This article is written in response to a well know Pastor who is teaching that we are saved by mercy alone without any requirements of us.
The Pastor said that all “works based doctrines” are cults. Man made doctrines and commandments are correctly labeled as a “works doctrine”. GOD doesn’t have a works based doctrine, HE established a covenant of salvation based on righteousness by faith which do require us to perform GOD’s works in order to receive HIS free gift of salvation. The Pastor put both man’s works and GOD’s works into the same category of being a “works based doctrine”, which is false.
When this Pastor was making suggestions on how to witness to these “works based” people, the only examples he gave of what he calls “works based doctrines” were in fact the doctrines of men (man’s works). An example of man’s works in an attempt to gain and earn salvation would be: doing repetitious prayers, hail Marys, idol worship, flogging yourself, paying indulgences, etc., which are not from GOD but are from men who made up these things saying that GOD requires them to receive salvation. This is called a counterfeit false doctrine. So he was giving very good advice and gave correct examples concerning that; we should reject man-made doctrines and the commandments of men which are said to be the LORD’s but are not.
However, he made a critical error by extending that good observation to include a false conclusion about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant which does require GOD’s works to be done. He mixed up the truth with a falsehood. He said the thief on the cross didn’t do anything for his salvation, but that’s not true and here is why.
There are man’s works which are false doctrines and then there are GOD’s works which are required by GOD for us to perform to receive our salvation; it’s called righteousness by faith.
Here is my response to this Pastor:
There were two thieves crucified along with Jesus. Why was only one saved if they are saved by mercy alone without anything else?
Also If that’s true, then everyone would be saved whether or not they had faith in GOD or believed in Jesus, but the Bible is clear that many won’t be saved.
Psalms 61:7
“He shall abide before God for ever:
O prepare mercy
AND TRUTH,
which may preserve him.”
The answer is salvation is not by mercy alone, the thief who was saved had to do somethings in order to receive GOD’s free gift of salvation that could never be earned.
1.) He had to believe in GOD the FATHER
2.) He had to believe in Jesus Christ as his savior
3.) He had to humble himself
4.) He had to confess that he was a sinner that deserved the death penalty
5.) He had to repent of those past sins
6.) He had to ask to be forgiven and ask for salvation
7.) He had to have faith in GOD
One thief did all those things.
The other one apparently did not.
His salvation was not by mercy alone. All salvation is by mercy and truth (righteousness). These are the requirements of keeping GOD’s Covenant under both the Old and New Covenant. The biblical account recorded that only one thief did these things which were required to receive his free gift of salvation and he was promised that he would have it.
I love a lot of the work you are doing out there Pastor, but you are not teaching the whole gospel message which unfortunately is leading people to hell and I’m convinced you do not want to do that.
The Lord’s Prayer is a daily prayer that is asking for our daily bread and for the daily forgiveness of any new past sins that came up since our last request. In addition to that the Lord Jesus Christ warned the people if they refused to forgive others continually (daily), they would not be forgiven by GOD and you can’t inherit eternal life if you are not forgiven of your sins. So GOD does require us to do something to inherit our salvation; HE requires us to do what HE says to do in keeping HIS covenant of salvation, to say otherwise is to call HIM a liar.
By only using the commandments of men (man’s works) as your example you are conflating the truth with falsehood; because you left off GOD’s works which we are required to perform in order to be saved.
Revelation chapters 2 & 3 are further evidence that the New Testament churches are still required to obey GOD’s laws under the penalty of “the wages of sin is death”. They received the Holy Spirit as did the one who escaped the pollutions (sin) of the world but then rejected the commandments of GOD and turned back to unrepentant sinning which rewards them with damnation.
The Lord’s servant also had a decision to make and the parable says if he makes the righteous decision to continue in obedience, he will be saved; but if he turns back to continuing in unrepentant sinning he will receive his portion with the unbelievers which is eternal damnation. The only way to escape sin is by being given the Holy Spirit of GOD which purges sin from us; that person had been born again too.
2Peter 2:20-21
“For if after THEY HAVE ESCAPED the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, AND OVERCOME, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, TO TURN FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT delivered unto them.”
The same servant of GOD has two choices:
Luke 12:42-44
“And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so DOING. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.”
Luke 12:45-46
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his PORTION WITH THE UNBELIEVERS.
Psalms 85:9-10
“Surely HIS salvation is nigh them that fear HIM;
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and TRUTH are met together;
RIGHTEOUSNESS and peace have kissed each other”
2John 1:8-9
“Look to yourselves,
THAT WE LOSE NOT those things
which we have wrought,
but that we receive a full reward.
Whosoever transgresseth,
and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
HATH NOT GOD.
He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ,
he hath both the FATHER and the Son.”
Deuteronomy 7:9
“Know therefore that the LORD thy GOD,
HE is GOD,
the faithful GOD,
which keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love HIM
and keep HIS commandments
to a thousand generations”
1John 5:3
“For this is the love of GOD,
that we keep HIS commandments:
and HIS commandments are not grievous.”