What Kind Of Believer Are You?
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
|
Lyrics, Chords Tabs Rated
Children's NT Studies
