Conviction, realization of the reality of grace and repentance are not enough to affect salvation, as Jesus tells us in Mark 1:14,15: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, saying, ‘The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand; REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.'” Notice that there is only one gospel=THE gospel. THE gospel has one theme=the KINGDOM OF GOD. Following His ascent to the Father Jesus returned and for 40 days taught His disciples about “the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). The subject of His message to God-seekers is two-fold: 1) what we are to strive for (entrance into His Father’s Kingdom), and 2) how to strive (to believe the gospel). But belief (faith) alone is not enough to save the soul. There is an ultimately important factor inherent within faith (Jam. 2:24,26).

Belief in His gospel is also a two-fold proposition: 1) One must believe that what is written in the Holy Bible is God’s unalterable Truth, and 2) one must obey that Truth which, as the Apostle Paul said, consists of “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Paul said that he did not fail to declare the whole counsel (Word) of God which he had received by direct revelation from Jesus Christ Himself (Gal. 1:12). That revelation was Jesus revealing Himself to Paul in that He is the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14). When we obey the Word we obey Jesus who received everything He said from God the Father (Jn. 12:44-50). OBEDIENCE IS WHAT GOD CALLS WORKS.

That THE WORKS GOD COMMANDS IS MANIFESTED IN OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD is made abundantly clear throughout both the Old and New Testaments, but no clearer than in James 1:20-25. In this passage we find the Lord, speaking through the Apostle James, telling us in verse 20 that BIBLICAL WORKS PROCLAIM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, and that man’s wrath is not one of those works. In verse 21 He tells us to stop sinning and to allow Him to engraft His Word in our hearts which will enable us to resist Satan’s call to sin. Note that His Word is ABLE to save our souls, and will do so IF we become (vs 22) DOERS (workers) of the WORD and not merely hearers. For if we hear His Truth/Word (Jn. 17:17) and do not DO/WORK that gospel we deceive ourselves into believing that we are saved, born again, etc. and are in good standing with Him. He tells us in verses 23,24 that to hear the Truth and not do it means that we refuse to be what He commands us to be–His obedient servants. In verse 25 He tells us that IF we CONTINUE being “DOERS of the WORK” (obey His Word), we will be blessed with eternal life. Then in verse 27 He defines pure, undefiled religion as obedience to His Word, which enables one to keep himself unspotted (clean) from the world. In James 5:20 the Lord reminds us that even the most righteous of the most elect can sin and fall away from Him: “BRETHREN (church member), if one of YOU (brethren) err from the Truth/Word (sin)–and one convert him, know that one has SAVED A SOUL FROM DEATH.” Note it: Anyone can sin, but if the church sinner truly repents–becomes a doer of the work–God will not destroy him. If he refuses to repent, he will die. True repentance is the key. To be continued.  L.J.