Plan of Salvation (6) - Faithfulness

 

This is the final article dedicated to a review of God's plan of salvation as given in the New Testament. Recall what Jesus said about each of the following: (1) hearing - Jn. 6:44-45, (2) believing - Jn. 3:16, (3) repentance - Lk. 13:1-5, (4) confession of our faith in him - Mt. 10:32-33, (5) being baptized -Mk. 16:16, and (6) being faithful unto death - Rev. 2:10. Baptism is the only one of these that is obeyed at a single point of time. All of the others affect the rest of our lives, and they are summed up in the term "being faithful unto death." 

In Rev. 2:10 the Greek word for unto is achris, which Strong defines: "(of time) until or (of place) up to." Thus, we find some versions (NAS, NKJ) translate it until, and others (KJV) unto. The NIV yields "even to the point of death." It is reasonable to conclude, then, that God requires both that we be faithful until we die and that we be faithful even if it costs us our lives. 

Many people think that they are saved by taking the first five steps, and yet it is clear from Rev. 2:10 that the "gift" of the "crown of life" is conditional on a walk of life which emulates out Lord Jesus Christ. Our attitude must be one of remaking our lives after our Lord. Philippians 2:5-8: "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Be Ye Transformed

 

After expounding to the Christians at Rome both the goodness and the severity of God (Rom. 11:22), the apostle Paul begged them (Rom. 12:1-2): "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." 

The vast majority of the New Testament is dedicated, not to telling people how to become Christians, but to telling them how they should behave themselves once they are Christians (1 Tim. 3:15). These words fall on deaf ears as many Christians are mere hearers and not doers of them (James 1:22). Paul was speaking of action on the part of Christians as they make their lives over to be a "living sacrifice," totally dedicated to the service of God. 

He goes on to state the way that this is achieved. If we are conformed to the world we cannot be faithful until death.  Instead, we are to fight against all that is evil in this world. Nothing short of an all-out declaration of war on our part will suffice, and even then we must recognize that it is God that is giving the increase through the power of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). 

This is called a "transformation of the spirit" brought about by a renewing of the mind. Renewal implies that something was worn out, old, or in a state of decay. Such were our minds before they were renewed by the knowledge of God's righteousness. 

It is essential that we reverse the natural process of spiritual decay by feeding on the word of God and allowing it to totally pervade our lives. That this is within our control is expressed in Rom 6:16: "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" We make this decision largely by who we associate ourselves with socially and religiously. 

In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul addressed the evils that could befall his fellow Christians should they allow themselves to be once again conformed to the present world. This is the subject for our Questions and Answers Section this week.

 

Ye Often Hear It Said . . .

Once saved, always saved ... 

but Paul told some Christians (Galatians 5:4): 

"You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."

Lest some think that this has no relevance to us, since few Christians today attempt to impose circumcision, note that the sin under consideration is not the issue. . If someone can fall from grace for committing one particular sin, why cannot one fall from grace for committing any sin which is not forgiven?

 

Those who teach "once saved always saved" must answer this question in order to explain away Galatians 5:4. Some argue: "they were never saved;" but you cannot fall from something that you were never on; and you cannot be severed from something that you were never a part of. 

Galatians 5:4 is just one of hundreds of scriptures that deal with this issue. I challenge you to prayerfully read any three pages in succession from the New Testament letters written to Christians (Romans through Jude). See for yourself the great concern that Paul, John, Peter and the other writers had for their fellow Christians falling from their saved state. The following are particularly convincing: 1 Cor. 9:23-10:21; Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 2 Peter 20:20-22.2 

 

 

You Find the Answers

 

These Bible study questions provide assistance to you in studying and teaching God's Word. The answers are quite clear, and they prove that we can have the same understanding as the apostles had by reading what they wrote (Ephesians 3:4). We challenge you to open your Bible and establish the truth. 

 

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (2 Peter 1) 

 

1.      Was Peter writing to Christians? (1-2) 

2.      Had God's power already delivered everything they needed? (3) 

3.      Was this power accessed by the knowledge of the gospel? (3) 

4.      Does truth enable us to become partakers of the divine nature? (4)  Is this the reason that we must be morally excellent(5) 

5.      What must we add to our faith? ... to our virtue? (5) 

6.      What must we add to knowledge? ... to self-control? (6) 

7.      What must we add to patience? ... to godliness? (6-7) 

8.      What must we add to brotherly kindness? (7) 

9.      Can we say that we love if we do not have brotherly kindness? (7) 

10.  Can we be fruitful for God without these characteristics? (8-9) 

11.  Can we inherit the eternal kingdom without these things? (10-11)