- Most People are “Religious” - There is, however, a big difference between religion and salvation.
Most people are religious – including many who say they are “Christians” – and are very sincere and devoted to the ways of their
religions; but they have never become saved. Jesus Christ is the Only Way to escape the “second death” of God’s eternal wrath because He is God’s Way. Only a true believer –
that is, one in whom the Holy Spirit “dwells” – has been adopted into
God’s eternal family as one of His children and has become a “joint
heir” of heavenly glory with Christ.
Pro14:12 “There is
a way which
seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof are the ways of
death.”
John 3:14-16 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.”
Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name [Jesus Christ]
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Rom 8:15-17 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16
The Spirit itself [Himself - the indwelling Holy Spirit]
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God: 17And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
- Only a True Believer has Eternal Life and his Religion is “Pure” - A true believer is one who has entered into a personal, intimate and eternal relationship with God through salvation. Therefore, a true believer is no longer under God’s condemnation and wrath because the penalty for all of his or her sins – past, present and future – have been fully paid by Jesus Christ. How can a religion be “pure and undefiled”? The word “undefiled” in Jam 1:27 means to be unsullied or unstained by sin. How can one be sinless and “unspotted from the world” in the eyes of God? This word “undefiled”, for example, describes both the Author of salvation (Jesus Christ): “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens…(Heb 7:26)”, as well as salvation itself: “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you (1 Pet 1:4)”, which God has so lovingly given to His people: “For
he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor 5:21)”. God the Son, Who is perfectly holy, harmless [innocent], and undefiled, became unholy, guilty, and defiled in paying for the sins of each born-again Christian. Only a true believer has a “pure” religion – that is, the only religion that has eternal spiritual value because it is “clean”, or “undefiled”.
John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I [Jesus Christ] say unto you,
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him [God the Father] that sent me,
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is
passed from death unto
life.”
1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12
He that hath the Son hath life; and
he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These 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.”
Rom 5:1-2 “Therefore being
justified by faith [i.e., Christ’s faith],
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this
grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Jam 1:26-27 “If any man among you
seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but
deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain. 27
Pure religion and
undefiled [uncontaminated]
before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.”
Matt 5:8 “Blessed are the
pure in heart [saved heart with indwelling Holy Spirit]: for
they shall see God.”
1 Tim 1:5-7 “Now the end of the commandment is
charity[love] out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned [without hypocrisy]: 6From which some having swerved have
turned aside unto vain jangling; 7
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”
Tit 1:15-16 “
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are
defiled [contaminated] and
unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
Psa 119:1 “Blessed are the
undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the LORD.”
- Unsaved Man’s Religious Ideas are Based on Superstition - God allows those who are perishing to obtain some measure of psychological satisfaction from their vain (empty) and defiled (unclean)
religious practices in a manner typified by the physical satisfaction
derived from drinking physical wine and strong drink. Sadly, their
religious efforts are totally useless for obtaining a right standing with God. Therefore, they will remain spiritually impoverished without repentance unto salvation because the unsaved are “spiritually” dead (Eph 2:1-5).
Pagan religions and false gospels are based on “superstitious”
doctrines that involve a fear of the supernatural but not a reverential “fear” of the True and “Living God” based on the sound doctrines of the
Bible.
Acts 17:22 “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are
too superstitious.”
Acts 25:19 “But had certain questions against him of their
own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.”
Psa 111:10 “
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good
understanding have all
they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Psa 147:11 “The LORD
taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that
hope in his mercy.”
Ecc 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Pro 9:10 “
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is
understanding.”
- Unsaved (natural) Man has No Spiritual Understanding of Truth - His
superstitious religious beliefs are based on man’s “wisdom” – not God’s
as set forth in His Word, the Bible. Consequently, God considers him to be spiritually drunk. “The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty” – where the meaning of “poverty” is to become “dispossessed” or “disinherited” (i.e., to be spiritually unsaved). 1 Cor 2:13 declares God's wisdom is revealed by Holy Spirit: “not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual [comparing scripture with scripture]”.
1 Cor 2:12-16 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which
the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual [comparing Scripture with Scripture]. 14But
the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all
things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16For who hath known the
mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but
we [saved]
have the mind of Christ.”
Isa 55:7-9 “Let the wicked
forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Pro 23:19-21 “Hear thou, my son, and
be wise [with God's wisdom], and
guide thine
heart in the way[God's way]. 20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of
flesh: 21For
the drunkard [with false Gospels and Pagan religions] and the glutton shall
come to poverty: and
drowsiness shall clothe a man with
rags [filthy rags].”
- Doctrines of Works - Man’s Works of Righteousness are as Filthy
Rags - One common aspect of all the pagan religions and false gospels of
the world is the notion that man must do something to gain
favor with whomever or whatever they worship. That idea is perfectly “logical” from a human perspective because we are self-centered
beings. God, however, has stated very clearly that salvation is by
His grace alone, through the faith of Christ and
not by man’s “works” (efforts) in any way, shape, or form. God
describes the spiritual covering of unbelievers by the word “rags” and
says that all of “unclean” man’s attempts at being “righteous” are like “filthy rags” in His sight. God must cover us with
the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness to be acceptable to God. “we [believers] are His workmanship” – that is, salvation is the result of God’s work in
the hearts of His children. Once God saves someone, He puts a sincere
desire in that person’s heart to obey His commandments and to serve
Him by performing “good works” under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In other words, the only works of man that have any spiritual value
are those performed after he becomes saved. There is nothing a man can do to
make himself right with God before salvation takes place. The complex
aspects of the True Gospel are incomprehensible and illogical to the
natural (or unsaved) man – in fact, they are “foolishness” to those
who “perish”, as we read in the following passages:
Isa 64:6 “But we are all as an
unclean thing, and
all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
Isa 61:10 “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.”
Eph 2:8-10 “For by
grace are ye saved through
faith; and
that [faith]
not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: 9
Not of
works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Rom 11:6 “And
if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But
if it be of works, then is it no more grace:
otherwise work is no more work.”
1 Cor 1:18-21 “For the preaching of the cross is
to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19For it is written,* I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will
bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20Where is the
wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath
not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21For 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.” [* Isa 29:14]
- Unsaved Man Hates the Doctrines of God’s Sovereign Grace - The doctrines of God’s sovereign grace are repugnant to man. His natural, sinful pride causes
him to reject the notion that God is totally in charge of His own
salvation program. An unsaved person cannot bring himself to admit that
salvation is totally God’s work for His glory.
Throughout the history of the world mankind has invented many kinds of
religions and “do-it-yourself” salvation plans in order to get right
with God, but the verses below relate to the fact that it is only God’s actions that produce salvation from eternal damnation.
Eze 36:22 “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel [typifying the Elect of God],
but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.”
Rom 9:13-16 “As it is written,
Jacob [typifying elect] have I loved, but Esau have
I hated. 14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?
God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom
I will have mercy, and
I will have compassion on whom
I will have compassion. 16So then it is
not of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth, but
of God that sheweth mercy.”
Isa 5:20-21 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter
for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and
prudent in their own sight!”
Eph 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ: 4According as he hath
chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in
love: 5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.”
John 6:65 “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that
no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”
John 6:44 “
No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:37 “
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
- Mans’ Works – Physical Circumcision - Physical circumcision is an
example of a perfectly “logical” works-type salvation doctrine that was
being taught by some in the early NT church who tried to hold to the
OT ceremonial laws, which were fulfilled and rescinded by Christ at the
cross: Actually, God’s Law regarding physical circumcision was never a
requirement for salvation. It was to be obeyed merely as a “token”, or
a physical sign representing the spiritual reality of salvation (Gen 17:11).
Ancient Israel “stumbled” over God’s salvation plan because they
thought that religiously keeping the Law would make them “righteous”
instead of trusting in God's Mercy for salvation.
Acts 15:1-2 “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said,
Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses,
ye cannot be saved.
2When 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.”
Acts 15:24 “For as much as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying,
Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:”
Rom 9:31-33 “But
Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because
they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they
stumbled at that
stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a
stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on
him shall not be ashamed.”
1 Cor 1:23 “But we preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness;”
Deu 10:15-17 “Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers
to love them, and
he chose their seed after them,
even you above all
people, as it is this day. 16
Circumcise therefore the
foreskin of your heart,
and be no more stiffnecked. 17For the LORD your God is God of gods,
and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which
regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:”
- God’s Work – Spiritual Circumcision - When God said, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart” in Deu 10:16 and “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart” in Jer 4:4, He obviously had spiritual circumcision
in view. By these statements God emphasized the fact that man cannot
save himself by his own efforts (i.e., cut off his own sins) any more
than he can circumcise the “foreskin” of his heart (i.e., his spirit
essence). However, because mankind in general cannot possibly carry out
those commands, neither can man keep God’s Law, so, the next logical
question is, “Why then the Law?” God answers that question for us in
these verses leading up to Gal 3:29. We see that God’s Law is intended to be a “schoolmaster” to teach us about our sin and our desperate need for a Savior – the Lord Jesus Christ. The Law is a representation of God’s righteousness and an indication of His very nature. “Circumcision” of the heart means spiritual circumcision
– that is, the spiritual reality of salvation by the cutting away of
sin and the shedding of Christ’s blood in the Atonement. Of course, no
one can perform that operation on his own heart – only God can do it. That is the meaning of the “circumcision made without hands” in Col 2:11.
Deu 30:6 “And
the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,
that thou mayest live.”
Rom 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But he is a
Jew, which is one
inwardly; and
circumcision is that
of the heart, in the
spirit, and not in the letter;
whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
Col 2:10-11 “And
ye are complete in him [Christ], which is the head of all principality and power: 11In whom also
ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ:”
Gal 3:19-29 “
Wherefore [Why] then serveth
the law?
It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to
whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a
mediator. 20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21Is
the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for
if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by
faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23But before faith came, we were kept under
the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Wherefore [Therefore]
the law was our
schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a
schoolmaster.
26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For
as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there
is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And
if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and
heirs according to the promise.”
- God’s Work – Spiritual Baptism - Man must be “baptized” (i.e., have his
sins washed away) by the Holy Spirit in order to receive God’s
gift of eternal life. God replaced the Old Testament sign of “physical circumcision” with the New Testament sign of
“water baptism”, and many today stumble on the spiritual significance of
baptism in the same way the Israelites stumbled on the spiritual
significance of circumcision. They do not understand that God referred
to spiritual baptism in verses such as the following, and
they erroneously believe that water baptism is necessary for
salvation. Many pervasive and spiritually dangerous
doctrines of man’s “works” being taught all over the world today
insist that man must somehow participate in his
salvation. These perfectly “logical” – but erroneous – doctrines have
been taught and disputed throughout the NT period, but only the
doctrines of God’s Sovereign Grace are true.
Matt 3:11 “I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you with water
unto repentance. but he that cometh after me [Jesus Christ] is mightier
than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”
John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water [the Word of God]
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Eph 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it [Church]
with the washing of water by the word,”
Rom 10:17 “So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God.”
Acts 8:13,23 “Then
Simon [the sorcerer]
himself believed also: and when he was
baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
23For I perceive that thou art
in the gall of bitterness, and
in the bond of iniquity.[language pointing to the condition of unsaved]”
Rom 6:3-5 “Know ye not, that
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore
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. 5For
if we have been planted together in
the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his
resurrection:”
