As I sat before work listening to a sermon on Assurance of Salvation, I began to lament. I lamented of my own failings to live up to God's standard. I wondered if I could really be saved. I began to wonder again about loss of salvation, or "once saved, always saved," and tried to contemplate a bit further these two sides' implications for the believer. Here are some thoughts.
Listed as one of the hardest to swallow passages in the entire Bible, Matthew 7:21-23 does put forth a rather bleak picture, even for believers.
"Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will go into the kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. A great number will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, were we not prophets in your name, and did we not by your name send out evil spirits, and by your name do works of power? And then I will say to them, I never knew you, depart from me you workers of evil." Matthew 7:21-23
After thinking about this further, and my own salvation experience/ongoing struggle with assurance of that, I have come up with a few ways to look at this passage. Each way could be right, as I am not sure the true "scholarly" perspective. Nonetheless, I wanted to break it down visually somewhere, and that's for what blogs are intended.
1) Believers who had a "salvation experience" but were simply confessors of the faith, and did not bear fruit of their faith.
Why not bite the bullet and start first with this one, the one mentioned in the sermon series. This interpretation of it is what makes it a very convicting/scary verse. We are told in the evangelical realm of churches (non-denom, pentecostal, baptist, etc...) that the altar call salvation experience is our true assurance that we are "saved."
I have no issues with this definition, and it is in fact close to where I fell myself for my own. The problem with that mindset could really only be the idea that someone confesses Christ and salvation, but does not sanctify that relationship through daily walking with God. The Bible says we are a new creation when we are born-again, that we seek repentance, and we honor God with our lives. Through this we are "saved" from God's wrath by the blood of Christ, who accepted that Wrath on our behalf on the cross.
What worries me is this. How does one really know? In this scenario, it is on the believer to "choose" to follow God, which also seems to mean they could "un-choose." Even those who stay faithful, may still appear before Christ someday to hear the harsh words of Matthew 7:23.
Christ says they prophesied and worked wonders in His name, but he never KNEW them. And that is probably the key to this interpretation. The believer whether saved by altar call, or God calling by his Spirit, must truly seek to follow Christ. And only in sincerely desiring forgiveness of sin in the midst of following God's will can the believer truly hope to maintain assurance of their salvation. It becomes a heart matter for sure, not a head matter.
"Take up your cross and follow me." -Jesus
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
2) The Verse is referring to False prophets of old, and those to come in the last days, who counterfeit the miracles of God, and seek to lead his flock astray
I'll be honest, this interpretation is more what I gather from the context of Matthew 7 as a whole. The chapter started with that famous "tolerance" verse, Judge Not lest ye be judged (verse 1) that the nonbelievers are so fond of adopting for their personal agendas and to justify sin. But, the verse as a whole seems to be Christ speaking to those who would portray belief on the outside, but be false on the inside. Hypocrites.
Now, I have always felt the largest cop-out in Christian/Non-Christian world was, "I can't go to church because they're all hypocrites." Obviously we are there for a reason, and each and every one of us, full of sin as we are, is most decidedly hypocritical without Christ's covering. We go to church to rid ourselves of that attribute (and those who don't are the subject of this chapter).
Paul told believers to be willing to rebuke one another, and that would in some cases involve speaking out against another's action: Judging. But in the context of keeping the church full of sound believers, the elimination of internal sin that causes others to be led astray must be addressed.
1 Corinthians 5 has Paul rebuking the Corinthian church for not rebuking their brother believer who is sleeping with his stepmom. The church had gone so far as to basically promote this immorality in their midst. It wasn't that they weren't all sinning; There is a laundry list of Corinthian church sins. Rather, it is that they refused to rebuke their brother for his outward sin that was infecting the rest of the church. Paul specifically says,
"For it is no business of mine to be judging those who are outside; but it is yours to be judging those who are among you;" 1 Corinthians 5:12.
But, before the unbelievers get excited telling Christians to stop judging them, read the rest of the verse:
As for those who are outside, GOD is THEIR Judge. So put away the evil man from among you." 1 Corinthians 13
Non-belivers are most definitely not off the hook, and are probably worse off with GOD being their only judge. There is no one to rebuke the non-bleiver but God himself, and that should be a sobering thought.
Back in Jesus' climax to his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7, we see that prior to verses 21-23, he talks of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing, but are wolves inside. This is followed by a discussion on them not bearing fruit, and then we reach verse 21-23 with Jesus saying he never knew them.
A false prophet would go about performing miracles (Backed by Satan and demons) to deceive God's children. False prophets will arise even in our day to deceive if possible the elect (believers). Jesus then in this interpretation is saying that those prophets who did things "in the name of Jesus" were not really doing them for Jesus, but for Satan, and they will be cast away.
This interpretation does take some burden off of the believer doubting salvation, but still presents the problem of not everyone who THINKS they are entering Heaven, being allowed in.
3) Religious people who think they can earn their salvation with works and deeds; even those who confess Christ as LORD.
This interpretation would have Jesus referring to the Pharisees and religious leaders of his day, who were assured in their own religiousness, but most certainly not of Christ. These are the same leaders who had Christ crucified.
In our day, the popular association would be with the Catholic church (though I know there are good Christ/Bible believing Catholics out there). The emphasis on Doctrine and religion over a relationship with God through Christ, puts them in danger of either becoming Prideful of their own salvation, or depressed because of their constant failures in sin as humans.
Martin Luther struggled with this very thing. Either you could follow the religious aspects to a T and become boastful that your salvation was better than your neighbors'. Or, you would realize no amount of works or procedures could earn your salvation and become depressed.
Salvation breeds good works, but good works do not breed salvation. The religious man's struggle if this passage refers to him, is that he did all these wonderful things in Jesus' name, but it was for his own glory instead of Christ's.
Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Matthew 7:21-23 writes, "He shows, by a plain remonstrance, that an outward profession of religion, however remarkable, will not bring us to Heaven, unless there be a correspondent conversation."(Matthew Henry Commentary)
Simon Magus in Acts 8:13 tries to buy the ability to perform the same miracles and wonders as the apostles. The Bible says he was "amazed" at them (which could be considered believing in them), but he clearly had only selfish motives behind that belief.
In Conclusion whichever interpretation fits best, we are still left seeing that there is more to salvation than simply expressing outwardly devotion to Christ. It must be a change on the inside. It will reveal itself by our changed attitude and lifestyle which can truly only be brought about by the Holy Spirit, not of ourselves.
This is where some reformed theology (Presbyterian, Calvinist) has what I think is a more assured view. If it is by the Holy Spirit's moving alone that we accept Christ and become "saved," then it is nothing we do ourselves, but rather something that God calls us to. Jesus says his sheep will hear his call and come to him, but not all sheep who hear will come. But like any good shepherd, the sheep which are His, he will never lose.
From that we get a basic understanding of "once saved, always saved," which I'm sure none would argue is certainly more appealing for the constant doubter of salvation. With this mindset, it is God's sovereign decision as to whom will be saved, and while this does not mean He just sits around picking people all day, it does mean that in his infinite wisdom, he knows who will ultimately choose Him and who will reject him. Just as Pharaoh's heart was hardened so that his Glory would be revealed in Egypt, so God knows those whom are His and who will reject him not matter what.
The conflict comes from situations in which a professing believer backslides, or rejects the faith altogether despite an earlier salvation experience. This view proposes then that they were not truly saved to begin with, but that is a short answer at best. From these verse we can see that God will always be willing to forgive and accept back a true believer who goes astray for a time. Just look at Israel. They backslid constantly, but still maintained a relationship with God in the end leading up to Christ's appearance when the old ways were supplemented with the new covenant.
If any people who are CALLED by my name will humble themselves... (I) will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. 1 John 1:9
"Before the children had come into existence (referring to Rebecca in OT), or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose and his SELECTION might be effected, not by works, but by him whose purpose it is, it was said to her (Rebecca), the older will be servant of the younger." Romans 9:11-12
We can see certain verses which could argue for assurance of salvation due to God knowing from time eternal who would ultimately choose him.
The other option would be that it is entirely in the individual's hands. We choose to follow or reject God, and it is our decision. This is how most of us were raised, and in evangelical circles; as well as, most Methodist circles this is the view (Arminianism). The idea is then that we affect our salvation by making a decision to follow Christ or not. Like the old song "I have decided to follow Jesus."
Now if I may speak to my own struggle with both of these views. My whole life has been seeking God as far as my heart was concerned. And, though the outside did not always reflect it, I've always wanted more than anything to do God's will, be forgiven, and have that Assurance of salvation. Thanks to an upbringing in a church afraid of words like "saved," I never really understood salvation until late high school/ early college. As soon as I understood, I got on my knees and prayed for Christ to be in my heart.....and then promptly began sinning again.
This is where I find the problem. In my entire walk with God, I am always falling back to sin. I suppose it is our nature, but how can I be assured of salvation, when I can't even maintain a proper walk without something going wrong. The reformed "once saved, always saved" view would tell me that because in my heart I am changed and want to follow God, that my sin is forgiven and salvation not possible to lose.
The Arminian side (possible to lose salvation), would suggest that if I continue to fall into the same patterns, I could lose my salvation, no matter how much I truly desire it.
So, while I don't see this argument between views being resolved anytime soon, I think I can say one thing to conclude this. We will have our struggles as believers. We will sin. Whether old sin brought back, or new sin dreamed up, we are by nature sinners. Salvation in Christ does Wash that sin, regardless of what viewpoint above is taken. True repentance brings about righteousness. As much as I would love for God to just come out and say, "Chris Byers, you have been, are and always will be saved and I'll see you up here some day!" I don't expect that to happen. Isn't that what we all want though? Or am I really the only believer struggling with this?
Part of my lack of assurance comes from the fact that I didn't cry when I was saved, which might appear silly at first. I don't know why...I tried...everyone else I saw at altars always cried when it happened. I simply assured God that I wanted to live for him, accepted all his son had done for me, and asked to be filled with saving grace. No tears. No tongues. And that is at the heart of this. Was I supposed to cry? Was it supposed to feel like MORE than it did?
I can feel it often now. I know God works in my life, and I know I am forgiven if I ask, but am I going to get past the Jesus blockade someday? I confess Lord, Lord all the time. Am I one of those who outwardly displays salvation and inwardly is rotten? To that I would say 'no.' If anything it is all hiding on the inside and I'm not outward enough.
I will close differently with some verses on assurance of salvation, and let this just stand as an honest attempt at understanding. I just want to know that I am truly, 100% saved by grace, by Christ, and that my eternity with Christ is secure.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us." Psalm 103:12
"Whoever hears my word and believes...has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24
"I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life." John 6:47
"I give them eternal life....no one can snatch them out of my hand." -John 10:28
"He who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion." Philippians 1:6
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Acts 2:21
"By grace you have been saved through faith...not by works." Ephesians 2:8-9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins." 1 John 1:9
I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back...no turning back- Song
No comments:
Post a Comment