Category: Salvation

NOBODY

  1. Nobody can predict when Jesus will return; Jesus Himself did not know (Mt. 24:36, 42, 43, 50; 25:13; Mk. 13:32, 33, 35; 1 Thess. 5:1-3; 2 Pet. 3:10).
  2. Nobody today can perform miracles (Zech. 13:1-3; Jn. 11:17; 1 Cor. 13:8-12; Eph. 4:8-14).
  3. Nobody today is an apostle—an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ, able to give others miraculous powers (Acts 1:22; 8:12-18; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8, 9; Rev. 2:2).
  4. Nobody today receives Holy Spirit baptism, because only “one baptism” remains: “the washing of water” (Eph.
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If Repentance is Required, So is Baptism

The honest person will concede that repentance is required for salvation; however, when he does, he simultaneously concedes that John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Romans 10 do not explicitly state everything a person must do to be saved (because repentance is not mentioned in any of those passages). In fact, neither “repent” nor “repentance” is found in the Gospel of John or Ephesians at all, and repentance is only mentioned twice in the 16 chapters of Romans, though it is absolutely necessary for salvation.… Read more

Cornelius Does Not Help “Faith Only” Advocates

The account of Cornelius’ conversion in Acts 10 does not support the false doctrine of “faith only salvation.” If one actually reads the entire book of Acts, by the time he gets to chapter 10 he has already read of thousands of people who were required to be baptized in water for their sins to be forgiven. In Acts 10 and subsequent chapters the reader will find even more people who were required to do the same.… Read more

The Hypocrisy of “Faith Only Salvation”

Some say man is saved by faith alone without any acts of obedience. Is it not ironic that these who put so much emphasis on belief do not actually believe what God said?  Those who teach “faith only” salvation are the very ones who do not have faith in what God said!

  • They don’t believe God, who said that “by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).
  • They don’t believe God, who said that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).
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Overcoming “Cognitive Dissonance”

Any person interested in religion will inevitably be exposed to new ideas he has never considered. This is a natural part of the growth process. Some ideas that seem new may actually be ancient, being rooted in sound Biblical teaching (Jeremiah 6:16). Other ideas or teachings are new because they did not come from God, but man (cf. Matthew 15:9). What should one do when he is exposed to religious information that is new to him?… Read more

Who Taught “Faith Only” Salvation?

Not Jesus

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.… Read more

When God’s Patience Runs Out

One of the great characteristics of God is His love for man and His desire that all should come to repentance and be saved (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9). Because of God’s love, He has often been very patient with people who were in ignorance or rebellion. However, as the Scriptures reveal the mind of God to us (1 Corinthians 2:10-16), we realize that God’s patience with man has its limits.

For example, God gave the people of Noah’s time one hundred twenty years to repent, as Noah was preaching to them and building the ark (Genesis 6:3; 2 Peter 2:5).… Read more

Secondhand Religion

I wonder how many people rely on the “faith of their fathers” to hopefully get them to Heaven, without ever really seeking the Truth on their own. So many are reared under so many different beliefs. These opposing religions cannot all be right, yet how many truly objectively question what they have been taught their whole lives and honestly seek the Truth? (Proverbs 8:17; Acts 17:27; Hebrews 11:6). The sad fact is that most Dads and Moms in the world are wrong when it comes to matters of faith (Matthew 7:13-14).… Read more

How Were People Saved in the Book of Acts?

When those on the day of Pentecost realized they had slain the sinless, resurrected Son of God, they asked what they should do to be forgiven. Though most modern preachers would tell people to simply “accept Jesus as their personal Savior,” to “pray the sinner’s prayer,” or “ask Jesus to come into their hearts,” that is not what Peter instructed them to do:

“Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, 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.

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The Thief on the Cross: Exposing the Erroneous Example

When it comes to the question “What must I do to be saved?,” some people object to the Biblical teaching of the essentiality of baptism for salvation. Quite often the person who objects to this requirement of God will say, “What about the thief on the cross? He was not baptized…” Please notice the following points regarding the forgiven thief on the cross:

Can one be so sure that the thief was never baptized? Multitudes had come to John from all surrounding areas to be baptized of him: “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan…” (Matthew 3:5, 6).… Read more

What Does This Mean? (Regarding Baptism)

Years ago a married couple responded to a door knocking campaign by expressing interest in a personal Bible study. My wife and I studied with them, and we eventually got to the subject of baptism. Upon reading various Scriptures, the woman with whom we were studying acknowledged that baptism was necessary for salvation, but her husband was in denial of this fact. After studying other pertinent Scriptures, we all read these words together:

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

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Running from a Lion to a Bear

When Amos addressed Israel regarding the judgment of the Lord, he wrote, “Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord!  to what end is it for you?  the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.  As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him. . .” (Amos 5:18, 19).  With these verses Amos was referring to inescapable judgment, but it can also be said that sometimes when people attempt to avoid something harmful they may often go to an extreme which can be just as harmful as the issue they were initially trying to avoid. … Read more

Did Paul and James Contradict One Another?

Paul wrote, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:2-3). James wrote, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21). Both passages mention Abraham. Paul implied that Abraham was justified without works, and James said he was justified by works.… Read more