christians—are not sure about their eternal destiny, nor are they aware of the answers the Bible gives to these ultimate questions. This question in theological terms is referred to as soteriology—the doctrine of how we are “saved” or how we get to heaven. Related to this is the doctrine of justification—how we become righteous in God's eyes.
We may also ask, what are we saved from? We are saved from the wrath of God, the dominion of sin, and the power of death (Romans 1:18, 3:9, 5:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).
There are several ways that people may answer these questions. If your answer is that you expect to get to heaven because you are basically a “good” person, the answer fails the test. That particular answer is clearly a non-Christian answer. Based on some of the material we have gone over, man is separated from God because of his sinfulness. Christianity is unique in teaching that man is by nature sinful, not good by nature. This certainly does not mean that man can do no good whatsoever, but that every aspect of our lives is touched by sin. We are guilty before God and deserve his wrath.
Some religions—such as Islam—would answer the questions by focusing on the good that they in fact do. This is different from the previous answer in that it does not address our nature, but rather it suggests that surely we must be able to do enough good for a loving God to let us in to heaven. But such religions fail to appreciate the depth of the separation of man from God. In reality, members of every religion fall short of even their own rules. Fifty-one percent won’t get you out of junior high, let alone into heaven.
Further examples of inadequate answers might be: living a decent life, loving your fellow man, born into a Christian family, attending church, performing religious rituals, etc. These are wrong answers because the Bible makes it clear that nobody is good enough. Remember the Bible verses above about man’s sin? No one can even begin to stand before a holy God and proclaim self-sufficient adequacy.
There are over 250 passages of Scripture that apply concerning the question of whom God will “save” from his wrath, destruction, and punishment in hell. As a sample read the verses below. As you will read, you will note that there are several different concepts involved in this question. One concept is grace, that is, salvation as God’s unmerited favor or gift—thus it is by God’s mercy that some are saved.
Another concept is faith—the Bible is clear that faith in Christ is the link to salvation. Another concept is repentance that is to acknowledge your sins and forsake them. Another concept is election, which means that God in some sense (that is not fully defined for us) predestines his particular favor on some people for his sole purpose. And still another important factor is obedience or good works.
Read Psalm 103:11-19; Matthew 7:12-27; Mark 16:16; John 3:15-18; John 6:40; John 8:51; John 11:25-26; John 15:1-11; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Romans 1:16; Romans 2:5-13; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 6:23; Romans 9:28-33; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 3:1-29; Ephesians 1:3-11; Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 10:24-27; James 2:14-26; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 1 John 1:6-9; 1 John 2:15-17.
These concepts are not contradictory but complementary. There are two sides to this coin. If one truly believes in Jesus and receives him as Savior, he will also accept him as Lord—that is, Master—of his life. Belief will manifest itself. For example, true remorse for one’s sinful condition will lead to repentance. The believer will acknowledge his sinful condition, will forsake his sins, and will put his trust in Christ for his whole life. One cannot turn toward Jesus without turning away from a life of sin—however imperfectly we humans are able.
The question for theologians down through the ages is just how to summarize all the different passages and concepts in a compact unified view. How are we to understand the biblical requirements of faith and works? This question is the primary reason why there are divisions within Christianity. There are at least four basic approaches within orthodox Christianity which we will by necessity greatly oversimplify as follows:
· Catholicism. Catholic Christians emphasize that we are saved by grace infused with meritorious works and sacraments.
· Calvinism. Calvinists—as represented by most Presbyterians, some "reformed" (that is, Calvinistic) Baptists, and others—emphasize God’s sovereign power and election toward those who will be saved.
· Arminianism. Arminians—as represented historically by Methodists, some Baptists, some Bible churches, and others—emphasize man’s free will and thus man’s ability to respond to God’s offer of salvation.
· Lutheranism. Lutherans emphasize God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion.
It is unfortunate that Christians continue to divide themselves over doctrine. The Bible calls us to unity (Jn 17:20-23; Rom 15:5-7; 1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:1-16; Php 1:27; Col 3:12-16). These divisions are further evidence of man’s sinful proclivities. It seems we cannot help but bicker, even among Christian brothers. This topic is a classic example of how people will emphasize some passages of Scripture over others to develop doctrine. Views become entrenched based on pre-conceived notions and denominational tradition.
Our comments will attempt to unify the views as much as possible. A complete view must harmonize all of the Bible’s teaching on the topic. Doctrinal differences are primarily over the respective roles of faith and works. In this regard we will first point out some misconceptions that have contributed to the divisions within the church:
· When the Bible says that we are not saved by “works” (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, etc.) it is generally referring to works of the Mosaic Law (that is, the Old Testament). The New Testament abrogates the ceremonial, dietary laws, and civil laws of the Old Testament. But this does not mean that obedience to God’s moral commands is unimportant. Jesus, in fact, strengthened biblical commands for Christian living.
· When the Bible says that we are saved by believing in Jesus (John 3:16, etc), it is implied in the original Greek language that to believe "in" (Greek word eis) Jesus means more than intellectual assent. It means to believe “into” Jesus. In other words, it means to accept what Jesus says so fully and completely that you will obey his commands, however imperfectly we humans are able.
· When James (James 2:14-26) says that we are not saved by faith alone, a clue to his meaning is his question in James 2:14, as translated by the New International Version of the Bible: “Can such faith [a faith without good deeds] save him?” This suggests that there is a correct faith and an incorrect faith. James goes on to explain that faith without works is “dead.” He explains that good deeds are evidence of a true saving faith.
The belief that saves us can be defined as "putting your trust in." Note that the demons also believe (James 2:19). In other words, they know that Jesus is God. However, they are not saved because they do not "put their trust" in Jesus.
This all gets a bit delicate in its interpretation. A saving faith will produce good works. This is not to say that it is the works themselves that produce salvation. Nor is it to say that we can boast about our good works, which will always be inadequate. The Protestant reformers put it this way--salvation is through faith alone, but not through a faith that is alone. A “faith” that is not accompanied by a righteous life is referred to as a “said” faith. In other words, anyone can say that they have faith--say that they are a Christian—but if that “faith” does not produce obedience consistent with biblical teaching, its legitimacy comes into question. As Jesus said, every good tree will produce good fruit.
The implications are important. A mere profession of faith is inadequate. If someone is not striving diligently in his Christian walk, if his life is no different from before his conversion or different from those who live outside the faith, his conversion may be false. This does not mean that once we become a Christian we are instantly a great person. Indeed, the more spiritual we become, the more we see our shortcomings. Conforming to God’s will is a lifetime process of learning and improving; there will be ups and downs. The spiritual life is one of direction rather than perfection. Only God knows the heart, but the Bible is clear that a true saving faith implies a serious commitment to live one’s life in a biblical way.
Another concept is faith—the Bible is clear that faith in Christ is the link to salvation. Another concept is repentance that is to acknowledge your sins and forsake them. Another concept is election, which means that God in some sense (that is not fully defined for us) predestines his particular favor on some people for his sole purpose. And still another important factor is obedience or good works.
Read Psalm 103:11-19; Matthew 7:12-27; Mark 16:16; John 3:15-18; John 6:40; John 8:51; John 11:25-26; John 15:1-11; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Romans 1:16; Romans 2:5-13; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 6:23; Romans 9:28-33; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 3:1-29; Ephesians 1:3-11; Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 10:24-27; James 2:14-26; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 1 John 1:6-9; 1 John 2:15-17.
These concepts are not contradictory but complementary. There are two sides to this coin. If one truly believes in Jesus and receives him as Savior, he will also accept him as Lord—that is, Master—of his life. Belief will manifest itself. For example, true remorse for one’s sinful condition will lead to repentance. The believer will acknowledge his sinful condition, will forsake his sins, and will put his trust in Christ for his whole life. One cannot turn toward Jesus without turning away from a life of sin—however imperfectly we humans are able.
The question for theologians down through the ages is just how to summarize all the different passages and concepts in a compact unified view. How are we to understand the biblical requirements of faith and works? This question is the primary reason why there are divisions within Christianity. There are at least four basic approaches within orthodox Christianity which we will by necessity greatly oversimplify as follows:
· Catholicism. Catholic Christians emphasize that we are saved by grace infused with meritorious works and sacraments.
· Calvinism. Calvinists—as represented by most Presbyterians, some "reformed" (that is, Calvinistic) Baptists, and others—emphasize God’s sovereign power and election toward those who will be saved.
· Arminianism. Arminians—as represented historically by Methodists, some Baptists, some Bible churches, and others—emphasize man’s free will and thus man’s ability to respond to God’s offer of salvation.
· Lutheranism. Lutherans emphasize God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion.
It is unfortunate that Christians continue to divide themselves over doctrine. The Bible calls us to unity (Jn 17:20-23; Rom 15:5-7; 1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:1-16; Php 1:27; Col 3:12-16). These divisions are further evidence of man’s sinful proclivities. It seems we cannot help but bicker, even among Christian brothers. This topic is a classic example of how people will emphasize some passages of Scripture over others to develop doctrine. Views become entrenched based on pre-conceived notions and denominational tradition.
Our comments will attempt to unify the views as much as possible. A complete view must harmonize all of the Bible’s teaching on the topic. Doctrinal differences are primarily over the respective roles of faith and works. In this regard we will first point out some misconceptions that have contributed to the divisions within the church:
· When the Bible says that we are not saved by “works” (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, etc.) it is generally referring to works of the Mosaic Law (that is, the Old Testament). The New Testament abrogates the ceremonial, dietary laws, and civil laws of the Old Testament. But this does not mean that obedience to God’s moral commands is unimportant. Jesus, in fact, strengthened biblical commands for Christian living.
· When the Bible says that we are saved by believing in Jesus (John 3:16, etc), it is implied in the original Greek language that to believe "in" (Greek word eis) Jesus means more than intellectual assent. It means to believe “into” Jesus. In other words, it means to accept what Jesus says so fully and completely that you will obey his commands, however imperfectly we humans are able.
· When James (James 2:14-26) says that we are not saved by faith alone, a clue to his meaning is his question in James 2:14, as translated by the New International Version of the Bible: “Can such faith [a faith without good deeds] save him?” This suggests that there is a correct faith and an incorrect faith. James goes on to explain that faith without works is “dead.” He explains that good deeds are evidence of a true saving faith.
The belief that saves us can be defined as "putting your trust in." Note that the demons also believe (James 2:19). In other words, they know that Jesus is God. However, they are not saved because they do not "put their trust" in Jesus.
This all gets a bit delicate in its interpretation. A saving faith will produce good works. This is not to say that it is the works themselves that produce salvation. Nor is it to say that we can boast about our good works, which will always be inadequate. The Protestant reformers put it this way--salvation is through faith alone, but not through a faith that is alone. A “faith” that is not accompanied by a righteous life is referred to as a “said” faith. In other words, anyone can say that they have faith--say that they are a Christian—but if that “faith” does not produce obedience consistent with biblical teaching, its legitimacy comes into question. As Jesus said, every good tree will produce good fruit.
The implications are important. A mere profession of faith is inadequate. If someone is not striving diligently in his Christian walk, if his life is no different from before his conversion or different from those who live outside the faith, his conversion may be false. This does not mean that once we become a Christian we are instantly a great person. Indeed, the more spiritual we become, the more we see our shortcomings. Conforming to God’s will is a lifetime process of learning and improving; there will be ups and downs. The spiritual life is one of direction rather than perfection. Only God knows the heart, but the Bible is clear that a true saving faith implies a serious commitment to live one’s life in a biblical way.
The Bible teaches that it is only by the grace of God that man can respond in faith and obedience. Yet, respond he must. A good biblical understanding of the Protestant view is presented by Calvinist theologians Robert A. Peterson and Michael D. Williams (in the book Why I Am Not An Arminian), summarized below:
Calvinists and Arminians agree that in order to reach heaven, Christians must :
· persevere in believing the gospel (Mt 10:22; Rom 11:17-24; 1 Cor 15:2; Col 1:21-23; Heb 3:6-14)
· love God and other believers (Mt 24:10-13; Jn 15:9, 12, 17)
and live godly lives, however imperfectly (John 15:10, 14; 2 Thes 1:8; Heb 3:13, 10:35-36, 12:14; 1 Pet 4:17-19; 1 John 2:2-6, 29, 3:3-10)
Easy believism, the view that persons are to be regarded as Christians who have made professions of faith but whose lives are unchanged, is incompatible with biblical teaching. Both God and the believer are fully active in the work of salvation, and active at the same time. God is sovereignly active and man is responsively active.
The difference in the Calvinist and Arminian views is that Calvinists would say the source of perseverance is God’s sovereign control of the lives of the elect, while Arminians would say the source of perseverance is from man’s own free will. (Note: All Christians believe in both the sovereinty of God and the free will of men.) But in any case, perseverance in biblical mandates will be present. Most Catholics, it would seem, should also in general agree with the Peterson/Williams statement, at least as far as it goes.
A biblical formulation of salvation, a view that encompasses all relevant passages of Scripture, might be described by this formula:
Salvation is by God’s grace, through a (conscious) living faith in Jesus Christ as your savior and your lord.
Or similarly,
Salvation is a gift of God responding with an obedient love-faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
With either of these formulas, there are no passages of Scripture that need be ignored or explained away to understand the full counsel of what Scripture actually teaches.
Another possible way to put these concepts into a simple formula is to say that salvation has 3 components:
1. BELIEVE. "Truly I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life." (John 6:47).
2. REPENT. "...repentence for forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4).
3. FOLLOW. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)
Calvinists and Arminians agree that in order to reach heaven, Christians must :
· persevere in believing the gospel (Mt 10:22; Rom 11:17-24; 1 Cor 15:2; Col 1:21-23; Heb 3:6-14)
· love God and other believers (Mt 24:10-13; Jn 15:9, 12, 17)
and live godly lives, however imperfectly (John 15:10, 14; 2 Thes 1:8; Heb 3:13, 10:35-36, 12:14; 1 Pet 4:17-19; 1 John 2:2-6, 29, 3:3-10)
Easy believism, the view that persons are to be regarded as Christians who have made professions of faith but whose lives are unchanged, is incompatible with biblical teaching. Both God and the believer are fully active in the work of salvation, and active at the same time. God is sovereignly active and man is responsively active.
The difference in the Calvinist and Arminian views is that Calvinists would say the source of perseverance is God’s sovereign control of the lives of the elect, while Arminians would say the source of perseverance is from man’s own free will. (Note: All Christians believe in both the sovereinty of God and the free will of men.) But in any case, perseverance in biblical mandates will be present. Most Catholics, it would seem, should also in general agree with the Peterson/Williams statement, at least as far as it goes.
A biblical formulation of salvation, a view that encompasses all relevant passages of Scripture, might be described by this formula:
Salvation is by God’s grace, through a (conscious) living faith in Jesus Christ as your savior and your lord.
Or similarly,
Salvation is a gift of God responding with an obedient love-faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
With either of these formulas, there are no passages of Scripture that need be ignored or explained away to understand the full counsel of what Scripture actually teaches.
Another possible way to put these concepts into a simple formula is to say that salvation has 3 components:
1. BELIEVE. "Truly I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life." (John 6:47).
2. REPENT. "...repentence for forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4).
3. FOLLOW. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)
Most Lutherans (and some other Protestants), however, are uncomfortable with the above formulas because they feel that they could be too easily misunderstood. They would say that one might incorrectly infer from these that we are saved by the works implied in the formulas. We simply can never be good enough to be saved by our own efforts. Rather, in regards to a simple formulation of justification, Lutherans would simply quote Ephesians 2:8-9,
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Yet Lutherans agree that good works are important because they are commanded by God, and that “it is impossible to separate works from faith just as it is impossible for heat and light to be separated from fire.” (Quote from Martin Luther, Book of Concord) Further, they agree that a true living faith is never alone as it always works by love, so that good works are always found with true faith. They also say that the will of the converted man cooperates in all the works of the Holy Spirit. And since they believe that one can fall away from the faith, they also agree that perseverance is necessary.
And Lutherans insist that the Bible teaches that good works follow faith as gratitude for what Christ has done for us from his finished work on the cross. The power to live a sanctified (holy) life, to Lutherans, comes from the Holy Spirit, not from human strength. It is faith—not good works—by which one receives salvation and by which salvation is preserved. In other words, we obey because we are saved, not that we are saved because we obey.
We would emphasize the general agreement, rather than the disagreements, on these issues among orthodox Christians—Catholic and Protestant. We are saved by grace through a living faith in Jesus Christ alone, while warning that anyone who thinks they are saved by a mere profession of faith without seeking to be obedient to Christ and his church has a false sense of security.
Again, it is faith that is the tool that links us to God. Someone may complain that they just do not have enough faith. But it is not the amount of faith, but the object of your faith—Jesus Christ—that is important.
Others may say that they find it difficult to have faith. Yet you can have faith. There is so much evidence for the Christian faith—through nature, conscience, history, the Bible, and the person of Jesus Christ. Much of our website is dedicated to an examination of the evidence for the Christian faith and one is invited to explore it.
This discussion always brings up the question, "Is Jesus the only way to God." Or, "What about the innocent people who never heard of Jesus?" First, because of man's sinful nature, it is a wonder that God provided a way for anyone to be saved. There are no innocent people.
Further, we do not think that the Bible teaches that people who have not heard the gospel are necessarily condemned or that all non-Christians are condemned. That is a possible inference, but not a necessary one. The Bible says that Jesus died for all mankind, and we do not really know for sure from the Bible about people who never heard about Jesus. We believe that God will be perfectly fair in such matters. But the Bible does make quite clear that anyone who has heard of Jesus and then rejects him is doomed. We cited various Bible passages earlier in the study. That is tantamount to rejecting God and his offer of salvation.
It is clear from the Bible that we must repent and trust Christ to be saved. But some may still ask, how can I know that I am a Christian? Here's a 3-part test:
· Have I made a profession of faith to Jesus Christ as the Lord and savior of my life, and been baptized as an outward sign of becoming a member of the Christian community?
· Do I feel that the Holy Spirit is working in my life?
· While still a sinner, am I becoming more Christ-like over time? Is my level of love and obedience greater now than a few years ago?
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Yet Lutherans agree that good works are important because they are commanded by God, and that “it is impossible to separate works from faith just as it is impossible for heat and light to be separated from fire.” (Quote from Martin Luther, Book of Concord) Further, they agree that a true living faith is never alone as it always works by love, so that good works are always found with true faith. They also say that the will of the converted man cooperates in all the works of the Holy Spirit. And since they believe that one can fall away from the faith, they also agree that perseverance is necessary.
And Lutherans insist that the Bible teaches that good works follow faith as gratitude for what Christ has done for us from his finished work on the cross. The power to live a sanctified (holy) life, to Lutherans, comes from the Holy Spirit, not from human strength. It is faith—not good works—by which one receives salvation and by which salvation is preserved. In other words, we obey because we are saved, not that we are saved because we obey.
We would emphasize the general agreement, rather than the disagreements, on these issues among orthodox Christians—Catholic and Protestant. We are saved by grace through a living faith in Jesus Christ alone, while warning that anyone who thinks they are saved by a mere profession of faith without seeking to be obedient to Christ and his church has a false sense of security.
Again, it is faith that is the tool that links us to God. Someone may complain that they just do not have enough faith. But it is not the amount of faith, but the object of your faith—Jesus Christ—that is important.
Others may say that they find it difficult to have faith. Yet you can have faith. There is so much evidence for the Christian faith—through nature, conscience, history, the Bible, and the person of Jesus Christ. Much of our website is dedicated to an examination of the evidence for the Christian faith and one is invited to explore it.
This discussion always brings up the question, "Is Jesus the only way to God." Or, "What about the innocent people who never heard of Jesus?" First, because of man's sinful nature, it is a wonder that God provided a way for anyone to be saved. There are no innocent people.
Further, we do not think that the Bible teaches that people who have not heard the gospel are necessarily condemned or that all non-Christians are condemned. That is a possible inference, but not a necessary one. The Bible says that Jesus died for all mankind, and we do not really know for sure from the Bible about people who never heard about Jesus. We believe that God will be perfectly fair in such matters. But the Bible does make quite clear that anyone who has heard of Jesus and then rejects him is doomed. We cited various Bible passages earlier in the study. That is tantamount to rejecting God and his offer of salvation.
It is clear from the Bible that we must repent and trust Christ to be saved. But some may still ask, how can I know that I am a Christian? Here's a 3-part test:
· Have I made a profession of faith to Jesus Christ as the Lord and savior of my life, and been baptized as an outward sign of becoming a member of the Christian community?
· Do I feel that the Holy Spirit is working in my life?
· While still a sinner, am I becoming more Christ-like over time? Is my level of love and obedience greater now than a few years ago?