“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 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!’ - Matthew 7:21-23
I’m sure you know many folks who are quick and proud to claim their Christianity (depending on the circumstances and/or where they are). Trust me; all the people who know me, whether friends or merely acquaintances know I’m a Christian. No matter where I am I’m always quick to let people around me know exactly what my belief system is . . . whether they believe the way I do or not.
So it always concerns me when I hear a person claiming to be a Christian go off on a tangent about their belief about salvation. The red flag usually pops up with these three words, “I feel that . . . .” Those three little words are generally the kiss of death to any discussion of correct soteriology. Because the proper understanding of our salvation doesn’t hinge on one’s “feeling” about the subject. Scripture is very concise about how we must be saved.
This “false assurance” usually rests upon three tenuous pillars: one is legalism (what I like to call, “Phariseeism”). Under legalism people believe they can achieve salvation by being good people . . . or at least being as good as they can. The second is universalism. Universalism is the belief that ultimately God will bring all people into salvation. In either case those who believe in these errors could not be further from the truth, as Christ declared in Matthew 7:21-23.
Universalism is an erroneous argument that God is a great and powerful “all-forgiving” Spirit in heaven who will ultimately bring us all home . . . in the end. But scripture tells us - “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ ”
- 2 Timothy 2:19
Finally there is the soteriological error of Sacerdotalism. People who make this mistake believe they can achieve their salvation through sacremental performances such as saying “the sinner’s prayer,” stepping up to an “altar call,” or signing a “salvation card.” But again, it is not a man or woman’s performance which saves them.
The problem for most of these people is that after they imagine themselves “saved,” they fall back to their old ways of life. After all - once saved, always saved . . . right? The author of Hebrews has a thing to say about such a belief - “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” - Hebrews 6:4-6
Such “saved” were enlightened. But enlightenment doesn’t assure salvation. Many people are aware (enlightened) of the gospel but are not saved. Many have been partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God. Like “common grace” - the rain falls on the just and the unjust the same. But they are not saved. Finally it is impossible to renew these people to repentance . . . because they have never really repented to begin with! I can not give back to you something you never possessed to begin with. That is not to say that they cannot be saved, but they must drop the “I feel that . . .” notion and return through sound theology to the Lord Jesus Christ - in heart and mind and soul.
May the blessing of God be always upon you.
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