Let's say that a lost person enters the lodge for acceptance. They have to accept a supreme being no matter who or what they call him according to be received. Would you agree that during the ceremony and the statements and claims made by the person called the “most worshipful master” and the head “Deacon” that the person could easily end up thinking they have been accepted by God because for their deeds? In other words because of the ritual they go through and the words spoken in the ritual they are taught a works type salvation (them being accepted by God) even though salvation is not mentioned.
No because Scripture clearly teaches us this foundation standeth sure, God knoweth them that are his.
It doesn't matter what I receive intellectually that does not make me a child of God nor does that make me a non-child of God. What makes any person a child of God is the witness of the Spirit of Adoption having been sent into his/her heart crying ABBA, Father.
Now, the very evidence that such a person would even erroneously come to think they are able to serve God through a 'works' system is evidence of their having been born of this Spirit, for this reason, Peter was sent to Cornelius.
We ought to not pay lip service to Grace, but attempt to bind the word of God such that we make Christ to teach that except a man believe he can't see nor enter into the kingdom of heaven. The true statement of Christ is that except that ye be born again...Paul said too that if ye are made to feel after him, then seek him...any person who fears God possesses the beginning of wisdom, even in an erroneous religious system of 'works' which is also found among many Christian groups, even among some Baptists, is denying Grace, for Paul said it is either by grace or works, and if grace, then works are no more but if by works, then grace is no more.
The child of God does not seek God because he/she knows the gospel or has heard the gospel. A child of God seeks God because they are his child and he has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into their hearts.
So no, there is no danger of any one of whom God gave to Christ and for whom Christ redeemed (bought with the price of His blood and now they belong to him in error or truth) failing of receiving the earnest of the inheritance which is the Spirit despite of their depth of knowledge or understanding.
We are not called in the Gospel to make sheep, but to feed the sheep and thereby to make disciples, or students of Christ. In the same way you speak toward one entering Masonry under a false hope it is just as likely that one could enter into the church under a false hope, but Paul clearly tells us in several places (Heb. 10 is one) that we are not of those who believe this, but we believe unto the saving (preservation) of the soul. This preservation is of and by the Free Grace of God upon ALL for whom Christ died and is not related to their works of obedience, righteousness nor any other work, or we ought to lay aside Grace and all speak that which we mean, that the only way we may receive eternal life is by works we have done and continue in doing (perseverance).
No, there is no such danger of a none elect being falsely led to believe he is a child by error, nor is there any danger of the elect being deceived for they hold this witness within themselves, IF it is needful that we justify each other, then we have no need of Christ and he is died in vain.
Our justification is by Free Grace, by Christ's resurrection and living forever having died and now living, by His blood and finally, but timely, by our faith.
Justifying faith is toward peace with God in hearing, believing and living according to the fact of a hope in God which that faith is the substance of our already standing in such Grace that God will be merciful, faith is the realization of the hope of all the OT saints that the promised seed WILL come, and the realization of all under the gospel dispensation that He has come.
Now, if the body of doctrine that I follow is that which determines my Eternal Life, then Paul clearly told Timothy to take heed to himself and to his doctrine that in so doing he would both save himself and his hearers, so then it is not Christ, but the preacher who eternally saves according to the message he preaches?
Of course this is error, but many believe this whether they know they do or not, thus they are continually binding God's dear children in the spirit of bondage to fear rather than showing them their deliverer and deliverance from bondage to the fear of death.
Now, do you believe that Eternal Life is by works? Paul was telling Timothy to take heed because that salvation under consideration is a gospel salvation in the knowledge of our now possessing peace with God through the reconciliation of Christ in the offering of His body once for all. There is no other offering we may bring to atone for our sins, not even faith in a proper body of doctrine for we each believe or know only in part, so then all we are able to bring is a peace/fellowship offering through Christ.
Apart from this we will have no true experiential knowledge or Rest in Christ, but we may very well be children of the King by the witness of the Spirit of His life in us.
bro. Dallas
