No Bones About It
Hebrews 2:14-15
(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
King James Version
Some religions make no mention of Satan as a reality. Others include him as a reality and enemy, yet they make little or no accounting of him actively working to destroy mankind and God’s purpose. Jesus makes no bones about Satan actively working to destroy men. In John 8:44, in accusing the Jews of unbelief, He puts Satan’s nature in plain words:
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Satan is clearly responsible for drawing Adam and Eve into the first of mankind’s sins, opening the floodgate to the sins of all of their progeny, all physical and mental sickness, countless emotional agonies, and the billions of deaths that mankind has experienced.
God makes it clear that the wages—the ultimate penalty that is earned by one’s sins—is death (Romans 6:23). The sobering truth of this matter is that it takes only one sin for God to impose the death penalty! He warned Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before they ever sinned, “In the day you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17). The death penalty falls immediately on anyone who sins, even if it is the first time!
Any religion that is without Christ leaves the door open to thoughts that salvation can be earned by means of good works. The idea is that the evil an individual has done in the past can be compensated for by doing good deeds. This is the very charge the apostle Paul lays against the Jews in Romans 10:1-4:
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
In order for one to be justified before God and accepted by Him requires a righteousness that no man who ever sinned even one time can achieve. No amount of good works can compensate for even one sin. God will accept only the righteousness of One who has never sinned, and He will accept that payment only when a repentant sinner by faith believes.
Peter’s statement in Acts 4:12 confirms that salvation is found nowhere else: “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (emphasis ours). Christ’s involvement in the forgiveness of sin for salvation is imperative; there is no alternative! Peter is not saying we can be saved or may be saved. The word “must” reveals necessity according to God’s decree. Salvation is found through no other person and no other way of life except through the sacrifice of Jesus of Nazareth.
Salvation denotes deliverance or preservation from harm or evil. In this case, it is deliverance and restoration from the effects of sin. The result, then, is deliverance from eternal death (unless one goes on from that point to commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus says God will not forgive; see Matthew 12:31-32). This is because salvation begins upon one’s repentance from his sins and faith in the sacrifice of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. This combination of acts justifies a person before God, and no human works, regardless of their quality or quantity, are acceptable for the forgiveness of sins.
Does any other religion have a Savior with the qualifications of Jesus Christ? No other religion offers such a magnanimous gift. Forgiveness, and therefore justification, is available only through that perfect sacrifice, along with the sincere repentance of a believing sinner who exhibits faith in the God/Man Jesus Christ and in God’s grace. God will then give us of His Spirit.
— John W. Ritenbaugh
To learn more, see:
Where Is God’s True Church Today?
Related Topics:
Christ’s Redeeming Sacrifice
Death as Wages of Sin
Death Penalty
Jesus Christ as the Author of Salvation
Justification through Christ’s Sacrifice
Mental Illness
Satan
Satan as a Liar
Satan as Accuser
Satan as father of liars
Wages of Sin as Death
Zeal not according to Knowledge
Zeal without Knowledge
CAN MEN TODAY BE SAVED BY USING PRE-COVENANT TERMS FOR PARDON BY STEVE FINNELL
Jesus gave us the terms for pardon after His death and resurrection. The new covenant was not in force until the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Hebrews 9:11-22 But Christ came as High Priest……..15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death……..16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives……….(NKJV)
Jesus gave mankind the terms for pardon under the new covenant after His death and resurrection. Mark 16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…(NKJV)
Many in the denominational world teach that Jesus gave multiple terms for pardon before the new covenant terms were proclaimed. They believe these terms are applicable after the new covenant was in force.
Millions in denominational churches teach the water baptism is not essential for salvation because the thief on the cross was not baptized. The thief was saved before the new covenant was in force. (Luke 23:39-43)
1. The thief believed Jesus was the Christ.
2. The thief was not baptized in water.
3. The thief did not believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Was the thief saved? Yes. Can men be saved like the thief, today? No, they cannot.
Luke 10:25-28 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”(NKJV)
If the lawyer followed the instruction of Jesus, he would have inherited eternal life. Yes. Can men today be saved like the lawyer? Of course not. The lawyer was saved before the new covenant was in force.
1. There was not any indication that the lawyer even believed, that Jesus was the Christ.
2. The lawyer was not immersed in water.
3. The lawyer did not believe that God raised Jesus from the grave.
Luke 18:18-23 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ……..20 “You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery,’ Do not murder,’ Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; come, follow Me.”………
Would the ruler have inherited eternal life had he obeyed Jesus? Yes. Can men today be saved like the ruler? No, they cannot. The ruler would have been saved before the new covenant was in force.
1. The ruler was not baptized in water.
2. The ruler did not believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.
3. The ruler believed Jesus was a “Good Teacher.” There is no indication that he believed that Jesus was the Son of God.
Mark 2:1-5…..3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men………. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”(NKJV)
Were the paralytics sins forgiven? Yes. Can men today have their sin forgiven like the paralytic? No, they cannot. This was before the new covenant was in force.
1. The paralytics sin were forgiven because of the faith of friends.
2. The paralytic was not baptized in water.
3. The paralytic did not believe that God raised Jesus from the grave.
There is only one way to be saved today. Terms of pardon under the new covenant. FAITH John 3:16—REPENTANCE Acts 3:19—CONFESSION Romans 10:9 and IMMERSION IN WATER—Mark 16:16.
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