ASK YOUR PREACHER -- (N0. 3)

     Thank you. As mentioned this is the program entitled, "What
Saith the Scripture?" It has been our constant desire to call for
Book, Chapter and Verse from God's Book, the Bible, for all that we
teach and practice in the area of religion. If a practice or teaching
cannot be found upon the pages of Holy Writ, then by what authority
can one practice or teach it?  Since we shall be judged by the words
of Christ, as clearly taught by our Lord in John 12:48, it behooves
all of us to be sure that the things believed and practiced find
their authority in that word. Once again, thank you for being in our
audience at this time. Do you have your Bible, your pencil and paper,
that we might study together.
     I have been making an effort in the past two weeks to get before
each one in our audience the teaching of the Bible concerning things
that are practiced in the religious world. In order to do this as
effectively as possible I am asking your cooperation. "How can that
be?" you might ask. I have been asking you to "Ask Your Preacher"
about various teachings and practices seen in the religious world.
Nothing should give your preacher greater delight than to assist
someone to render obedience to the truth. However, before one can
obey the truth, he or she must come to a knowledge of the truth. God
saw fit to have preachers to preach the truth. This point we made in
one of our earlier lessons. But, that truth is revealed in the Book
we call the Bible, and if a preacher is preaching something that the
Bible does not authorize, then he is not preaching the gospel. It,
therefore, is essential that you check up on the things you are being
taught and be sure that they are founded upon a thus saith the Lord.
One was you can do this is to "Ask your Preacher" to show you the
passage from God`s Word that authorizes the things you are being
taught. If he is certain that he is teaching the truth, he will
welcome the opportunity to share with you passages. If he should not
be willing for you to inquire of him in these matters, there is
something definitely wrong, and you should have the desire to find
out what it is. Now to some more questions for your preacher.
     Ask your preacher where the Bible teaches that the sinner is
saved by faith only. This doctrine is taught by a large number of
preachers today; many religious bodies hold this belief. If you ask
many preachers what a sinner must do to be saved, you would be told
that the only thing the sinner is to do is to believe on the Lord,
that one is saved by faith only. One prominent religious body has
this statement in its creed: "That justification by faith only is a
most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort." That states it
about the way many preachers preach it. So, if your preacher has been
telling you this, would you not ask him to kindly show you where the
Bible says a sinner is saved by faith only. Remember, you are not
asking for a passage that says that man is saved by faith. I believe
with all my heart that man is saved by faith, and so does every other
believer. But, what I am asking is where is the scripture that
teaches may is saved by FAITH ONLY. And there is a vast difference
between saying that the sinner is saved by faith and that the sinner
is saved by faith only. Faith only means faith to the exclusion of
everything else. Faith only means there is nothing but faith in God's
plan to save sinners. If your preacher turns to Romans 5:1 and reads
to you, "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,"  call his attention to the fact that
while this speaks of being "justified by faith," it does not say we
are "justified by faith only." The word only is not there. Surely,
men and women are justified by faith, but what we are asking is for a
passage that says man is justified by faith only, or at the point of
faith only. Preachers are preaching that justification comes by faith
only. But, where is the passage that so teaches this. If he is
preaching this, surly he will open his Bible and show you why and
where. If it is in the Bible, he will know where it is.
     There is one passage where the words "faith" and "only" are
joined together. It is found in James 2:24. If you will turn to that
passage you will find this reading, "Ye see then how that by works a
man is justified, and not by faith only." This verse speaks of
justification, but it says that man is justified by works. My friend,
this is not what I think about it, this is what God's word says about
it. The Bible says that "man is justified by works, and not by faith
only." Yet, preachers today are teaching that man is justified by
faith only. Which one will you believe? The preacher or the Word of
God?
     Have you considered how contradictory the Bible would be if
somewhere it says that one is saved by faith only and James comes
along and says that justification is not by faith only? But, notice!
If one is saved by faith only, that would mean everything else is
excluded. Thus, justification would not include repentance. And yet,
God commands men everywhere that they should repent; so states Paul
in Acts 17:30. Jesus Himself said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). If man is saved by faith only this
would remove repentance from God`s plan to save man. Yet, men are
commanded to repent. The apostle Peter states, "The like figure
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us" (1 Peter 3:21). Does
that not sound like baptism has some part in man`s salvation? And
yet, if man is saved by faith only, then baptism is not a part of
God's plan to save man, and Peter has made a mistake when he says
that "baptism doth also now save us."  The truth of the matter it:
there are a number of things that are involved in the salvation of
mankind. Man must believe that Christ Jesus is the Son of God
(Hebrews 11:6); man must repent of the sins committed (Acts 17:30);
man must be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts
22:16, etc.) There are a number of things mentioned that have to do
with God's plan to save man. And yet, some preachers still say that
man is saved by faith alone or only. Please ask your preacher where
in the Bible that this is found.
     Before I leave this subject, I think it necessary that we return
to James 2:24, where James states that we are saved by "works and not
by faith only." What kind of works is James discussing? If James
talking about works of merit, or that man might do certain works of
his own invention and then come to God and demand salvation based
upon what he has done. OH, NO, my friend. The works that James has in
mind are the works that man does in obedience to the commandments of
Jehovah. You will notice that this passage in James chapter 2 refers
to the "works of Abraham." (verse 21). It states that Abraham was
justified by works. To what does James refer when he speaks of the
works of Abraham. The fact that Abraham had to obey the commandment
of the Lord when he offered up his son Isaac upon the altar. The work
alluded to was not something that Abraham dreamed up to do in order
for God to approve of him. Oh, no!! It was Jehovah God who commanded
Abraham to offer up Isaac. Abraham had to obey; Abraham had comply
with the command of God. Thus, Abraham performed works; the works of
righteousness. We, too, must obey our God. We, too, must perform the
works of righteousness in order to be saved.  Jehovah God has never
saved a single person who was not willing to surrender to His
commandments and do whatever was commanded. And that what is involved
in doing "works."  It simply means that I listen to the Word of God
and then I obey what God asked me to do.
     Once again, what has God asked the alien sinner to do in order
to be saved from past sins?  Man is required to believe in Christ
Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. Jesus states, "Except ye
believe that I am He, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). And, if
you die in your sins, you cannot be with our Lord. Man is also
required to turn from his/her sins. That is called repentance. It is
a change of mind that results in a change of life. And as stated
already this morning, "Except ye repent, ye shall die in your sins"
(Luke 13:3). Man is required to be baptized for the remission of
sins. Hear our Lord as He speaks in Mark 16:15-16: "Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned." This is what is involved in the new birth. In Romans 6, Paul
states that "so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
That is verse 3 and 4 of Romans 6. Isn't it beautiful how God`s word
explains itself over and over again. You see, this agrees with Christ
when He said to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Thus,
the new birth involves the planting of the seed, the Word of God,
into the heart of man. That seed germinates and brings forth a child
of God. The place of delivery is from the watery grave of baptism,
where one is raised to walk in newness of life. Thus Christ and Paul
agree with each other.
     But, back to our question for you to ask your preacher. Where in
the Bible does it say that man is saved by faith only? I would be
more than happy to hear from you our listening audience. But, it is
my firm conviction that none will find that passage. And if it is not
found, will your preacher continue to preach it?? Surely not.
                      Much of this material is taken from a tract by:
                      W. Curtis Porter, Cogdill Pub. Co.
Return to Index
Home