(4) INSTANT SALVATION:  A Youth Revival was being broadcast on t.v.  Some attendees had brought a “lost” friend to hear the preacher in hopes that he would “get saved” during the meeting.  Following the sermon and the “alter call” (unheard of in the early church),  the “lost” boy was brought up on stage.  When asked where he would go if he died in the next 5 seconds, the boy replied, “hell.”  Then the preacher led him through the “Sinners Prayer.”  When asked where he would go “now,” the boy replied, “heaven.”  And the crowed rejoiced.  I saw a preacher friend in town one night and he told me that, moments earlier, he had led two boys to “salvation” just down the street.  Does anyone believe this nonsense?  Yes.  Billions have believed it in the past and billions believe it today.  Is instant salvation Biblical?  Are we saved simply by believing in Jesus?  Let us “study to show ourselves approved of God” concerning this most important matter.  Let us “prove all things” and “hold onto that which is good.”  Let us study God’s Word “precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”  LET US BELIEVE GOD.

Multitudes of people believed that Jesus was God’s Son sent from Him to lead them to His Truth.  However, only about 120 were still around when the dust cleared.  Jesus preached to thousands who followed Him.  He also fed them, healed their and delivered those who were afflicted with devils.  However, He then rejected them.  Many Jews, including some leaders of the Pharisees, believed in Him, then turned on Him.  Nicodemus (a Pharisee) declared: “We (Pharisees) know that You (Jesus) are a man sent from God ….”  Yet they convinced the Romans to kill Him.  Today billions of people believe in Jesus, take Him as their personal Savior, own Bibles, wear crosses around their necks and fish symbols in their ears, attend church services, preach, serve on the mission field, etc.  Yet they reject Him when it comes to the conduct (walk) of their lives.  Why is there a total disconnect between church people and the One they claim as their Savior?

The answer is found in the Words of Jesus Himself: “Why do you (believers) call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and DO NOT WHAT I SAY?” (Lk. 6:46).  “These people draw close to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart (mind) is far from Me.  IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING FOR MY DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN” (Mat. 15:15:9).  The reason Jesus rejected those who believed in Him was because THEY REJECTED HIS MESSAGE.  

Nothing has changed.  The church masses still believe in Him as their Savior, but REJECT HIM AS THEIR LORD BY REJECTING HIS WORDS–the same Words by which we will all be judged (Jn. 12:48).  Let us examine some of His Words relative to the subject of salvation.  The religious masses reject His Words concerning when (and if) one is saved.  Jesus said that such people prove that they despise Him and His Father (Lk. 10:16).

Obeying the Words of the Godhead produces righteousness and holiness.  The Apostle Paul tells us that the END RESULT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS IS SALVATION (Rom. 5:21; 6:22).  He also tells us that every salvation seeker “runs the race” leading to the FINISH LINE where salvation (the prize) awaits.  However, only the one who runs the race ACCORDING TO THE RULES wins the prize.  He makes this clear in First Corinthians 9:24: “You know that all (prize seekers) run in a race, but only one wins the prize.  Run (the race of life) in such a way (according to the rules) so that you may win the prize.”  Notice that Paul was writing to people in God’s church.  Note also that they would receive the “prize” only if they crossed the finish line (at death) having run according to the rules (God’s Word).

Paul knew that he was not exempt from the Lord’s rules for winning the prize.  In Galatians 2:2 he noted that he was very careful relative to running the race of eternal life, “lest by any means I run the race in vain.”  Some in the Galatian church system had stopped running according to God’s rules.  He writes to them: “You had been running well.  Who convinced you to stop obeying the Truth?”–God’s Word (Jn. 17:17).  Note that those who had fallen away were still running (by their own rules), “knowing” that, though they were sinning, they would still receive the prize.  This was the lie the Serpent of Eden sold to Adam and Eve.  Jesus used the parable of the 10 virgins to speak to this deadly church “truth.”   The 5 foolish virgins (Christians) “knew” that they would be welcomed into the marriage feast even though they had stopped obeying the rules formulated by the race Master.

Jesus and the apostles made it clear that salvation would be available only AFTER the race had been won by the one who had obeyed the rules.  In Matthew 10:22 Jesus stated that those who run the race according to God’s rules would be hated by all people, including their relatives.  He also noted that only those who retained their holiness until the end (of their lives) would be saved upon the return of Jesus Christ.  Until then, we have the HOPE OF SALVATION (Titus 1:2).  One hopes for what one does not yet have.  If one has salvation, why does one hope for it? If Paul fought the good fight and stayed the course (obeyed the rules) in order to receive salvation, who are we to believe that all we need to do is believe in Jesus?  Thousands believed in Jesus; only 120 believed His message.

But believing His message (faith) is not enough.  Faith (belief) cannot save the soul (Jam. 2:14).  Faith without works (obedience) is dead (Jam. 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26).  Note in verse 24 that, though justification is awarded on the basis of faith, it is retained only by works commensurate with one’s faith.  Paul backs up this Truth in Romans 2:13 where he notes that it is not the hearers of the Law (Word) who are just(ified), but the doers (obeyers/workers) of the Law shall be (remain) justified.”  Note that to maintain one’s justification (awarded because of one’s faith), one has to obey God’s Word (be a doer of the Law) in order to retain it.  This would not be necessary if one is saved upon believing in Jesus as taking Him as one’s Savior.  The prize is awarded AFTER the race is over, not upon arriving at the starting line.  L.J.