False
Teachers Say…
SALVATION IS SOMETHING YOU GET
The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans
Out of the doctrine
of original sin came the tradition of subjectivism. Subjectivism is
defined
as, "The theory that limits knowledge to subjective experiences." If we
were
to ask ten people about their salvation and relationship with God, we
are sure we would get a widely varying response to the question. Some
would answer, “I placed my hands on the TV and was saved during a
prayer.” Another might
say, “I was driving in my car and started praying, tears came to my
eyes
and I knew I was saved from my sins. I became a born‑again Christian.”
On
and on this line of thought could continue. This is why, when you ask
the
question, “Are there saved people in every denomination,” the answer
will
be yes. Most of our denominational friends have a complete and utter
misunderstanding
of the new birth process.
The truth is, most
false teachers place the role of the Holy Spirit directly in the role
of conversion,
because of the doctrine of "Original Sin." This causes them to teach
that salvation is something you “get” from the Holy Spirit. In
contrast, the Bible teaches that salvation comes by something we “do”
(Matt.
In every new birth
in
the physical life, conception and birth come about in the same way. One
is
begotten by the father and born of the mother. In the spiritual world,
one
is born into the family of God in the same way throughout time. One
birth,
not two, no more no less. One is begotten by the Spirit and born of the
water
when he is buried with Christ in the waters of baptism (Rom. 6:3‑4).
"Born of the
Spirit,"
what is it? (John 3:5). The Spirit is the truth, and was sent to reveal
"All
Truth" unto the world (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit is the truth (1
John
5:6‑8). Jesus asked the Father to, "Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy
word is truth" (John
The Holy Spirit
came
to "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment,"
using
the word to convict man (John 16:8). The word is the seed and life is
in the
seed according to the laws God set up at the creation. In the natural
world,
seed will reproduce after its own kind; this process also translates
into
the Spiritual world (Gen. 1:11‑12, 21, 24‑25; Luke 8:11‑15). One must
be
begotten of the seed (the word of God) ‑ conception in the spiritual
heart.
Man is begotten through the word of truth (James 1:18). Paul wrote, "I
begat
you through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). One is born again of
incorruptible
seed, by the word of God…by the Gospel preached unto you (1 Peter
1:22-25).
To be begotten by the word is to be begotten by the Spirit, who gave
the
word. "The sword of the Spirit…is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).
If being "born of
the Spirit" is to be born of the Gospel then what does it mean to be
"born of
the water”? Some say the water is the physical birth, but clearly Nicodemus
understood Jesus to mean a man, not a baby. "How can a man be
born
when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's
womb,
and be born" (John 3:4)? This water is clearly the waters of
baptism,
because water is used again in this inspired text (John
3:22-26)
and in the context of the whole New Testament. The eunuch said, "see
here
is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized" (Acts 8:36‑38)?
He
and Philip both went down into the water and came up out
of
the water. Peter said about the household of Cornelius, "Can
any
man forbid water, that these should not be baptized…” (Acts
The new birth
demands
one to be baptized in order to become a new creature and walk
in newness
of life (2 Cor. 5:17). A new life cannot begin apart from the
new
birth (John 3:5; Rom. 6:4). One is baptized into Christ's
death, buried
with Him, and raised in a new life by the power of God (Rom. 6:3‑6;
Col. 2:12). The old man of sin is crucified with Christ
(Rom. 6:7). Christ is put on in baptism, for we are “Baptized
into Christ” (Rom. 6:3; Gal 3:27). At the point of baptism we
receive all the spiritual
blessings that are in Christ (Eph. 1:3). These
blessings include
salvation (2 Tim. 2:10). The new man is saved and has the answer of a
good
conscience (1 Peter 3:21).
In the spiritual
rebirth,
it is the spirit of man that is reborn – i.e., man is renewed in the
spirit
of his mind (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23-24). The spirit through the word
strengthens
the inner man (Eph. 3:16); thus, the inward man is renewed day by day
(2
Cor. 4:16). The rebirth of the man's spirit translates him into the spiritual
Kingdom of Christ, the church (Matt. 16:18‑19; Col. 1:13; 1
Cor. 15:24).
The kingdom of God would not come as other kingdoms (Luke
17:20-21),
for the kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36).
Subjective feelings
and experiences will not confirm ones salvation apart from the rebirth
process,
nor will feelings put one into Christ. Only belief in Christ and
obedience
to His will (Rom. 6:16‑18; Heb. 5:8‑9; 11:1, 6; 2 Tim. 3:16‑17; Matt.
7:21)
can guarantee one’s entrance into Heaven.