To be consistent, those who advocate the erroneous doctrine of salvation by grace alone,
must deny that there is anything for a person to "do" in order to be saved. Those who teach
the doctrine of salvation by "grace alone," contend that a person is passive, not active, and
that anything that is "done" constitutes a "work" and they say, "We are not saved by works."
One thing they fail to understand is this: there are different kinds of works, and one must
understand the difference in order to have a biblical concept of grace, faith, law, and works.
There are works of the law of Moses such as offering sacrifices, sabbath day observance,
and circumcision. No person can be saved by keeping the law of Moses. The law of Moses
has been removed. It is not binding on anyone. (Acts 15; Romans 3:21,27; 7:4; Galatians
3:23-25; 5:1-4). There are works of "merit" by which one seeks to "earn" or "deserve" the
right to salvation. No one can, by his own planning, earn or deserve salvation. It is a gift from
God and no one can boast. (Romans 4:2-8; Ephesians 2:5,8-9) There are also works of
obedience. These are the "works" that God himself has mandated or made necessary in
order for people to be saved. (Matthew 7:21-23; Hebrews 5:8-9) When a person complies
with God's conditions of pardon he is not attempting to save himself apart from God's grace,
nor is he trying to earn his salvation. He is by the grace of God, yielding to the commands of
the heavenly Master! A good question for the Calvinist is this: Can a person be saved without
submitting to the conditions that God has made necessary for salvation?
On the day of Pentecost, the Jews who were cut in the heart by the apostles' words
asked, "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:36-37) The Holy Spirit who was
revealing God's will through Peter and the rest of the apostles, did not respond to their
question by asking,"Do, what do you mean 'do?' There is nothing to 'do.' God has already
done it all. " Luke tells us, "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be immersed every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ in order to receive the forgiveness of your sins, and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) The Holy Spirit, through Peter, told them
what to do. Therefore, a person must "DO" something in order to be saved!
In Acts 16:30 Luke says the jailer asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?" Paul did not say, "Do, what do you mean do? There is nothing to 'do.' God has
already done it all. " Paul told him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you
and your household." (v. 31) Paul did not tell him to "only believe," or "believe only."
Salvation by faith alone is not taught in the New Testament. It is found in the mental
corridors of denominational theologians who have discarded God's plan of salvation. Paul
told him to "believe in the Lord Jesus." To "believe in the Lord Jesus" involves accepting
all conditions God has made necessary for salvation from past sins, and this includes
immersion into Christ Jesus! After Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him
and those in his house (v. 32), he was immersed at once, he and all his family! (v. 33)
It is after he and his household heard the word and were immersed that Luke tells us,
"And he rejoiced that he had believed in the God." (v. 34) Yes, a person must "do"
something in order to be saved, and when he does it, he has not earned his salvation,
neither has he vitiated or nullified the grace of God. The Bible says "he has believed in the
God."
R. Daly
Copyright 2012
must deny that there is anything for a person to "do" in order to be saved. Those who teach
the doctrine of salvation by "grace alone," contend that a person is passive, not active, and
that anything that is "done" constitutes a "work" and they say, "We are not saved by works."
One thing they fail to understand is this: there are different kinds of works, and one must
understand the difference in order to have a biblical concept of grace, faith, law, and works.
There are works of the law of Moses such as offering sacrifices, sabbath day observance,
and circumcision. No person can be saved by keeping the law of Moses. The law of Moses
has been removed. It is not binding on anyone. (Acts 15; Romans 3:21,27; 7:4; Galatians
3:23-25; 5:1-4). There are works of "merit" by which one seeks to "earn" or "deserve" the
right to salvation. No one can, by his own planning, earn or deserve salvation. It is a gift from
God and no one can boast. (Romans 4:2-8; Ephesians 2:5,8-9) There are also works of
obedience. These are the "works" that God himself has mandated or made necessary in
order for people to be saved. (Matthew 7:21-23; Hebrews 5:8-9) When a person complies
with God's conditions of pardon he is not attempting to save himself apart from God's grace,
nor is he trying to earn his salvation. He is by the grace of God, yielding to the commands of
the heavenly Master! A good question for the Calvinist is this: Can a person be saved without
submitting to the conditions that God has made necessary for salvation?
On the day of Pentecost, the Jews who were cut in the heart by the apostles' words
asked, "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:36-37) The Holy Spirit who was
revealing God's will through Peter and the rest of the apostles, did not respond to their
question by asking,"Do, what do you mean 'do?' There is nothing to 'do.' God has already
done it all. " Luke tells us, "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be immersed every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ in order to receive the forgiveness of your sins, and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) The Holy Spirit, through Peter, told them
what to do. Therefore, a person must "DO" something in order to be saved!
In Acts 16:30 Luke says the jailer asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?" Paul did not say, "Do, what do you mean do? There is nothing to 'do.' God has
already done it all. " Paul told him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you
and your household." (v. 31) Paul did not tell him to "only believe," or "believe only."
Salvation by faith alone is not taught in the New Testament. It is found in the mental
corridors of denominational theologians who have discarded God's plan of salvation. Paul
told him to "believe in the Lord Jesus." To "believe in the Lord Jesus" involves accepting
all conditions God has made necessary for salvation from past sins, and this includes
immersion into Christ Jesus! After Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him
and those in his house (v. 32), he was immersed at once, he and all his family! (v. 33)
It is after he and his household heard the word and were immersed that Luke tells us,
"And he rejoiced that he had believed in the God." (v. 34) Yes, a person must "do"
something in order to be saved, and when he does it, he has not earned his salvation,
neither has he vitiated or nullified the grace of God. The Bible says "he has believed in the
God."
R. Daly
Copyright 2012
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