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It’s
interesting to me how an illustration can sometimes become so
powerful that it supplants the thing it is illustrating. For
instance, the illustration for salvation is many times cited
by the use of a man’s five fingers. Hear, believe, repent,
confess, be baptized, we are wont to affirm, is God’s plan
for salvation. And it is. But that’s not some sort of creed.
It’s an illustration–a representative of what happens when
an honest person–a sinner–seeking salvation from his sins,
reads the Bible and sees what God affirms as the necessary
steps to salvation. But let it be carefully observed that:
Sin
is more than a mere mismanagement of one’s life. Sin is
a willful choice, made by a rational human being, but one that
is in direct contradiction to what God defines as truth and
goodness. A person sins when he deliberately chooses his own
way in preference to God’s way (Jeremiah 10:23; Isaiah.
55:8-9). Sin is a disdain for God and His law. In Psalm 51,
David affirms, “against Thee and The only have I sinned.”
All sin is against God. In II Corinthians 5:21, Paul affirms
that Christ was “made to be sin” for us. And in Isaiah
53:4-6, we are informed that the death of Jesus was necessary
for our forgiveness. Sin is not just mis-managing one’s
life, but a serious reproach against God.
Faith
is more than a mere admission that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. Faith that doesn’t act on known knowledge is no
faith at all (James. 2:22). Faith is active. The Hebrew writer
says that in order to please God one must not only believe who
He is, but “that He is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him” (11:6). It is not enough to merely love God,
either. “He that saith I know Him and keepeth not His
commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him (I John
1:4). Love for God is perfected in our obedience. Faith that
works is faith that saves.
Repentance
is more than just one decision to turn and serve God. Salvation
is not, and never has been, a one-stroke process; and
repentance is not a one-time decision. John tells us that we
should “bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance”
(Matt. 3:8). That’s a continual process, a willful decision
to do better day by day. Repentance activates one’s
faithfulness. One who repents will then turn. There is no
repentance without turning and no turning without repentance.
One implies the other. One who has repented will begin
immediately to turn himself around (see Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19).
Confession
is more than an admission that Jesus was a historical
character. Confession is an audible admission of what is
in one’s heart. I cannot know for sure what you believe–no
matter how I may suspect it–until you tell me. Confession,
to the Christian, is a kind of pledge of allegiance. The
Ethiopian, in Acts 8, confessed that he now believed in Jesus
Christ. And it’s not just a mantra or creedal admission, but
a real statement of acquiesce and resolve to God as Sovereign.
Confession states publically who we serve.
Baptism
is more than just getting saved. No good Bible student
would deny that baptism saves (Acts 22:16), being “born
again” (John 3:3; 3:5) is just that–being born. Following
your birth there must be a willing decision to develop toward
spiritual maturity. “If ye then be risen with Christ,”
says Paul, “seek those thing which are above where Christ
sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections on
things above, not on things on the earth.” That’s the
course of pursuit which naturally follows baptism (being
“risen with Christ”). That maturation process is one that
must be diligently pursued: it’s putting on the “new
man” and putting off the “old man” (Col. 3:10, 12, 14).
Judgment
is more than a slapping of the hand. Judgment is serious
business. It is an appointment every man will keep and should
be a horrible thought to those not prepared for it. “Behold,
therefore the goodness and severity of God; on them that fell
severity...” (Romans 11:22). Matthew 25:31-46 records the
judgment scene. Several things stand out: First, please note
that everyone will be there (vs. 32). Second, please observe
that there will be a separation of the good and evil (vs. 33).
Third, notice, please, that some will be sent into everlasting
punishment (vs. 41). And fourth, rejoice that the knowledge
that there will be a glorious reward for the faithful (vs.
34). “It is appointed unto man once to die and after this
the judgment (Heb. 9:27). Can we dare ignore the fact of
impending judgment? And it could be sooner than you think.
Yes,
let us allow the Bible to speak for what constitutes
salvation. And let us be careful not to make the illustration
of the salvation the salvation itself.
Dee Bowman
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