All You Have To Do Is Believe In Jesus? This may be the most destructive lie that has ever been told! The doctrine of being saved by faith alone is a very common teaching in the religious world today. This has been a basic doctrine of the Baptist denomination. The following is a quote from the Southern Baptist Convention web-site under their Resolution On Southern Baptists And Roman Catholics section. www.sbc.net/resolutions/964 Be it further RESOLVED, That we confess the historic Baptist doctrine of justification, namely, that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone without any addition of good works or human efforts 1
It is also a basic doctrine of the Methodist church. The Methodist Book of Discipline state the following under article 9. wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort This doctrine has been believed by millions of people. But, is this really what the Bible teaches? Is belief, apart from any works, all that we need for salvation The only way to know is to go to the Word of God and not some creed or statement of faith written by man. We also need to take the whole Word of God and not just pick and choose the parts we like. One of these verses that is used to teach belief only is John 3:16 Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 2
They will say see, it says whoever believes on Him will be saved so all you have to do is believe. If this were the only verse that discussed salvation they would have a very strong argument. But there are many other verses that bring out the fact that this belief is an active belief, not just something we do in our mind. If I believe Jesus is the key to my salvation then I will do what He says I need to in order to be saved. If we look at the context of John 3:16 we will see that Jesus is talking to Nicodemus. Earlier in this same chapter He told Nicodemus there was more to do than just believe. Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 3
We see from the context that a person must believe but they must also be born again. He must be born of the water which is referring to Baptism in water. He must be born of the Spirit which is referring to the new attitude toward God and a determination to live for Him instead of ourselves. Baptism is a work (something we do) and Jesus says without this work we will not see the Kingdom of God. Do I believe Jesus when He says I must be baptized in order to be saved? Jesus taught in other places that the work of baptism was necessary for salvation. Mr 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Jesus says the ones who believe and are baptized will be saved and if we don t believe that we will be condemned. 4
Jesus emphasizes the necessity of doing what He says in Matthew 7. He gives us a stern warning in Matthew 7:13-14 Mt 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. According to Jesus there will be a lot of people go to hell and only a few who make it into Heaven. That should cause us to carefully examine what we are doing in order to save our souls! Is the path we are taking difficult or does our path require little effort? Lets look at what Jesus has to say about doing what He says. Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 5
Mt 7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! These may have been sincere in their efforts to obey the Lord but they lost their souls because the did not do the will of God. They claimed Jesus as Lord but failed to do what they were supposed to. Sounds like more is needed than just belief doesn t it? Jesus goes on and explains further explains the necessity of doing and not just believing. Mt 7:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 6
The one who believes Jesus, in the sense of John 3:16, when he hears what Jesus wants him to do will do it. That man is a wise man and will be able to save his soul. Mt 7:26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." The one who refuses to do what Jesus has commanded is foolish man. This man will not save his soul but will be destroyed. The Apostle Paul taught we will be judged by our deeds. Ro 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7
Ro 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: There is no doubt that we must believe but Paul plainly teaches that we must have good works to go along with faith in order to be saved. Peter taught that we must do righteous works to be accepted by God. Ac 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 8
James plainly makes the point that we are not saved by faith alone. Jas 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Jas 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Faith apart from works is useless! James say it is dead! Jas 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 9
James makes the point that it is good works that separates the faith of the Christian from the faith of the demons! Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. It took both faith and works to justify Abraham. Jas 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Man says in his creeds and statements of faith that we are saved by faith alone but the Word of God says we are justified by works and not by faith only! 10
Who are we going to believe? Man or God? Here is the point I want to make from all of this. The Devil has done an amazing job of convincing people: All they have to do is believe. Being a Christian requires very little action on our part. As long as I am good person then I will go to Heaven. He has been so successful that most people don t even consider that they may not go to Heaven. Do we ever think about which path we are on? The Wide with the many or the Narrow with the few. In order to be on that narrow path there are some things we must do! Hear: Ro 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Believe: Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Repent: Lu 13:3 "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 11
Confess: Ro 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Be Baptized: Ac 22:16 'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Remain Faithful: Re 2:10 "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Are we doing the things that God requires of us for salvation? 12