Category Archives: SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS / CONFUSING VERSES SIMPLIFIED, DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, Is Galatians 1:6-7 contradictory?, Is Galatians 1:6-7 contradictory?, Is Galatians 1:6-7 contradictory?, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Is Galatians 1:6-7 contradictory?

IS GALATIANS 1:6-7 CONTRADICTORY?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7). There is “another gospel” “which is not another?” Is this a contradiction? How should this be resolved? We trust the Holy Spirit is always right, so we need not change the Bible text. May we have a submissive spirit by letting Him teach us His unadulterated Word!

Dear friend, when you can, take some time to read through the six chapters of the book of Galatians. The Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to hastily pen that epistle himself (Galatians 6:11) because of the spiritual deception that had so rapidly gripped the grace churches of Galatia (central modern Turkey). Just a short time earlier, Paul had visited these pagan people lost in idolatry. He had preached to them the Gospel of God’s Grace. Once they had heard that good news, they abandoned their vain works-religion. By faith, they came to rely exclusively on Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour—His death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for their sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). They were so joyful to have a relationship with the one true God, and a home waiting for them in heaven. However, as the opening verses of Galatians show us, Satan got involved and greatly damaged these precious saints.

“I MARVEL THAT YE ARE SO SOON REMOVED FROM HIM THAT CALLED YOU INTO THE GRACE OF CHRIST…”

Paul “marveled” at just how quickly the Galatians had forsaken the doctrine he had taught them in person just a short time earlier. Before he left them, they had been progressing so well in spiritual maturity. Now, at the time of him writing to them, he was so amazed that they had already abandoned the grace doctrines that the Holy Spirit had given them through him. They were “so soon removed from [Paul] that called [them] into the grace of Christ.”

If they abandoned the “grace of Christ,” then what did they embrace instead? This is quite easy to answer if you are familiar with the book of Galatians. Paul asks in chapter 4, verse 21: “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?” The Galatians “desire to be under the Law.” They prefer works-religion to the grace of God. After all, the two great contrasting systems in the Bible are Law and Grace—you cannot have both. For us in the Dispensation of Grace, we read: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). We are not under the Law but under Grace. God does not deal with us on the basis of our works; He deals with us on the basis of His goodness. Paul had preached this grace-Gospel to the Galatians, but religion had subsequently caused them to forget it. So many believers are just as misled today.

“I MARVEL THAT YE ARE SO SOON REMOVED… UNTO ANOTHER GOSPEL”

As a soldier would abandon his commander’s marching orders, the Galatians had embraced “another gospel.” They had left God’s grace (Paul’s Gospel and ministry) and returned to works-religion (Mosaic Law), a system that was “weak and beggarly” (Galatians 4:9) because it was “weak through [their] flesh” (Romans 8:3). However, the false teachers who had misled them were very sneaky. The preachers of this false gospel sounded very much like the Apostle Paul. Satan did not approach the Galatians with a message that was 100 percent lies. There were seeds of truth in this false gospel. They had taken a pure Gospel message and “perverted” it, still calling it by the same name (“Gospel”) so it appeared genuine. Again, notice: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).

Paul had to deal with people mixing Law and Grace in his ministry (this is ongoing even today). Notice Acts chapter 15: “[1] And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the [Gentile] brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. [2] When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. [3] And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. [4] And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. [5] But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

You can read the rest of Acts chapter 15 (and Galatians chapter 2) to learn that the confusion was finally settled. No believing Law-keeping Jews from the Kingdom Program had any right to come to Paul’s grace assemblies and teach Law (whether for salvation unto heaven, or for daily Christian living). Paul and Barnabas were to continue with their Gentile converts under Grace; Peter and the 11 apostles were to stay with Israel’s Little Flock under Law (Galatians 2:7-9). No one would interfere with Paul’s assemblies anymore. Yet, an unbelieving element of Jews had come into Galatia post-Acts-15 to deliberately destroy Paul’s work. Paul, in Galatians, mentions the Acts chapter 15 conference in an effort to strengthen his claim that they (the Gentiles in Galatia) were not to be under Law but under Grace. Please see Galatians chapter 2.

“ANOTHER GOSPEL: WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER”

In fact, that false gospel had such an enticing outward form that it looked just like God’s Word. I am quite sure they talked about “Jesus” and “God”—they never used the terms “Satan” or “evil.” That false gospel was not another form of Paul’s Gospel, but rather not Paul’s Gospel at all. The Galatians had embraced “another gospel” in the sense that it was a “perverted” (corrupted) gospel. Because it was perverted, it was “not another gospel.” It was not something that the God of the Bible wanted preached. You can study Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, and you will see that works-religion message is not what God wants preached in the Dispensation of Grace. True, He commanded Israel to keep the Mosaic Law. But, that Dispensation of Law is completely separate and unique from our Dispensation of Grace. God never commanded Gentiles in the Body of Christ to keep the Mosaic Law. In fact, He teaches quite the opposite. We have to go to Paul’s ministry if we are to read the instructions in the Dispensation of the Grace of God (Ephesians 3:2). One of the main themes of Paul’s ministry is, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

“BUT THERE BE SOME THAT TROUBLE YOU”

Friend, medicine will help your physical body, provided you use that medicine as your physician or pharmacist intended. Likewise, the Bible will benefit your spiritual body, provided you use God’s Book as He intended! False teaching—especially the non-rightly-divided Word of God—will “trouble” Christians. It will disrupt their edification (spiritual growth) and disturb them (2 Thessalonians 2:2). Their souls (hearts) and minds will be poisoned. Doubt will enter and the Adversary will greatly use that to his advantage. Just look at the complete spiritual impotency of the professing “church” today!

Satan will use perverted Bible verses to attack and weaken Christians. After all, he used verses from Moses’ Bible books to confuse the Galatians. Moses’ books were Scripture, but not Scripture to or about them. Moses spoke and wrote to Israel, not the Church the Body of Christ. Contrariwise, Paul spoke and wrote to the Church the Body of Christ. Paul was God’s “apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Jesus Christ had sent Paul, not Moses, to Gentiles. Jesus Christ had sent Paul, not Moses, to the Galatians.

We must heed the instructions in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” If we do not use God’s Word, God’s way, we will pollute ourselves and those who hear us teach and preach. We must separate Prophecy from Mystery, Law from Grace, Israel from the Body of Christ, Peter from Paul, and Earth from Heaven. If we do not recognize the need for dispensational Bible study, we will harm ourselves beyond comprehension. If you do not believe me, just look at the Galatians. Just look at today’s “Christian church!”

“AND WOULD PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST”

The Gospel of Christ is defined by comparing two verses. Firstly, Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Secondly, 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” The Gospel of Christ is that Israel’s rejected Messiah (Christ in Greek) is now being offered as Saviour to all people. Whether Jew or Gentile, all who “believe in Jesus” (Romans 3:26) are justified—made righteous—in God’s sight. It has absolutely nothing to do with works-religion. Those who say that it does, they are “perverting” (adulterating) the Gospel of Christ. They are pushing Jesus’ crosswork aside and trying to substitute their own “good” works. My, how blasphemous! Their “good” works seem so good, but they are nothing compared to the perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

“LET HIM BE ACCURSED” WHO “PERVERTS THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST”

The Holy Spirit through Paul issued a very stern warning in the verses following Galatians 1:6-7. We reproduce them for your benefit: “[6] I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: [7] Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. [10] For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

Paul advised the Galatians to cut off all contact with the false teachers who had misled them. (NOTE—Paul also told them to not associate with him if he ever corrupted the Gospel of Christ! He also said that we are not to associate with angelic beings who do not preach the Gospel of Christ!) Those charlatans had come in the name of the “Gospel” and appeared godly, but they were preaching “another Gospel,” one the Apostle Paul had not preached (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4). They were Satan’s ministers (2 Corinthians 11:13-15), and they were to be avoided! Brethren, we would do well to heed this advice even today. There are more false teachers in our day than there were in Galatia 20 centuries ago, so we should be even more cautious!

Galatians chapter 5, in closing: “[7] Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? [8] This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. [9] A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. [10] I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. [11] And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. [12] I would they were even cut off which trouble you.” The Bible says we are to have nothing to do with those who “trouble” us with a (Law-keeping) “gospel” the Apostle Paul did not preach!

Also see:
» We are saved by faith, but are we blessed by works?
» Must I maintain fellowship with God?
» Is grace a “license to sin?”
» Does “once saved, always saved” entitle us to abuse God’s grace?

Can you explain “God be merciful to me a sinner?”, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Can you explain, “God be merciful to me a sinner?”

CAN YOU EXPLAIN, “GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Friend, as you may know very well, Luke 18:13 is one of the proof-texts of the so-called “sinner’s prayer” crowd. While they are doing their best to share Jesus Christ with lost people, certain professing Christians have confused others by popularizing the prayer, “Lord, have mercy on me!” They use the verse to persuade lost people to get on their knees and cry at so-called church “altars.” These people seeking salvation in Christ today are urged to plead for God’s mercy as the publican did. Unfortunately, those who use Luke 18:13 as a salvation verse for people to follow today, have no idea what it is actually teaching. We hope to shed some light on this highly abused verse.

The Bible says in Luke chapter 18: “[9] And he [Jesus Christ] spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Before we proceed, we must acknowledge that this parable has a unique setting. Jesus said it involved two men praying in Israel’s Temple in Jerusalem. Unlike us, they were not praying in some Gentile church building. And the publican was certainly not at home repeating a “sinner’s prayer” with some smooth-talking televangelist. Luke 18:13 involves Israel’s Temple in Jerusalem. Never forget that, my friend.

To better understand this “Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican,” we should review some basics of the Mosaic Law system. At Mount Sinai, Exodus chapter 20 onward—also in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—God gave the Law of Moses to the nation Israel. It encompassed many rules and regulations (headed by the Ten Commandments, but involved hundreds of other laws), a priesthood (Levitical/Aaronic priesthood), a place of worship (Tabernacle), a complex religious calendar, and various animal sacrifices. During the centuries between Moses ministry and Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Law of Moses, or Judaism, became increasingly watered down (corrupted). Israel’s religious leaders had added manmade rules and regulations, passing off these rabbinical traditions as “just as much the Word of God as the Sacred Writings.” (Sounds just like Roman Catholicism, yes?)

This amalgamation of God’s pure Law and manmade religious tradition was present during Christ’s earthly ministry. Hence, the Lord Jesus heavily criticized it. This works-religion had caused many Jews to believe that they did not need a Saviour (Him). Heading this self-righteous group were the Pharisees and the Sadducees, Israel’s religious leaders. As Luke 18:9 said, they “trusted in themselves that they were righteous.” It was for this reason that Jesus spoke the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in the following verses (Luke 18:10-14). Now that we have a better understanding of the background, we can return to the actual text.

Verses 11 and 12, of Luke chapter 18: “[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” The Pharisee thanked God that he was not as other men are. He was not an extortionist, unjust, an adulterer, or even as that publican (tax collector). Rather, he fasted twice a week and he gave tithes of all that he possessed. Such wonderful religious works! (Pardon my sarcasm.) In fact, the Pharisee was so content with his religion that he thought he was better than everyone else.

Now, we read about the publican. Verse 13: “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Observe how this tax collector stood quite a distance away from the Pharisee. This publican would not even lift up his eyes unto heaven. Rather, he smote his breast. He literally used his fist to strike his chest, signifying great sadness (sorrow). Unlike the Pharisee clothed in his self-righteousness, the publican knew good and well that he was an undeserving, wretched sinner. Yet, he recognized something that the goody-goody Pharisee had overlooked. What? We must go back into Israel’s history again, when the Mosaic Law was first given.

When God formed Israel’s religion under Moses, one of the most important days on their spiritual calendar was the Day of Atonement. See all of Leviticus chapter 16 for details. For brevity’s sake, we look at two verses: “[15] Then shall he [the high priest] kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: [16] And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.”

God commanded Israel’s High Priest (originally it was Moses’ brother Aaron) to enter the Holy of Holies—the innermost chamber where God’s presence was in the Tabernacle—once a year and sprinkle goat’s blood on the Mercy Seat (lid of the Ark of the Covenant). It was to atone for, or cover, the sins of all the people of the nation Israel. The blood was on the Mercy Seat. The blood was between God’s presence (which was above the Mercy Seat) and the broken Ten Commandments (which were under the Mercy Seat, in the Ark of the Covenant). That shed blood restored Israel’s fellowship with God. It made them “at one.” Eventually, under King Solomon, the Temple replaced the Tabernacle. Still, the rituals of the Day of Atonement continued, and right up to the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now, let us return to that parable of the Pharisee and the publican to conclude.

CONCLUSION

In Luke 18:13, when the publican prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” both he and God were thinking about that goat’s shed blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat there in the Temple. The publican agreed with God that he was a sinner, that he could not approach Him, a holy righteous God, on the basis of his works. He knew he could approach God only because of the atoning blood on the Mercy Seat. That animal blood was a picture, or type, of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on Calvary. (You can refer to Hebrews chapter 10 in its entirety.)

In stark contrast, the Pharisee, please note, was not approaching God by faith in shed blood. He told us exactly what made him think God would accept him—his faithful fasting and tithing (Luke 18:12)! In other words, he bragged about giving up pleasures and giving out money. Do, do, do! Typical of religion! Sounds just like Cain and Abel. Ignoring the blood provision God makes, and attempting to do something to replace God’s work. Jesus said, in Luke 18:14, that the publican was justified rather than the Pharisee. The publican had humbled himself (humility) whereas the Pharisee had exalted himself (arrogance).

The problem with using Luke 18:13 and us asking God to show us mercy today, is for us to forget the greatest event in all of human history. Something so drastic happened in world history after Jesus Christ told that parable in Luke chapter 18. It was His sacrificial death on Calvary’s cross! On this side of Calvary, how and why does God show us mercy? Is it because of some animal blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in the Temple at Jerusalem today? Of course not, beloved! That Temple was destroyed nearly 20 centuries ago! God showed (past tense) us mercy (pity, compassion) by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die our death and endure His wrath on our behalf—the fulfillment of that animal’s blood. For us to request God show us mercy today, is really quite blasphemous. He has no more mercy to show us than what He already did at Calvary’s cross. When He offered His Son as the fully satisfying payment for our sins, He gave us a way to escape the flames of hell due us because of our sin! There is no greatest way for Him to show us mercy. Rather than asking for God’s mercy, just enjoy it in Christ!

Ephesians 2:1-7: “[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. [4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Titus 3:4-6: “[4] But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, [5] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”

Also see:
» Must I say the “sinner’s prayer?”
» What about Romans 10:9-10?
» Why did Israel have to keep so many strange laws?

BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS / CONFUSING VERSES SIMPLIFIED, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS, Whose “faith” is in Romans 3:25?, Whose “faith” is in Romans 3:25?

Whose “faith” is in Romans 3:25?

WHOSE “FAITH” IS IN ROMANS 3:25?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“I have another question that I would appreciate your counsel on; Romans 3:25; ‘Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.’ Some believe and teach that it is God the Father having faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as a propitiation instead of us having faith in His blood. I cannot get myself settled on this issue seeing blood and propitiation are God-ward. I guess it’s difficult to grasp God having to have faith in His own blood! I look forward to your response.”

Okay, Romans 3:25: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” Your question is specifically about the phrase “through faith in his blood.” Whose faith is being discussed here? Good question!

Note, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.” If you look closely at this, the first part of the verse, we are really not in there so it cannot be our faith. We are absent from the verse. The subject is “God,” not us. God is performing the actions in the verse. God “set forth” (“placed before,” or “exhibited”) His Son to be “a propitiation” (fully-satisfying payment/sacrifice for sins). Why did God do this? Why did Father God offer Jesus Christ as a sacrifice? “Through faith in his blood.” Because God thought/believed His Son could pay for our sins in full, He offered Him. It is clear that it is God the Father’s faith in verse 25.

Sure, some might consider it strange, and at first glance, it is peculiar. However, when you think about it and remember what “faith” actually is, it really is not that odd that God would have faith. What exactly is “faith?” Is not faith simply “taking God at His Word?” Does not God believe His words to us? Why, sure He does! Does not God believe that His Son can take away our sins? Why, sure He does! That is the main point of Romans 3:25. God knew it would not be a waste of time to offer His Son, because His Son could get the job done and take care of our sin problem. The real question is, “Do we agree with what God believes about His Son’s blood?” Do we believe that Jesus Christ’s blood can pay for our sins in full? Do we have faith in what God has faith in? Or, like those in works-religion, do we have faith in ourselves, believing that we can play a part in atoning for our sins and making ourselves accepted of God? God does not rely on us to perform because He knows we cannot do it. His Son is reliable and dependable, and that is why we are urged to rely and depend on His Son just as He relies and depends on His Son.

If you read verse 26, immediately following, you can see our faith, and this loops back to God’s faith in verse 25. Our faith in verse 26: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” When we “believe [trust] in Jesus,” we agree with God’s faith in verse 25. We are agreeing that we can be “just” (declared right/righteous in God’s sight) simply because Jesus Christ shed His blood and became our propitiation (fully-satisfying payment for our sins). Like God, we believe that our works do not factor into the equation. It is either—Jesus Christ did enough (and God believes He did), or Jesus Christ did not do enough and we have to do something too. We can agree with God, or we can disagree with Him. The choice is ours, but God has already made up His mind!

Also see:
» What is the “faith of Christ?” How could Jesus have “faith?” (COMING SOON!)
» Why did God reject Cain’s offering?
» Can Jews who believe in God, the Father, but who reject Jesus, be saved from eternal damnation?

CREATION AND EARLY MAN, Did Adam die or did he not die in Genesis 3?, Did Adam die or did he not die in Genesis 3?, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Did Adam die or did he not die in Genesis 3?

DID ADAM DIE OR DID HE NOT DIE WHEN HE ATE THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Bible critics, always looking for some verse to use to discredit the Scriptures, take great pleasure in telling us that Adam did not really die when he ate the forbidden fruit. In fact, they tell us that the Bible says Adam lived to age 930 years (Genesis 5:5). (They do not take that number “930” literally, of course, but they still like to point out that number so as to “prove” an inconsistency in the Bible). How could God say Adam would “surely die” on that day he ate the forbidden fruit, and yet, Adam lived for many more centuries? Did Adam die in Genesis chapter 3? Yes, he did die. No, he did not die. It was both. You may ask how this is so, and I will reply that there are several types of “death” in the Bible. Provided that we do not skim the Scriptures as the skeptics do, we will mine the deep truths of the Bible to learn the answer is, “Yes and no.”

When God created Adam, notice what the Bible says about that sixth day of creation: “[26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27).

Mankind—Adam and Eve—had a spiritual makeup similar to God’s. Scripture calls this “made in the image of God” (cf. Genesis 9:6). No animal in creation was given this unique makeup. Contrary to “scientific consensus,” mankind is not to be classified as “a highly-evolved ape” or “a highly-evolved animal.” Mankind is not a species of animal, according to the Bible anyway. The authors of scientific textbooks are, of course, free to speculate and believe whatever they like. Unlike their ever-changing books, they cannot change what the Bible says. Returning to our earlier comments though, mankind was originally compatible with his Creator God on a level no other creature (even angels) had.

God decreed a strict warning in Genesis chapter 2: “[15] And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” The idea has been offered that Adam did not know what death was, but that does not seem to be the case. Although Adam had never witnessed death, God certainly gave him the ability to understand it; otherwise, the charge would be meaningless to Adam and pointless for God to give it.

Fast-forward to Genesis chapter 3, the opening six verses. Satan entices Eve, and Eve encourages Adam, and both Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit. After partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve behave very peculiarly. We continue in chapter 3 of Genesis: “[7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. [8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. [13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”

The following detailed analysis highlights what happened as soon as Adam and Eve ate that forbidden fruit:

  1. Their eyes were opened (verse 7). Not physical eyes, but spiritual eyes—physical eyes would not make sense in this context. Now, they were spiritually where God did not want them, and they were fully aware of the changes. They were no longer the spiritual beings that God had created them. That is, they had now decided for themselves what was good and what was evil. Deciding what was good and what was evil was to be God’s prerogative, not man’s All of creation—especially on Earth—had now taken a drastic turn for the worst, and Adam and Eve were fully conscious of what had just occurred!
  2. They knew they were naked (verse 7). Originally, Adam and Eve were not ashamed of their physical nakedness (Genesis 2:25). It was only after they had eaten the forbidden fruit that they made themselves clothes out of fig leaves (see #3, below). Exactly what changed to make them visibly naked will be discussed in a special section later.
  3. They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons (verse 7). Adam and Eve, as discussed in #2 above, were originally physically naked. After they partook of the forbidden fruit, they tried to cover themselves. It was a desperate, feeble attempt to hide their nudity. As evidenced by #4, below, they knew this action was insufficient to undo what they had done. They could not hide their mistakes.
  4. They hid amongst the trees when they heard the voice of God (verse 8). Had their “solution” of fig leaves worked, they would have not hidden themselves. They knew that God would know what had happened. Furthermore, He would see them wearing fig-leaf coverings, and He ask them why they had put those strange “clothes.”
  5. Adam admits to God that he hid from Him because he was naked (verse 10). Again, Adam confirms what we already commented in #4 above. Even though he had tried to cover himself, Adam knew he was still naked. Hence, in another attempt to cover his nudity, he hid amongst some trees in the Garden.
  6. God asks Adam what he did (verse 11). This is a puzzling verse for so many. Why would God have to ask Adam what he did, since God is all-knowing? Are there some things God does not know? Of course not! God asked this for Adam’s benefit. That is, God was prompting Adam to confess, to admit to wrongdoing. God wanted Adam to think about what had happened, rather than Him telling Adam what happened. The Creator God had given Adam a brain and Adam was to use it! Adam was no mindless robot!
  7. Adam blames Eve; yea, he blames God (verse 12). “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” Notice the wording of the verse. Adam did not immediately say, “I did eat.” He added a bunch of “introductory” remarks before (somewhat) confessing. Adam attempted to sidestep God’s question in order to diminish what he had done. In actuality, Adam really did not confess at all. He blamed Eve, and then he blamed God for giving him Eve. Adam lied and blamed Eve for something that he deliberately did. But not just that. Adam said that it was really God’s fault because God had given him Eve. This too was a lie. God did not make him do anything. Adam freely gave in to Eve.
  8. Eve blames the serpent, Satan (verse 13). “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” Notice how Eve was more truthful than Adam. Like Adam, however, Eve did not immediately confess either. She blamed Satan before saying, “I did eat.” It is quite true that Eve was tricked; the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul affirms this in 2 Corinthians 11:3 and 1 Timothy 2:14. Adam acted deliberately; Eve, on the other hand, simply did not know any better. Also observe how Eve admitted that Satan, “the serpent,” was involved. It was an evil action indeed. Mankind was now willfully operating under the influence of Satan.

The eight points delineated above highlight the immediate results of Adam eating the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve’s relationship with the LORD God was broken. Consequently, their marriage was broken. Adam attacked Eve when he knew he, as the federal head, had failed. “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:14). Again, Adam knew exactly what he was doing when he sinned. Eve did not know any better.

Adam could no longer approach God because he had died. Yes, Adam’s physical body was still living, but his spiritual body was darkened and dead. He was to have a connection with God via his spirit, but now that was severed. Adam, because of sin, was alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18). He was no longer sinless. He was no longer the man made in the image of God; neither was Eve. Inside, Adam and Eve no longer bore any resemblance to their Creator. Now, Adam would have children “in his own image and after his own likeness” (Genesis 5:1). But, how could they keep living physically?

Lost people, and critics of the Bible in general, have no understanding of the effects of sin. They like to complain about the Bible, but as the saying goes, “Those who criticize the Bible the most read the Bible the least!” Romans 6:23 explains how Adam could die spiritually and yet be alive physically: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Note that “wages” is plural. There is more than one type of “death” implied when it comes to sin. In the Scriptures, there are spiritual death, physical death, functional death, the second death, and so on. Immediately, Adam and Eve experienced spiritual death (more serious because it was the first one), but physical death eventually took its toll as well (initiated by the invisible spiritual death many years earlier).

The complete effects of the Fall were not immediately evident, but those effects are recorded in Genesis 3:16-19. Eve would later give birth to children, so labor pains were not experienced for some time. Thorns and thistles grew immediately. Labor will now be hard and not as efficient as it originally was. Adam and Eve were to continue eating only plants, but animal flesh would be incorporated into the human diet centuries later with Noah (Genesis 9:1-4). There was today what we would call “incest”—intermarriage between siblings and cousins—but the human genome evidently was not heavily corrupted with mutations until a long time after the Fall.

HOW GOD RESPONDED TO ADAM AND EVE’S SIN

The most important fact in all of this is not how Adam and Eve responded, but rather how God responded. Genesis chapter 3 continues: “[20] And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. [21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” The Bible says that the LORD God “made coats of skins” and “clothed” Adam and Eve. This has a dual application. God killed some animals, shed their blood to atone for Adam and Eve’s sins, and then He covered this husband and wife with coats of skin—a spiritual covering followed by a physical covering. Verse 20 is Adam’s profession of faith. He called his wife “Eve” because “she was the mother of all living.” God had told them that they would both die because of their disobedience. Yet, Adam said Eve would live to be a “mother.” Why and how? In verse 15, God told Eve that she would live to bear at least one child, someone who would fight and defeat the Devil and undo what she and Adam had done in Eden. We know this “seed” as Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16; Galatians 4:4). While Adam and Eve did not know of the name of “Jesus Christ,” they at least knew “the seed of the woman” (some man) would come one day and do God’s will on their behalf since they had failed.

Adam was most definitely a saved man. He died “in Christ.” What information God had revealed at that point in human history, Adam believed it. Adam trusted in God’s promise of Genesis 3:15, and according to Genesis 4:1, Eve believed that Gospel message as well. Adam also realized that his fig-leaf apron (religion) was embarrassingly insufficient to cover him and Eve. Thus, he let God clothe him and his wife with His righteousness. Most definitely, Adam died a redeemed man, as saved unto eternal life as we are in Jesus Christ. The same is true of Eve. (When you get to heaven one day, brother or sister in Christ, please be sure to talk to them!)

Here is a lesson we can learn. If we are unsaved today, God is not looking for us to “clean up our lives” so He can then welcome us into His heaven. Oh, no. Our works can do nothing to do save us. We must come to the Creator God by faith, simple truth in the fact that “Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). That is the Gospel by which we are saved today—no “sinner’s prayer,” no walking an aisle, no shaking a preacher’s hand, no keeping commandments, no signing a church membership form, no turning from your sins, nothing that you do. As Adam believed God’s Word to him, so believe God’s Word to you. God has not shed an animal’s blood for you. Rather, He gave up His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of that animal blood that was shed in the Garden of Eden ever so long ago. My precious reader, please delay no longer, if you have not relied exclusively on Jesus Christ. Death may come sooner than you think, and then you will not have another chance. Come by simple faith to Calvary’s cross and trust Jesus Christ, so that you too, as Adam and Eve, will one day die a saved person.

SUPPLEMENTAL – THE ORIGINAL CLOTHES OF ADAM AND EVE

The Bible says Adam and Eve “were both naked…and were not ashamed” (Genesis 1:25). How could they be naked, and yet unashamed?

In 1 Timothy 6:16 we read of Jesus Christ “dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto….” God’s righteousness and holiness emanate from His body in the form of a bright light. “O LORD my God… who coverest thyself with light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:2). Originally, before the Fall, Adam and Eve did not wear physical clothes, but they were clothed with something… they were clothed with the righteousness of God Himself because sin had not entered into creation yet.

God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26-27); man was originally sinless, as perfect as God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed by eating the forbidden fruit, God’s righteousness left their bodies. They were sinners now, so God’s light no longer covered them (spiritually and physically). Adam and Eve were physically and spiritually naked, so they frantically gathered itchy fig leaves and covered themselves (Genesis 3:7). The LORD God, in His great love and grace, sought these lost souls. Adam and Eve hid, too afraid to approach our holy and righteous God. But, God in His brilliance devised a plan to restore them. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). The Bible says that God killed innocent animals. He used the blood to provide Adam and Eve’s spiritual clothes (forgiveness), and the skins served as their physical clothes.

Isaiah 61:10 summarizes (saved Israel speaking): “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” God did that for Adam, Eve, Israel, and us too! If we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been clothed with God’s righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). In Christ, we are just as Adam and Eve were before the fall, in perfect standing before God.

CONCLUSION

God told Adam that in the day that he would eat thereof, he would surely die. Yet, Adam kept living for over 900 more years. There was more than one type of death implied in God’s warning. First and foremost, it was spiritual death, and Adam and Eve knew it immediately after they ate that forbidden fruit. Their words and actions demonstrate their cognizance that God’s warning was not hollow words. They knew exactly what happened, and why. We can be sure that Adam and Eve were redeemed, but they lived their rest of their physical lives in a fallen world. Adam saw the effects of sin for over 900 years… he lived every day with full knowledge that he was directly responsible for it. He saw his loved ones die, he saw animals viciously kill and devour one another, he slaved away as a farmer sweating and struggling with thorns and thistles, he saw Eve endure horrible labor pains, and he and her never again saw the Garden of Eden. Eventually, physical death came for Adam and Eve too, confirming that spiritual death had indeed infected them years earlier.

Also see:
» Was God “unfair” to punish us because of Adam’s sin?
» Why did God ask where Adam was?
» How can a loving God send people to hell forever?

CREATION AND EARLY MAN, Did Adam die a saved man?, Did Adam die a saved man?, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Did Adam die a saved man?

DID ADAM DIE A SAVED MAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Friend, we gladly share with you what the Word of God says about that.

Throughout human history, faith is always the first and foremost issue when having a right relationship with the Creator God: “But without faith it is impossible to please [God]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). And, contrary to popular myth, no person was ever saved unto eternal life merely by doing good deeds in religion. Whatever truths God had revealed to mankind at any particular time, God expected contemporary people to believe and obey those instructions in order to fellowship with Him. The first Scriptural example of this is the eternal life of Adam and Eve. Their performance had merited wrath and judgment, true, but they eventually came to believe God’s Word to and about them post-Fall.

Genesis chapter 3: “[1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and then tried to cover up their sin—their naked bodies—with fig leaves. This was utterly useless because they were still spiritually naked before God. They had lost His righteousness, and so they hid in the bushes. Note: “[8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. [13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”

We will refrain from commenting on the following verses for brevity’s sake. They are provided merely for contextual purposes: “[14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: [15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. [16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. [17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; [18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; [19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

Now, friend, we have arrived at the verses pertaining to your question: “[20] And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. [21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” The Bible says that the LORD God “made coats of skins” and “clothed” Adam and Eve. This has a dual application. God killed some animals, shed their blood to atone for Adam and Eve’s sins, and then He covered this husband and wife with coats of skin—a spiritual covering followed by a physical covering. Verse 20 is Adam’s profession of faith. He called his wife “Eve” because “she was the mother of all living.” God had told them that they would both die because of their disobedience. Yet, Adam said Eve would live to be a “mother.” Why and how? In verse 15, God told Eve that she would live to bear at least one child, someone who would fight and defeat the Devil and undo what she and Adam had done in Eden. We know this “seed” as Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16; Galatians 4:4). While Adam and Eve did not know of the name of “Jesus Christ,” they at least knew “the seed of the woman” (some man) would come one day and do God’s will on their behalf since they had failed.

Adam was most definitely a saved man. He died “in Christ.” What information God had revealed at that point in human history, Adam believed it. Adam trusted in God’s promise of Genesis 3:15, and according to Genesis 4:1, Eve believed that Gospel message as well. Adam also realized that his fig-leaf apron (religion) was embarrassingly insufficient to cover him and Eve. Thus, he let God clothe him and his wife with His righteousness. Most definitely, Adam died a redeemed man, as saved unto eternal life as we are in Jesus Christ. The same is true of Eve. (When you get to heaven one day, brother or sister in Christ, please be sure to talk to them!)

Here is a lesson we can learn. If we are unsaved today, God is not looking for us to “clean up our lives” so He can then welcome us into His heaven. Oh, no. Our works can do nothing to do save us. We must come to the Creator God by faith, simple truth in the fact that “Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). That is the Gospel by which we are saved today—no “sinner’s prayer,” no walking an aisle, no shaking a preacher’s hand, no keeping commandments, no signing a church membership form, no turning from your sins, nothing that you do. As Adam believed God’s Word to him, so believe God’s Word to you. God has not shed an animal’s blood for you. Rather, He gave up His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of that animal blood that was shed in the Garden of Eden ever so long ago. My precious reader, please delay no longer, if you have not relied exclusively on Jesus Christ. Death may come sooner than you think, and then you will not have another chance. Come by simple faith to Calvary’s cross and trust Jesus Christ, so that you too, as Adam and Eve, will one day die a saved person.

Also see:
» What of the “talking snake” of Genesis chapter 3? (COMING SOON!)
» Why did God ask where Adam was?
» Was God unfair to punish us for Adam’s sin?

BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS / CONFUSING VERSES SIMPLIFIED, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS, What about Romans 10:9-10?, What about Romans 10:9-10?

What about Romans 10:9-10?

WHAT ABOUT ROMANS 10:9-10? MUST I AUDIBLY CONFESS “JESUS IS LORD” TO BE SAVED?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Bible says in Romans 10:9-10: “[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” For salvation, must one audibly confess that Jesus is Lord? Are Fundamentalists and Evangelicals correct in using this passage as a “profession of faith” proof text? Should we as Bible believers use Romans 10:9-10 in our Gospel tracts and our Gospel messages today? Let us search the Scriptures for the answers!

Undoubtedly, this study will make religious people very angry, but so what! As Romans 3:4 says, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” We are not interested in advancing church doctrine. The Bible is right, no matter whom it contradicts! Let us not grow angry with God’s Word. Let us grow angry with the religious system that deceived us about Romans 10:9-10! (I was once deceived myself about it.)

CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT!

Beloved, the most basic principle of Bible hermeneutics (interpretation) is context. From time immemorial, people have been grabbing appealing Bible verses without paying attention to the context. Cults and denominations are notorious for this. They even partially quote verses: all that is quoted is verses or phrases that fit theological systems. Verses and Bible phrases that challenge the theological system are disregarded and (hopefully) no one will study the Bible for himself or herself, to find those ignored words, and thus learn how religious tradition shafted him or her! Nothing is more tragic than misquoted Bible verses that complicate and thus hide a pure Gospel message from an unsaved audience. Many souls in hell today were “church-going people.” They heard a few verses here or there, some more than others. However, many of them heard a watered-down Gospel message. They heard salvation verses that belonged to other people in the Bible, but those verses did not belong to them in the Dispensation of Grace. One case in point is Romans 10:9-10.

Before we grab Romans 10:9-10 and apply it to ourselves, we had better first grab verse 1. Verse 1 is the context. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” What is the purpose of Romans chapter 10? Is it Gentile salvation? Certainly not (if words mean anything, of course). Romans 10:9-10, while often used as a “Gospel invitation” today, is actually not speaking to or about us at all. According to Paul, he is discussing Israel’s salvation! (Will we believe the Apostle Paul writing by the power of the Holy Ghost, or will we believe some fallible preacher?) Romans chapter 10 is actually the heart of a three-chapter passage, Romans chapters 9-11. These three chapters are the Apostle Paul’s discussion of the nation Israel—past, present, and future. (If you want Gentile salvation, Paul already talked about it in the first five chapters of Romans. Romans chapter 10 is Israeli salvation! Friend, understand that Gentile salvation was already settled in the previous chapters.)

Romans 10:1-4

In order to understand Romans 10:9-10, it is better if we begin reading in verse 1: “[1] Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

When the Holy Ghost moved the Apostle Paul to write the book of Romans during the Acts period, unbelieving Israel was still operating her Temple according to the Law of Moses (cf. Hebrews 8:4). Jerusalem’s Temple would not be destroyed until A.D. 70. Israel was still offering the animal sacrifices and still ignoring Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Himself at Calvary. Israel was still attempting to keep the Mosaic Law in her own strength. They were ignoring the 1,500-year testimony that their ancestors were unable to do it. Lost Jews were not interested in God’s righteousness (demonstrated at Calvary’s cross). Like religionists today, they were interested in proving themselves to be righteous (via the Mosaic Law, complete with the rites, rituals, and ceremonies of Judaism). They were zealous, quite passionate, but totally ignorant of what really mattered. They could not understand the Law and all of its obligations predicted and typified Jesus Christ!

Prior to Romans 10:1, Paul closed chapter 9 with these verses: “[30] What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. [31] But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. [32] Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; [33] As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

Israel stumbled over Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. They could not see Him through the eyes of faith. They did not believe He was God’s Son, the long-promised Messiah of the Old Testament. They were too busy focused on their own works in religion, too overwhelmed with working to establish their own righteousness. Their unbelief reached its pinnacle at Calvary, when they denied Jesus as their Messiah-King and demanded His crucifixion (John 19:15). However, Gentiles recognized who Jesus was, and through Paul’s ministry, Gentiles came to believe on Jesus as their personal Saviour and thus gain righteousness before God. Lost Jews still refused Jesus Christ, their only way to be justified (declared right) before God. Paul, in chapter 10, is trying to convert those lost Jews. (“… that I might save some of them;” Romans 11:14).

Jesus Christ “is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (verse 4). Now that Jesus Christ demonstrated He alone could (and did) keep God’s laws perfectly, and that He pleased Father God at Calvary, there was no more reason for Israel to deceive herself into thinking she could merit God’s favor with her Law-keeping. The believing Gentiles understood it in Paul’s ministry. The believing Gentiles believed it in Paul’s ministry. Now, if only Paul could have the unbelieving Jews understand and believe it! (“… that I might save some of them;” Romans 11:14).

Romans 10:5-8

Continuing in Romans chapter 10:

“[5] For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. [6] But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) [7] Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) [8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;”

In verse 5, Paul writes, “That the man which doeth those things shall live by them” (quoting Leviticus 18:5; cf. Nehemiah 9:29; Ezekiel 20:11,13,21). This is the righteousness which is of the Law. A man who keeps the Law is righteous, justified before God. But, here is the important question—Does any man keep 100 percent of the law 100 percent of the time? Not at all. Friend, that is what sin is! Romans 3:19-20: “[19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Unbelieving Israel, like so many church members today, ignored the above truth—the Law is the knowledge of sin, it shows you and I to be sinners! They still did their best in works-religion to make themselves right before and accepted of God. Paul was telling them in Romans chapter 10 that they had not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness in the Person of Jesus Christ. When one realizes that righteousness comes by Jesus Christ alone, and that righteousness is imputed (applied) to one’s account by faith in Christ alone, then that individual will no longer seek to establish his or her own righteousness by keeping the Law of Moses. This is what Paul is exhorting unbelieving Israel to understand during the Acts period! “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Now, in verse 6 and following, we move on to “the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise [in this manner]….” In verses 6-8 of Romans chapter 10, Paul quotes Deuteronomy chapter 30. Moses’ original writing reads as follows: “[10] If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. [11] For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. [12] It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? [13] Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? [14] But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.”

Notice how Paul interpreted that Mosaic passage for us in verses 6-8 (Paul’s commentary is in parentheses): “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)”

When JEHOVAH God delivered the Mosaic Law to Israel through Moses back in Exodus, Israel was without excuse. Moses said in Deuteronomy 30:14, “But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” The nation Israel knew exactly what God demanded of her. God did not leave her to wonder what He wanted her to do. As Paul commented, furthermore, centuries after Moses, a Man did come down from heaven and did come up from the grave to tell Israel everything that God expected of them at that time. That Man was Jesus Christ, His earthly ministry and resurrection (“that is, to bring Christ down from above… that is, to bring Christ again from the dead”).

Moses had been sent to instruct Israel, but they refused to listen to him. Father God had sent Jesus Christ, but Israel rejected His words as well (Matthew through John). Jesus Christ had sent Paul to Israel during the Acts period, but they did not want to hear Paul either. This is the context of Romans chapter 10 (see verses 14-21, which is Paul describing how lost Israel refuses his preaching the Gospel of the Grace of God during the Acts period). Israel during the Acts period was just as guilty of unbelief as she was when Moses ministered to her and when Jesus Christ ministered to her. Israel during the Acts transitional period could not say God had not sent anybody to them. Paul was God’s spokesman to lost Israel during Acts, and the only way lost Jews could be saved from God’s wrath was to listen to and believe Paul’s Gospel and join the Body of Christ.

The “word” (message) was “nigh” (near to) Israel; the Old Testament’s prophecies were known in the head but not believed in the heart. The Jews could recite their Old Testament verses from memory, just like lost people today can quote all sorts of verses and yet they do not believe them. Every Sabbath day, the scrolls Law of Moses and/or the Psalms and/or the Prophets would be read in the Jewish synagogues (Luke 4:16-17; Acts 13:27; Acts 15:21; 2 Corinthians 3:14). These Old Testament passages were talking about Jesus Christ. They testified of Him. Let us look at a few passages now to establish that fact.

Luke 24:44: “And he [Jesus] said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” And Acts 3:18: “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” And Acts 13:27: “For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.” One more example, Jesus’ words in John chapter 5: “[39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. [46] For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.”

Again, the Old Testament passages were a prophetic view of Jesus Christ. However, the Jews were so preoccupied with their religious activities and their self-righteousness that they could not see that their Scriptures validated Jesus as Messiah/Christ. Israel did not have heart faith in those Scriptures.

The believing Jew would not say in his heart, “I do not know what God wants me to believe.” A believing Jew would understand exactly and believe what God expected him, whether in Moses’ day, or Christ’s earthly ministry, or Paul’s Acts ministry. The heart of faith would not object and say he or she did not know what to believe concerning God’s Word or God’s will. The heart of faith would know that Jesus Christ did come down (Matthew through John), but that Israel refused to hear. Also, the heart of faith would see that Jesus Christ did reveal to the Apostle Paul (Acts chapter 9 onward) what information all unsaved Jewish and Gentile people had to believe so as to escape Satan’s captivity. This is all Paul writing to lost Jews during Acts to make them realize just how lost they really are!

Romans 10:9-10

Now, with all of the above as background, we reach the controversial verses: “[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Before we even comment, just re-reading the “hot topic” passage with background in mind makes it a little clearer, yes? Again, Israel could recite her Old Testament Scriptures, they could verbalize them, but there was no belief in the heart. There was nothing but unbelief and disobedience. The heart can talk—“say not in thine heart…” (verse 6). When Romans 10:9 says to confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, this is not the physical mouth. It is something done inside, said in the heart. This “heart” is not the literal physical heart that pumps blood, but rather the soul, the part of us that can believe. A muscle does not have the capacity to believe God’s Word. The “heart” of Romans 10:9 is what we use to trust God’s Word. It is the soul (cf. Romans 1:21).

Likewise, the “mouth” of Romans 10:9 is not the literal, physical, visible opening near the bottom of our literal, physical, fleshly faces. The “mouth” there is the mouth of the soul. Luke 16:19-31 says how Abraham and the rich man, both physically dead, were still talking with one another (this is the mouth of their souls). Their physical bodies are in the ground, but their souls are in the heart of the earth, and yet they have conversations (verses 24-31). The Bible also says that the human soul, even when separated from the physical body, has ears, eyes (verse 23), fingers and a tongue (verse 24), and memory (verses 25,28). A verbal confession is that which is believed and said in the heart first. Anyone can mindlessly parrot some words audibly without meaning what they say. God is more interested in the heart (soul) talking than the physical lips! After all, He can see down into the soul, beyond mere spoken words, to see what the person really believes instead of simply what he or she says/professes.

When the Bible says that the lost Jew during Acts is to confess the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9), this goes back to the Old Testament, that Israel confess the name of JEHOVAH. As King Solomon was dedicating Israel’s Temple over 900 years B.C., he prayed this prayer, quoted in part (1 Kings 8:33-35): “[33] When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: [34] Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. [35] When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:” (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:24-26).

Unbelieving Jews, those who found themselves facing God’s judgment, scattered amongst the nations, were to confess JEHOVAH’S name. Lost Jews had indeed experienced God’s wrath during the Acts period, the fall of their nation (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). The seven-year Tribulation and wrath at Jesus’ Second Coming were impending as well (Acts 2:15-21,33-40; Acts 3:19-23; et cetera). In relationship to Paul’s Acts transitional ministry, confessing JEHOVAH’S name meant admitting that Jesus was not a fraud or imposter (as Israel accused Jesus of being when they demanded His crucifixion). They were to admit Jesus was Messiah, or in other words, Jesus was and is JEHOVAH.

So, let us review thus far. Paul is teaching in Romans chapter 10 that if a Jew wanted to be saved during the Acts period (which was when Romans was written), then he or she had to first recognize Jesus as Messiah/Christ, the Lord, the Son of God, instead of rejecting Him as an imposter. Then, that Jew had to believe in Jesus Christ’s resurrection, which was another hang-up for the unbelieving Jews. Remember, there was a rumor that Jesus Christ had not resurrected, but rather His disciples had stolen His corpse and hidden it elsewhere (Matthew 28:11-15). Whether in Peter’s ministry or Paul’s ministry, a Jew had to believe in Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Hence, there is no burial of Christ referenced in Romans 10:9. Jesus’ burial was not controversial with Israel—it was His literal, physical, bodily resurrection!! (Now you know why the burial is mysteriously absent in this verse!)

Re-read Romans 10:9: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Notice Jesus’ “Messiahship” and His resurrection. This is what Paul preached to Jews in the synagogues during the Acts period (cf. Acts 13:33,37; Acts 17:3; Acts 18:5; et cetera). These two acknowledgments were key in leading a Jew to Christ during Acts.

Now to the “salvation” of Romans 10:9-10: “[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The “salvation” here is not being saved from sins and hell. We know this because “believeth unto righteousness” (justification) is a reference to being saved from sins and hell. To “confess” and “believe” unto “salvation” is actually deliverance from Israel’s apostasy and unbelief. A Jew who recognized Jesus as Lord/Messiah/JEHOVAH, who recognized that He rose from the dead, this Jew can then believe Paul’s Gospel (“Christ died for my sins, He was buried, and He was raised again” [1 Corinthians 15:3-4]) and that Jew will be justified, thus being saved from Israel’s apostasy and spiritual blindness. Israel in unbelief rejected and killed Messiah Jesus years earlier. However, through Paul’s ministry and message, Israel can escape that spiritual blindness and satanic captivity. Paul is urging lost Jews to listen to Jesus Christ speaking through him now during Acts. Years earlier, they ignored Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry. They are now not to disregard Jesus speaking through Paul.

Romans 10:11-14

Friends, we have a few more loose ends to tie together, and then we are finished:

“[11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. [14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Verse 11 is a free quotation of Isaiah 28:16 (cf. 1 Peter 2:6), all of which are a reference to Jesus Christ. For brevity’s sake, we will forgo further commentary here.

As verse 12 says, in the Dispensation of Grace, there is no difference between Jew and Greek (Gentile). It is not saying that Gentiles are to behave like Jews (a common misconception). No, in our dispensation, a Jew is saved the same way a Gentile is. Lost Jews are to behave like Gentiles. “Even the righteousness of God which by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Romans 3:22). The unbelieving Jews have to enter into God’s program via the Church the Body of Christ, just as Gentiles. Paul’s ministry during Acts was to provoke lost Jews to emulation. He wanted them to behave the same way as the Gentiles—believe Paul’s Gospel, thereby joining the Church the Body of Christ.

Romans 11:11-14 is Paul’s commentary on his ministry during the Acts period: “[11] I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. [12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? [13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.”

Paul did various strange things in Acts to provoke lost Jews to salvation into the Body of Christ. For example, he water baptized converts, he raised the dead, he cast out devils, he healed the sick, he went to the Temple to offer sacrifices, he circumcised Timothy, et cetera. You can read more about this in our study, “Could you explain Paul’s ‘Acts’ ministry?,” linked at the end of this study. Unfortunately, time and space do not permit us to comment any further here.

When Romans chapter 10 says, “[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. [14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?,” this is really simple. Calling on the name of the Lord to be saved, Romans 10:13, is a quote from Joel 2:32, which is what a Jew is to do in Israel’s program in order to be saved from apostate Israel. Any unbelieving Jews during Paul’s ministry are to call upon the Lord; that is, seek rescue from the nation that is so wrapped up in false religion that God’s wrath is coming upon it (the Second Coming of Christ). Once a Jew believed Paul’s Gospel during Paul’s Gospel, he was to call upon the name of the Lord (notice the order in verse 14).

CONCLUSION

Friends, Romans 10:9-10 was a formula for lost Jews to be saved from Israel’s apostasy during the Acts period. Paul wrote it with Jewish salvation in mind during the transitional period. He did it to provoke lost Israelis to understand and address their spiritual dilemma. Romans 10:9-10 has nothing to do with us Gentiles or members of the Body of Christ. There are religious people who do not like that previous sentence, but that is fine. I would rather believe my Bible than them or their denomination any day! You, friend?

Why does it matter that we have a firm, dispensational understanding of Romans 10:9-10? It is because people (although sincere) have used it and are using it to mislead the lost when it comes to salvation from their sins. Faith needs an adequate basis to rest on, and Romans 10:9-10 does not make reference to Christ dying for anyone’s sins. This is why 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 should be used instead of Romans 10:9-10. “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day.” That is a clear Gospel message, a message without theological gibberish, shallowness, and gospel clichés.

Unfortunately, Romans 10:9-10 is also used to pressure new Christians to get up before a congregation to make a “profession of faith,” lest they not “complete their salvation.” This too is a gross mistreatment of the passage. Unfortunately, Matthew 10:32-33 is abused likewise. “Come walk the aisle, shake the preacher’s hand, and make your profession of faith in Jesus! You do not want God to deny you in heaven one day, do you?” This is certainly not what Romans 10:9-10 is saying. That is shallow religious tradition parading as Bible doctrine. That is coercion, bullying, intimidation, not the Spirit of God but the flesh of men!

SUPPLEMENTAL: MODERN ENGLISH VERSIONS AND THEIR RESULTANT OBFUSCATION

Unfortunately, modern English “bibles” add to the confusion by re-translating Romans 10:9 so that it reads:

  • AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION – “because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord….”
  • AMPLIFIED BIBLE – “Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord….”
  • CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION – “So you will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,”…”
  • ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION – “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…”
  • GOOD NEWS BIBLE – “If you confess that Jesus is Lord…”
  • HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE – “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”…”
  • LIVING BIBLE – “For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord….”
  • THE MESSAGE – “Say the welcoming word to God—”Jesus is my Master”….”
  • NEW AMERICAN (CATHOLIC) BIBLE – “for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…”
  • NEW AMERICAN STANDARD – “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, ….”
  • NEW LIVING TRANSLATION – “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord….”
  • NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION – “because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord….”
  • REVISED STANDARD VERSION – “because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord….”

Notice how Protestant and Roman Catholic translators alike insert the verb “is”: “Jesus is Lord.” The 1901 American Standard Version explains with a footnote: “Some ancient authorities read ‘confess the word with thy mouth, that Jesus {is} Lord.’” The corrupt modern versions and their underlying manuscripts are at it again, friends!

Also observe how the Living Bible says, “If you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus is your Lord” (beside the Message, this is an extreme version of dynamic, or interpretative, translation). The translator has assumed the role of the teacher—this is spiritually dangerous! Notice how the Amplified Bible says, “Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips….” “Lips” being inserted only confuses the verses. Evidently, the translators of all of the versions quoted above are also under the impression that this verse is talking about confessing with our physical lips and our physical mouths. (They may not be correct in that interpretation, but all we have is their interpretation, and not the pure Word of God with which to compare!)

In actuality, they have polluted God’s Word to teach Lordship Salvation, the damnable heresy of Calvinism, that people have to submit to Jesus’ Lordship over every detail of their lives before they can be saved unto eternal life. This is works-religion. This is not Christianity. Whenever someone says, “The modern versions still contain ‘the Gospel!,’” they evidently do not know what the Gospel is and/or they do not know what Romans 10:9-10 is talking about! No lost person can give his or her life to Christ—lost people are dead spiritually. Only a Christian gave his or her life to Christ!

Also see:
» Is John 3:16 the Gospel for us today?
» Must I say the sinner’s prayer?
» Could you please explain Paul’s “Acts” ministry?

GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, How long should I keep witnessing to the same person?, How long should I keep witnessing to the same person?, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

How long should I keep witnessing to the same person?

HOW LONG SHOULD I KEEP WITNESSING TO THE SAME PERSON?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“How does one determine to be patient and to keep witnessing to someone, or to avoid him or her altogether?” What an excellent question! I am sure many have often wondered about the same matter, so we need to look and see God’s advice on the subject. We will see, “For what saith the Scriptures?”

The time you should spend witnessing to one person is not always a “clear-cut” issue. Many varying factors and cues are involved, and it would be best to keep them in mind; we will consider how to go about handling some of these issues. First, we need to look at Bible verses that show us how saints witnessed in the Bible. Then, we will look at some of my specific witnessing experiences for illustration.

1. LOOK FOR CUES THAT INDICATE THE OTHER PERSON’S INTEREST, INDIFFERENCE, OR INSOLENCE.

The following are indications that you are probably getting nowhere with the person to whom you are witnessing: overt mocking of the Bible; scornful laughs; numerous complex, trick, or trivial questions; angry demeanor; name-calling; extensive rambles/rants; harsh tone of voice (or shouting); tantrum-throwing and other immature behavior; silence; their repeated mentioning of the same erroneous teachings, as if you did not already address them with Scripture; hands put up as if refusal to listen; phrases uttered such as “Respect my beliefs,” “Leave me alone,” “Let us agree to disagree,” “You’ll never convince me,” et cetera.

Telecommunications conversations (emails, text/instant messages, online discussion boards, website forums, et cetera) are very tricky to evaluate. While you cannot discern tone of voice or facial expressions that further communicate the emotional and spiritual state of the other person, you can watch out for chief signs of fruitless discussions—sarcasm; numerous sidetracked comments (remarks unrelated to the topic at hand); continual focus on the same topics (asking the same question over and over, although rephrased, even after you answered the original question with verses); EXTENSIVE ALL CAPS; and numerous exclamation points. These are online versions of shouting and arguing, and that is not what we are here to do as Christians. Time to move on when you see a lot of these types of online behavior!

Concerning short-term. The more negative behavior that you observe in any single witnessing episode, the greater the need to politely end the conversation as soon as possible. The encounter may even escalate to physical contact at some point, so you want to try to avoid reaching that level. Many negative cues, especially in one particular day, is a clear sign that you are wasting your time with the individual. Time to move on!

Regarding long-term—a course of days, weeks, or months. You should tolerate occasional opposition from one particular person. But again, be reasonable. If after many instances of you discussing the Bible with them, and they are persistent in that type of behavior, that is a clue. You need to step back and refrain from having any further Bible discussions with them. Time to move on!

By the way, to determine whether patience or distance is needed, you need to also think about the entire situation, as well as any previous conversations with that individual. If you know them, consider their religious background (denomination or world religion), any religious higher education (seminary or Bible college), et cetera. If they are highly educated, they are less likely to listen than common people would listen. They believe they have “already figured everything out.” What I have discovered is that the average seminarian or Bible-college graduate has no intention of thinking outside of his or her “box of academia.” I have talked to them before, but I do not engage in prolonged discussions unless their attitude demonstrate they want to have intelligent Bible discussions.

Consider these Scriptural tips I always keep in mind when witnessing to others.

After the Lord Jesus preached to all of Israel for three years, the viciousness of the naysayers grew more intense. His own people became more and more opposed to Him. At the beginning of His earthly ministry, in His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus has just read some of the book of Isaiah in the synagogue service, and then He begins to reprimand them for their unbelief in Him. We read: “[28] And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, [29] And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. [30] But he passing through the midst of them went his way” (Luke 4:28-30). When the audience wanted to throw Him headfirst off of a cliff, it was His cue to leave. Jesus somehow sneaked away and avoided death! He did not provoke them any further but left the scene.

In Matthew 12:14, about halfway into His ministry, the Bible says the Pharisees held a council how they might destroy Jesus. In Matthew 13:24, they began to accuse Jesus of being possessed by the Devil! By studying Matthew 12:15-21, Matthew 16:20, Matthew 23:34-39, et cetera, we can see that Jesus Christ began to gradually withdraw from a national ministry. When He had preached to all of the cities of nation Israel, so that they would all be without excuse, He then began ministering to the few Jews who had heard and believed His words. He increasingly preached to and taught those who did want to receive His words. Jesus just gave the rest of Israel over to spiritual ignorance. He did this by introducing His parables, stories that would only confuse those who had refused to hear and believe God’s plain Word during the many months prior (Matthew 13:13-15). He gave only the believers the ability to understand what the parables meant.

In John chapter 8, toward the end of His ministry, Jesus delivered an extensive rebuke to the Pharisees. As He exposed more and more of their unbelief, they became more insulting toward Him. Finally, they became very belligerent. They began to pick up stones to throw at Him, “but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (verse 59). Jesus knew not to engage in further contact with them. It was time to move on and He did! He told them the truth, they got mad, and when He saw they were bent on behaving irrationally, He left!

Once Jesus recognized they would not hear Him, He moved on to those who did want to hear God’s truth. Our Lord was very wise. He knew that He had a lot to do and say and only three short years to get it all done! He could not dilly-dally addressing every single point posed by every single critic. We should learn from how He conducted His ministry. Like Jesus, we want have only a limited amount of time and energy to conduct our earthly ministry. We need to spend more time teaching God’s Word rightly divided and less time simply saying “no” to every false teaching and every Bible critic.

When commissioning Israel’s 12 apostles, Jesus said: “[11] And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. [12] And when ye come into an house, salute it. [13] And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. [14] And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. [15] Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city” (Matthew 10:11-15). If the apostles were not welcomed into a house or city, Jesus said they were to leave it. They were to speak what they needed to say, and then leave when opposition came. They were not to waste time forcing the household or city to listen to them.

When the Apostle Paul had preached Jesus Christ to the Jews in Damascus long enough, the unbelieving Jews plotted his murder—the Apostle’s ministry companions had enough sense to quietly sneak him out of town (Acts 9:20-25)! When the unbelieving Jews wanted to kill Paul and Barnabas by stoning, the Apostles quickly left the city (Acts 14:1-7)! In Acts 17:10, in Thessalonica, the unbelieving Jews were plotting against Paul and Silas—they had to leave town hurriedly here too! When the pagans in Athens laughed at Paul’s sermon, he left them alone in their ignorance (Acts 17:33)! When the unbelieving Jews refused to hear Paul preach Jesus Christ in the synagogue at Corinth, he left them in their spiritual ignorance and went minister to people next-door (Acts 18:1-7)! In Ephesus, Paul spent three months preaching in the synagogue (Acts 19:8). The Bible says in verse 9, “But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.” Once Paul recognized a persistent, defiant attitude in the Bible critics, it was time for him to move on! When they continued to “speak evil of that way,” Paul knew that he was wasting his time, and he began to teach believers. The point is that Paul, like Jesus Christ, used his time wisely. He travelled extensively throughout the then-known world, reaching as many people as he could, and eventually leaving those alone whose hearts had become increasingly hardened to God’s Word.

We find an interesting passage in this regard, 1 Timothy 1:18-20: “[18] This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; [19] Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: [20] Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.” These people—evidently Christians (!)—the Apostle Paul said he “delivered unto Satan” because they were blaspheming (in the context, embracing false doctrine and probably teaching it, too). Paul gave up these men to greater error! Again, we should not force people to do anything or believe anything. Free will! Free will! Free will!

One of the qualities of a bishop (church leader, elder) was, “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9). A church leader—yes, every Christian—should confront the opposition, the unbelievers and the Bible critics. But, this should be done with wisdom and prudence. Friends, after an extended period of time, it is time to move on!

Let us look at various verses from Proverbs.

“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge” (Proverbs 14:7). “The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with” (Proverbs 17:14). As soon as you recognize that someone enjoys the deception they are in, that they are openly resistant to the truth you are sharing, go from their presence. As soon as you see they are “contending” (arguing), you need to move on… and quick. If you stay, you just might find yourself in a physical brawl!

Now, Proverbs 22:10: “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.” Those who want to mock, if you get away from them, contention (arguments, disagreements) will leave you. There will be no strife (fighting, trouble) and no reproach (criticism, rebuke). When you observe mocking, criticism, arguments, fighting, et cetera, it is time for you to move on, friend! Do not waste time with the person.

Next, Proverbs 23:9: “Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” There comes a point in time when you recognize a fool. It is someone who has an objection to every Bible verse you quote and every Bible truth you share with them. Time is needed to recognize the pattern, but you eventually learn they are just willfully ignorant. They do not want God’s precious Word. They want their religious traditions, their scientific data, et cetera. Give them what they want. Quit talking and leave!

And Proverbs 29:9: “If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.” The “foolish man” here is the Bible rejecter, the one who refuses to listen to and believe God’s wisdom. Whether he grows angry or he laughs, neither action will cease. The Bible believer is to leave this person alone. Let them enjoy the spiritual ignorance they so joyfully embrace (Romans 1:18-32)!

When dealing with any anti-Bible person, whether denominationalist, or world religionist, or atheist/evolutionist, et cetera, the wise Christian soldier should always consider Proverbs 26:4-5: “[4] Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. [5] Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.” God is a God of freedom: never are we to take away anyone’s free will. Sometimes, we are to answer our critics; other times, we should not waste our breath. While most do not want to know God’s truth, let us be mindful of those few who are seeking it. May we be as polite and patient as possible when the conversation is conducive to learning (worthwhile questions). May we respectfully withdraw when intelligent discussions are deemed impossible (name-calling, sarcasm, tantrums, et cetera).

2. DO NOT “CLOSE THE DOOR ON THEM” COMPLETELY (UNLESS UNDER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES).

As long as someone is not deliberately trying to confuse you and convert you to a cult, or has not threatened you with physical violence, you do not have to permanently cut off all contact with them. Remember, you are not trying to make enemies, but if they do see you as an enemy because of your stand on sound Bible doctrine, you can do nothing more about it. Pray for them and love them, but you will not convince them if they do not want to hear the verses. Do not force yourself onto them but do not completely isolate yourself from them, either. Friend, there must be a balance. In fact, with family members, coworkers, close friends, classmates, et cetera, avoiding them entirely is usually impossible. You can still visit them and talk with them, but do not discuss the Bible unless they ask. If it is an emergency like sick-beds or death-beds, you should speak up about the Scriptures, but do so in the spirit of love and meekness. Let me give you a few examples of how I approach such people.

A Christian relative cursed me out because of my stand on Bible doctrine, so I avoid that particular topic (Bible versions) with him now. In the years since he fussed me, he has approached me a few times for Bible understanding. Imagine my shock when he even asked me to write some Bible study notes so he could use to teach in his denominational church! With him, I make a few brief instances to Scripture in conversation, but nothing too deep. When he asks me about how my ministry is going, then I mention some Bible verses or themes. But, even to this day, I try to limit myself to a few minutes of Bible discussion with him. He is a saved man, which is a start, but it is up to him to grow in the Bible. He seems to be a little more open to sound doctrine (dispensational Bible study), so the more receptive he is (the less “no’s” I hear from him), the more I talk with him about Scripture the next time around. If nothing else, he can see the lifestyle I live, and it just may peak his interest one day to learn more about what I believe.

Over the years, at funerals or sick-beds, my parents and I have talked with lost relatives about the Gospel of the Grace of God. When my paternal grandmother died last year, I gave her eulogy, mainly to give a Gospel invitation to all of our unsaved relatives and family friends. It was a simple plan of salvation message, spoken with respect and solemnity, and no one could misunderstand unless they wanted to misunderstand it. While I could judge that the vast majority of my religious family was indifferent concerning the message (the room was deathly silent after I finished!), they nevertheless heard the Gospel of God’s Grace and are thus without excuse to this day. Not one person—including the angry Roman Catholic deacon officiating the service—left that funeral home without a knowledge of how to be saved from their sins through the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ. Whether they decided to trust Him or not, that is out of my hands. I have spoken to them since, but not much about the Bible and nothing about the Gospel. At this point, I would be forcing it on them. They need to come to me now if they want to talk. They see the Bible resources I post on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, et cetera, and it is their decision.

Now to pastors, seminarians, priests, Bible teachers, et cetera, with whom I have dealt these past several years. If they were largely argumentative, sarcastic, disrespectful, and showed me that they were not Bible believers but Bible doubters and scoffers, I no longer approach any of them or seek them out. They will have to come to me if they want to discuss the Scriptures. I have no reason to contact them. If any of them want to contact me, they know how to reach me. Depending on how much foolishness they displayed in the past, and the nature of their current discussion, I may consider replying. Otherwise, to keep the peace, I have left them alone and given them over to what they want. It keeps their flesh from being exploited and it keeps my flesh from being exploited. I treat them especially different than common church members because congregants and parishioners are often less prideful than church leaders.

Recently, I spoke with a religious woman no more than five minutes about the Bible. No matter what I said, she kept repeating the same errors and defending the same teaching she had heard all her life. When it became apparent to me that she was not going to change her mind, that she would not submit to Scriptural and historical facts, I left off the conversation. I told her that the discussion was fruitless and thus not worth continuing. I recognized that she was trying to convert me to her denomination. She did not want to hear the Gospel and be saved from her sins. She just wanted me to agree with her church tradition. I finally had to let her go. I did not give her any of my contact information. I have better things to do with my time than speak to someone who has no eye to see, no ear to hear, and no heart to believe God’s truth.

Some years ago, a professing Christian used to argue with me online about Bible truths. I simply disregarded him, and we broke off contact for a few years. A few years ago, and ever since, he has emailed me with Bible questions (especially asking me about some false teaching that he needed rescuing from!). While he certainly has other doctrinal hang-ups, he seems to be more “straightened out” doctrinally now, and open to being taught. I share Bible verses with him every chance I get. He has never argued since.

A man who was confused about legalism once emailed me, explaining how he was about to give up on Christianity. He was at his wits’ end with all of the perplexity! After I responded to his email, he was silent for four months. I wondered if I wasted my time with all those dozens of pages of studies I wrote just for him. Then, he emailed me again with more Bible questions about other topics. Evidently, he had not repudiated Christianity, so I still keep the communication lines open with him. More recently, I spent three hours answering his Bible questions on the telephone. The man was so willing to hear the truth, and I do not regret speaking to him.

Other Christians with whom I dealt, after sharing numerous verses with them, and after they replied in very negative ways, I broke off contact with them. The verses shared with them were very plain and simple, but they have denominational beliefs that they refused to give up. After I shared the verses with them, they stated the error once more as if I never quoted the verses. They wanted ignorance and I have no reason to force them to believe the verses.

But, again, every situation is different. Some people are so willing to hear the truth. Others are simply too unbearable. Unless absolutely necessary, we do not want to completely cut off contact with religious people. They may come to their senses, they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, and they know to whom they can come for help in spiritual matters. Again, strike a balance—identify the genuine seekers and reach out to them, but stay away from the scoffers unless they reach out to you.

We need to give them the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they have been in so many groups and read so many so-called “Christian” books that they need more time than others, to get set straight. Maybe they have emotional attachments to certain doctrines or books. Perhaps they have learning disabilities. Then again, maybe they are trying to trip you up, trying to waste your time, trying to “convert” you, or trying to mislead you. Throughout your dealings with them, you need to remember to pray for them, and you need to study your King James Bible so you can be ready for their comments or questions. I cannot stress it enough: you want to be kind, gentle, and as patient with them as possible, but, eventually, with some, you just have to let them go. You will see the above cues, and that is when you just need to find someone else to minister to, to teach, to evangelize, et cetera. You will have to assess the situation and determine what the best course of action is.

Above all, if they do not want to hear from you in regards to the Bible, they can at least see your godly testimony, the Holy Bible living in and through you. You may win them to Jesus Christ by way of your lifestyle. The Apostle Peter talked about believing wives converting their unbelieving husbands by means of the wives’ godly lifestyle. First Peter chapter 3: “[1] Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; [2] While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. [3] Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; [4] But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” Your lifestyle may peak their interest and they may come to you for spiritual insight and Bible understanding!

3. HOW TO BEGIN AGAIN WITH THEM.

We just need to be ready when our critics and opponents do want to hear and accept sound Bible answers. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). And what did Paul tell Timothy? We read in 2 Timothy 4:1-2: “[1] I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; [2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

We can prepare ourselves by studying and memorizing verses that would address their past doctrinal hang-ups (verses that they once misquoted, verses they used against us, verses they criticized, et cetera). I have learned that this technique has been very helpful in my own ministry. It certainly shocks them when you have those answers the next time around! They see you are not just some “nit-wit” who can quote shallow verses, but rather someone who not only believes the Bible but who actually studies it for himself or herself!

Once you share with them the truth the first time around, they know where to come for answers, so try to be as receptive of them if and when they come around. Some people will come back for answers, and that is fine. Other people will never again discuss the Bible with you, and that is fine, too. Once they hear about the exclusive nature of the Gospel of Grace, that salvation is only found in Jesus Christ (not a church, not in our works, et cetera), they may leave! Once they hear about the King James Bible, they may leave! Once they hear about Paul’s special apostleship, they may leave! Be prepared not to be disappointed. Friend, say the truth anyway and let God take care of the rest!

If they begin again to ask you about spiritual matters, a good starting point for you to say is, “If you want to look at what the Bible says, then I will discuss that topic with you.” This phraseology is useful in weeding out petty/fruitless discussions. I assure you that this approach can be quite a time-saver! When you immediately mention the Bible, it alerts the person that you are not going to “beat around the bush” with your opinions or their opinions, denominations, et cetera. You are showing them that you are serious about Bible doctrine and study, and if they are truly interested in learning God’s truth, they will agree to hear more. Those who want to waste your time will usually not proceed once you say, “If you want to look at what the Bible says….” They do not want to hear verses. Thus, they usually will not bother to continue the conversation. That is when we apply 1 Corinthians 14:38: “But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant!”

If they have questions that you cannot answer or of which you are unsure, you can always email me at arcministries@gmail.com. We have this Bible Q&A website designed just for that purpose: www.forwhatsaiththescriptures.wordpress.com. I would be more than eager to answer them as best as I can using the Scriptures. It is important to keep track of their questions so you can get a better understanding of their mindset.

SOME MORE BRIEF WORDS ABOUT CONDUCTING ONLINE MINISTRY

Sometime back, a brother in the grace ministry recently deactivated his Facebook account. Reading between the lines, and considering what had gone on before, contentious people forced him to leave for an extended period of time. This situation should cause us to stop and think. We need to reassess how we deal with willfully ignorant Christians. The dear brother, evidently, had not considered the counsel we just offered here. We need to adopt and enforce strict measures concerning people who want to waste our time, elevate our blood pressure, and parade their Bible ignorance with their never-ending “vain jangling.” They act very childishly, for they have no accountability hiding behind screen-names. They certainly would not act like that in person. Long before they drive us away, we need to send them packing! They, not we, should go! What do I mean?

In the eight years I have been on Facebook, I have learned to become quite familiar with the “unfriending,” “delete,” and “block” buttons. We grace Christian leaders on Facebook need to be especially mindful that these three buttons are to be used only as last resort, but they are to be used nevertheless. “If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38). This is talking about Christians especially!! If they persist in “vain jangling,” I have my three buttons one click away. I have used all three buttons many times before, and I have lowered my blood pressure and removed any “flesh-parade” traps others may have otherwise fallen into.

There is nothing wrong with Bible discussions, but as we know, they are unfruitful and foolishness when verses fall into the wrong hands. I have determined that these people are not going to drive me away. After two attempts to straighten them out, and they deliberately continue in the error, I let them go on their way (Titus 3:9-10). I will not deactivate or delete my accounts on any website. We need a strong grace presence on social media now more than ever. Paul went to the cities, so let us reach the clusters of people online.

You may do as you like, saints, but remember that deactivation or termination of online accounts removes all your posts/articles/tweets from view. I will not deactivate or terminate because I would remove thousands of my posts. At some point, please consider those three buttons rather than deactivation or termination. Warn people in love that if they do not start behaving properly, you are ready to remove them from your online presence. We are not doormats. Been there, done that, and never been more joyful! 🙂

SOME EXTRA TIPS

When witnessing, sometimes you need cycles of patience and distance. Patience and distance will require varying lengths of time. As you witness more and more, and as you mature spiritually, further experience will equip you to better discern a witnessing situation each time. This experience will be very useful because, as we all know, it can be very difficult sometimes to decide whether more patience is needed, or if more distance is needed in a witnessing situation (it is not always clear). Every witnessing situation is totally different from every other, even if it involves the same person and the same topic. Hence, personal experience is one of the best ways to answer the question at hand.

Saint, as you mature in the Word of God, you will be able to better assess the witnessing situation. You will recognize a pattern associated with each person. If you have tried to make the Word of God as plain as possible, and they are still asking the same fundamental questions, or even the same foolish questions, there is a problem… not with you but with them. Those who are persistently stuck on the same Bible topics need to be gently warned that they need to move on. There is more to the Bible than their repetitive questions. They need not waste time on profitless matters. You need not waste time on profitless matters. If they continue in that manner after being warned, that is a clear indication that they are set in their ways. So, you need to move on to someone who is open to reasoning from the Scriptures.

If you have sent various Gospel tracts or booklets to unsaved family members or friends, or if you have sent to denominational relatives or friends numerous booklets or books about dispensational Bible study, and you do not hear from them about that literature, then you have done everything your Lord Jesus Christ has expected. After repeated attempts, it is time to stay silent. You have no further obligation unless those people follow up. It is very tempting to get hung up over one person’s refusal (either for salvation or for Christian edification). I know the frustration, brethren, but do not despair. Unless they request a reply from you, no response is necessary. In fact, unwarranted further involvement might make people more opposed. Again, just move on to those who do want to listen to God’s Word (they are the people we really need to reach; Acts 13:45-52; Acts 18:5-6), and be ready to share it with anyone… even with those who once argued with you who are now returning to ask you for Bible clarity.

Of course, 2 Timothy 2:24-26 says: “[24] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” We should teach them the Word of God patiently and meekly, but remember 1 Corinthians 14:37-38 says: “[37] If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. [38] But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.” Some people just will not get it because they do not want to get it! That is when you need to break off from the conversation.

The Bible is quite clear that if a Christian refuses to acknowledge Paul’s apostleship, the loving action to take is to let them stay in ignorance. Yes, we value free will as much as our Lord Jesus Christ does! Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote that we are to expect Christians to be ignorant of his apostleship to us, and there are Christians who do not want to acknowledge his special apostleship either. Those who are saved and who oppose sound Bible study are definitely “opposing themselves,” and unfortunately they are not concerned. We have repeatedly attempted to alert them of their doctrinal error, but they consistently refuse reproof and correction. Dear brethren, its high time to apply 1 Corinthians 14:38. Let them have what they want—spiritual ignorance. They are not just people who do not know better; they have had many opportunities to know the truth, but seminary for many has become Bible cemetery, and that is what they desire. You will save yourself much frustration by not discussing Bible doctrine with those sorts of people unless they ask. Let them come to you.

The good news is that people know who to come to with any Bible questions, so just be on “standby.” God the Holy Spirit will use the Bible verses you did share with them, and He will bring them to their memory. It has been my experience and other Christians, to wait until the opposition has questions, and then they will approach us. For years, these Bible-rejecters may not want to discuss anything further about the Scriptures. Then, one day, here they come with questions, either about salvation or for Bible understanding. That is the result of God’s Word working in them, the verses we shared with them!

Remember the admonition in Ephesians 5:15-17: “[15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, [16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Satan has stolen the time that should have been used for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to “redeem the time.” We need to buy it back by glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to share Christ’s finished crosswork with lost people, and we need to teach Christians His Word rightly divided. It is the Devil’s goal to distract us by using bullheaded people who want nothing more than to waste our time. Satan will use Bible critics and Bible scoffers to cause us to waste our time arguing with them, when we could be using our time more wisely. We would be foolish to continue trying to convince those who have no interest in getting set straight. Our time could be better spent on people who do want to hear the truth, than trying to twist arms of people who have thoroughly demonstrated that they do not want to hear it. They want to stay blind and in love we let them pursue what they want.

Whenever you witness to someone, remember this verse (one of my favorite verses): “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Also see Colossians 1:5-6: “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:” Friend, you are not speaking men’s ideas. God’s Word will always accomplish His will. Let us be faithful in teaching and preaching it, to lost and saved alike. For we read in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

This article, although abbreviated, at least provides some insight to your question. There is no short answer as to the time that should be spent witnessing to one person. It is my hope and prayer that you will use this information to assess each and every witnessing situation in which you find yourself. I wish you the best, brother or sister!

Also see:
» What does John 3:16 really mean?
» Should we use the book of John in evangelism?
» Is Acts 16:31 a sufficient Gospel message?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, Miscellaneous, Should we use the book of John in evangelism?, Should we use the book of John in evangelism?, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Should we use the book of John in evangelism?

SHOULD WE USE THE BOOK OF JOHN IN EVANGELISM?

by Shawn Brasseaux

If you are familiar with Protestant churches, especially “Evangelical” circles, you have seen or heard them use verses from the book of John during their salvation invitations. John 3:16 is probably the most well-known Bible verse—”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” It is still being used in Gospel tracts and Gospel literature, and can be found on T-shirts, bracelets, church signs, bumper stickers, church bulletins, plaques, mugs, et cetera.

One commentator, representing the average Bible teacher or pastor, wrote the following: “The gospel of John is the one book of the Bible specifically written with the purpose of leading men to Jesus Christ and salvation.” The author went on to talk about how we needed to use John’s Gospel to be “effective witnesses for Christ.” While we agree that John’s Gospel contains many exhortations to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (John 1:12; John 2:11; John 2:23; John 3:15-18,36; et al.), what exactly were they to believe about Him? (We will answer that question in this study as well.)

The above people encourage us to use the book of John when we witness to lost people. Also, they urge new Christians to begin reading the Bible in the book of John. I heard it constantly during the years I attended denominational churches. Just the other day at a store, a lady was telling me how her church had recommended that she get a new modern-English Bible and start reading in John’s Gospel. (We had a nice discussion after she said that!)

As previously mentioned, many a tracts and books have John 3:16 in them. The famous “ye must be born again” phrase is extracted from John 3:3-7 and placed in Gospel tracts and messages. For some time, I used the Gospel of John to preach and/or teach people about their need to be saved from their sins. While the Gospel of John is most definitely the inspired Word of God, over the years, I have come to understand—like other Pauline dispensationalists—that John is a very important piece of Israel’s Scriptures. We should study the Gospel of John, and we can quote the Gospel of John during salvation messages, but we should be mindful of its original place in God’s Holy Word. (For more information about the original meaning of John 3:16, please see our study linked at the end of this article.)

In this study, we will look at three common points that very few know concerning the Gospel of John and Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. You will surely read some shocking statements. The average denominational person does not like them, either. However, my friend, it is my hope and prayer that you will let the verses speak for themselves. Above all, by faith, take your stand on the verses!

1. JOHN’S GOSPEL IS WRITTEN TO LOST JEWS TO TELL THEM THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, MESSIAH/CHRIST.

The Bible book we call “The Gospel According to John” is the fourth and final record of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. John is starkly different from the so-called “Synoptic Gospels” (Matthew, Mark, and Luke): the Apostle John emphasizes aspects and events of Christ’s earthly ministry that Matthew, Mark, and Luke usually entirely disregard.

John 1:11-13 introduces the theme of the book of John: “[11] He [Jesus Christ] came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 20:30,31 elaborate: “[30] And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: [31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

When moving the Apostle John to write his Gospel record, the Holy Ghost selected specific events of Christ’s earthly ministry, eight unique miraculous demonstrations through which Jesus taught Israel various doctrines (our King James Bible calls these miracles “signs”). These signs communicated to Israel that Jesus Christ was their Christ/Messiah, the Son of God, and that He had the ability, the power, to equip them to function as “the sons of God,” men and women who could work with God and delight in accomplishing His earthly purpose and program.

Those last few verses of John chapter 20 are not at all a salvation message for Gentiles. These verses are the heart of the Gospel of the Kingdom, a Gospel message that focuses on who Jesus is. He is the Messiah/Christ, the Son of the living God. There is no mention of His death, burial, or resurrection in the Gospel of the Kingdom. The good news of Calvary was not declared until the Lord Jesus Christ revealed it to the Apostle Paul, over a year after the events of Calvary. Notice the confessions of these Messianic Jews, believers in the Gospel of the Kingdom:

  • Andrew told his brother Simon Peter, “We have found Messias, which is, being interpreted, Christ” (John 1:41).
  • Nathanael said to Jesus, “Thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel” (John 1:49).
  • Peter said to Jesus, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
  • Martha said to Jesus, “I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (John 11:27).
  • The Samaritans of John 4:42 said of Jesus, “we… know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
  • In Acts 2:36-38, Peter stressed Jesus’ Lordship and Christship and urged Israel to repent and be water baptized in Jesus Christ’s
  • Even as late as Acts 8:37, a year after Calvary, the Gospel was still “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Modern Bible versions and their underlying manuscripts omit this important verse!)

There was nothing in the above verses that made reference to Calvary. The message was simply who Jesus was/is. He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. Notice how in John’s Gospel, as well as in other passages of Israel’s program, that the “name” of Jesus Christ is emphasized. Again, it is a reference to who He is rather than what He did:

  • John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
  • John 3:18: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
  • Acts 3:16: “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
  • Acts 8:12: “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
  • 1 John 3:23: “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
  • 1 John 5:13: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

2. WE DO NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST AFTER THE FLESH.

Moved by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul made it very clear that we do not know Jesus Christ according to His fleshly ministry, and this would include the book of John: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have know Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Corinthians 5:16). There was a time in the Bible when people knew Jesus Christ according to His ministry to the circumcision, the nation Israel.

Read Romans 9:5: “[The Israelites] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” And Romans 15:8: “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” Ephesians 2:12 says that we Gentiles were “without Christ.” During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ dealt with people on the basis of physical circumcision (Jew) and physical uncircumcision (Gentile). He said, “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). He also declared, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).

That distinction of Jew/Gentile was done away with when our Dispensation of Grace began. Once Paul’s “all-men” ministry began, God taught mankind not to judge between “Jew and Gentile.” God considered all lost Jews and all lost Gentiles equally satanic and hell-bound. Unbelieving Israel lost her status before God—God considered all lost people “Gentiles,” consigned to hell. Furthermore, in Paul’s ministry, God was taking believing Jews and believing Gentiles and forming the Church the Body of Christ, in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:26-28; Galatians 5:6; Galatians 6:15; Colossians 3:10-11). That formation of the Body of Christ is all predicated upon the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:13).

3. MUCH OF THE BOOK OF JOHN OCCURRED BEFORE CALVARY.

Absolutely, Jesus Christ talked about His death and His resurrection (see John 2:18-22), but the merits of that crosswork were still unknown to mankind. That was God’s secret that He kept in Himself. If we want to know an exposition of the importance of Calvary’s cross to us Gentiles (Body of Christ), we need to go to the book of Romans. (The book of Hebrews functions as such for the nation Israel.) The first five chapters of Romans discuss how Jesus’ finished work at Calvary can save sinners, chapters 6 through 8 discuss how that crosswork impacts the Christian’s life on a daily basis, and chapters 12 through 16 are a further explanation of how we are to apply those grace doctrines to life.

Now, contrariwise, over 90 percent of the book of John deals with Jesus Christ’s miracles—eight specific signs to be precise. There is no salvation for us contained in Jesus’ miracle ministry. That special ministry was to prove who He was to Israel. It was not John’s intent to evangelize Gentiles with his Gospel record. John said that he was leading people to recognize and believe on the name of Jesus as Messiah/Christ. Such a message would mean nothing to Gentiles. Jews were looking for a Messiah—Messiah was to come to Israel. Gentiles are not looking for a Messiah, friends!

CONCLUSION

Many well-meaning people have urged us to use John’s Gospel record as a salvation tool and as an introduction to the Bible. While we agree that John’s Gospel contains many exhortations to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (John 1:12; John 2:11; John 2:23; John 3:15-18,36; et al.), what exactly was the message that audience was to believe about Him? Was it “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day?” No. Most of the Gospel of the John details Jesus’ miracles and records His words to His disciples the night before He died. There is actually very little about Calvary in the Gospel of John. We see Jesus crucified in chapter 19 of John, but that is just one chapter and it is dedicated to the historical event of Calvary’s cross. John spent much of his Gospel Record focusing on who Jesus was and how He preached and performed eight miracles to validate who He was. People are taking Paul’s epistles and simply reading them back into the Gospel of John, and that is only blurring the distinction between Paul’s ministry and the other ministries in the Bible.

What John wanted his audience to believe about Jesus was that He was the Son of God, the Christ/Messiah. In John’s Gospel, it was all about who Jesus was rather than what He did at Calvary. Jesus’ identity was in fact no mystery (secret). What Jesus accomplished at Calvary was a mystery/secret (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Before Paul came, people believed Jesus was Messiah/Christ. What God had not revealed to them was the full merits of His crosswork. (For more information, you can see our study titled, “Who were the people who followed Jesus before Paul?,” linked below.)

The primary Bible book that we should be using for Gospel messages, Gospel tracts, et cetera, for this the Dispensation of Grace, is the book of Romans. Chapters 1-5 talk about the full benefits of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. The very first Bible book a person should read (when new to the Bible) is the book of Romans. Chapters 6-8 and chapters 12-16 discuss how the Christian life functions on the basis of the doctrine outlined in the first five chapters. I believe it is in accordance with the Devil’s agenda that most Christians and most lost people overlook the book of Romans and start with John, or Acts, or Matthew, or Psalms, or Genesis. In doing so, they never get the clear Gospel message and clear-Christian-living message that the book of Romans gives, thus remaining lost in their sins or confused about how their Christian life should function.

Also see:
» Who were the people who followed Jesus before Paul?
» What is the real meaning of John 3:16?
» I am new to the Bible so where should I begin?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS, What does John 3:16 really mean?, What does John 3:16 really mean?

What does John 3:16 really mean?

1 Comment

WHAT DOES JOHN 3:16 REALLY MEAN? IS IT THE GOSPEL OF GRACE?

by Shawn Brasseaux

John 3:16 is the most translated, the most quoted, and the most memorized verse. It appears on bumper stickers, T-shirts, coffee mugs, bracelets and pendants, and Gospel tracts. In fact, even many non-Christians are familiar with it. Everyone knows about John 3:16—or at least they used to know it—but seldom do people understand what that verse really means. Sadly, the true meaning of John 3:16 has been lost amidst religious tradition (denominationalism). In this study, we want to examine John 3:16 and its context in order to discover its (rather fascinating) meaning. Rather than appealing to religious tradition, we ask, “For what saith the Scriptures?”

The King James Bible says in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Unfortunately, modern English Bibles have removed “begotten,” thereby destroying the correlation between Psalm 2:7, John 3:16, Acts 13:33, and Romans 1:4. According to the Bible, “begotten” refers to Jesus Christ’s resurrection, not Him being born in Bethlehem.) God has many sons, but only one “begotten” Son (see John 1:12; Romans 8:14; Galatians 4:6-7).

Beyond all question and doubt, John 3:16 is God’s inspired Word. However, John 3:16 is not sufficient to lead a person to salvation today. Let me show you how we know that. In order to understand John 3:16, we need to approach it God’s way. We are instructed to, “Study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). God has made distinctions in His Word, so we need to recognize those distinctions and separate them with divisions. All of the Bible is written for us, but not all of the Bible is written to us or written about us.

According to Matthew 10:5-7, Matthew 15:24, John 4:22, and Romans 15:8, the Four Gospels record the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ to the nation Israel under the Law. We are not the nation Israel, and we are not under the Law of Moses (Romans 6:14-15; Romans 11:25; Galatians 3:28). It is clear that John 3:16 has nothing to do with us today. It belongs in Israel’s program because it is a statement spoken to Nicodemus, a religious leader of Israel (see John 3:1,10).

Furthermore, we understand that Jesus Christ never spoke of Paul’s Gospel of Grace during His earthly ministry (Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:1-9; Colossians 1:25-29; 1 Timothy 1:11). The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ were never proclaimed as a salvation message until we get to Paul’s ministry. (More on this later.) If John 3:16 is not a reference to Calvary, then what does it mean? In order to answer this, we need to go back and briefly look at the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants.

“THE PROMISES MADE UNTO THE FATHERS” (ROMANS 15:8)

Firstly, let us look at the Abrahamic Covenant, found in Genesis 12:1-3: “[1] Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2] And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

The first two verses refer to the establishment of a new race, the nation Israel (Jews). Notice the last portion of verse 3: “in thee [Abraham] shall all families of the earth be blessed.” To wit, God would use the nation Israel as a channel of blessing to reach the rest of the world with salvation. According to the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised to bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who cursed Israel.

In Exodus 19:5-6, some 500 years after Abraham, and just after the deliverance from Egyptian slavery, the LORD promised to make Israel a “kingdom of priests.” Nevertheless, God does not reveal the details of this kingdom until King David’s time, some 500 years after Moses and Exodus chapter 19. The LORD promised King David that one of his descendants would become the everlasting King of Israel (this is Jesus Christ).

Examine the details of the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:8-17, where God speaks to King David through the prophet Nathan: “[12] And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. [13] He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever…. [16] And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

Understand from Abraham to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, the nation Israel had the hope of being a “kingdom of priests.” Israel was God’s covenant people, and Christ ministered to Israel to fulfill the promises made to Israel’s patriarchs, particularly the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants (cf. Romans 15:8).

Throughout the Old Testament when God dealt predominantly with the nation Israel, He was still concerned with the salvation of Gentiles. God had to first save all of Israel, and then He would send Israel to minister to the lost Gentiles. In that kingdom promised in the Davidic Covenant, every Jew would evangelize the world. Read from Zechariah chapter 8: “[20] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: [21] And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. [22] Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. [23] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”

Here the Bible says that once Israel was in her kingdom, the Gentiles would come to God’s light to receive salvation! Gentiles would follow the Jews to meet Immanuel, “God with us [Israel].” God in the Person of Jesus Christ would be ruling the planet from Zion in Jerusalem! Compare this to Isaiah chapter 60: “[1] Arise, shine; for thy [Israel’s] light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee [Israel]. [2] For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee [Israel], and his glory shall be seen upon thee [Israel]. [3] And the Gentiles shall come to thy [Israel’s] light, and kings to the brightness of thy [Israel’s] rising.”

You can also read Isaiah 11:1-9, Isaiah 61:5-6, Daniel 2:44, and Psalm 2:6-9 for additional insight regarding that kingdom. Throughout these verses and passages, the recurring theme is that Israel would rise to kingdom glory, and Gentiles would receive salvation and blessing through Israel. This is very important.

Okay, so let us go back to John chapter 3 and sum it all up. In John chapter 3, Jesus Christ is speaking to Nicodemus, a religious leader of Israel (verses 1 and 10). Despite his religious education, Nicodemus is totally ignorant of the Old Testament prophecies (the promises we just discussed). When Christ tells him, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” Nicodemus fails to understand this is a spiritual birth for Jews, and so inquires how a man can be born again of his mother’s womb (physically) (verses 3 and 4). Nicodemus “marvels;” verse 7 says he is puzzled. Jesus Christ has to explain to Nicodemus God’s original purpose in forming the nation Israel (verses 9 and 10). In John 3:16, Christ tells Nicodemus (I paraphrase): “God loves the whole world! I am here because God wants to save Gentiles too. Before salvation goes to the Gentiles, ye [the nation Israel] must be born again! Your whole nation must trust Me as King-Messiah.”

John 3:3-5 makes references to “the kingdom of God.” What else could this be but a reference to the kingdom promised by the Old Testament prophets? The Lord Jesus Christ tells Nicodemus that every Jew must be “born again” (John 3:3,5). Every Jew must be saved in order for the earthly kingdom to be established. The Jews must be saved first, and then God can use them to minister to the whole world (Gentiles). John 3:17 says: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” How would God save the world, as prophesied in the Old Testament? Through Israel!

PAUL’S GOSPEL OF GRACE

Now, friend, notice why John 3:16 has nothing to do with us as people living in this the Dispensation of Grace. The Lord Jesus Christ knew that the Jews would reject Him and kill Him. He knew the prophetic program and the earthly kingdom would be delayed for a time. Nevertheless, He kept that information secret from everyone during His earthly ministry. None of the Old Testament prophets—not Peter, James, John, or anyone else in the Four Gospels either—knew of this dispensation in which we live, the Dispensation of the Grace of God.

God kept Calvary’s cross hidden from Satan so that he would willingly participate in his own defeat (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). I emphatically remind you that John 3:16 is not to be confused with our Gospel of Grace that we preach today. God did not reveal our Gospel until He revealed it to Paul (in Acts chapter 9). This is why Paul called it “my gospel” (Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8). God first revealed it to Paul and entrusted it to him. When we come to Paul, we come to a new Gospel, the Gospel of the Grace of God, as found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “How that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

Notice what Paul writes in Romans 11:11-12: “[11] I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. [12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” In Paul’s ministry, salvation is going to the Gentiles without Israel—this is contrary to the Abrahamic Covenant! Recall that the salvation of Gentiles was no secret in the Old Testament. The secret was that Gentiles would receive salvation through the fall, not the rise, of Israel.

CONCLUSION

When the Lord Jesus spoke John 3:16 He spoke of the Old Testament promises regarding Israel rising in her coming kingdom. John 3:16 makes no reference to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not sufficient information to lead someone to Christ today. No one can be saved today by simply understanding John 3:16 because it is not the Gospel by which we are saved in this dispensation! Like we stated before, Jesus Christ was God, and foreknew our present-day Dispensation of Grace was coming, but He did not reveal our Gospel until the Apostle Paul. What people do is, unfortunately, take Paul’s information and “feed it back into” John 3:16. We should not use Paul’s epistles to interpret John 3:16—that is to ignore the Bible’s dispensational boundaries. Paul’s Gospel belongs in the mystery program and John 3:16 belongs in the prophetic program.

Hence, Paul never quoted John 3:16. Why do people quote John 3:16, yet seldom mention Romans 5:8? If you want a good verse to use to prove God’s love for the world, why not use Romans 5:8? “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” You always read John 3:16 in tracts, but you rarely see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, if at all—the Gospel of Grace is not John 3:16, it is 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. If you want to use John 3:16 to show someone the way to salvation, that is okay, but this verse in its context has nothing to do with Calvary’s cross. It belongs in Israel’s program. Leave it there. You will save yourself and others from much confusion.

Also see:
» What does John 1:29 really mean?
» Should we use the book of John to evangelize the lost? (COMING SOON!)
» Is Acts 16:31 a sufficient Gospel message?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, Is faith enough to enter heaven? Do not the devils “believe?”, Is faith enough to enter heaven? Do not the devils “believe?”, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Is faith enough to enter heaven? Do not the devils “believe?”

IS FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE ENOUGH TO GO TO HEAVEN? DO NOT THE DEVILS “BELIEVE?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Someone defending her works-religion recently contended with me that faith alone does not guarantee one’s salvation into heaven. Her argument is summarized as follows: “Since the devils ‘believe,’ they could potentially go to heaven. But, since the devils cannot go to heaven, believing is not enough to go to heaven.” I knew she was making a general reference to James 2:19: “Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Was she using this verse properly? Is there any merit in her quoting the verse? Or was she just desperately trying anything to sustain her denominational/works viewpoint? In this brief study, we will evaluate her comments and critically examine the verse. Saint, have this answer ready whenever someone tries to use James 2:19 against you!

While James 2:19 says exactly what it means, and it means exactly what it says, it does have a context… a context often ignored. The context (as I pointed out to her) is James 1:1. Before we grab James 2:24—“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only”—we had first better take James 1:1. The entire epistle of James is not written to whoever happens to find and read it and see how it can be used to advance a “pet” doctrine. The first verse says that James is written to the 12 tribes scattered abroad. James is not writing to the Church the Body of Christ. He says that he is not writing to us Gentiles in the Dispensation of Grace. If we want to claim a verse in James chapter 2 as applicable to us, we had better be sure to know as to which tribe we belong. If we are unaware of such tribal information, we should not be quick to say that we are of the 12 tribes, and we should not be quick to claim what exclusively belongs to the 12 tribes of Israel.

There is no question that the devils believe that there is one God (James 2:19). There is no question that the devils believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (see Matthew 8:29; Luke 8:28; et al.). They did not say Jesus was “the Son of the gods” (plural). However, this is nothing more than head knowledge. A mere mental agreement with God’s Word never saved anyone. It has to be faith in the heart, “for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness” (Romans 10:10a). There are two billion people today who believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins, but very few have heart faith in that message. If they have only head knowledge of Calvary’s crosswork, they are heading to the same devil’s hell as the person who has never heard of Jesus! They constantly say that He died for their sins, but when they are asked if they will go to heaven when they die, they cannot say one way or another because they still have to atone for sins in purgatory. Behold, the confusion and double-mindedness in works-religion!

Furthermore, angelic beings and devils cannot experience soul salvation from sins. They, unlike us, have no Kinsman-Redeemer. Jesus Christ became a Man and by becoming a Man He was able to pay the sin debt of Adam and all of Adam’s descendants (see Romans 5:12-21 in its entirety). However, Jesus did not become an angelic being. The Bible says, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16). Angels are individual creations of God. Unlike humans, they did not descend from one original couple reproducing. Angels do not have a federal head. People have a federal head—Adam. Consequently, the merits of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork cannot and will never apply to angels or devils. God’s plan of salvation is available only to sons and daughters of Adam. Fallen angels (devils) can never be reconciled to God. They will be doomed to “everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41). Each and every one of them would need their own savior, and we are talking about thousands upon thousands, if not millions, of beings. All angelic beings, whether those angelic beings that are elect of God or those that are fallen and following Satan, know the truth about Calvary. But, that knowledge cannot be reckoned as faith unto righteousness. That privilege is only for humans.

Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Where is the water baptism? The tongues? The tithing? The sinner’s prayer? The turning from sin? The joining the church? There are no works in the verse, yet people are constantly forcing these items into the passage!)

Romans 3:26: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Again, where is the water baptism? The tongues? The tithing? The sinner’s prayer? The turning from sin? The joining the church? There are no works in the verse, yet people are constantly forcing these items into the passage!)

1 Corinthians 1:21: “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (Once more, where is the water baptism? The tongues? The tithing? The sinner’s prayer? The turning from sin? The joining the church? There are no works in the verse, yet people are constantly forcing these items into the passage!)

These verses—written to us Gentiles!—say that faith alone in Jesus Christ saves an individual from his or her sins today. There are no religious works necessary like in Israel’s program (the context of the book of James). James and Paul are talking about two different types of “belief.” There is no merit in trying to harmonize the two epistles. There is no merit in using a non-applicable verse and making it fit us. Paul is describing heart faith in people (Romans 10:10a), whereas James is talking about head knowledge in devils (James 2:19). Heart faith in James’ audience will cause them to do good works. James is in perfect accordance with Israel’s legalistic system. The devils do not have heart faith, so they will never be able to do the good works that God requires of Israel in James’ context. James is encouraging his audience not to be careless or shallow when it comes to good works. They have faith, now they need works! In Israel’s program, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17,26).

Also see:
» Is Acts 16:31 a sufficient Gospel message?
» We are saved by faith, but are we blessed by works?
» Can you compare and contrast Peter’s ministry and Paul’s ministry?