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(continued from
previous page)
 One
thing man must do in order to be saved is to truly believe —
place trust —in Jesus Christ. This is something man does —
it springs from the human heart in response to evidence (Rom.
10:l3-l7). It affects his destiny. Jesus said, “If ye believe
not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24). Here
is choice, with differing destinies. Some seek to avoid the “human”
aspects of faith by saying it is a “natural response” to
grace, but this begs the question. Is it human behavior, human
response? It is unless — unless — we are ready to accept the
Calvinistic concept that faith is a gift of God. I will be
pained but not surprised to hear this (or derivatives of it)
among brethren who are now toying with Calvinistic concepts of
redemption.
Now,
is this faith acceptable in the absence of overt demonstration?
I know God can see the heart — I know He is a Just God — but
at what point does God say He will forgive sins? Is there
scriptural reason to believe we are forgiven of past sins before
we do His bidding, or when we obey Him? John 12:42-f.
records, “Many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees
they did not confess him for they loved the praise of men more
than the praise of God.” But we are told, this was not a
trusting faith. How do we know it wasn’t? Because it did not
manifest itself — and that is the very point Jesus makes. “he
that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day.” We have no assurance of justification or
of acceptable judgment except as we heed and conform to
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the message of Jesus Christ. The Holy
Spirit gave us specific answers to the query, “What Must I Do
to be Saved?” and we are foolish who allow theological
speculations about “faith” to lead us away from these simple
answers.
The
Jailor was told to “Believe” — and then Paul and Silas
preached to him. “Believe” was an incomplete answer in the
absence of the “word of the Lord” for there is no reason to
think the jailor had even heard of Jesus Christ. When he had
been taught he came to the Lord, being baptized. (Acts 16:30-33)
On Pentecost, after hearing that Jesus was the Christ of their
hope, the Jews asked, “what shall we do?” and were told, “Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost? (Acts 2: 37-41). And Saul, who had heard much of Jesus
but rejected His claims, was allowed to see the Lord in glory.
He believed, and was penitent (Acts 9:3-11); so Ananias said,
“Why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16)
Man
must recognize his lost condition and be taught that Jesus
Christ died and lives again for his salvation. Denying himself
(Matt. 16:24) he must repent of his past, and be buried with
Christ in baptism (Rom. 6:3-8) whereupon he is freed from past
sins, and is expected to live for Christ.
Man’s
“doing” is not the price of redemption but it is the
condition upon which God receives and blesses.
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