False Teachings: Have I been mislead?

           There is a lot of false teaching in this world.  Even if we narrow the conversation only to the arena of God and religion we could fill numerous books with the material.  For the sake of space I will simply be refuting false teaching as it pertains to Biblical salvation.

The Truth:

            The Bible states, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life” Jn 3:36a.  Eternal life is here referring to a right relationship with God which brings with it many benefits, such as: becoming a new creation as an accepted child of God, having a home in heaven for eternity, sins forgiven, authority over our enemy, indwelling Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and even access to God Himself, all through belief in Jesus. This is what the Bible says we are to believe about the Son: “…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” 1Co 15:3&4.  The Bible also states very clearly that salvation is: “the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast” Eph 2:8b&9 Confusion comes to the topic of salvation when a “necessary” action (or work) is added to the simple gospel message.  By far, the most frequent offenders of this “adding” are simple misunderstanding and religion.

Universalism:

            The most common misunderstandings are almost universally accepted.  “Good people go to heaven (or are saved) and bad people go to hell.”  This seems to make sense, after all, this is what most are told from cradle to grave in every TV show, movie, book, and story we ever experience.  The all important questions that need to accompany this belief seem to remain forever unasked and unanswered:  “How good earns heaven?”  “How bad warrants hell?”  “Who decides?”

            Without these answers, most default to the next most common misunderstanding:  “God  grades on the curve.”  If asked, “Who do you think will go to hell?” most would respond, “Hitler”, “mass murderers”, or “child molesters”, something like that, but will almost always indicate someone or some group worse in their eyes than themselves.  While looking around to see if we are better than those around us is often comforting, that is not God’s plan.  Contrary to this belief the Bible tells us that ALL have sinned and fall short (Ro 3:23) and that this sin has earned us death (hell) apart from the gift of God through faith in Jesus. (Ro 6:23)  The most dangerous thing about these misunderstandings is the belief that most people are automatically saved and look forward to heaven when they die, when in fact the Bible tells us that many more people will go to their destruction than those who find life. (Mt 7:13&14)

Religion:

            “Religion”, as used here, is defined as man’s attempt to make himself right with God.  Just like the Old Testament law, it consists of a set of rules universally applied to all, requiring no relationship with God.  However, the grace and truth that Jesus introduced is all about relationship, unique with each of us.  While there are still absolutes for all, believing in Jesus and being known by Him personally is at the heart of salvation.  We cannot fix the problem we have created through sin; we cannot make ourselves right with God.  Jesus did not talk about helping us or offer a plan of assistance.  The Bible teaches we actually need to be completely saved by Him from our condition of lost and spiritually dead. 

            Some denominations claim their leaders and traditions have a higher authority than that of the Bible, without offering a reasonable explanation as to why that should be. This gives them great latitude to create their own plan of salvation apart from Scripture. (If you are not familiar with the reasons we have to trust the Bible above all else, please read the post The Bible in this series.)  Religion is based on works, or deeds; performing acts of sacrifice; ritual, or ceremony in order to earn God’s favor.  As we have already read, however, “works” don’t work.  Jesus has done all the work that needs to be done; He has finished the sacrificing necessary (Heb 10).  To say we need to help Him save us implies what He did was not enough; God says it was, and we simply need to believe in Jesus.  Those who teach that we need to “purge” ourselves of certain types of sin have  used this teaching to control and manipulate through fear, those who believe their heresy. 

Good Deeds:

            Some argue that “good works” are a part of the plan of salvation.  They generally point to the verse in James that reads: “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” Jas 2:24  If we only had this verse I could concede an apparent contradiction, but a contradiction at best.  Having this verse in the Bible does not make void the verse quoted earlier, “the gift of God—not by works”.  I’ve come to learn that whenever there is an apparent contradiction in the Bible, I’m about to learn something, because a little more digging will reveal my misunderstanding.  Looking further at the context of the James verse above clarifies what is not obvious from the one verse. 

            Any person can claim to have saving faith in Jesus; it only takes a few words, but making a claim does not save any more than simply knowing how to spell “Jesus” saves.  Understanding and accepting in your heart who Jesus is and what He did for you is “believing in Him”; and this WILL NOTICEABLY CHANGE you.  The Bible says we actually become a new creation (2Co 5:17).  A person’s claim to have accepted Jesus can be justified or not by judging their works.  James is not saying that faith in conjunction with works is necessary to save, but that a faith that saves will always produce good works that are evident.  In verse 14 of that same chapter we read: “Can such faith save him?”  and in verse 18: “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”  In context, there is no contradiction at all.  Our faith can be and should be judged, or observed.  We are saved by faith alone and once changed by that faith, we will then produce good works.

Baptism:

            Another popular teaching is that you are not actually saved until you are submerged in water, baptized.  Ironically this is not a doctrine of the “Baptists”.  To my knowledge, there are three scriptures that are generally referenced to defend the “necessity” of baptism for salvation.  “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” MK 16:16  This could just as easily say, “Whoever believes and shops at Kroger will be saved” because the second half of the verse clarifies “believing” as the key to avoiding condemnation.  I am not at all trying to diminish the importance of being baptized as the proper response to receiving the gift of salvation; even Jesus, though He had no sin, was baptized out of obedience.  The point is, not all things that are important are a part of the gospel message.

            “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you” AC 2:37&38a This group of people believed what they had just heard from Peter, “they were cut to the heart”.  When wondering how to respond after just accepting the message of Christ, the only appropriate response for Peter to give would be, “Repent and be baptized”.

“…and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” 1PE 3:21  It is very clear throughout the New Testament that physical baptism in water is not the only baptism that there is.  Many verses contrast John’s water baptism with the baptism of the Spirit, of fire, power, among others.  It seems apparent to me that Peter is talking about a spiritual baptism when he emphasizes, “not the removal of dirt from the body” which to me says, “not the physical” but rather, “It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” which is spiritual.

I don’t mean to be rude here, but some that teach this doctrine see water baptism every time the Bible mentions moisture of any kind.  I’ve even heard it taught that Jesus was including water baptism in the gospel message while talking with Nicodemus because He said, “no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”  Jn 3:5  Even though He immediately continues by clarifying, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” Jn 3:6  They seem to miss the main point He is making about being “born again”, not just into this world of flesh made of water, but coming alive spiritually as well.  Baptism is our appropriate response to God after accepting what He has done; it is not our act to do, which obligates His respond to us.

Speaking in Tongues:
           Some in Pentecostal denominations believe and teach that unless one has the evidence of “speaking in tongues”, they are not truly saved.  I have never heard a good Biblical argument that supports this teaching so I will simply address the little I have heard.  Let’s go back to that same conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3.  After Jesus says is verse 7, “You must be born again.” He continues by giving an analogy of the Spirit, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”  From this verse, some say that since Jesus referred to recognizing the wind by its sound, He must have meant that we would also recognize the coming of the Spirit by His sound.  In order to reconcile this belief with scripture that clearly contradicts it; they have taken this supposed initial sounding of the Spirit and transformed it into a unique speaking, which is NEVER actually mentioned in scripture.

            Once again, Biblical “speaking in tongues” has much value and benefit, but it is simply ONE of the many spiritual gifts that the Spirit gives as He chooses (1Co 12:7-11), not a necessary action to authenticate the presence of the Holy Spirit who comes to all who believe.