How I Read the Bible on Works and Salvation

Steven Yeadon · Dec 26, 2017

I affirm:

That if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
-Romans 10:9

The problem is that people often fail to make Jesus their Master with all their being, their heart. It is telling that Romans 10:9 makes this into a salvation issue though. So, I propose a radical way of reading the bible that will make things much clearer: Simply put, those people who fail to obey Jesus as much as they can, confirming that they have saving faith, are not saved. Of course, people may repent and dedicate their lives or rededicate their lives to obeying Jesus, so that they may be saved.

We are given this all over the New Testament, and I have discovered that if you read the New Testament and assume these truths above when you encounter hard verses on who will and will not go to heaven, then almost every hard verse makes sense and falls into place. Jesus’ many warnings on avoiding hell in the Gospels and Revelation make this abundantly clear to me.

I therefore issue a challenge to read the New Testament, especially the Gospels, with new eyes. To read the New Testament with the belief that those who are saved are those who successfully live lives in obedience to Jesus with faith in his resurrection until they die. I struggled mightily for years with this hard truth, but it will make the verses on who and who is not ultimately going to heaven make so much sense.

Therefore, I urge you to read the bible and apply all of its lessons to your life as best you can. Those who become believers but never advance to obeying Jesus and trying to be like him, are not “babes in Christ!” Instead they face hell when they die for being false Christians. I also urge you to read the following verses and see if I am wrong when the rubber hits the road of reading the bible:

(Matthew 5:1-11) (Matthew 5:13-16) (Matthew 7:21-27) (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) (Matthew 18:21-35) (Matthew 22:1-14) (Matthew 24:45–51) (Matthew 25:1-13) (Matthew 25:14-30) (Matthew 25:31-46)
(Mark 4:1-20)
(Luke 6:46–49) (Luke 8:4-15) (Luke 12:41–48) (Luke 13:1-5) (Luke 13:6-9) (Luke 13:22-30)
(John 15:1-17)
(Acts 5:1-11)
(1 Corinthians 6:9-20) (2 Corinthians 13:5) (Galatians 5:19-21) (Ephesians 5:5-7) (Hebrews 6:4-12) (James 2:14-26) (2 Peter 1:3-15) (I read the entire epistle of 1 John with new eyes)\
(2 John 8-11)
(Revelation 2-3) (Revelation 21:5-8)

I only seem to struggle with figuring out what one of the hard verses I struggled with on salvation means anymore, that verse is (Matthew 5:17-20).

Yeshua1 · Dec 26, 2017

Steven Yeadon said:
I affirm:

That if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
-Romans 10:9

The problem is that people often fail to make Jesus their Master with all their being, their heart. It is telling that Romans 10:9 makes this into a salvation issue though. So, I propose a radical way of reading the bible that will make things much clearer: Simply put, those people who fail to obey Jesus as much as they can, confirming that they have saving faith, are not saved. Of course, people may repent and dedicate their lives or rededicate their lives to obeying Jesus, so that they may be saved.

We are given this all over the New Testament, and I have discovered that if you read the New Testament and assume this when you encounter hard verses on who will and will not go to heaven, then almost every hard verse makes sense and falls into place. Jesus’ many warnings on avoiding hell in the Gospels and Revelation make this abundantly clear to me.

I therefore issue a challenge to read the New Testament, especially the Gospels, with new eyes. To read the New Testament with the belief that those who are saved are those who successfully live lives in obedience to Jesus with faith in his resurrection until they die. I struggled mightily for years with this hard truth, but it will make the verses on who and who is not ultimately going to heaven make so much sense.

Therefore, I urge you to read the bible and apply all of its lessons to your life as best you can. Those who become believers but never advance to obeying Jesus and trying to be like him, are not “babes in Christ!” Instead they face hell when they die for being false Christians. I also urge you to read the following verses and see if I am wrong when the rubber hits the road of reading the bible:

(Matthew 5:1-11) (Matthew 5:13-16) (Matthew 7:21-27) (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) (Matthew 18:21-35) (Matthew 22:1-14) (Matthew 24:45–51) (Matthew 25:1-13) (Matthew 25:14-30) (Matthew 25:31-46)
(Mark 4:1-20)
(Luke 6:46–49) (Luke 8:4-15) (Luke 12:41–48) (Luke 13:1-5) (Luke 13:6-9) (Luke 13:22-30)
(John 15:1-17)
(Acts 5:1-11)
(1 Corinthians 6:9-20) (2 Corinthians 13:5) (Galatians 5:19-21) (Ephesians 5:5-7) (Hebrews 6:4-12) (James 2:14-26) (2 Peter 1:3-15) (I read the entire epistle of 1 John with new eyes)\
(2 John 8-11)
(Revelation 2-3) (Revelation 21:5-8)

I only seem to struggle with figuring out what one of the hard verses I struggled with on salvation means anymore, that verse is (Matthew 5:17-20).

The person who is justified before God only has to receive Jesus thru faith and be saved, but then they will be starting a lifelong journey to become more into more of the image of Christ!

tyndale1946 · Dec 26, 2017

My Salvation is my trust in Christ alone, not any trust in me!... Brother Glen

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

FollowTheWay · Dec 26, 2017

Framing this in terms of works leads to confusion in my view. Let's go back to the words of Jesus to Nicodemus. You must be born again. Simply believing on Jesus does not constitute a genuine salvation experience. The demons believe that He is the Son of God and fear Him. A true salvation experience is exactly what Jesus said. It is a born again experience meaning that it results in a visible change in a person, their habits and their motivations. This of course might be barely visible initially but as the saved person matures in the faith they begin to become more and more like Jesus. This is the process called Justification.

This person will fall back into sin but a truly saved individual will recognize their sin, repent of it and resume their personal relationship with Christ. This is good reason to doubt a person's relationship with the Lord if hey do not exhibit this kind of significant change. The 1833 New Hampshire Confession does a good job of describing this process:

XI. OF THE PERSEl'ERANCE OF SAINTS.

We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; [2119] that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; [2120] that a special Providence watches over their welfare; [2121] and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. [2122]

Steven Yeadon · Dec 26, 2017

FollowTheWay said:
Framing this in terms of works leads to confusion in my view. Let's go back to the words of Jesus to Nicodemus. You must be born again.

I do agree with almost all of your post after this. However, it seems important to me to stress that from our perspective it seems very much on our will to do the right thing. This is unusual in theology for the non-high church, but I feel it is needed as people I have met often get laid back in their faith and an easy believism for "salvation" that must be countered. I could phrase things better though.

Hmm, let me try this instead for my bolded section:

The key here is that all Christians must confirm that they have saving faith by making every effort to obey Jesus. If a Christian does not confirm their faith with obedience to Jesus, then they are not saved. Simply put, those people who fail to obey Jesus as much as they can are not saved. Of course, people may repent and dedicate their lives or rededicate their lives to obeying Jesus, so that they can confirm a living faith that will save them.

I get the language "make every effort" and "as much as they can" from 2 Peter 1.

Steven Yeadon · Dec 26, 2017

Also, the very language used in 2 Peter 1 and in all the bible verses I gave seems to indicate that while it isn't ultimately up to our own power alone, as God is ever faithful to the heartfelt confessor. It may often seem like doing the right thing as a Christian is entirely incumbent upon us. Something that more Christians must be prepared for as my last year and a half of salvation has shown.

Martin Marprelate · Dec 26, 2017

Steven Yeadon said:
I only seem to struggle with figuring out what one of the hard verses I struggled with on salvation means anymore, that verse is (Matthew 5:17-20).

You may find this helpful: A Greater Righteousness
I think the gist of all this is that God justifies the ungodly, but He doesn't leave them that way. We strive to keep God's laws, not in order to be saved, but because we are saved. 'I will write My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people......for all shall know Me , from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their lawless deeds I will remember no more' (Hebrews 8:10-12).

tyndale1946 · Dec 26, 2017

Martin Marprelate said:
You may find this helpful: A Greater Righteousness
I think the gist of all this is that God justifies the ungodly, but He doesn't leave them that way. We strive to keep God's laws, not in order to be saved, but because we are saved. 'I will write My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people......for all shall know Me , from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their lawless deeds I will remember no more' (Hebrews 8:10-12).

I agree with Brother Martin to many of Gods people and I believe with the right intentions misapply this scripture... If its your own Salvation then you own the Salvation you have, or how can you work it?... You are not working to get it but working to receive the benefits and blessings from it, and the joy in the Lord in the procession of it... Brother Glen

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

David Kent · Dec 27, 2017

Steven Yeadon said:
I only seem to struggle with figuring out what one of the hard verses I struggled with on salvation means anymore, that verse is (Matthew 5:17-20).

Jesus was speaking to those under the law.

Jesus' commandment to believers is,

John 3:21-24 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 ¶ And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Rebel1 · Dec 27, 2017

Steven Yeadon said:
I affirm:

That if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
-Romans 10:9

The problem is that people often fail to make Jesus their Master with all their being, their heart. It is telling that Romans 10:9 makes this into a salvation issue though. So, I propose a radical way of reading the bible that will make things much clearer: Simply put, those people who fail to obey Jesus as much as they can, confirming that they have saving faith, are not saved. Of course, people may repent and dedicate their lives or rededicate their lives to obeying Jesus, so that they may be saved.

We are given this all over the New Testament, and I have discovered that if you read the New Testament and assume these truths above when you encounter hard verses on who will and will not go to heaven, then almost every hard verse makes sense and falls into place. Jesus’ many warnings on avoiding hell in the Gospels and Revelation make this abundantly clear to me.

I therefore issue a challenge to read the New Testament, especially the Gospels, with new eyes. To read the New Testament with the belief that those who are saved are those who successfully live lives in obedience to Jesus with faith in his resurrection until they die. I struggled mightily for years with this hard truth, but it will make the verses on who and who is not ultimately going to heaven make so much sense.

Therefore, I urge you to read the bible and apply all of its lessons to your life as best you can. Those who become believers but never advance to obeying Jesus and trying to be like him, are not “babes in Christ!” Instead they face hell when they die for being false Christians. I also urge you to read the following verses and see if I am wrong when the rubber hits the road of reading the bible:

(Matthew 5:1-11) (Matthew 5:13-16) (Matthew 7:21-27) (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) (Matthew 18:21-35) (Matthew 22:1-14) (Matthew 24:45–51) (Matthew 25:1-13) (Matthew 25:14-30) (Matthew 25:31-46)
(Mark 4:1-20)
(Luke 6:46–49) (Luke 8:4-15) (Luke 12:41–48) (Luke 13:1-5) (Luke 13:6-9) (Luke 13:22-30)
(John 15:1-17)
(Acts 5:1-11)
(1 Corinthians 6:9-20) (2 Corinthians 13:5) (Galatians 5:19-21) (Ephesians 5:5-7) (Hebrews 6:4-12) (James 2:14-26) (2 Peter 1:3-15) (I read the entire epistle of 1 John with new eyes)\
(2 John 8-11)
(Revelation 2-3) (Revelation 21:5-8)

I only seem to struggle with figuring out what one of the hard verses I struggled with on salvation means anymore, that verse is (Matthew 5:17-20).

Your position seems to be the same as the Anabaptist teaching and practice of discipleship, which I agree with.

FollowTheWay · Dec 27, 2017

Steven Yeadon said:
I do agree with almost all of your post after this. However, it seems important to me to stress that from our perspective it seems very much on our will to do the right thing. This is unusual in theology for the non-high church, but I feel it is needed as people I have met often get laid back in their faith and an easy believism for "salvation" that must be countered. I could phrase things better though.

Hmm, let me try this instead for my bolded section:

The key here is that all Christians must confirm that they have saving faith by making every effort to obey Jesus. If a Christian does not confirm their faith with obedience to Jesus, then they are not saved. Simply put, those people who fail to obey Jesus as much as they can are not saved. Of course, people may repent and dedicate their lives or rededicate their lives to obeying Jesus, so that they can confirm a living faith that will save them.

I get the language "make every effort" and "as much as they can" from 2 Peter 1.

I also have the greatest concern about the easy believerism that has spread in the SBC and other denominations. The concept of "accepting Christ" and then walking away to return to our sin is non-Biblical. Historically, in the SBC it started with a man named Herschel Hobbs who headed up the 1963 BF&M Committee and resulted in a new concept called "Eternal Security." Hobbs was opposed by Dale Moody who was fired from the SBS in 1984 for his objection. The 1925 BF&M statement contained a statement very much like the 1833 New Hampshire confession:

11. PERSEVERANCE
All real believers endure to the end. Their continuance in well-doing is the mark which distinguishes them from mere professors. A special Providence cares for them, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

This statement was removed in the 1963 and later statements and easy believerism was preached from SBC pulpits. American Baptists did not make this change. This is a statement of faith from the American Baptist church I attended in NJ.

"We are all born with a free will and a sinful nature. Salvation and eternal life are granted freely in grace by God to all those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Rebirth is a change of heart by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin. The Believer’s response is repentance and faith. All true believers endure to the end. This is characterized by an abiding relationship with Christ and a desire to serve Him."

When I was growing up in a fairly large SBC in Louisville Eternal Security was being preached one Sunday. My mother leaned over to us and said: "That wasn't what I was taught when I was growing up in a SBC." And indeed it wasn't. My mother grew up in a small college town in central KY. Lottie Moon was a member of her church at one point.

Millions of people have been mislead by the unBiblical doctrine of Eternal Security. Supporters have even called those who oppose it as believers in a "heresy called Lordship Salvation."

Steven Yeadon · Dec 27, 2017

FollowTheWay said:
I also have the greatest concern about the easy believerism that has spread in the SBC and other denominations. The concept of "accepting Christ" and then walking away to return to our sin is non-Biblical. Historically, in the SBC it started with a man named Herschel Hobbs who headed up the 1963 BF&M Committee and resulted in a new concept called "Eternal Security." Hobbs was opposed by Dale Moody who was fired from the SBS in 1984 for his objection. The 1925 BF&M statement contained a statement very much like the 1833 New Hampshire confession:

11. PERSEVERANCE
All real believers endure to the end. Their continuance in well-doing is the mark which distinguishes them from mere professors. A special Providence cares for them, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

This statement was removed in the 1963 and later statements and easy believerism was preached from SBC pulpits. American Baptists did not make this change. This is a statement of faith from the American Baptist church I attended in NJ.

"We are all born with a free will and a sinful nature. Salvation and eternal life are granted freely in grace by God to all those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Rebirth is a change of heart by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin. The Believer’s response is repentance and faith. All true believers endure to the end. This is characterized by an abiding relationship with Christ and a desire to serve Him."

When I was growing up in a fairly large SBC in Louisville Eternal Security was being preached one Sunday. My mother leaned over to us and said: "That wasn't what I was taught when I was growing up in a SBC." And indeed it wasn't. My mother grew up in a small college town in central KY. Lottie Moon was a member of her church at one point.

Millions of people have been mislead by the unBiblical doctrine of Eternal Security. Supporters have even called those who oppose it as believers in a "heresy called Lordship Salvation."

Wow, thank you for the history lesson.

Martin Marprelate · Dec 30, 2017

FollowTheWay said:
11. PERSEVERANCE
All real believers endure to the end. Their continuance in well-doing is the mark which distinguishes them from mere professors. A special Providence cares for them, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

This statement was removed in the 1963 and later statements and easy believerism was preached from SBC pulpits.

Yes indeed! I really hate the expression "Once saved, always saved." There's a sense in which it is right, but the early (17th Century) Baptists spoke of the Perseverance of the Saints.' God's saints will persevere, but if you're not persevering over a longish period, what would make you think that you're a saint.

How I Read the Bible on Works and Salvation

Steven Yeadon

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Yeshua1

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tyndale1946

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FollowTheWay

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Steven Yeadon

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Steven Yeadon

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Martin Marprelate

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tyndale1946

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David Kent

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Rebel1

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FollowTheWay

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Steven Yeadon

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Martin Marprelate

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