Acts 16:31 is an oft-quoted and oft-misapplied passage of Scripture.  From an early age we hear parents, Sunday School teachers and ministers quote the passage to us: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”  Then the hearer is told that such belief/faith is all that is necessary to receive eternal life.  He is assured that by following a minister through a set of prescribed words and actions he will be instantly saved and born again.  The Scriptures that conflict with prescribed church doctrine and methodology are to be avoided.  Any further study which would reveal God’s Words on the subject is strictly forbidden, as is the hearing of any conflicting voice.  Following the “born again experience” the new church member is repeatedly assured from lectern and pulpit that, as one famous t.v. pastor told his congregation: “You are already saved, that’s not in question.”  Deadlier words have never been spoken.

Being allowed to hear and read only those doctrines established by the church fathers, the proselyte quickly adopts the prescribed theology.  Now shielded from God’s Word and warned repeatedly not to venture outside the church-prescribed mind-set, he quickly becomes ever more distanced from God’s voice found in the pages of the Bible.  As a result he remains ignorant of those Scriptures that expose the church’s deadly fallacies being put forth as “Bible truth.”  Instead of being shown the Gospel Truth, he is assured that to make it to heaven he need only show up on a regular basis, believe what he hears and obey it–unless it proves to be inconvenient.  In which case, being already saved, he can do whatever is expedient at the moment.

The following information will reveal God’s totally opposite view of salvation.  His Words expose the church’s salvation methodology for what it is–one of the “doctrines of devils” His ministers warn us about.  One such doctrine involves the subject of “hope” as it relates to salvation.

There is good reason why messages on “HOPE’ are rarely preached in religious circles relative to salvation–it refers to the future.  Within professing Christendom the emphasis is on the present–salvation now, rebirth now, what one can get from God now, etc.  The church rejects most Biblical teachings concerning hope because hope refers to the fact that the thing desired will only be attained in the future and is therefore not currently possessed.  The Bible concept of “hope” as it applies to salvation is vehemently rejected by the Counterfeit Church (Catholicism/Protestantism) in spite of the following passages from God’s holy Word.

Romans 8:24,25 is not connected to salvation because it reveals that salvation is reserved for the future.  “For we are saved in (by way of) hope … Hope that is seen (possessed) is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees (has)?  But if WE HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT SEE, WE EAGERLY WAIT FOR IT WITH PERSEVERANCE.”  Why are we told to hope, wait and persevere for salvation if we already have it?  This Romans 8 passage applies directly to salvation as Paul brings out in his first letter to the Church in Thessalonica.

Of the numerous passages of Scripture rejected by the church, 1 Thessalonians 5:8 is near the top of the list.  Here Paul is admonishing the Church of God to embrace FAITH, LOVE AND “THE HOPE OF SALVATION.”  Notice that, contrary to church theology, the believer’s faith and love do not automatically equate to salvation.  Paul knew that salvation was something believers only hoped for in this life–that eternal life would not be awarded until the return of Jesus Christ.  In verse 21 he tells us to prove this.  Let us do so.

In Titus 1:2 Paul again notes that saints have the “HOPE OF SALVATION” which God, Who cannot lie, promised before time began.  But what God has promised can only be attained if certain conditions, such as faith, righteousness and hope are met.  A more complete teaching on what is necessary for salvation will be presented in future postings.

In Hebrews 3:6 the writer tells the church that “we,” including Paul himself, would continue to be Christ’s “house” (body, church) IF we hold fast to faith and HOPE until the END.  Paul was making certain that the church had no delusions about being saved in this life.  Note that he admonishes us to hold fast to our HOPE, i.e., to keep walking the walk that will cause our hope to result in salvation.  In 11:1 the apostle explains the connection between faith and hope, noting that having faith for something produces the hope needed to wait for it until it arrives.  Faith gives us the power to envision it, anticipate it and expect it.  Hope enables us to diligently wait (persevere) for the manifestation of it.  Salvation is the crown which awaits only those who run the race God has set before us while exhibiting righteousness, faith and HOPE.

To understand the process by which salvation is received, one must understand the difference between being an HEIR and being an INHERITOR.  An heir is one who is waiting to receive an inheritance; an inheritor has already received it.  That for which we exhibit faith and hope is often referred to as “the inheritance,” meaning eternal life in a born again (spirit) body that will live forever in the presence of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in their earthly kingdom.  Several passages explain the time element involved in acquiring this inheritance.

In Galatians 3:29-4:2 we find Paul explaining to the saints in the Church of God that they had not yet received the inheritance–that they were merely heirs: “… and IF you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and HEIRS of the PROMISE (salvation).”  A promise is something one does not have; if he has it, it is no longer a promise, but rather a possession.  Paul goes on to explain their (and our) current situation, telling them that, until the time that the heir inherits the promise, he differs little from a slave who owns nothing at present but will own everything in the future.  The heirs, as Paul explains, are being taught by ministers how to conduct their lies so as to qualify for the inheritance.  In-the-flesh saints are not in possession of salvation/the promise/inheritance in this life.  Saints must obey those ministers whom God has set over them who tell them that they must exhibit righteousness, faith and HOPE until they receive eternal life at the return of Jesus Christ.

Of the many problems within the Institutional Church, two rank at or near the top: 1) their ministers are self-appointed, not God appointed and 2) they teach parishioners that they are inheritors, not heirs.  The following Scriptures prove that they are wrong, that saints do not possess salvation (the inheritance).  The Holy Spirit is the earnest (down payment) of our inheritance (Eph. 1:13,14); the glory of Jesus’ inheritance WILL BE present in the saints (Eph. 1:18); we are TO BE partakers of the inheritance of the saints (Col. 1:12); saints WILL RECEIVE the reward of the inheritance (Col. 3:24); saints ARE TO RECEIVE a RESERVED inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4).  Note: all of these references refer to salvation being awarded in the FUTURE.

In Titus 3:7 Paul tells us that, having been justified by the grace of God, we ARE TO BECOME HEIRS according to the HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.  Notice that by the grace of God, members of His church have been offered the opportunity to BECOME heirs of eternal life.  Being part of His true church does not automatically save the soul.  Only those who live in obedience to God’s Word will become heirs of salvation and will, at His return, be saved, born again and welcomed into the Kingdom of God–will become inheritors.

First Peter 1:13 tells us that we are to rest our HOPE on God’s grace which will be revealed by Jesus Christ at His coming.  Other passages prove that salvation/rebirth are not now available, but will be awarded later IF God’s stated conditions are met.  Several of these passages are as follows:

Romans 2:7,10: Salvation WILL BE awarded to him who CONTINUES IN DOING GOOD, who SEEKS IMMORTALITY (eternal life) (1 Tim. 6:16).  All others are SEEKING eternal life, which will be awarded ONLY upon Christ’s return.  Romans 13:11: Each day we true saints grow CLOSER to salvation than when they first believed.  Hebrews 10:36,39: Salvation is TO BE RECEIVED only AFTER one has, with endurance, done the will of God.  Those who begin in righteousness but do not continue to obey God are destined for perdition, the five foolish virgins being a case in point.  First Thessalonians 5:9: God has appointed the church (Paul included) to OBTAIN salvation.  First Peter 1:3,5– God has begotten us unto a living HOPE through Christ’s resurrection.  Whose (Christ’s) salvation is to be revealed (awarded) at the Last Day (His return).  First John 3:3: He who HOPES to be saved must KEEP HIMSELF pure as did Jesus.  Jude 21: We must KEEP OURSELVES in God’s love, LOOKING FORWARD to eternal life.  We KEEP ourselves in His love by KEEPING His Law (10 Command-ments) (Jn. 14:15;15:10).  First John 5:3: We prove our love for God by KEEPING the Commandments–God’s stone-etched Ten Commandment Law that defines and identifies both sin and righteousness.  Hebrews 3:6-11: We belong to Christ IF we HOLD FAST our HOPE until the END.  To be continued.