Examples of Error

Last week this column examined several passages of Scripture that are misused in an effort to convince those in sin that salvation is easy. Recently, I was given a book with an intriguing title, Mary of Magdala. As it turns out, it was not historical in nature. It fell into the category of historical fiction. It provided Mary Magdalene with a fictional past and showed how she interacted with Jesus. Even though the entire story was invented, it had a value in causing the reader to think about the way in which these events actually occurred and how people reacted to them.

The demands made upon the apostles and the women who traveled with Jesus were particularly interesting, but then the author, Anne C. Williams, resorted to the popular thinking about salvation at the end of the book. Despite the dedication required throughout the novel, she could not resist making salvation easy. After Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to Mary, she decided to return to her home town of Magdala to live. On the way she meets a female fellow traveler, who not only knew that Jesus had worked miracles—but had heard that He had risen from the dead. She asked what Mary thought about that and for the next hour Mary shared with her “the good news about the Master” (280). Her companion asked her how she might experience the new life available in Christ.

All that Mary said in the novel was, “You must pray, asking forgiveness for your sins. Then you may invite our Lord into your life. That is what He called being born again.” So they pray together—and that’s it. The only further instructions were to find other Christians and meet with them, pray, and “tell others about what has happened here on the road” (280). The problem is that nothing happened on the road. As a follower of Jesus, even the fictional Mary should have known that Jesus’ followers were baptized (John 4:1-2). If she was with the disciples after the resurrection she would have heard the great commission, which involved being baptized (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16). Yet she spoke not a word about the role of water in the new birth (John 3:5). The book is severely flawed by this omission, and it becomes obvious that the author is more influenced by modern thinking than by New Testament teaching.

When Philip preached Jesus to the Queen’s treasurer “on the road,” he asked what prevented him from being baptized. When Jesus appeared to Paul “on the road,” He told him he should go into the city, and it would be told him what he must do. Ananias came to him and, even though Saul of Tarsus had fasted and prayed for three days, it was not sufficient to cause him to be born again. Ananias asked him, “And now why are you waiting? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” The new birth involves baptism for the forgiveness of sins, which Paul would explain later in Romans 6:3-5.

Another Author’s Explicit Plan

When I wrote the previous article, I had not finished reading a book by Peggy Joyce Ruth about Psalm 91. The subject matter of the book is not the point here; what is relevant to this article is the “What Must I Do to Be Saved?” portion. The author states: “If you have never given your life to Jesus and accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, there is no better time than right now” (107). This sentence is followed by quoting various verses of Scripture. Some have no comment with them; others have comments, but they look as though they are part of the verse, which they are not.

The first two are Romans 3:10 and 23, which are fine, since they state that we have all sinned. Next is Romans 5:8 that emphasizes how that the love of God was shown for us by Christ dying for our sins. Then John 3:16 is mentioned, which highlights the fact that we must have faith in order to have salvation. Romans 6:23 is cited, which mentions that salvation is a free gift. These are followed by showing that it is only through Jesus that we can come to God (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Finally, Romans 1:4 partially quoted before the author asks this question.

You may be thinking, How do I accept Jesus and become His child? God in His love has made it so easy (108).

In answer to this most important of all questions, she quotes Romans 10:9 and John 1:12—two of the verses dealt with in last week’s article. That’s it. She says not a word about repentance, and nothing about baptism. She does not even cite a verse that relates to someone being converted from the Book of Acts. Afterward, she adds: “It is as simple as praying a prayer similar to this one—if you sincerely mean it in your heart” (109). Her prayer does not mention repentance or baptism, either.

Contrary to what Peggy Ruth teaches, salvation is not that easy! Surely she must have read—but is denying the reality of Acts 2. When those who had crucified Jesus asked what they should do, she must have noticed that Peter did not answer, “God in His love has made it so easy.” How could she have missed the word repent in Acts 2:38? How could she have overlooked the apostle teaching that each one of them should be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins? Far be it from us to judge somebody’s motives, but is it not strange that she also missed both examples in Acts 8, along with Acts 22:16? It is intentionally neglected because it does not fit her theology. Three thousand were baptized on that Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41), all of which is omitted in Ruth’s book. Salvation is not so simple as a mere verbal commitment. It also involves the determination to change the way one has lived and to be baptized.

What the Billboards Do Not Say

Frank Vassell decided to call the individual responsible for putting up billboards around the area and in other parts of the country. Some of these are quite clever, such as: “10 out of 10 die. Are you prepared?” and “Are you Sure This Evolved?” with a picture of earth and the universe behind it. One that makes a sharp point (and many do) is:

THE HOLY BIBLE
Inspired. Absolute. Final.

One wonders how Catholics, Mormons, and Pentecostals respond to this message, since they do not believe that the Bible is “final.” All of the billboards come with a telephone number, which is 855-FOR-TRUTH. In response to Frank’s call, he received a 64-page book, What Every Person Needs to Know, written by Ernest L. Eby. In the last few pages of this material, the author deals with salvation. To his credit, Eby mentions repentance. In fact, he suggests that those who are not saved fall on their knees and say:

Yes, Lord, I am a sinner! Forgive me! I am sorry I did not love you and did much evil—I was not obedient; I deceived and offended others; I used bad words…. Now I know that You died for me. Free me from all evil. I ask you, Jesus—cleanse my heart, accept me as one of your children, and lead me to heaven! Amen” (57).

This certainly sounds like a version of the “sinner’s prayer” (which is made up by men) and is not found in the Scriptures, the final authority. Just when a reader might think he is now saved, Eby says, “But repentance is not everything” (57). Oh, so there is more. Or is there? He continues: “After asking God for forgiveness for your sins, you need to turn away from sin and turn your whole heart to God” (59). This is really confusing. Is someone supposed to be saved after saying the prayer or not? But even worse, he says to turn away from sin after asking God for forgiveness. So, does repentance follow forgiveness, after all? Then he summarizes: “...believe in God, acknowledge you are a sinner, repent before God, and turn from your sin “ (59). Why is not repentance the same as turning from sin?

These four things seem to conclude what is necessary to receive salvation. If you have done those things, “you have received the gift of salvation” (61). He adds other benefits that the sinner receives: “Your name is written in the book of life with those who are saved…. You are a very happy person…” (63).. However, not a single account of conversion was mentioned from the Book of Acts. Philip did not tell the queen’s treasurer to offer up a sincere prayer. He told him to be baptized. Saul of Tarsus was not told to continue praying sincerely. He was told to be baptized. Why is water always missing from salvation? One would think it had never been mentioned.

A Startling Admission

Eby departs from Calvinism in a huge way when he affirms that the “gift of salvation can be lost and needs to be carefully protected” (63). He is exactly right on this point. He says that Jesus as the Good Shepherd is with the saved person and that we must read the Bible—especially the New Testament—daily. Once again, he speaks the truth regarding the way in which we must stay saved. Then Eby does something that many never do. He quotes Mark 16:16!!

However, he does not quite see the import of the verse, as seen in this comment:

God has designed that born-again followers of Jesus are initiated into the church by being baptized with water. Baptism is a testimony before God and man that a person is finished with his past life of sin and is committed to living a new life. It signifies that he is now a new creature in Christ Jesus (64).

What he fails to see is that being born of water and the Spirit refers to baptism (John 3:5; Rom. 6:3-5). One cannot be born again of the water and the Spirit and then be baptized in water; baptism is part of being born again. And when he arises from the watery grave, he has been born again and is a new creature. He is not a new creature when he is buried? Who buries a newborn? The repentant soul who is dying to sin is the one who is buried in water. A newborn babe in Christ emerges from that grave. Eby is close on this point, but he does not have the sequence correct.

He quoted Mark 16:16. The promise there is made to one who believes and is baptized. He is the one who will be saved. Notice that Jesus did not list four things—excluding baptism—and insist that someone was saved at that point. Baptism is one of the conditions one must meet in order to obtain salvation. Eby does not realize it, but it cannot be both ways. One cannot already have salvation before being baptized and at the same time be baptized in order to be saved. He also knows 1 Peter 3:21 because he mentions the answer of a good conscience before God, but he failed to note that the same verse also says that baptism also now saves us. The Bible places baptism on the conditional side of salvation—not on the result side.

We do appreciate Eby’s emphasis on the church and worship, although he is a bit vague. He does not mention giving or the Lord’s Supper; interestingly, no mention is made of the use of instruments to accompany singing. In referring to worship assemblies, he says that these “churches have been in existence ever since the day of Pentecost…” (64). Hmm. Such wording makes it sound as though denominations have always existed. Eby surely knows that only one church existed on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:47). This is a weak effort to defend denominationalism—and therefore division in the body of Christ. He ought to stick with the Scriptures he advises all people to read.