You do want to go to heaven, don’t you?

Garland Van Dyke

4 min read

Jesus and the Adulterous Woman

From Jesus’ Own Words

What if the “Christian” world weren’t divided into denominations? What if every congregation of believers looked alike, and like the church in the first century? What if each of them held only the Bible as their source of authority for religious practices?

Sounds crazy? I genuinely believe it is possible. But how would such a thing come to be? After all, the denominational world has been so entrenched for hundreds of years.

The solution is simple. Just follow the command, examples, and logical conclusions of the New Testament. You know, it’s not about “God doesn’t say to, so we can.” It’s really about “What does God truly want us to do according to His will (the New Testament)”.

So what has Jesus, God, said about salvation?

Luke 19:10 — “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Why did Jesus come? To save us all. Save us from what? Hell, sin, judgment, and ourselves. Mighty huge thought, but true nonetheless.

John 8:24 — “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” Just about everyone agrees with Jesus regarding faith. Without faith, there is no salvation. But let’s be clear. Faith, in our day, comes from understanding scripture, Romans 10:17 — “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Faith is the trust we place in Jesus to take us home to heaven. He is Christ, Lord, and Savior.

Luke 13:3 — “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Perish means spiritual death, separated from God, in hell eternally. Jesus describes it as a burning lake of fire. Yet, those who are there will never burn out of existing. It never means annihilation. So, it’s best to repent; a complete change of mind and action of the world, to a life serving Jesus.

Romans 10:9-10 — “because, 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 with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Confessing Jesus publicly as both the Son of God and Lord is directly tied to salvation.

Jesus’ words on this? Matthew 10:32_33 — “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” Want your name in the “Book of Life” recorded in heaven? Would you like your name spoken before the Father as His child? If yes, then publicly confess Jesus as Lord.

Then Jesus said, in Mark 16:16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Please note the logical progression: Faith is absolutely essential, and baptism is also essential for salvation. It’s what Jesus said. I am not going to argue with God on this.

The faith-only doctrine is genuinely false. The New Testament doesn’t say that anywhere. From the verses we’ve seen, it takes these five actions for salvation: (1) Understanding God’s word; (2) Belief/faith; (3) Repentance; (4) Confession; and (5) Baptism.

Wait! What about those who say that repentance, confession, and baptism are works, and we can’t be saved by works? Here’s the deal: we can’t be saved by our good works; no one can be saved that way. But the way of salvation is to do Godly works, the five elements of salvation.

Did you know that faith is a work? Here’s Jesus once again, John 6:29 — “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’” Would anyone deny that having faith is necessary for salvation? But Jesus’ own words claim that Godly works are essential.

But then, there are those folks who claim “we’re only saved by God’s grace. There’s nothing for us to do except believe.” Well, once again, Faith is a work.

If so, does that nullify grace? Not at all. Here’s John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Grace is God’s gift of Jesus to a dark, sinful world. Jesus is the light sent from God so that we may see clearly the way to salvation. But then notice the last part of the verse: Whoever believes in him… That’s action on our part. No believing, no salvation. The grace of God sent us Jesus. His grace is also the gift of salvation by adhering to His terms of salvation.

“Oh, that’s just legalism!” Some would say. Of a truth, I want to be as legal as Jesus tells me to be. I want to be as legal as the New Testament.

Going by the Lord’s word is the only way to stamp out denominations, to be God’s people simply. His people, not a denomination started by a human.

Summary of God’s Terms For Salvation

A nicer looking table here: https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/9FCSX/2/

There’s more in the 2nd Part of the Salvation Packet.

Thanks for reading!

Key words in this article:

Salvation , Jesus , Repentance , Confession , Baptism

Garland Van Dyke

http:www.matthewsstreetchurchofchrist.com

Matthews St. church of Christ, 1915 Matthews, PO Box 1522, Bay City, TX 77414

Email: garland.churchofchrist@gmail.com

You’re always welcome to attend worship with us on Sundays at 9:30 for Bible Class, Worship at 10:30, and Bible Class on Wednesdays at 7 PM.