What Kind Of Believer Are You? by West End Church of Christ

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What Kind Of Believer Are You? Faith in Jesus Christ is unquestionably required in order to be saved. But are you aware of the fact that there are different kinds of believers mentioned in the New Testament? What I mean is that the New Testament identifies some who believe in Christ, as the Son of God, but were not saved on that basis alone. Today there are a number of people who truly believe Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, but like those in the Bible, are still not truly saved from their sins. Which kind of believer do you think you are -- if you claim to believe Christ is the Son of God? We want to study this with you more in detail -- in just a minute or so. First, let me again invite and encourage you to meet with us today as our guest. Bible classes begin at 9 a.m. This is a period of about an hour when we divide into various age groups and study some significant and relevant Bible topics. We have some excellent teachers and you are encouraged to join in the discussions. Bring your children -- regardless of their age, we have a class designed just for them. Then at 10 this morning we will worship congregationally, reading the scripture together, praying, singing praises to the Lord, and partaking of the Lord's Supper. Tonight at 6 p.m. we have the opportunity again to worship God, at which time we also have a brief period of Bible study. Wednesday we meet at 7 p.m. for Bible study and again divide into various classes for study. Come and be with us. The believer who is saved is the believer whose faith leads him or her to strict obedience to Christ. The believer who never makes it is the one who says, "I believe in Christ as the Son of God, but I don't have to obey all He taught." When people sincerely obey Christ from the heart because of deep faith in Christ can there be any question about their salvation? But when people, even though they are so pious and saintly, express faith in Christ but cannot find it in their hearts to fully obey Christ, how can they ever expect to be saved? You know, there is a way to be saved, and stay saved. Neither of these desirable positions are obtained and maintained by faith only. Listen to the inspired word. "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone" (James 2:24). That verse very clearly denies one of the most wide spread doctrinal errors in the world. The doctrine of "justification by faith alone" is believed by practically the entire Protestant world. One of the largest denominations in the world has this as an article of their religious conviction. Listen while I read from the Methodist Discipline, Article IX. "We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort." Please don't think I am trying to downgrade the Methodist Church by simply citing their own Discipline. I have many friends among those who believe this doctrine. Some of them are the finest people in the world. I simply take issue with their doctrinal stance on justification by faith alone. This doctrine says the exact opposite of what the Bible says. Notice -- Faith alone is a most wholesome doctrine in protestantism. Faith alone cannot justify a sinner according to the Bible. A doctrine that cannot justify is declared wholesome and comforting in denominationalism -- but denied in scripture. In fact the only place in the entire Bible that justification by faith is mentioned, it is said that a person cannot be justified by faith alone. There is not a single individual on earth who can believe both the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith only and James 2:24. The great reformer Martin Luther is probably the author of the doctrine of justification by faith only. He once offered his scholar's cap to any man who harmonize Paul and James on justification. Years later, another great German scholar John A Bengle wrote, "Here Scripture has prophetically stigmatized these degenerate disciples of Luther, who ever call for faith only, not that of Paul, but faith isolated from works." (New Testament Word Studies, Volume Two, page 710). Both James and Paul mention faith and works -- but there is no discord between them. Neither of them ever had in mind any kind of faith that is isolated from works. Works ordained by God Almighty are the only way faith can be expressed. James 2:19 says that the devils (demons) believe and tremble. Some of the unclean spirits in Christ's time confessed faith in Him. "Thou art the Son of God," they cried out (Mark 3:11). Let no man ever predicate salvation and justification on the basis of belief in God and His Son Jesus Christ that does not fully obey all He commands. To do so would take in demons and make them saved saints. John the 8th chapter is particularly rich in the refutation of the doctrine of faith only. In it John writes of some Jews who believed on Jesus but were not saved. The record reads, "As he spoke these things, many came to believe in Him" (verse 30). Now these believers were not saved believers by any stretch of the mind. I listened to a preacher affirm their salvation once simply because he believed that all that is necessary to be saved is to believe and nothing more. But listen again to John. "Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine" (verse 31), "and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (verse 32). Here are Jews who believe on Christ who were not free from sin. Believers are never free from their past sins until they obey the Lord. Notice the "If" of the sentence. "IF you abide in My word ..." If one does then one is a disciple truly -- if one does not he is not a disciple at all. The "believers" of John 8 thought they were free. Here is their response. "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You shall become free'?" (verse 33). Think about that response for a second. Had they forgotten the Roman army of occupation that had Palestine under its heel? Had they forgotten Egypt, Babylon, Syria as nations that had held Israel as captive slaves? But Jesus had another sort of slavery in mind. He had slavery to sin in mind when He said, "the truth shall make you free." Paul wrote, "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" (Romans 6:16, NASB). Now then, Jesus shows them their true master. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father" (verse 44). How could anyone think these Jews who believed on Christ were saved? Jesus also said, "My word has no place in you" (verse 37). Believers who do not find a place for the Lord's word in their hearts are lost believers. And there are many just like that even today. They believe in Christ, but His word is not really in them. Here's an example. Jesus said, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16). How does that word from Christ register in your heart, dear friend. "Oh well now, baptism is not really necessary to be saved -- it's a work that nullifies grace." I wonder why such a response comes from hearing this very simple statement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is it because preacher's say it so often? Regardless, it is false. Would you rather that Jesus had said, "He who has believed and not been baptized shall be saved?" That's the way most people believe it. But that is not what Jesus said. Does His word on belief that causes one to obey Him abide in your heart? Yet another example of believers who were not saved is found in John chapter 12. Read with me: "Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue" (verses 42 and 43). You and I both know that there is a difference in what one believes and what one is willing to stand up for. The discrepancy between the two is the mark of a spiritual coward. Could any believer who feared to confess Christ openly expect to be saved? Listen again: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). These rulers believed -- no question about that -- but they would not confess Christ for fear of losing their religious standing with the community. Many of their neighbors did not believe in Christ. It would have been a disgrace to them to publicly be identified as a disciple of Christ. Therefore they proved to be spiritual cowards -- unsaved believers. Are you a believer in Christ? Are you willing to confess Him and stand with Him and proudly preach only His word? There is no question about whether one must believe in Christ or not -- but there is a great question as to what kind of believer is saved. The saved believer is the believer who repents of all past sins (Luke 13:3), confesses faith in Christ (Romans 10:10) and is baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). The lost believer is the one who believes but regards obedience as optional. What kind of believer are you, dear friend? Think about all this and if you have any questions, let us hear from you. You can write us at West End Church of Christ, 1609 Parkside Drive, Bowling Green, KY. 42101. (Repeat). Till the next time, thanks again for listening -- Please visit with us when you can and tune your radio to this very same spot next week at 8 a.m. May God bless you and yours. Radio Sermon No. 15