I have written before about the importance of obedience as it relates to salvation. We are either obeying or disobeying God and there’s no middle or in between where there is neither1. For denominational “faith alone” folks the mention of obedience and salvation in the same sentence is not allowed. To do so is to them akin to denying the grace of God. One denominational author offers the following response to the Truth.
“As followers of Christ, we walk in the truth (3 John 1:3); we love the truth, and believe the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). We speak the truth “in love” (Ephesians 4:32).”2; and we obey the truth, Gal. 5:7. I can’t disagree.
The sinner when confronted by the grace of God at Calvary is confronted with his depravity and is called to respond, Titus 2:11,12. Standing there and confronted by the Truth the sinner is at a point of decision. Will he obey or not is the question? A fork in the road is before Him. One way leads to destruction and one way leads to life. Just believing is a work, John 6:27. And believing in Jesus almost instantaneously leads to confession to the Good News, Rom. 10:9. It is led almost instantaneously with thoughts of remorse and godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7:10. And then, while metaphorically at the cross of decision, the man is laid down in the watery grave of baptism to be united with Jesus in death and burial that he might be raised to walk in newness of life, Rom. 6:3-5.
Obedience to the Gospel is essential to salvation. Until a man is obeying, he is disobeying. Obedience to the Gospel is really the crux of the matter. Denominational folks will speak of obedience to the Truth but only after they have carved out a theological position not found in Scriptures where between the old and new life there is a “faith alone” period by which he is saved. This is called adding to the Scriptures.
Biblical saving faith has obedience and if it isn’t obedient, then it is still disobedient. Imagine what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thess 1:8; 1 Peter 4:16,17; Romans 10:16. Until the Gospel is obeyed, it is still disobeyed. We are disobeying the truth if we are not obeying it.
_________
1. A Conquering Faith, http://tinyurl.com/mnncd5x
2. “How is Jesus ‘the Truth'” http://www.jesus.org/is-jesus-god/names-of-jesus/how-is-jesus-the-truth.html
Categories: Uncategorized
A Conquering Faith 
Leave a Reply