Challenge Your Heart!

One of the most significant characteristics of our Savior's earthly ministry was His continual challenge for His hearers to examine their hearts to be sure their devotion to God was genuine -- for, as Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.  Who can know it?"  Perhaps Jesus' most sober warning is found in Matthew 7:22-23:  "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'"  We believe the modern church, in its eagerness to bring in the masses during a time of increasing godlessness and secularism (certainly a worthy motive), has weakened its influence in the world by not giving a careful, scripural answer to the most basic Bible question of all:  "What is a true Christian?"  John the Baptist's message of  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:1), was also the message of Jesus (Matt. 4:17), and also of the Apostles, who insisted to their hearers  "that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance" (Acts 26:20).

But it seems the last 100 years have brought us a new, "kinder, gentler" gospel, one which expects little of its recipients, and gives little in return except a bold, but often unfounded, assurance of eternal life.  The great doctrinal creeds which carefully spelled out accepted Bible doctrine with hundreds of scriptral proofs have been abandoned; the old message of "repent and turn to God" has become merely to "believe" in its easiest sense; and the so-called "carnal Christians" who too often fill our church pews, instead of being challenged to "Repent therefore, and be converted," as would have been done by every great preacher and evangelist up to and including C.H. Spurgeon, are now routinely reassured that, regardless of long-term backsliding, spiritual apathy, and lack of fellowship with God, they can still be still be born-again Christians.  This is a modern perversion of the true Gospel, and may God save us from such delusions!

Please consider prayerfully the following thumbnail excerpts of writings on our site, as we examine the issue of biblical salvation by considering what has been said about it (1) by noteworthy Christian leaders of earlier times, (2) by Scripture, and (3) by the great historic creeds of the Christian church.  We believe that SALVATION is man's most important issue to know aright.  But it seems the hard Bible truth about it has been neglected in our modern gilded age.  It is our hope and prayer that your heart will be challenged and even encouraged as you consider what the Bible says about God's great and powerful gift to those whom He loves.   Please see our Articles page for further reading, and your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome.

Lordship "Controversy"?

In recent years, much has been made of the "Lordship controversy" between two radically different views of salvation, one usually termed "Lordship salvation," and the other often referring to itself as the "free grace" position.  Each side has its big-name defenders, and as the exchanges between them sometimes become unpleasant, the average person, not looking for another "controversy," has often settled into the dangerous belief that the truth is somewhere in the middle, and such would be the "balanced view."

The problem with this "balanced view" belief is that the "middle" is not a fixed location – for, as one side moves further to the extreme, the "middle" also moves.  This is exactly what happened in the 20th century, as the "free grace" position moved so far to one extreme that believers in earlier ages would not have hesitated to call the teachers of these doctrines – which are commonplace today among the majority of self-described “evangelicals” – as "heretics."  The issue at stake, then, is not “What is the balanced position?” but “What is the Biblical position?” If the Bible teaches that salvation is not offered to any who have not received Christ, by an act of God, as both their Savior and Lord (though we all recognize that even true Christians can sin), then there is no "middle position" which refuses to face that truth!

What Does the Bible Say?

So what exactly does the Bible say about salvation?  In the effort to reach busy people in our fast-food age, salvation is often presented as a "plan" having a few simple steps, each with a supporting Bible verse or two, which the would-be Christian can follow and proceed to instant assurance of the forgiveness of sins before God.  But we believe salvation has become over simplified, and cannot be summarized into a few verses taken out of context.  Scripture is given "precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little," and doctrines cannot be built upon a few proof texts while ignoring others, lest stony-ground hearers "might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken" (Isaiah 28:13).

Consider the following example.  As we study the four Gospels, we find that an account of an event in one Gospel is often found recorded in one, two, or all three of the other Gospel accounts.  Mark 2:13-17 records the call of Levi the publican, an event also recorded in Matthew 9:9-13 and Luke 5:27-32.  In the Mark and Luke accounts, this man is called "Levi," whereas in Matthew's account, he calls himself Matthew.  Which name is correct? Obviously, both are correct: he went by more one name. In the Mark account of Jesus being asked why His disciples did not fast (Mark 2:18-22), Mark gives us the impression that those asking the question included both the disciples of John and the Pharisees; Matthew (Matthew 9:14-17) mentions only the disciples of John as the interrogators, and Luke (Luke 5:33-39) could give the impression that they were only scribes and Pharisees.  Which of the three is correct?  We believe all three, but certain details noteworthy to each writer, and important for his audience, were not as important to the others.  But we who believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" view God's Word as a unified whole, not as a list of proof-texts which can be used willy-nilly to support any doctrinal position we may choose.

This principle of biblical interpretation applies to the determining of any Bible doctrine.  When two passages appear to contradict each other, we are not free to choose the one we prefer; they must be reconciled into a unified whole.  Let’s apply this axiom to the biblical doctrine of salvation.  Those who hold to what they call a "free grace" position (a misleading name because it sets up a straw man, falsely implying that those who disagree with them believe salvation may be obtained by some means other than free grace) will cite verses such as John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9, and others, to prove that all that is necessary for salvation is to "believe." 

To their insisting that we are saved by believing, we say "Amen”:  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” Paul said to the Philippian jailor in Acts 16:31; but until we consider what the Scriptures tell us about those who have “believed” unto salvation, we are preaching to the world a half-truth and not the whole counsel of God.  Acts 16:31 does not exist in a vacuum; the verses before it give us some idea of how God prepared the heart of this jailor for receiving saving faith; the verse after it, which says “they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house,” indicates that Paul had much more to say before the jailor  and his household would even know what or in Whom they were believing; and the verse after that, which says the jailor “took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds,” indicates the immediate fruit of his newfound faith.  Thus, to be saved is indeed to "believe," but the Bible truth about salvation cannot ignore the following truths (See our extended article, "What is the Gospel," for further discussion of many of the following passages).  Because they may be familiar verses to you, we urge you to read them especially carefully and think about what they are really saying:

1.  The true "believer" is one who receives the Scriptures as the God-given record of eternal truth.

John 5:47:  "But if you do not believe his [Moses’] writings, how will you believe My words?"

1 John 5:10:  "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.”

2.  The true "believer" is one who has been elected or appointed to salvation, and drawn to Christ by God.

John 6:44-45:  "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him… It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”

Acts 13:48:  “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

3.  The true "believer" is one who has repented, not by his own will, but through an act of God, yet one that effects a change in the will and actions.

Acts 11:18:  "When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.’"

2 Timothy 2:24-25:  “…be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth.”

Acts 26:20:  "[I, Paul], declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

Ephesians 2:8-9:  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

4.  The true "believer" is one who has had a complete change of life and heart.

2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Romans 6:6:  “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

5.  The true "believer" is one who lives according to Christian belief and practice.

Romans 6:14-18, 22:  "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!  Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness…. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

Romans 8:1, 6, 9, 13-14:  “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit…. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace…. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His…. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Galatians 5:22-24:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self–control. Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Titus 2:11-14:  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

1 John 2:3-5:  "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”

6.  The true "believer" is one whose mouth will utter the truth that his heart has received.

Romans 10:10-13:  "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.'  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"

7.  The true "believer" is one who will continue steadfastly in the faith.

Romans 2:5-9:  “God…will render to each one according to his deeds:  eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self–seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness––indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil…”

Colossians 1:21-23:  “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight –– if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard.”

1 Timothy 4:16:  “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

Jude 1:24:   “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but points to the fact that to "believe" is not merely acknowledging a set of facts about the Gospel, going to church, using Christian vocabulary, and willingly involving oneself with Christian people in doing Christian things.  The greatest leaders of the church never defined salvation so broadly, as is evident in the following section.

 

What Do Preachers & Authors of Earlier Times Say?

Richard Baxter (1615-91): "O people, conversion is a different kind of work than most are aware of!  It is not a small matter to bring an earthly mind to heaven, and to show man the amiable excellencies of God, till he is overwhelmed by such love to Him that it can never be quenched; to break the heart for sin, and make him fly for refuge to Christ, and thankfully embrace Him as the life of his soul; to have the very drift and direction of the heart and life changed; so that he renounces that which he took for good fortune, and places his treasure where he never did before, and no longer lives for the same purpose, and is not driven by  the same love for the world as he formerly was: in a word, he that is in Christ is a 'new creation': 'old things are passed away, behold, all things have become new.' (2 Corinthians 5:17).  He has a new understanding, a new will and resolution, new sorrows, and desires, and love, and delight: new thoughts, new speeches, new company, (if possible) and new conversation. Sin, which was previously amusing to him, is now so distasteful and terrible to him, that he flees from it as from death. The world, which was so lovely in his eyes, now troubles him and appears as nothing but vanity."   Read Excerpt / Read entire book translated into modern English

John Owen (1616-83): Where there is not an inward experience of the power, virtue, and effectual power of gospel truths in their hearts, those living under a profession of religion, regardless of what they profess, are very near to atheism, or at least exposed to great temptations in that direction.  If 'they profess they know God, but in works deny him,' they are 'abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate,' Titus 1:16. Let such professors …give up themselves to a free and a rational consideration of things, and they will quickly find that all their profession is but a miserable self-deceiving, and that, indeed, they believe not one word of the religion which they profess: for of what their religion affirms to be in themselves they find not any thing true or real; and what reason have they, then, to believe that the things which it speaks of outside of themselves are one jot better? ... For instance, he who professes the gospel avows that the death of Christ crucifies sin; that faith purifies the heart; that the Holy Spirit makes alive and enables the soul unto duty; that God is good and gracious to all who come unto Him; that there is precious communion to be enjoyed with Christ; that there is great joy in believing. These things are plainly, openly, frequently insisted on in the gospel. … Now, if people have lived long in the profession of these things, saying they are so, but indeed find nothing of truth, reality, or power in them, and have no experience of the effects of them in their own hearts or souls, what stable ground have they of believing any thing else in the gospel in which they cannot have experience?" Read More

John Bunyan (1628-88):  "Behold, then, how far a man may go in 'repentance,' and yet be short of that which is called 'Repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of.'  He may be awakened; He may acknowledge his sin; He may cry out under the burden of sin; He may have humility for it; He may loath it; May have prayers and tears against it; May delight to do many things of God; May be afraid of sinning against Him; and after all this may perish for lack of saving repentance."(from The Strait Gate)  Read Extended Excerpt / Read entire book, slightly simplified and abridged

John Wesley (1703-91):  "[In the true Christian], there is faith unto repentance.  Here let no man deceive his own soul. 'It is diligently to be noted, the faith which bringeth not forth repentance, and love, and all good works, is not that right living faith, but a dead and devilish one. For, even the devils believe that Christ was born of a virgin: that he wrought all kinds of miracles, declaring himself very God: that, for our sakes, he suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from death everlasting; that he rose again the third day: that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and at the end of the world shall come again to judge both the quick and dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe, and so they believe all that is written in the Old and New Testament. And yet for all this faith, they be but devils. They remain still in their damnable estate lacking the very true Christian faith.'"  (from a sermon entitled "The Almost Christian.")  Read More

George Whitefield (1714-70):  "To be washed in his blood; to be clothed in his glorious imputed righteousness ... will be a conversion from sin to holiness. They that are truly converted to Jesus, and are justified by faith in the Son of God, will take care to evidence their conversion, not only by the having grace implanted in their hearts, but by that grace diffusing itself through every faculty of the soul, and making an universal change in the whole man."  (from a sermon entitled "True Conversion.")  Read More

J.C. Ryle (1816-1900):  "There are three things which a professing Christian must renounce and give up, and three enemies which he must fight with and resist. These three are the flesh, the devil, and the world.  All three are terrible foes, and all three must be overcome if we would be saved.... This is the great rock on which thousands of young people are continually being crushed against and destroyed. They don't object to any of the truths of the Christian faith. They do not deliberately choose evil, and openly rebel against God. They hope somehow to get to heaven in the end.... The last day alone will prove how many souls 'the world' has slain. Hundreds will be found to have been trained in Christian homes, and to have known the Gospel from their very childhood, and yet missed heaven."  Read More 

"It does seem clear that heaven would be a miserable place to an unholy man.  It cannot be otherwise.... We must be heavenly-minded, and have heavenly tastes, in the life that now is, or else we shall never find ourselves in heaven, in the life to come.... Christ's true servants were always unlike the world around them:  they are a separate nation, a peculiar people, and you must be so too, if you would be saved!...  I look at the world and see the greater part of it lying in wickedness. I look at professing Christians and see the vast majority having nothing of Christianity but the name. I turn to the Bible and I hear the Spirit saying, 'Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.' You may say, at this rate very few will be saved. I answer, I know it. It is precisely what we are told in the Sermon on the Mount. The Lord Jesus said, 'Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it' (Matt. 7:14). Few will be saved because few will take the trouble to seek salvation."  Read More

Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-92): "I have heard it often asserted that if you believe that Jesus Christ died for you, you will be saved.  My dear hearer, do not be deluded by such an idea.  You may believe that Jesus Christ died for you, and may believe what is not true; you may believe that which will bring you no sort of good whatever.  That is not saving faith.  The man who has saving faith afterwards attains to the coviction that Christ died for him, but it is not the essence of saving faith.  Do not get that into your head, or it will ruin you.... A man does not have salvation until he comes by the power of God's Spirit through faith to a living, personal, vital, intimate union with Christ as the Lord. A man is not a Christian until he has a vital union with Christ. A man is not a Christian until he is inseparably joined - personally joined to Jesus Christ. A man is not a Christian until Christ becomes his life. A man is not a Christian unless you can cut into his heart and find love for Christ; cut into his mind and find thoughts of Christ; and cut into his soul and find a panting after Christ."  Read More 

H.A. Ironside (1876-1951):  "It needs  ever to be insisted on that the faith that justifies is not a mere intellectual process- not  simply crediting certain historical facts or doctrinal statements; but it is a faith that  springs from a divinely wrought conviction of sin which produces a repentance that is sincere and genuine....  Shallow preaching that does not grapple with the terrible act of man's sinfulness and guilt, calling on 'all men everywhere to repent,' results in shallow conversions; and so we have a myriad of glib-tongued professing Christians today who give no evidence of regeneration whatever. Prating of salvation by grace, they manifest no grace in their lives. Loudly declaring they are justified by faith alone, they fail to remember that 'faith without works is dead.' ... No man can truly believe in Christ, who does not first repent.  Nor will his repentance end when he has saving faith, but the more he knows God as he goes on through the years, the deeper that repentance will become.”  (from Except Ye Repent by H.A. Ironside.)  Read Excerpt / Read entire book

A.W. Pink (1886-1952):  "No one can receive Christ as his Savior while he rejects Him as Lord.  It is true the preacher adds that the one who accepts Christ should also surrender to Him as Lord, but he at once spoils it by asserting that though the convert fails to do so, nevertheless Heaven is sure to him.  That is one of the Devil's lies.  ... Those who have not bowed to Christ's scepter and enthroned Him in their hearts and lives, and yet imagine that they are trusting in Him as their Savior, are deceived, and unless god disillusions them they will go down to the everlasting burnings with a lie in their right (Isaiah 44:20).  Christ is 'the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him' (Hebrews 5:9)." 

"Calvary supplied the most solemn and awe inspiring display of God's hatred of sin that time or eternity will ever furnish. And do you imagine that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to worldlings and telling them that they 'may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their personal Savior' while they are wedded to their idols and their hearts still in love with sin? If I do so, I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel, insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness."  

"On every side are people full of assurance, certain that they are journeying to Heaven; yet their daily lives show plainly that they are deceived, and that their assurance is only a fleshly one.  Thousands are, to use their own words, 'resting' on John 3:16, 5:24, and have not the slightest doubt they will spend eternity with Christ.... Now dear reader, you too may be quite sure that your faith in Christ is true...and yet, after all, be mistaken.  The danger of this is not to be fancied, but real.  The human heart is dreadfully deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).  God's word plainly warns us that 'There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness' (Proverbs 30:12).  Do you ask (O that you may, in deep earnestness and sincerity), How can I be sure that my faith is genuine and saving one?  The answer is, Test it."  (all from Studies on Saving Faith by A.W. Pink, 1937.)   Read Extended Excerpt / Read Entire Book

A.W. Tozer (1897-1963): "All unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different; the likenesses are superficial, the differences fundamental.... The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before the new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather it offers the same things the world does, only on a higher level.... If I see aright, the cross of popular Evangelicalism is not the cross of the New Testament.  It is, rather, a new bright ornament upon the bosom of a self-assured and carnal Christianity.  The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them.  The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses.  The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it."  Read More

"The doctrine of justification by faith-a Biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort-has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God.  The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless.  Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego.  Christ may be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver.  The man is "saved," but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God.  In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and encouraged to be content with little.... How tragic that we in this dark day have had our seeking done for us by our teachers.  Everything is made to center upon the initial act of 'accepting' Christ (a term, incidentally, which is not found in the Bible) and we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls.  We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him we need no more seek Him."  (from The Pursuit of God, 1948.)  Read More

What Do the Old Creeds of the Church Say?

During the tumultuous time in church history known as the Reformation, those who studied and wept over their Bibles – Bibles made even more precious by the blood of the recent martyrs who had died for man's freedom to possess them – struggled to recover the biblical doctrine of salvation from its association with the manmade additions of Roman Catholicism.  They formulated deep, biblical statements of faith known as "confessions," which stood the test of time among God's people for hundreds of years.  Despite minor differences of opinion on matters of church administration and ordinances such as baptism, virtually all of these confessions held to the important biblical doctrine which they defined as the "perseverance of the saints," which teaches not merely “once saved always saved,” but that the saved individual is made a new creation, with a new mind, a new heart, and a new life, the absence of which brings the authenticity of one's faith into question.  The following quotations are drawn from the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689, but they appear in similar form in nearly all major creeds of the Christian church.  They are lavishly supported with Scriptural proofs, and were retained almost verbatim in the Philadelphia Baptist Confession of 1742, and in C.H. Spurgeon's updated Baptist Confession of 1855.

Of Effectual Calling.

1. Those whom God hath predestinated unto Life, He is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time, 179effectually to call by his word, and Spirit, out of that state of sin, and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and Salvation 180by Jesus Christ; enlightning their minds, spiritually, and savingly to 181understand the things of God; taking away their 182heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by His Almighty power determining them 183to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come 184most freely, being made willing by His Grace.

179  Rom. 8.30. Rom. 11.7. Eph. 1.10,11. 2 Thes. 2.13,14.
180  Eph. 2.1-6.
181  Act. 26.18. Eph. 1.17.18.
182  Ezk. 36.26.
183  Deut. 30 6. Ezek. 36.27. Eph. 1.19.
184  Ps. 110.3. Cant. 1.4.

Of Sanctification.

1. They who are united to Christ, Effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new Spirit created in them, through the virtue of Christ’s death, and Resurrection; are also 223further sanctified, really, and personally, through the same virtue, 224by His word and Spirit dwelling in them; 225the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, 226and the several lusts thereof, are more and more weakened, and mortified; and they more and more quickened, and 227strengthened in all saving graces, to the 228practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

2. This Sanctification is 229throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect 230in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a 231continual, and irreconcilable war; the Flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh.

3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much 232prevail; yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ the 233regenerate part doth overcome; and so the Saints grow in Grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 234pressing after an heavenly life, in Evangelical Obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to them.

223  Act. 20.32. Rom. 6.5,6.
224  Joh. 17.17. Eph. 3.16,17,18,19. 1 Thes. 5.21,22,23.
225  Rom. 6.14.
226  Gal. 5.24.
227  Col 1.11.
228  2 Cor. 7.1. Heb. 12.14.
229  1 Thes. 5.23.
230  Rom. 7.18,23.
231  Gal. 5.17. 1 Pet. 2.11.
232  Rom. 7.23.
233  Rom. 6.14.
234  Eph. 4.15.16. 2 Cor. 3.18. ch. 7.1.

Of Saving Faith.

1. The Grace of Faith, whereby the Elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ 235in their hearts; and is ordinarily wrought by the Ministry of the 236Word; by which also, and by the administration of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, Prayer and other Means appointed of God, it is increased, 237and strengthened.

2. By this Faith, a Christian believeth to be true, 238whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the Authority of God Himself; and also apprehendeth an excellency therein, 239above all other Writings; and all things in the world: …so is enabled to 240cast his Soul upon the truth thus beleived; … yeilding obedience to the 241commands, trembling at the 242threatnings, and embracing the 243promises of God, for this life, and that which is to come: …

235  2 Cor. 4.13. Eph. 2.8.
236  Rom. 10 14.17.
237  Luk. 17.5. 1 Pet. 2.2. Act. 20.32.
238  Act. 24.14.
239  Ps. 19.7,8,9,10. Ps. 119.72.
240  2 Tim. 1.12.
241  Joh. 15.14.
242  Is. 66.2.
243  Heb. 11.13.

Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation.

1. This saving Repentance is an 253evangelical Grace, whereby a person being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth, by Faith in Christ, humble himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self abhorrency; 254praying for pardon, and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour by supplies of the Spirit, to 255walk before God unto all well pleasing in all things.

2. As Repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof; so it is every mans duty, to repent of his 256particular known sins, particularly.

3. Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the Covenant of Grace, for the preservation of Believers unto Salvation, that although there is no sin so small, but it deserves 257damnation; yet there is no sin so great, that it shall bring damnation on them that 258repent; which makes the constant preaching of Repentance necessary.

253  Zech. 12.10. Act. 11.18.
254  Ezek. 36.31. 2 Cor. 7.11.
255  Ps. 119 6. Ps. 119.128.
256  Luk. 19.8. 1 Tim. 1.13.15.
257  Rom. 6.23.
258  Is. 1.16.18. Is. 55.7.

Of Good Works.

1. Good Works are only such as God hath 259commanded in His Holy word; and not such as without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, 260or upon any pretence of good intentions.

2. These good works, done in obedience to Gods commandments, are the fruits, and evidences 261of a true, and lively faith; and by them Believers manifest their 262thankfulness, strengthen their 263assurance, edify their 264brethren, adorn the profession of the Gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries and glorify 265God whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus 266thereunto, that having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end 267eternal life.

3. Their ability to do good works, is not at all of themselves; but wholly from the Spirit 268of Christ; and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an 269actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will, and to do, of His good pleasure.

259  Mic. 6.8. Heb. 13 21.
260  Mat. 15.9. Isa. 29.13.
261  Jam. 2.18.22.
262  Ps. 116.12,13.
263  1 Joh. 2 3.5. 2 Pet. 1.5-11.
264  Mat. 5.16.
265  1 Tim. 6.1. 1 Pet. 2.15. Phil. 1.11.
266  Eph. 2.10.
267  Rom. 6.22.
268  Joh. 15.4.6.
269  2 Cor. 3.5. Phil. 2.13.

Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation.

1. Although temporary Believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes, and carnal presumptions, of being in the favour of God, and state of salvation, 297which hope of theirs shall perish; yet such as truely believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good Conscience before Him, may in this life be certainly assured 298that they are in the state of Grace; and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them 299ashamed.

2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural, and probable persuasion, grounded upon 300a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith founded on the Blood and Righteousness of Christ 301revealed in the Gospel; and also upon the inward 302evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the 303Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our Spirits that we are the children of God; and as a fruit thereof keeping the heart both 304humble and holy.

297  Job 8.13.14. Mat. 7.22 23.
298  1 Joh. 2.3. ch. 3.14 18,19.21.24. ch. 5.13.
299  Rom. 5.2.5.
300  Heb. 6.11.19.
301  Heb. 6.17,18.
302  2 Pet. 1.4,5,10.11.
303  Rom. 8.15,16.
304  1 Joh. 3 1,2,3.

 

Modern Commentary
on the Doctrine of Salvation

"Arminianism and Evangelism" from The Forgotten Spurgeon by Iain Murray.  "The Scripture everywhere represents the will and power of God as first, not second, in salvation, and a teaching which promises that God's will must follow our will may have the effect of causing men to trust in a delusion - an experience which is not salvation at all.... Arminianism, instead of cautioning men against this danger, inevitably encourages it, for it throws men, not upon God, but upon their acts.... On this basis a person may make a profession without ever having his confidence in his own ability shattered; he has been told absolutely nothing of his need of a change of nature which is not within his own power, and consequently, if he does not experience such a radical change, he is not dismayed.  He was never told it was essential, so he sees no reason to doubt whether he is a Christian.  Indeed... it is frequently said that a man who has made a decision with little evidence of a change of life may be a 'carnal' Christian who needs instruction in holiness, or if the same individual should gradually lose his new-found interests, the fault is frequently attributed to lack of 'follow-up,' or prayer, or some other deficiency on the part of the Church.  The possibility that these marks of worldliness and falling away are due to the absence of a saving experience at the outset is rarely considered; if this point were faced, then the whole system of appeals, decisions and counseling would collapse, because it would bring to the fore the fact that change of nature is not in man's power, and that it takes much longer than a few hours or days to establish whether a professed response to the gospel is genuine.  But instead of facing this, it is protested that to doubt whether a man who has 'accepted Christ' is a Christian is tantamount to doubting the Word of God, and that to abandon 'appeals' and their adjuncts is to give up evangelism altogether.  That such things can be said is tragic proof of the extent to which the Arminian pattern of conversion has come to be regarded as the Biblical one."   Read more

"What Should We Think of The Carnal Christian?" by Ernest Reisinger.  "Many who regularly occupy church pews, fill church rolls, and are intellectually acquainted with the facts of the gospel never stike one blow for Christ.  They seem to be at peace with His enemies.  They have no quarrel with sin and, apart from a few sentimental expressions about Christ, there is no biblical evidence that they have experienced anything of the power of the gospel in their lives.  Yet in spite of the evidence against them, they consider themselves to be just what their teachers teach them -- that they are 'carnal Christians.' ... The 'carnal Christian' teaching is...the consequence of a shallow, man-centered evangelism ... When those pronounced to be converts do not act like Christians, do not love what Christians love, and hate what Christians hate ... some explanation must be found other than calling upon them to 'decide' for Christ.  They have already done that and have already been pronounced by the preacher or personal worker to be 'Christians.'  But when they don't act like Christians, something is wrong."  Read More

"What is the Gospel?"  by Keith Comparetto."  "Proverbs, the book of God's eternal wisdom for all ages, states as axiomatic an important truth:  'He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him.'  When we make continual appeals to worldly or spiritually careless people that say or imply, "You are saved, but you need to get right with God," are we not committing this sin?  Perhaps if those preaching such a message would be honest enough with God and with their people to repent and preach the hard truth, we could see genuine revival in our day.  It is the duty of God's people, and especially preachers of His Word, to be as discerning as is humanly possible regarding the condition of people's souls (Machi 3:18), and may God give us the wisdom and courage to do so."  Read More