About a third of the world’s population professes to be Christian. Most are members of the major world churches such as the Catholic or Protestant churches with their different persuasions. Many consider themselves Christians because they were baptized and grew up with a connection to the church. They go to church frequently, irregularly or infrequently, and believe more or less what is preached to them. But are they really Christians in the biblical sense by virtue of these things alone? The answer to this question must be a clear, ‘No’. It is not enough to be a member of a church or religious community. It is also not enough to believe in the existence of a ‘higher being’ or in God. To be saved forever, more is needed.
James says clearly and unequivocally that faith is not enough for salvation:
“You believe that God is one, you do well. The demons even believe, and tremble” (Jas. 2:19).
But demons will never be saved, as the demons’ question in Matthew 8:29 shows:
“What have we to do with you, Son of God? Have you come here before the time to torment us?” (cf. Luke 8:31).
Demons believe in the existence of God and His Son, but they know that they are going to eternal condemnation. Moreover, in Acts 8 we read of a man named Simon who also “believed; and, having been baptized, he continued constantly with Philip” (v. 13); but when Peter later joined him, he was forced to say: “your money go with you to destruction, … you have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not upright before God” (v. 21). A mere adherence to biblical truth is not enough for the salvation of the soul.
A true Christian is one who believes in the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and as the Saviour who died for him on the cross, and has thereby received forgiveness of sins and new life (see John 1:12, 13; Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 15:1–4). The life God has given will be manifested in a new walk, based on the Word of God.
However, the strength or intensity of faith is not the key to salvation. If it were, many a child of God might despair – which unfortunately is not uncommon. People look to themselves and are occupied with their own faith instead of trusting in the Lord Jesus and His accomplished work. Those who are preoccupied with themselves will never become happy children of God. The security of our salvation is not based on the strength of our faith, but on the value of the work of the Lord Jesus in the eyes of God. This is made clear to us by a picture from the Old Testament.
When God announced the last of the ten plagues upon Egypt, the killing of all the firstborn, He ordained the Passover lamb as the means of salvation for His people Israel. Each family had to slaughter a lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts and lintel. Many Israelites may have trembled in their homes and doubted whether the blood would really protect their family! But the destroyer passed by all the houses whose doors were painted with the blood of the Passover lamb, because God had said,
“And when I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exod. 12:13).
It was not the people’s valuation of the blood and its effects that determined the outcome. It was God’s. We know from the New Testament that the Passover lamb refers to the Lord Jesus:
“For also our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7).
Everyone who takes refuge in Him in faith is forever under the protection of His blood. Even if our faith may seem weak to us, God sees the work of His Son that has been accomplished and sees us as one with Him! Those who feel weak in faith may be comforted and encouraged by the word:
“A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax will he not quench” (Matt. 12:20).
This is what happened to the father of the possessed boy who cried out to the Lord Jesus:
“I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
Let us first of all deal with the important subject of perfect redemption and the certainty of salvation. We will see how God’s Word judges man and what God has done to give him an eternal salvation. In the last part we will look at various passages of Scripture which are often interpreted in a way that causes uncertainty and doubts about salvation.
What is a Christian?
About a third of the world’s population professes to be Christian. Most are members of the major world churches such as the Catholic or Protestant churches with their different persuasions. Many consider themselves Christians because they were baptized and grew up with a connection to the church. They go to church frequently, irregularly or infrequently, and believe more or less what is preached to them. But are they really Christians in the biblical sense by virtue of these things alone? The answer to this question must be a clear, ‘No’. It is not enough to be a member of a church or religious community. It is also not enough to believe in the existence of a ‘higher being’ or in God. To be saved forever, more is needed.
James says clearly and unequivocally that faith is not enough for salvation:
“You believe that God is one, you do well. The demons even believe, and tremble” (Jas. 2:19).
But demons will never be saved, as the demons’ question in Matthew 8:29 shows:
“What have we to do with you, Son of God? Have you come here before the time to torment us?” (cf. Luke 8:31).
Demons believe in the existence of God and His Son, but they know that they are going to eternal condemnation. Moreover, in Acts 8 we read of a man named Simon who also “believed; and, having been baptized, he continued constantly with Philip” (v. 13); but when Peter later joined him, he was forced to say: “your money go with you to destruction, … you have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not upright before God” (v. 21). A mere adherence to biblical truth is not enough for the salvation of the soul.
A true Christian is one who believes in the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and as the Saviour who died for him on the cross, and has thereby received forgiveness of sins and new life (see John 1:12, 13; Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 15:1–4). The life God has given will be manifested in a new walk, based on the Word of God.
However, the strength or intensity of faith is not the key to salvation. If it were, many a child of God might despair – which unfortunately is not uncommon. People look to themselves and are occupied with their own faith instead of trusting in the Lord Jesus and His accomplished work. Those who are preoccupied with themselves will never become happy children of God. The security of our salvation is not based on the strength of our faith, but on the value of the work of the Lord Jesus in the eyes of God. This is made clear to us by a picture from the Old Testament.
When God announced the last of the ten plagues upon Egypt, the killing of all the firstborn, He ordained the Passover lamb as the means of salvation for His people Israel. Each family had to slaughter a lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts and lintel. Many Israelites may have trembled in their homes and doubted whether the blood would really protect their family! But the destroyer passed by all the houses whose doors were painted with the blood of the Passover lamb, because God had said,
“And when I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exod. 12:13).
It was not the people’s valuation of the blood and its effects that determined the outcome. It was God’s. We know from the New Testament that the Passover lamb refers to the Lord Jesus:
“For also our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7).
Everyone who takes refuge in Him in faith is forever under the protection of His blood. Even if our faith may seem weak to us, God sees the work of His Son that has been accomplished and sees us as one with Him! Those who feel weak in faith may be comforted and encouraged by the word:
“A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax will he not quench” (Matt. 12:20).
This is what happened to the father of the possessed boy who cried out to the Lord Jesus:
“I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
Let us first of all deal with the important subject of perfect redemption and the certainty of salvation. We will see how God’s Word judges man and what God has done to give him an eternal salvation. In the last part we will look at various passages of Scripture which are often interpreted in a way that causes uncertainty and doubts about salvation.
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