Saving Faith
Jul 27, 2017 14:13:06 GMT -6
Post by Ron on Jul 27, 2017 14:13:06 GMT -6
Steps of Salvation.
All of these steps are brought on by the Holy Spirit.
1. A person becomes aware of the horror that they are eternally lost. (Jeremiah 17:9-10; Romans 3:1-20; Psalm 14; Psalm 53; Romans 3:1-20; Romans 10:17; Ephesians 2:11-12; Revelation 21:6-8; Matthew 13:36-43)
2. They attempt to stop sinning to remove guilt. They attempt a "works salvation" which is Scripturally impossible. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:21-31; Acts 8:14-24)
3. They come to the realization that they CANNOT save themselves. ONLY GOD, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can save a lost soul from the wrath of God-the Lake of Fire. (Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 10:17; John 3:1-8; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Romans 11:16-27)
4. They submit to the justice of God. Conviction that God is just and fair in His judgement of their sin. They realize that God does NOT have to save them. They are utterly at the mercy of God. (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Peter 5:5-7; James 4:1-10; Galatians 5:4-6; Galatians 5:24-25; Acts 16:31)
5. They have an awakening to God with religious affections. That is a desire to imitate God as a child imitates the parent, and in so doing the gifts of the Holy Spirit become evident in their lives. They will begin to love what is Holy and hate what is unholy. (Romans 1:16-17; James 2:14-26; Galatians 5:22-26; John 15:14-18; Matthew 22:34-40)
Facts about salvation:
Believing God, NOT believing in God
Salvation is rooted in believing God, NOT believing in God.
Also,
In James 2:19 we see that even the demons believe in God, and they are scared of Him. Concerning Romans 10:9-10 we need to consider the time and place in which it was written. In that time the people of Rome worshipped Caesar as their god. It has been said that a group would carry around an incense burner and, as this group passed by Roman citizens, the citizens would be required to burn incense to Caesar and proclaim Caesar to be lord. Anyone who did not do this would be put to death for treason against Rome. Under these circumstances, we see confessing Jesus to be Lord in a whole new light. When we consider the time the book of Romans was written and the people it was written to we can understand the true meaning of Scripture. When openly proclaiming Jesus to be Lord will cost you your life it means that proclaiming Jesus to be Lord is more important to you than your own life.
Counseling and waiting on God
Both counseling and waiting on God are necessary for salvation. This is why Philippians 2:12 says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." and 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" When counseling someone NEVER tell them they are saved! Working out your own salvation and examining yourself means to compare yourself to Scripture NOT comparing yourself to other people who call themselves Christian, who compare themselves to other people who call themselves Christian. Search the Scriptures to see if you are producing fruit of the Spirit (See Galatians 5:22-26). The questions you need to be asking are, "Does the Holy Spirit live in me?" and, "Do my actions imitate the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-26?" and, "Does my life resemble the character of Jesus Christ?"
Struggle of Faith
Most go through a struggle of faith. This struggle could go on for several years. Making a decision to follow Christ is NOT the same as saving faith/being born again. Just because you "made a decision" does not mean that you are saved/have been converted. Saving faith is supernatural. It is a GIFT OF GOD NOT of WORKS lest anyone should boast (see Ephesians 2:8-9). According to western culture, modern "faith" is based entirely on hope. This is why examining one's self is disastrous to today's society. Their "faith" is based on hope they have in a decision they made at one point in their lives NOT saving faith that is given by the Holy Spirit. True saving faith can ONLY COME FROM GOD!!! It is a GIFT of GOD. According to Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The word "substance" and the word "evidence" mean that true saving faith is tangible. That is to say true saving faith is perceptible by the touch and that it may be possessed or realized. George Whitefield said, "The new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17) was not a mere metaphor. It is as self evident and palpable as a tasteless pallet suddenly brought alive at a sumptuous feast. Every one who has but the least concern for the salvation of his (or her) precious, immortal soul having such promises, such a hope, such an eternity of happiness set before him should never cease watching, praying, and striving til he find real inward saving change wrought in his heart and therefore knows of the truth that he dwells in Christ and Christ dwells in him." The born again experience is the Holy Spirit coming to live in or indwell a person, not just a decision. Jonathan Edwards said, "When a person is born again the Holy Spirit becomes an inhabitant. The Holy Spirit is a vital principal in the soul. He, acting in, upon, and with the soul becomes a fountain of true holiness and joy as a spring is of water by the exertion and diffusion of itself. It is in the communications indwelling and acting of the Spirit of God. Holiness and happiness are in the fruit here and hereafter because God dwells in them and they in God." The struggle of faith can be found in Matthew 13:20-21, " He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the Word, and immediately with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended." God prepares people for salvation. John Wesley said, "Saving faith is a gift of God. He can as easily give this faith in a moment as in a thousand years. We know not why He bestows this on some, even before they ask for it, and on some after they have sought it but a few days, and permits other believers to wait for it perhaps, 20, 30, or even 40 years." Most people have to go through a struggle of faith prior to salvation. This struggle of faith begins when they become concerned for the welfare of their soul and ends when they KNOW they are born again. Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost for His Highest, said, "When a man fails in personal Christian experience, it is nearly always that he has never really received anything. When a man is born again, he knows it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People register their vows, and sign their pledges, and determine to go through, but none of this is salvation." Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, said, "You can lead a man to Christ in a couple of minutes to a couple of hours, but it takes 20 weeks to a couple of years to adequately follow him up." Trotman repented of leading people into superficial decisions for Christ before founding the Navigators. The "hit and run" evangelism he and others had practiced for years resulting in only the survival of the fittest he now condemned as dead wrong.
The Modern "Salvation Prayer"
The modern salvation prayer has created a spiritual "darwinism" among professing Christians. By spiritual "darwinism" I am talking about only those who truly have a desire to follow God will grow in faith. Most go through a few steps and continue living like enemies of God. Modern salvation is nothing more than believe these four "laws," say a prayer, and stand in front of a local church body and you're in. That is clearly not Scriptural at all. People would know this if they would read the Bible instead of books on opinions of other people. These four "laws" come from a false teaching made famous by Bill Bright. These laws are as follows: #1. God loves you and created you to know Him personally. #2. Man is sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love. #3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love. #4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love. These four laws have just enough truth in them to sound believable to those who do not know what salvation/saving faith really is.
Notice how Satan transforms himself into an angel of light? Notice how false teachers transform themselves into apostles of Christ? Do not be deceived by these lies! This lie is based on a decision the lost soul makes to bring about saving faith. Scripture tells us ONLY the Spirit of God/Holy Spirit can bring about saving faith. Read the following Scriptures...
If the Holy Spirit is the only one who can bring about saving faith, what happens when He is removed from the salvation process? The answer can be found in Matthew 12:31-32, "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." Bill Bright's four laws have entirely removed the Holy Spirit from the salvation process. It also leaves out how God feels about sin and the sinner. It fails to mention how horrific sin really is. It leaves out the true condition of the unconverted soul, which is, according to Jeremiah 17:9, "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." Also...
The true condition of the unconverted soul is that he or she is the object of God's wrath/the fierce anger of God. The unconverted soul will spend eternity in the lake which burns with fire and brimestone without any hope of being released. The ONLY hope for the lost soul is the Holy Spirit changing what is unholy into something that is Holy (Born again-John 3; Bringing the dead to life-Ephesians 2:1; Heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh-Ezekiel 36:25-27). Also, the struggle of faith and self examination are not even mentioned. What of good works produced as a result of the new birth? According to James 2:14-26 genuine faith produces good works. Galatians 5:22-26 calls the works the fruit of the Spirit.
When compared to Scripture we see that Bill Bright's four laws are lies of Satan that send people straight to hell. Although there is some truth contained in these "laws," the way they are used is a complete lie.
Evangelical Sacraments
A sacrament is a visible form of an invisible grace, like baptism and the Lord's Supper. According to John 6:54, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." This is an example of true Christians following God in obedience. Pastors would never give the Lord's Supper to non-Christians. This would only confuse them into thinking they are saved when they are not. The same is true with baptism. According to 1 Peter 3:21, "There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Again this is an outward example of true Christians being obedient to God. Pastors would never baptize non-Christians. This would only confuse them. Declaring people to be saved at altar calls is the same as baptizing or giving the Lord's Supper to non-Christians. It only confuses them into thinking they are saved when they are really lost and headed straight for hell. Remember the Caesar worship that was going on in ancient Rome at the time the book of Romans was written. It does NOT mean that if you simply say Jesus is Lord you are saved. This is one of the many great lies of western culture devised by Satan and advertised by false teachers. The lie is that a person can have saving faith regardless of their heart condition. If the Holy Spirit truly has changed us, then our works will show it. Going back to James 2, faith/trust accompanied by obedience to God/repentance is what saves us. Trusting God(trust/faith=GIFT from God) is what saves us with obedience to God being the follow through/evidence of true saving faith. Most evangelical churches have left the obedience part out. They have also de-emphasized baptism. What was once the only Biblically sanctioned symbol of entrance into the Kingdom of God has now become, for some, little more than a symbol of joining a local church. Baptism has been replaced by the "salvation prayer" as the number one way most pastors usher people into the Kingdom of God. Back to Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is substance and evidence meaning that saving faith is tangible, not just word of mouth. According to Romans 10:17, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." If we would preach the Word of God instead of the traditions of men along with studying the Word of God and comparing ourselves to the Word of God through self-examination, we would not be fooled so easily. Study God's Word, examine ourselves by God's Word, and be obedient to God's Word. It's that simple. True saving faith/trusting God produces fruits of the Holy Spirit. When this happens we begin to imitate the attributes of God as a child imitates their parents. This also means that we begin to love what is Holy and hate what is unholy. A good example of this is if someone loves children, then they will hate abortion. Anyone who says that they love children and abortion is either a liar or they do not know what abortion really is. The fight for eternal souls is the most important fight there is. Nothing else comes close. Burning in hell for all eternity is not to be taken lightly. As horrible as the holocaust was, it pales in comparison to the possibility that 100 million Americans think they are going to heaven because they have repeated a salvation prayer, but because we can't hear screams or smell burning flesh we are tempted to leave well enough alone. After all, everybody does it. Can everybody really be wrong? Would God really let us stray so far from the truth? This is the way many catholic priests rationalized doing nothing when they were confronted with Martin Luther's 95 thesis. Surely the pope and almost all theologians couldn't be wrong.
I have made errors in this post. They are corrected in this video.
Once Saved, Always Saved?
A Warning About Hell
All of these steps are brought on by the Holy Spirit.
1. A person becomes aware of the horror that they are eternally lost. (Jeremiah 17:9-10; Romans 3:1-20; Psalm 14; Psalm 53; Romans 3:1-20; Romans 10:17; Ephesians 2:11-12; Revelation 21:6-8; Matthew 13:36-43)
2. They attempt to stop sinning to remove guilt. They attempt a "works salvation" which is Scripturally impossible. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:21-31; Acts 8:14-24)
3. They come to the realization that they CANNOT save themselves. ONLY GOD, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can save a lost soul from the wrath of God-the Lake of Fire. (Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 10:17; John 3:1-8; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Romans 11:16-27)
4. They submit to the justice of God. Conviction that God is just and fair in His judgement of their sin. They realize that God does NOT have to save them. They are utterly at the mercy of God. (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Peter 5:5-7; James 4:1-10; Galatians 5:4-6; Galatians 5:24-25; Acts 16:31)
5. They have an awakening to God with religious affections. That is a desire to imitate God as a child imitates the parent, and in so doing the gifts of the Holy Spirit become evident in their lives. They will begin to love what is Holy and hate what is unholy. (Romans 1:16-17; James 2:14-26; Galatians 5:22-26; John 15:14-18; Matthew 22:34-40)
Facts about salvation:
Believing God, NOT believing in God
Salvation is rooted in believing God, NOT believing in God.
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! -- James 2:19
Also,
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. -- Romans 10:9-10
In James 2:19 we see that even the demons believe in God, and they are scared of Him. Concerning Romans 10:9-10 we need to consider the time and place in which it was written. In that time the people of Rome worshipped Caesar as their god. It has been said that a group would carry around an incense burner and, as this group passed by Roman citizens, the citizens would be required to burn incense to Caesar and proclaim Caesar to be lord. Anyone who did not do this would be put to death for treason against Rome. Under these circumstances, we see confessing Jesus to be Lord in a whole new light. When we consider the time the book of Romans was written and the people it was written to we can understand the true meaning of Scripture. When openly proclaiming Jesus to be Lord will cost you your life it means that proclaiming Jesus to be Lord is more important to you than your own life.
Counseling and waiting on God
Both counseling and waiting on God are necessary for salvation. This is why Philippians 2:12 says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." and 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" When counseling someone NEVER tell them they are saved! Working out your own salvation and examining yourself means to compare yourself to Scripture NOT comparing yourself to other people who call themselves Christian, who compare themselves to other people who call themselves Christian. Search the Scriptures to see if you are producing fruit of the Spirit (See Galatians 5:22-26). The questions you need to be asking are, "Does the Holy Spirit live in me?" and, "Do my actions imitate the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-26?" and, "Does my life resemble the character of Jesus Christ?"
Struggle of Faith
Most go through a struggle of faith. This struggle could go on for several years. Making a decision to follow Christ is NOT the same as saving faith/being born again. Just because you "made a decision" does not mean that you are saved/have been converted. Saving faith is supernatural. It is a GIFT OF GOD NOT of WORKS lest anyone should boast (see Ephesians 2:8-9). According to western culture, modern "faith" is based entirely on hope. This is why examining one's self is disastrous to today's society. Their "faith" is based on hope they have in a decision they made at one point in their lives NOT saving faith that is given by the Holy Spirit. True saving faith can ONLY COME FROM GOD!!! It is a GIFT of GOD. According to Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The word "substance" and the word "evidence" mean that true saving faith is tangible. That is to say true saving faith is perceptible by the touch and that it may be possessed or realized. George Whitefield said, "The new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17) was not a mere metaphor. It is as self evident and palpable as a tasteless pallet suddenly brought alive at a sumptuous feast. Every one who has but the least concern for the salvation of his (or her) precious, immortal soul having such promises, such a hope, such an eternity of happiness set before him should never cease watching, praying, and striving til he find real inward saving change wrought in his heart and therefore knows of the truth that he dwells in Christ and Christ dwells in him." The born again experience is the Holy Spirit coming to live in or indwell a person, not just a decision. Jonathan Edwards said, "When a person is born again the Holy Spirit becomes an inhabitant. The Holy Spirit is a vital principal in the soul. He, acting in, upon, and with the soul becomes a fountain of true holiness and joy as a spring is of water by the exertion and diffusion of itself. It is in the communications indwelling and acting of the Spirit of God. Holiness and happiness are in the fruit here and hereafter because God dwells in them and they in God." The struggle of faith can be found in Matthew 13:20-21, " He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the Word, and immediately with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended." God prepares people for salvation. John Wesley said, "Saving faith is a gift of God. He can as easily give this faith in a moment as in a thousand years. We know not why He bestows this on some, even before they ask for it, and on some after they have sought it but a few days, and permits other believers to wait for it perhaps, 20, 30, or even 40 years." Most people have to go through a struggle of faith prior to salvation. This struggle of faith begins when they become concerned for the welfare of their soul and ends when they KNOW they are born again. Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost for His Highest, said, "When a man fails in personal Christian experience, it is nearly always that he has never really received anything. When a man is born again, he knows it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People register their vows, and sign their pledges, and determine to go through, but none of this is salvation." Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, said, "You can lead a man to Christ in a couple of minutes to a couple of hours, but it takes 20 weeks to a couple of years to adequately follow him up." Trotman repented of leading people into superficial decisions for Christ before founding the Navigators. The "hit and run" evangelism he and others had practiced for years resulting in only the survival of the fittest he now condemned as dead wrong.
The Modern "Salvation Prayer"
The modern salvation prayer has created a spiritual "darwinism" among professing Christians. By spiritual "darwinism" I am talking about only those who truly have a desire to follow God will grow in faith. Most go through a few steps and continue living like enemies of God. Modern salvation is nothing more than believe these four "laws," say a prayer, and stand in front of a local church body and you're in. That is clearly not Scriptural at all. People would know this if they would read the Bible instead of books on opinions of other people. These four "laws" come from a false teaching made famous by Bill Bright. These laws are as follows: #1. God loves you and created you to know Him personally. #2. Man is sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love. #3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love. #4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love. These four laws have just enough truth in them to sound believable to those who do not know what salvation/saving faith really is.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. -- 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Notice how Satan transforms himself into an angel of light? Notice how false teachers transform themselves into apostles of Christ? Do not be deceived by these lies! This lie is based on a decision the lost soul makes to bring about saving faith. Scripture tells us ONLY the Spirit of God/Holy Spirit can bring about saving faith. Read the following Scriptures...
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
-- John 3:5-8
-- John 3:5-8
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. -- Ezekiel 36:25-27
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. -- Galatians 5:22-26
If the Holy Spirit is the only one who can bring about saving faith, what happens when He is removed from the salvation process? The answer can be found in Matthew 12:31-32, "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." Bill Bright's four laws have entirely removed the Holy Spirit from the salvation process. It also leaves out how God feels about sin and the sinner. It fails to mention how horrific sin really is. It leaves out the true condition of the unconverted soul, which is, according to Jeremiah 17:9, "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." Also...
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. -- Psalm 5:4-6
God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts. -- Psalm 7:11-13
The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup. -- Psalm 11:4-6
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit; The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” -- Romans 3:10-18
The true condition of the unconverted soul is that he or she is the object of God's wrath/the fierce anger of God. The unconverted soul will spend eternity in the lake which burns with fire and brimestone without any hope of being released. The ONLY hope for the lost soul is the Holy Spirit changing what is unholy into something that is Holy (Born again-John 3; Bringing the dead to life-Ephesians 2:1; Heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh-Ezekiel 36:25-27). Also, the struggle of faith and self examination are not even mentioned. What of good works produced as a result of the new birth? According to James 2:14-26 genuine faith produces good works. Galatians 5:22-26 calls the works the fruit of the Spirit.
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 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? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 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. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 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. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. -- James 2:14-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. -- Galatians 5:22-26
When compared to Scripture we see that Bill Bright's four laws are lies of Satan that send people straight to hell. Although there is some truth contained in these "laws," the way they are used is a complete lie.
Evangelical Sacraments
A sacrament is a visible form of an invisible grace, like baptism and the Lord's Supper. According to John 6:54, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." This is an example of true Christians following God in obedience. Pastors would never give the Lord's Supper to non-Christians. This would only confuse them into thinking they are saved when they are not. The same is true with baptism. According to 1 Peter 3:21, "There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Again this is an outward example of true Christians being obedient to God. Pastors would never baptize non-Christians. This would only confuse them. Declaring people to be saved at altar calls is the same as baptizing or giving the Lord's Supper to non-Christians. It only confuses them into thinking they are saved when they are really lost and headed straight for hell. Remember the Caesar worship that was going on in ancient Rome at the time the book of Romans was written. It does NOT mean that if you simply say Jesus is Lord you are saved. This is one of the many great lies of western culture devised by Satan and advertised by false teachers. The lie is that a person can have saving faith regardless of their heart condition. If the Holy Spirit truly has changed us, then our works will show it. Going back to James 2, faith/trust accompanied by obedience to God/repentance is what saves us. Trusting God(trust/faith=GIFT from God) is what saves us with obedience to God being the follow through/evidence of true saving faith. Most evangelical churches have left the obedience part out. They have also de-emphasized baptism. What was once the only Biblically sanctioned symbol of entrance into the Kingdom of God has now become, for some, little more than a symbol of joining a local church. Baptism has been replaced by the "salvation prayer" as the number one way most pastors usher people into the Kingdom of God. Back to Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is substance and evidence meaning that saving faith is tangible, not just word of mouth. According to Romans 10:17, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." If we would preach the Word of God instead of the traditions of men along with studying the Word of God and comparing ourselves to the Word of God through self-examination, we would not be fooled so easily. Study God's Word, examine ourselves by God's Word, and be obedient to God's Word. It's that simple. True saving faith/trusting God produces fruits of the Holy Spirit. When this happens we begin to imitate the attributes of God as a child imitates their parents. This also means that we begin to love what is Holy and hate what is unholy. A good example of this is if someone loves children, then they will hate abortion. Anyone who says that they love children and abortion is either a liar or they do not know what abortion really is. The fight for eternal souls is the most important fight there is. Nothing else comes close. Burning in hell for all eternity is not to be taken lightly. As horrible as the holocaust was, it pales in comparison to the possibility that 100 million Americans think they are going to heaven because they have repeated a salvation prayer, but because we can't hear screams or smell burning flesh we are tempted to leave well enough alone. After all, everybody does it. Can everybody really be wrong? Would God really let us stray so far from the truth? This is the way many catholic priests rationalized doing nothing when they were confronted with Martin Luther's 95 thesis. Surely the pope and almost all theologians couldn't be wrong.
I have made errors in this post. They are corrected in this video.
Once Saved, Always Saved?
A Warning About Hell