SALVATION OVER DENOMINATION

 OR DIVIDED BY UNEQUAL EMPHASES

The Gospel message is so rich and promising that some adherents tend to be mesmerized into sheltering in sections, which they emphasize, creating denominations. Emphases then turn to creeds. There's still nothing wrong with this until creeds demonize other equally essential aspects of the Gospel. James captures this tendency, citing the OT Law, for example: "For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law."(James 2:11 NKJV)

Why look down on aspects of the Law, if you live by the Law? Indeed, why look down on aspects of the Gospel, if you live by the Gospel? And indeed, why wilfully transgress the Law or the Gospel, if you believe both to proceed from God? Jesus said: "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."(Matthew 5:19 NKJV)

The Gospel therefore calls for understanding and including the entire counsel of God rather than seeking to minimize aspects. It is in this holistic emphasis approach that we experience God's full intentions for us and are safeguarded from missing the mark or falling away. Here are examples of the Gospel's essentials, each of which taken in isolation seems to shore up one denomination or the other:

1. REPENTANCE FROM SINS

Since Adam's sin, repentance from sin has been the spearhead of God's message of Grace to humanity. He selects/elects/commends those who turn away from the general walk of sins to walk with Him. Abel, Enoch, Noah, etc. are numbered among them. His key message in His walk with Israel and through their prophets was, ‘Let the sinner turn away from His evil ways and be saved.’ John the Baptist spearheaded his good news with this, as did Jesus, and His disciples after Him. (Genesis 4:7, Ezekiel 18:4, Matthew 3:2; 4:17, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38; 26:20)

There are denominations which simply turn from one set of perceived wrongdoings but do not hold to Christ as their atonement, Savior and Lord. They usually keep to their own set of atonement rituals hardly known to the New Testament. Some of these have already been labelled as non-Christian religions.

Regretting the sins you have committed and turning away from them, however, would only be enough if it implies or is accompanied by faith in the sufficiency Christ’s atoning sacrifice and commitment to faithfully serving Him to the end.

2. FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

A popular handle of the Gospel is John 3:16 and another is Mark 16:16, both of which, like Acts 16:31, highlight faith or belief in Jesus Christ as essential for salvation. Some have found this vein so rich that they consider it THE ESSENCE of the Gospel and label any other act before or after it as either subtracting from the glory of the Gospel or adding works to it. A negative attitude to repentance or good works, however opens the door to tolerance of sin that leads to condemnation. (Matthew 7:12, Galatians 5:6, 12, James 2: 14, 2 Peter 2:20)

Faith in Christ would be enough to save if it implies or is accompanied by turning away from sin and lasting commitment to do all that Christ requires of us.

3. BEARING FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Rooted in the Old Testament righteousness calls of the Prophets is John the Baptist's demand that those who come to his baptism of repentance for the sake of entering the Kingdom of God must not count themselves so qualified until they bear fruit of repentance. Jesus Himself also said His disciples, and therefore those who are saved, can be identified by the fruit they bear. They are marked by a change of character from wickedness to acts of purity and love. Paul indicates that children of God are recognized by the fruit they bear through obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 3:8-14, Matthew 7:16-20, Romans 8:13-14, Galatians 5:22-26).

Denominations which emphasize fruit only, or any good fruit, tend to make all the conducts and even statements of so-called past saints (rather than Jesus) the yardstick for conduct, even if they have no foundation in God's word.

Bearing fruit of righteousness today would be enough if it is from the Holy Spirit, and implies turning away from sin in the fear of God to enduring faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

4. RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Apostle Peter's first statement of the Gospel message shows that repentance and faith in Jesus Christ lead to receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul also found believers who did not demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit doubtful. He wrote to the church at Rome that anyone who did not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ, and that it is only those who are led by the Spirit who are children of God. He also indicated in his letter to the church at Ephesus that the Holy Spirit is the token or guarantee of our redemption (Acts 2:38, Romans 8:9,14, Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30)

There are denominations which hold this as the only sign of salvation, to the extent that they don't care about a person's character so long as they demonstrate some supernatural acts like those that come from the Holy Spirit. Such ignore the numerous Scriptural warnings that the Holy Spirit is not the only source of supernatural acts. (Matthew 7:22,23; 24:24).

Having the Holy Spirit would be enough if indeed He is the one that proceeds from God the Father and faith in Jesus Christ (John 15:26), and we also adhere to his leading to stay away from sin and do God’s work to the end.

5. ENDURING IN FAITH TO THE END

The Lord Himself warns that some will fall away, so it is those who endure to the end that will be saved. (Matthew 24:10-13) As a follow up to this, the Apostles taught that everyone’s faith or commitment to the Lord will be tested or proven just as Abraham's was. (1 Corinthians 13:5, Hebrews 10:23,26-27; 11:17, 1 Peter 1:7, James 1:3, Revelation 2:10, 26) It is therefore important that no one comes to Christ with the mindset of meeting some requirements and returning to their own ways.

There is however a caution against waiting in idleness in Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins at a wedding. The foolish ones were not mindful of keeping their lamps always burning, and so missed the bridegroom when their lamps went out. Also, apparently, the Jews were waiting for the Messiah, but to endure till He came they chose repetitive rituals, such as circumcision, animal sacrifices or observance of days, rather than actively keeping away from sin and doing good to all men in the fear of God.  In similar vein, there are denominations which are occupied with not much more than how Christ's second coming finds them. Those sometimes carry symbols that are supposed to mark them out as Christian or create ready access to rituals and confessions that will 'protect' them at the time of their death.

Enduring to the end would be enough if only you have turned away from sin, trusted in the sufficiency of Christ’s one time atonement, and are actively serving Christ today in the power of the Holy Spirit.

CONCLUSION

These testimonies to the riches of the Gospel should neither divide us, nor lull us into a false sense of denominational safety. We must embrace them as components of one message, each aspect clarifying and affirming the others. It is in adhering to the message as a whole that we have salvation. To adhere to parts only and to teach others to do same is very risky.

#Luke2447 #BibleBriefs365