Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

The relationship between faith and works has been debated through the years by those who study the Bible. Some such as the Pharisees have understood man to be saved through perfect obedience to the commandments of God (called “works” by Paul in Romans and Galatians), some have understood man to be saved without obeying the commands of God (Jas. 2), and some have understood that one must obey the commandments of God as conditions for salvation by grace. Many debates were held with Presbyterians and Baptists during the early years of the restoration movement in which brethren demonstrated that one cannot be saved from sin by the grace of God without meeting the conditions which God has laid down for salvation. Brethren should have studied these materials sufficiently to understand that conditional salvation is not salvation by works.

However, a new generation has been reared who has not been exposed to the oral debates and evidently has not taken the time to read the written debates enough to understand the relationship between obedience and salvation. At any rate, some are writing with reference to works under the same terminology as the Baptists have been using of baptism in the new birth and of the life of obedient faith which abides in God’s grace. The Baptists have been saying, “Man is not baptized in order to be saved from past sins but because he is saved, nor must he continue in the obedience of faith to receive the inheritance of eternal life but because he already has obtained it. ” One brother recently wrote, “We work (obey God) because we are saved, not in order to get saved” (Mark Nitz, “Paul and James on Faith and Works,” Firm Foundation, 8 February 1983, p. 6, and Sentry, Vol. 9, No. 2, 28 February 1983, pp. 9-12. This entire article is reproduced elsewhere in this issue.) Because statements such as this are being made, I think it will benefit us to study some more regarding faith and works.

Two Incompatible Systems

The books of Romans and Galatians are generally quoted rather frequently in the discussions regarding faith and works. This is sometimes done without taking the time to carefully explain the meaning of these words in the particular text. That “faith” and “works” are used to refer to two incompatible systems of justification is apparent from these texts:And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work (Rom. 11:6).

And if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect (Rom. 4:14).

A person cannot be saved by works and by faith at the same time, according to Paul. Yet, this can be understood only insofar as we understand what he means by “faith” and “works.”

When Paul speaks of being saved by “works,” he is speaking of meritorious works – works by which one earns his salvation. The “works” of Romans leads to boasting (Rom. 3:27; 4:2), makes salvation a debt instead-of a grace (Rom. 4:4), voids faith and the promise of God (Rom. 4:13), makes Christ’s death unnecessary (Gal. 2:21), and frustrates the grace of God (Gal. 2:21). By “works” Paul means a system of justification by which a man earns his salvation because he has never disobeyed the commandments of God; it is a system of perfect obedience. The reason why men cannot be saved by “works” is that man commits sin (Rom. 3:23) and falls under the curse of the law. The law said, “Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Deut. 27:26; quoted in Gal. 3:10). The man who violated the law in any point fell under the curse of the law. Only the man who perfectly obeyed the law could earn his salvation and be saved by “law-keeping.”’

When Paul spoke of being saved :by “faith,” he was speaking of another system of justification. [Men have misunderstood “faith” when they define it to mean “accepting Jesus as one’s personal Savior.” The word “faith” refers to that which has three elements: (1) conviction that something is true; (2) trust in that which one believes; (3) obedience (see Thayer, p. 511). One is saved by faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26) by being baptized. And he continues in grace by walking in the steps of the faithful Abraham (Rom. 4:12).] In Romans and Galatians, `faith” refers to a system whereby one who is ungodly because he is a sinner is reconciled to God through forgiveness which forgiveness is based or grounded upon the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Hence, in Romans and Galatians, these two systems of ‘justification are discussed which might be charted as below:

Two Systems of Justification

Works of Law	Faith in Christ
1. Grounds: Perfect Obedience to Law (Rom. 4:4; Gal. 3:12).	1. Grounds: Shed blood of Christ (Rom. 3:24, 25)
2. Salvation to the sinless (Gal. 3:10).	2. Salvation for the sinner (Rom. 4:5).
3. This salvation is: a. Without pardon (Rom. 4:4). b. Without grace, a debt (Rom. 4:4). c. Without Christ (Gal. 2:21). d. Without faith (Rom. 4:14).	3. This salvation is:   a. Through pardon (Rom. 4:6-8). b. By grace, reward is a gift (Rom. 3:24; 6:23; Eph. 2:8). c. Through Christ (Rom. 3:24). d. By Faith (Rom. 3:28).
4. This salvation results in:   a. Trust in man’s ability to perfectly obey. b. Boasting in man (Rom. 3:27; 4:2, 4).	4. This salvation results in:   a. Trust in Christ’s shed blood. b. Boasting in Christ (1 Cor. 1:29-31).

Is Obedience A Condition Of Salvation?

Some have reached the conclusion that obedience to the commandments of God is a “result of salvation” rather than a “condition of salvation.” “We work (obey God) because we are saved, not in order to get saved” is the manner in which some express it.

The Scriptures explicitly make obedience a condition of salvation in the following passages:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matt. 7:21).

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Heb. 5:8-9).

. . . the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:7-8).

I must obey the gospel in order to be saved, not just because I am saved. I defy any man to find proof in the Scriptures that a man is saved before and without obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Generally men who are writing, “We work (obey God) because we are saved, not in order to get saved,” want to limit this “work” to obedience after initial conversion. They generally mean that our salvation is not conditioned upon partaking of the Lord’s supper, good morals, scriptural worship, and following the pattern for the work and organization of the church. They want to leave the impression that a man can be saved “by faith” while worshipping with a church which uses instrumental music in its worship, supports human institutions (colleges, orphan homes, old folks’ homes, hospitals, etc.) from its treasury, perverts the organization of the church through the sponsoring church arrangement, and participates in church sponsored recreation. They write in such a way as to imply that the obedience of faith to be rendered by a Christian in the function of a local church is not rendered to God in order to stay saved but because he is saved.

First, we agree that a child of God is moved to continue in the obedience of faith because of a spirit of thanksgiving for the remission of all past sins. But false teachers, claim, implicitly or explicitly, that continued obedience to the faith by a Christian is not essential to his fellowship with God and to final redemption (I Pet. 1:9). That is where they are mistaken. A man cannot become saved or stay saved without’ obeying the Lord’s commandments. I deny that the baptized believer can stay saved while walking in immorality (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21), offering unscriptural worship (Matt. 15:8-9), or otherwise persisting in sin, whether committed in arrogant rebellion or through a weakness’of the flesh~or through ignorance.

The fact that pardon is conditional upon or received by obedience to the commandments of God does not imply that it is grounded upon or merited by obedience to the commandments. No man’s salvation can be grounded upon or merited by his own life of obedience because he does not live a life of perfect obedience. Hence, he is a sinner and separated from God by his sins. In order for this man to be saved, his sins must be forgiven. Consequently, Jesus died on Calvary in order that the ungodly man could have his sins forgiven. Nevertheless, the procurement of pardon is conditioned upon obedience to the commandments of, God. The necessity of the obedience of faith, including a plea for mercy when we err, does not stop at baptism.

A gift of God can be given conditionally upon obedience to commandments. The Lord gave the city of Jericho to Israel (“And the Lord said unto Joshua, I have given into thy hand Jericho. . .” Josh. 6:2), but Israel had to meet the conditions laid down by God to receive the city (cf. Josh. 6; Heb. 11:30). When the lives of the men on board the ship taking Paul to Rome as a prisoner were endangered by the storm, the Lord told Paul that there would be no loss of life because He “hath given thee all them that sail with thee” (Acts 27:24). Nevertheless, their preservation was conditional upon the sailors abiding in the ship (Acts 27:30-31). Our daily bread is a conditional gift (Eccl. 3:13).

Someone might object that he is not discussing the initial reception of salvation but the maintaining of salvation. He would admit that receiving the initial gift of salvation is conditional upon obedience to the gospel (faith, repentance, confession and baptism). However, good works are done as a result of being saved, not in order to be saved or stay saved, he argues. Is faith a good work? Must it continue in order to stay saved? What is the difference in constantly obeying the command to have faith and constantly obeying the command to observe the Lord’s supper? Can one be saved while disobeying either of these commands?

Conclusion

I would agree that salvation is not grounded upon or merited by perfect obedience. But I would deny that the good works inherent in an obedient faith are not necessary as conditions of final redemption, as implied in the statement, “We work (obey God) because we are saved, not in order to get saved.” My salvation is conditioned upon my faithfulness to God, a faithfulness which manifests itself in my continued obedience to God’s commandments. So long as I continue to persevere in faith by obeying the Lord’s commandments, I am in fellowship with God. However, when I disobey the Lord (whether through omission or commission and whether committed in ignorance, through weakness of the flesh, or flagrant rebellion), I am separated from God by my sin. To be reconciled to God, I must repent and confess my sin to Him. Hence, my salvation is conditioned upon my obedience to God’s commandments. The doctrines which imply otherwise destroy the grace of God which is revealed (Tit. 2:11) by substituting a form of grace not revealed. Too many among us are drinking at the polluted wells of denominational theology. We cannot sit idle while some are compromising the vital necessity of a strict adherence to the pattern of New Testament Christianity, which is the perfect revelation of God’s grace to a lost world. The present controversy over the ABC’s of grace, faith, and obedience reminds us of J.D. Tant’s warning, “Brethren, we are drifting!”

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 12, pp. 354, 356-357
June 16, 1983

By Tom M. Roberts

Man is a worshiping creature. The annals of history attest to this wherever written or archaeological records have been found. Literally every nation on earth, whether they worship Jehovah of the Bible or not, have been found to be a worshiping people. It is a matter of fact that philosophies of thought which reject God as the Supreme Being of the universe still recognize that man, generally, looks outside himself to something greater and directs reverence to it. Some philosophers debate whether this tendency to worship is explained by an evolved awareness or historical traditions or by something yet unproven. Bible believers accept that man has an innate need to worship which was placed within him at the creation. As a free will being, man may choose either to worship his Creator or something else, but he must worship.

It is outside the scope of this material to argue that Jehovah of the Scriptures is worthy of our worship. Such belief can be and has been defended in numerous places. Your acceptance of Jehovah must be assumed in this study as we direct our attention to matters based upon the premise that man is a worshiping creature. To deny this is to deny not only the Scriptures which explain this phenomenon, but secular history as well. With this understood, we next need to determine how man may direct this worship to God in an acceptable fashion. Mankind worships, but often this worship is vain. Jesus said, “In vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men” (Matt. 15:9). We must learn how to worship God in a manner pleasing to Him.

What Makes Any Worship Valid?

An act of worship within itself does not make it right before God. It is not the action (fervency, frequency or sincerity) of worship which lends it validity or value, but the object of that worship. To illustrate, let us contrast the worship of an idol with that of Christ. Surely we must admit that among those who are idolaters are found those who by fervency, frequency and sincerity declare their faith in the idol to be as qualitative as those who believe in God. One would be hard pressed to prove that an idolater who sacrificed a first-born child to his god loved that god less than we love Christ when we have not made such a sacrifice. But if worship that is so sacrificial is vain, why is that so? Friend, it is because true worship takes its power, its value, its validity from the object that is worshiped. An idol is nothing but the product of one’s imagination; Jesus Christ is God, the “living One.” An idol is a representation of a created thing; Jesus is the Creator (John l:lff). For worship to be of any value, it must have God as its object and do His will.

How Does One Determine True Worship?

But even among those who worship Jehovah, there are those whom Jehovah will not accept as true worshipers. The Old Testament is replete with examples of worshipers whom God rejected (Nadab and Abihu, Nu. 26:61; Israel, Amos 5:21; etc.). How can we know the difference between the true and the false, between the accepted and the rejected? I suggest that we can be sure of worship that God accepts only as God expresses Himself about what He wills and wants. Jesus asserted of Him, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshipers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23, 24). In this passage, we see a number of things. First of all, God seeks us to worship Him. Secondly, there are true worshipers and false worshipers (note the context). Thirdly, true worship must consist of worship that is of the spirit and according to truth. God does not seek ritual worship or unauthorized worship.

Men have long been asking, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Some continue to ask as though there has been no answer. Jesus has stated, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Acceptable worship is worship that is according to truth and the truth is defined by what the Scriptures teach. Hence we are seeking to find what is “scriptural worship.” Nothing else is worthy of our consideration. Feelings, traditions, popularity, etc. are not bases on which we determine true religion. It must be based on a “thus with the Lord.”

New Testament Worship Is Scriptural Worship

No better example of scriptural worship can be given than that of the Scriptures themselves. The New Testament church was led by the apostles under the headship of Christ (Eph. 1:22, 23; Col. 1:18) as the Scriptures were being written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can be assured that we are on safe ground when we imitate approved apostolic examples (Phil. 4:9). The true and faithful disciple of Christ will attempt to follow these scriptural patterns and not invent unscriptural ideas or follow traditional practices which are not rooted in God’s word.

So far as the various words for “worship” are concerned, the New Testament indicates that worship is an act of devotion or praise (either public or private) or an act of service directed toward God. Various words used in the text describe the action of worship as “to make obeisance, do reverence,” “to revere, stressing the feeling of awe or devotion,” or “to serve, to render religious service or homage” (cf.: Thayer, Vine, etc.). The church of Jesus Christ in the first century, from its beginning in Acts 2, worshiped God. The definitions used above described their worship. Can we find a better example to follow in our worship today than this New Testament church? Would any deny that what they did under the direction and approval of the Holy Spirit and the apostles was pleasing to God? Let us examine the Scriptures to learn what these early Christians did in worship to God. The New Testament reveals that the first century church offered these acts of worship and service to God:

Items of Scriptural Worship

Prayer: Worshiping people are praying people, as were the early disciples. “. . . prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God. . .” (Acts 12:5). “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Please read also: Romans 15:30; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; 1 Thess. 5:17.

Singing: Worshiping people are people who sing. The New Testament church did not use choirs, quartets or special singing groups in their worship. They practiced congregational singing. It should be noted that music is mentioned nine times in the New Testament and, without exception, singing is specified. New Testament Christians sang as they worshiped. No instruments of music were used until centuries later as unauthorized practices began to multiply. If the apostles and early Christians were guided by the Holy Spirit in their worship, it should strike us as significant that the Holy Spirit did not authorize anything but vocal music. Note carefully these passages: Matt. 26:30 (Mk. 14:26); Acts 16:25; Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 2:12 and As. 5:13). We can know that our worship is scriptural when we sing praises to God.

Lord’s Supper: Before ascending back to heaven, Jesus gave the apostles instruction about a memorial feast to be observed “in the kingdom” (Matt. 26:29). He shared this first supper with them and, through the apostles, set it in the church for regular observance (Acts 2:42). The Holy Spirit revealed to Paul (who was not present at the first supper) how it was to be observed. The church at Corinth was observing the supper but not in accordance with truth and Paul wrote to correct it (1 Cor. 11:17-34). Likewise, he was present at Treas. when the church there met to remember the Lord’s death by eating the feast (Acts 20:7). By reading these Scriptures we learn that the early disciples, with apostles present, ate the supper regularly on the first day of the week. No other day is authorized. Every week has a “first day.” Scriptural worship includes eating the Lord’s supper upon the first day of the week, every week.

Giving: Worshiping people are people who give to the Lord. New Testament Christians were liberal in their giving. Whereas the Old Testament specified that an Israelite was to give a tenth of all (tithe), the New Testament does not state any given amount. Rather, the principle is given that we are under a better covenant with better promises (Heb. 8:6), having a better sacrifice (Heb. 9:23). We are to give accordingly, with abounding liberality (2 Cor. 8:2), with a ready mind (8:12), not sparingly (9:6) but cheerfully (9:7). Such giving is to take place on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1, 2), as is the Lord’s supper. No Scripture supports the church being engaged in business to raise funds, begging from the world at large or selling literature or anything similar to raise funds. When Scriptural giving is faithfully observed, the Lord’s church will have the funds necessary to fulfill its vital work. Giving can be considered an act of worship since funds are contributed to God to support God’s work. Failure to give is failure to worship in this matter.

Teaching or Preaching: Worshiping people are evangelistic. Some have wondered whether or not teaching or preaching should strictly be considered as an act of worship. As we have seen with the definition of words used in the New Testament for worship, it is not only “to make obeisance, do reverence,” but also “to serve, to render religious service or homage.” Preaching God’s word can be correctly understood as an act of worship in the light of this definition. While teaching and preaching are directed toward men, it is an act of service to God. Paul felt an obligation toward God to preach to lost men and said, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16). He considered preaching the gospel to be a stewardship entrusted to him from God (v. 17), indicating that preaching was a service to God concerning something that belonged to God and not to God and not Paul. Other passages that stress the importance of this act are: Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 5:42; 8:4; Acts 15:35; 1 Cor. 15:1ff; Gal. 1:6-9; Eph. 2:17; 3:8; Col. 1:23; 2 Tim. 2:2.

Be Content With Scriptural Worship

As we have seen, man is a worshiping creature, but he often is not careful to worship scripturally. If we are claiming to be Christians, we should learn to be content with scriptural worship. We have learned that scriptural w6rship is worship that God has ordered, worship that pleases God. If it pleases God and fails to please us, there is something wrong with us. There are those who complain that they cannot “feel right” unless they worship in some way other than, different from and in addition to scriptural worship. Such has it always been with people whose main concern is “will worship” (Col. 2:23) instead of “true worship” (Jn. 4:23, 24). Which is it with you? Are you among those whom God seeks to be His worshipers because they seek to worship God in spirit and in truth? Remember, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). It is our prayer that you will seek the worship which pleases God and through it, direct the reverence and devotion of your heart to the throne of Him Who is worthy of all our soul’s adoration.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 12, pp. 353, 374-375
June 16, 1983

By Dudley Ross Spears

Wild guesses have been made as to the significance and meaning of the “mark of the beast.” Not the least of the wild guesses is one offered by the famous millennialist, Hal Lindsey. He suggests that the number 666, the number of the name of the beast (Rev. 13:17) is understood by making it a triad number. By this he means that there are three sixes in the number six-hundred-sixty-six. He thinks “six is the number of man in Scripture and a triad or three is the number for God. Consequently, when you triple `six’ it is the symbol of man making himself God” (Late Great Planet Earth, p. 101).

Aside from the obvious fact that Lindsey admits the symbolism, he is wrong in reference to this number. It is not a triad of sixes. It is a whole number of six-hundred sixty-six. The Greek original bears this out. The Greek text has it, hexakosioi (six-hundred), hexakonta (sixty) and hex (six). The whole number is not made up of three sixes, but rather of six hundred (one number) plus sixty (another number) and six (the third number). No matter what the number symbolizes, Lindsey is wrong in saying that it is a triad of sixes. Since he is wrong on that, it is obvious how much in error he is on his other miscalculations, it is not?

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 11, p. 347
June 2, 1983

By Ron Halbook

The following quotation appears in the well known Adam Clarke’s Commentary (Vol. VI, p. 895) at the conclusion of his discussion of 2 Peter.

We have now passed over all the canonical writings of Peter that are extant; and it is worthy of remark that in no place of the two epistles already examined, nor in any of this apostle’s sayings in any other parts of the sacred writings, do we find any of the peculiar tenets of the Romish Church: not one word of his or the pope’s supremacy; not one word of those who affect to be his successors; nothing of the infallibility claimed by those pretended successors; nothing of purgatory, penances, pilgrimages, auricular confession, power of the keys, indulgences, extreme unction, masses, and prayers for the dead; and not one word on the most essential doctrine of the Romish Church, transubstantiation. Now, as all these things have been considered by themselves most essential to the being of that Church; is it not strange that he, from whom they profess to derive all their power, authority, and influence, in spiritual and secular matters, should have said nothing of these most necessary things? Is it not a proof that they are all false and forged; that the holy apostle knew nothing of them; that they are no part of the doctrine of God; and, although they distinguish the Church of Rome, do not belong to the Church of Christ? It is no wonder that the rules of this Church endeavor to keep the Scriptures from the common people; for, were they permitted to consult these, the imposture would be detected, and the solemn, destructive cheat at one exposed.

Mr. Clarke is certainly correct when he shows that the distinguishing marks of the church which Jesus built – the church of Christ about which we read in the New Testament – are not “the peculiar tenets of the Romish Church.” It is abundantly clear that the Roman Catholic Church is not the body which Jesus promised to build and for which He died (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28). There is an urgent need for us to ring out the clarion call for a restoration of New Testament Christianity. We must guard constantly against every possible departure from the inspired standard and examine ourselves in the light of God’s perfect truth.

Any religion – under whatever name – which is distinguished by practices about which the Bible says nothing is idolatry. No more than Jesus Himself could be a priest under Moses’ Law coming out of the tribe of Judah, “of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood,” can we preach and practice things about which the New Testament is silent (Heb. 7:14; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Let us beware lest we become indifferent to the call to produce Bible authority for all that we do in service to God. Let us be sure that we have biblical authority in the form of direct statement, apostolic precedent, or necessary implication. Whether the authority be generic or specific, let us produce book, chapter, and verse for every item of faith and practice.

Either God has given in His Word “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” or He has not! If He has not, let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. If God has not revealed Himself and His will in fulness, it is certain that the puny efforts of man to pierce through the heavens and to bring Him down must miserably fail. If He has revealed Himself, the whole meaning of man’s existence is comprehended in a faith which works by love by the closest adherence to that revelation. The Bible abundantly affirms that God has revealed Himself and repeatedly urges our closest adherence to that revelation in passages such as John 1:1-18; 6:63-69; 12:48; 14:1-6; 16:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:24-25; 2 Peter 1:3; Jude 3; and 2 John 9-11. Let us praise God in the highest for the great gift of redemption in His Son – a redemption conceived, enacted, and revealed by God’s own unmerited favor toward wayward man (Eph. 2:1-9). Let us remember that it was the precious Son of His grace who said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments …. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (Jn. 14:15; 15:14).

The church that Jesus built does not run rampant over the boundary line of revealed truth into the dark and uncharted wilderness of the silence of Scripture. The true body or church of Christ is made up of people who find meaning, spirituality, and maturity not in human experimentation and excitement of the flesh but rather in humble obedience to God’s revealed Word. Let us determine with all the heart, all the mind, and all the soul that we shall indeed speak as the Bible speaks and be silent as the Bible is silent. Let us turn away from every religious idol “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 4:10-11).

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 11, p. 346
June 2, 1983