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So many people in this world today (and in previous and future days)will never have a chance to hear the Word of God. As hard as missionaries work, this is a sad fact. My question is, what is the WELS churche's opinion on the destination of these uninformed souls? Also, if you could give me a Biblical reference to your answer, it would help my understanding. Thank you for your time and anticipated reply.
The opinion of WELS is unimportant. What is important is what God tells us in the Holy Scriptures. Jesus promises that "whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). There is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus. For the Bible reveals, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jesus tells us, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:18). The Bible also tells us that no one can come to faith apart from the gospel (Romans 10:13-17). Those who have not heard the gospel will be lost forever. That is why it is so important for us to heed our Savior's great commission (Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20). He calls us to proclaim the gospel of salvation personally and to send out missionaries to proclaim the gospel in places we do not have the opportunity to go.
As St. Paul writes to the Romans, "'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.' . . . Consequently faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:13-15, 17).
Could you respond please to an attack I recently read on the doctrine of justification by faith alone by a Roman Catholic? This person was not a theologian but claimed to be a well-studied layman. He said that in Galatians Paul repeatedly refers to justification by faith as opposed to works "of the law" and that by "of the law" he was speaking to the Jews who still followed the Old Testament laws and not that faith and works as necessary for salavation are separate. Furthermore, there was mention of the Epistle of James in which James states a number of times that we are justified by faith and works together and never mentions works "of the law" and how James says that a faith without works is a dead faith. Thank you for your response.
Question 1 -- That Paul in Galatians does not limit "the law" to the special Old Testament regulations that God gave the Jews through Moses is evident from Galatians 5:14 -- "The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Galatians 3:10 reminds us that there was more in the Old Testament Law than rules about circumcision, Sabbath, foods, etc. -- "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the Law.'" The word "everything" includes "You shall love the LORD your God..." and "You shall love your neighbor." To "continue in everything" contained in the law means to continually and consistently perform all that the law demands.
In the next verse (3:11) Paul concludes that no one can be justified by such a performance. Not only is it humanly impossible, but there is another reason: "Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
In the next verse (3:12) he states what he says in various ways throughout this Epistle: In justification doing the law and faith are mutually exclusive. -- "The law [all of God's law, not only the special law for Israel] is not based on faith; on the contrary, 'The man who does these things will live by them.'"
Consider Galatians 3:21,22. In v 21, Paul makes clear that righteousness (justification) cannot result from (the keeping of) the Old Testament Law or any other law: "...If a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe." Verse 22 says that what could not come by law has been given through faith.
Question 2 -- Since both James and Paul were writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, their words are God's truth, and God does not contradict himself.
Paul in Galatians (and elsewhere in his epistles) says: "Do not rely on your good works, your deeds of the law." James is saying: "Do not neglect to perform good works." Paul says: "Justified by faith alone, not works." James says (as does Paul in Galatians 5:6, 2 Corinthians 5:15,17, Romans 6:15,18) : "Faith is never alone, without works."
James 2:24 says: "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." Let us look at this in context.
2:14 -- "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" The implied answer is "No."
2:17 -- "...Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Cf. Paul's "faith working by love" in Galatians 5:6.
2:18-20 -- James challenges the person with false faith (the kind even the demons have): "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."
2:21-23 -- James illustrates his point by recounting the story of Abraham's faith in action, offering Isaac (Genesis 22:9,12). Verse 23 says that Abraham's action was the fulfillment of what the Scripture says in Genesis 15:5, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness [he was justified]."
God had declared Abraham righteous [justified him] by faith (Genesis 15:5, Galatians 3:6, Romans 4:3,22). Abraham "fulfilled" that by his sacrifice of Isaac (James 2:23, Genesis 22:9,12). God declared Abraham righteous (justified him) with the words: "Now I know that you fear God" (Genesis 22:12).
Abraham believed God and God credited that to him as righteousness, i.e., he was justified.
Abraham obeyed God and God declared that Abraham's action was living proof that he was justified. Abraham's faith was not "alone."
What is the Lutheran Church's stance on predestination? Is that something that our church believes in? Does that mean that God has predestined everything that will happen to us; who we are meant to marry, what faith we will be?
We believe that God in his grace chose in eternity those who will be saved. He chose them apart from any merit or worthiness in them or effort on their part (Ephesians 1:3-6, John 15:16, Ephesians 2:88-9). Those whom God has chosen in eternity to be his own he calls to faith by the gospel, justifies them, and ultimately glorifies them in heaven (Romans 8:30). God, however, did not predestine anyone to be damned. Those who are lost have only themselves to blame (1 Timothy 2:4, Matthew 23:37, Hosea 13:9).
Although God knows everything that will happen, he has not foreordained or predestined everything that will happen. For instance, God is not responsible for sin even though he knows that people will sin. James writes, "When tempted, no one should say 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone, but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:13-15). Through the pen of the prophet Isaiah God declares, "You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me (what I did not want)" (Isaiah 65:12).
Lutherans are not fatalists. We recognize that human beings have some free will in those things which pertain to this life. The Augsburg Confession declares, "We confess that all human beings have a free will that possesses the judgment of reason. It does not enable them, without God, to begin--much less complete--anything that pertains to God, but only to perform the good or evil deeds of this life. By 'good deeds' I mean those that arise from the good in nature, that is, the will to labor in the field, to eat and drink, to have a friend, to wear clothes, to build a home, to marry, to learn various useful skills, or to do whatever good pertains to this life. None of these exist without divine direction; indeed from him and through him they have come into being and exist. However, by 'evil deeds' I mean the will to worship an idol, to commit murder, etc." (Augsburg Confession, Article XVIII, par. 4-7).
For more information on predestination or election see Predestination: Chosen in Christ by Prof. John A. Molstad, Jr. This is one of the volumes in the People's Bible Teachings series from Northwestern Publishing House.
We at WELS believe in the "falling away" doctrine not the "once saved always saved" doctrine. We say , then that "once saved always saved", encourages one to live in sin because if we cannot be lost we have no incentive for living a holy life. On the contrary, love for the One who saved us is the greatest and only acceptable motive for living a holy life; and surely the greater the salvation that one has received , the more love and gratitude there will be.
so to know one is secure for eternity gives a higher motive for living a good life than the fear of losing one's salvation if one sins. When we confess our sin we are forgiven. This tells us that every Christian sins, and instead of causing a loss of salvation, sin brings God's chastening upon us as His children. If when we sinned we ceased to be God's children, He would have no one to chastise--yet he "scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
Indeed, chastening is a sign that we are God's children, not that we have lost our salvation: "if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Salvation is the full pardon by grace from the penalty of all sin, past and present. Would that not be future also?, with eternal life as the bonus thrown in. And then would it not be said that one can be saved by grace , but thereafter salvation can be lost by works?We do not reject the false "once saved, always saved" theology because it necessarily encourages one to live in sin. We reject it because it is not biblical. While someone might use the Calvinist perseverance of the saints doctrine as a license for evil, such an abuse should be distinguished from other uses. But the truth remains that we do not find the doctrine in Scripture and on that basis do not accept it. Your words about the motivating power of God's free and faithful love as well as his loving use of discipline of his children, who remain sinners though justified, are perfectly acceptable.
It is also OK to speak of the salvation of future sin (as well as past and present) for those who have saving faith in our dear Savior. The fact remains that the rejection and loss of saving faith is still a horrible possibility and the forfeiture of that pardon is likewise real. The Bible clearly speaks in both ways simultaneously: It offers pure assurance to the believer that he is secure and protected in his faith by God's grace and power, AND he is vigorously warned against falling away from the faith and forfeiting all blessings earned by Christ, since that is also a potential reality. We embrace both truths because they are both 100% biblical.
I have a friend who is Catholic. She mentioned that she was sure her aunt, who had done many wonderful things for the good of people in her life, will be living in heaven. I felt she was saying her aunts "works" paid off. I said that works won't get us to heaven, but that faith through grace is what saves us. My friend said that faith through grace does save us, but her faith makes her do the good works--basically you can't have faith without the works happening along side of it. How do I answer her? I know it is faith through grace alone, but she always has a come back reply. I don't have the ability to make her understand. Any suggestions?
Though I do not know everything your friend has said about her deceased aunt, from the little you've told me it would be hard to find anything wrong with what she said. She is expressing what we might call a "happy inconsistency," that is, her statement is inconsistent with strict Roman Catholic doctrine and one should be happy about that. It doesn't appear that your friend is saying that her aunt is in heaven because of her good deeds. Rather she is convinced that her aunt was saved by faith, and that her faith expressed itself in good deeds throughout her earthly life. This is perfectly in line with Scripture.
The only suggestion I have for improvement in your question would involve the phrase "faith through grace saves us." A better statement of Bible teaching would be to invert the order of the two nouns: "grace through faith saves us." Indeed, it is God's grace, his undeserved love for sinners, that acted on our behalf by sending Jesus to take away all our sins. And it is faith, the trust in Jesus which the Holy Spirit works in our hearts through the gospel, that serves as the open hand to receive this free gift of God's grace. Faith does not cause salvation. God's grace does. Faith accepts it and trusts it to be true.
Paul's words in Ephesians 2:8-10 are a wonderful statement on how we are saved by grace through faith, and how this miracle of God's mercy will always produce works that are pleasing to the Lord. Again, the works are not the cause of the faith, but the evidence that it exists.
If someone went to a church or meeting of some type in which the Gospel was preached at some point, and there was an altar call and the speaker said if anyone wants to become a Christian and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and personal saviour of their life please come forward. And they do go forward, and pray with someone, asking God for forgiveness of their sins, and telling Him that they put their trust in Him as saviour, what would your comment be on the condition of their soul?
I realize that we cannot truly see into a persons heart, only God can. But would you say that most likely they are not really a saved Christian because they "made a decision to accept Christ" which is not possible, or would you say that during that visit to that church or meeting the Holy Spirit worked faith in their heart, possibly this faith had been forming for some time now, and that when they went forward in the altar call to "choose Christ" this was a result of the faith that was already there and now they were just confirming that faith to themself and before others and "cooperating with the Holy Spirit" as a believer? I guess to shorten what I am saying, do believers who prayed the sinners prayer and say they "accepted Christ" in your eyes truly saved, and just in error of how the "saving" acctually happend or not truly believers? Thank you so much for your input.you summarized your third question this way, "Are believers who prayed the sinner's prayer and say they `accepted Jesus' in your eyes truly saved and just in error of how the 'saving' actually happened, or are they not truly believers?"
Remember that Scripture clearly states that we are by nature dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1), hostile to God (Romans 8:7). What is more we are blind to the truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:6) and consider its message to be nothing but foolishness that we utterly cannot understand (1 Corinthians 2;14). Therefore, when someone comes to understand what Jesus has done for them and looks at Jesus as something he/she wants, the Spirit has already worked a change in his/her life. Very often, those who believe they became a believer by speaking a "sinner's prayer" are those for whom the Spirit worked the gift of faith already, but, as you put it, they are "in error" of how that faith began.
But let me also add, that such misunderstanding carries with it a serious doubled sided spiritual danger. The person who believes he/she made a "decision for Christ" might take pride in that decision rather than thanking God for the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) worked by the power of the Spirit alone (1 Corinthians 12:3). Notice that Paul spends the last half of chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians reminding those Christians that it was "because of [God]" (1 Corinthians 30) and not because of themselves that they belonged to Christ. The opposite problem - doubt and despair - can also plague those who mistakenly hold to a "decision theology."
Instead of thanking God for the gift of faith, such Christians can drive themselves to despair by wondering if they really made that decision in sincerity. Anytime man believes that there is some part of his salvation that depends on him, there will always be that twin problem of pride and despair. Satan can use such pride or despair to separate the sinner from his Savior.
How much better to understand that Scripture proclaims our whole salvation to be the 100% work of God - from the cross that earned it to the faith that trusts it. Isn't that why Paul ends the first chapter of 1 Corinthians by proclaiming, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31)?
My friend who is a member of the Assemblies of God stated that baptism is done to signify that he has made a turning point in his/her life from slavery to the flesh and now has turned onto a path to be a slave to the spirit of God. It does seem in the Bible that God took people into harsh times until they broke and said I can't do this on my own I need help from you God.
The prayer that Jonah prayed in the belly of the fish would be an example: "I cried by reason of my affliction unto the Lord and he heard me" Jonah 2:2.
Matthew 18:4: "Whosoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
James 4:10: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." The Assemblies of God think that when you humble yourself and make this turning point in your life you ask Jesus into your heart. The Lutherans believe that it is the Holy Spirit that does this not the man.
Romans 10:9: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
2 Corinthians 3:3: "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
Matthew 15:18: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
1Corinthians 12:3: "that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost"
Paul in Acts 9:6 seems to be brought to a point of humbleness and makes a turning point in his life. "And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? "
Where does this breaking point of the will fit in with Lutheran theology?Your question seems to be covering two different things God is seeking to accomplish. Some of the examples you have listed (the Apostle Paul for example) have to do with a person's conversion-being brought from unbelief to faith. Other examples (such as Jonah in the belly of the fish) have to do with God's seeking to help the believer fight the daily struggle against the pride of his sinful nature, which will go on until the day we die.
As Lutherans, we are convinced from Scripture that our conversion is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit so that even our faith is God's gift (1 Corinthians 12:3 and Ephesians 2:8-9). The Holy Spirit may indeed use circumstances in an unbelievers life to "get his attention" (illnesses, others troubles in life), but it is only the message of law (our utter inability to save ourselves) and gospel (forgiveness and perfect righteousness won for the world through Christ's life, death and resurrection in our place) that can bring someone to repentance and faith. No unbeliever has ever or will ever "ask Jesus into his heart," because before the Holy Spirit brings us to faith we are dead in sin (Ephesians 2:5) and completely hostile to God (Romans 8:7). Our clouded human reason calls the gospel message that comes from the Spirit nothing but foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14).
100% of the credit for the fact that we believe goes to the Holy Spirit. That's why Paul reminds us, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31). For those brought to faith in baptism, that conversion was what the Spirit accomplished through water and the Word. After all, baptism, is not what we do to promise our obedience to God (there is no passage of Scripture that describes baptism in that way!), but baptism is a gift of God "that now saves you also" (1 Peter 3:21).
Several of the other examples you used (Job, the passage from James) are talking about God's daily work to humble the proud sinful nature that still lives within us even as believers. God may use difficult circumstances in our lives to focus us on the message of his Word that leads us to daily sorrow over sin and back to the comfort of forgiveness won for us long ago on the cross. Such humbling of our natural sinful pride does not cease once we have been converted. Consider, for example, how God used a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) to help the Apostle Paul battle self-reliance and continue to rely solely on the gracious strength of his Savior. To continue to rely on God and not on ourselves is the struggle of every believer until we reach our home in heaven.
Here we thank God again for the power of baptism. For our baptism not only brought us to faith and clothed us in the holiness of God, but ever since our baptism, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work within us to empower us daily to die to sin and to live devoted to our Lord. That is the point the Apostle Paul makes when he writes, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:4) In that way, baptism is not only daily comfort, but daily power for Christian living. Notice that what your friend seems to imply is dependent on our spiritual resolve or decision, is really dependent on the Spirit's power at work in our lives. That in itself is the common problem of human pride that wants to depend on ourselves and our own spiritual resolves instead of the power of the Spirit in the gospel!
A friend had told me that my then view of "single predestination" (which is apparently the view of the Wisconsin Synod) is simply not logically consistent in an attempt to win me to Arminianism (he failed). He said that if you teach that God only predestines men to election, you are necessarily teaching dual predestination. I was rather puzzled over the issue, but did not give it much further thought, as it is at least clear that the Bible teaches unconditional election solely based on grace. I later read a book that introduced the concept of divine reprobation to me; a concept of which I was previously unaware.
The chief proof-text it used was that of Romans 9, which speaks of Pharaoh's hardening. It then took great care to explain that men are not hardened because God somehow places "extra" sin on their heads, but that they have enough sin within them already by which God hardens them simply by moving them according to their own nature (example: the Law simply hardens the unjustified and causes them to sin more, as is the case of ancient Israel, who was worse than all the nations before them in their sin).
I had not understood the concept of reprobation at ALL before I read this book, and it made such perfect sense the way the author explained it. Oh, the book was called The Bondage of the Will, and it was by Martin Luther. Imagine my surprise that both the Wisconsin and Missouri Synods deny in any way, shape or form the idea of divine reprobation. Indeed, I learned more about the issue of God's sovereignty in both salvation and reprobation from Martin Luther than from what any Calvinist attempted to teach me. Did Martin Luther later change his teaching on reprobation and recant approximately one quarter of the teaching in
The Bondage of the Will, or am I mistaken in thinking that the Lutheran church is called such because it follows all the teachings of Martin Luther? Or am I mistaken in thinking that Lutheran churches deny reprobation and am misreading their statements and articles?The "reprobation" that Lutherans reject is reprobation as predestination. God did not predestine anyone to damnation. Christ died for all.
Lutherans accept hardening of the heart, that is, God gives people over to sin when they harden themselves against his law or gospel. But this is not predestination. It is, if I can coin a word, postdestination. No one will enter hell without God sending them there, but this is not based in any way on predestination but on their sins and unbelief.
The word "reprobation" simply means "rejection," but since the time of Luther that word reprobation has come to be associated with predestination to damnation, so we do not use that word, but rather "hardening of the heart," which is a scriptural term. Most of the passages which Calvinist quote in support of predestination actually refer to hardening of the heart.
I recently read an article in the Forward in Christ Northwestern Lutheran (3/01) that I found rather upsetting. According to the article - "Born a Second Time" the author states that it is not necessary to ask Jesus to be your personal Savior as long as you were baptized as an infant. I would like your view on this. Is this what the WELS teaches as a whole or is this one pastor's opinion? I have been a member of the WELS for 16 years now and have never heard this before. I feel that as a child grows, they need to make the choice of having Jesus as their Lord and Savior and not rely on their infant baptism to be their salvation. Thank you for any answers you can give me.
We don't "ask Jesus to be our personal Savior" at any time in our lives. We believe the gospel when the Holy Spirit creates faith in us through the Word and sacraments. The faith which a child confesses later in life is not something new added to the faith which he or she received through baptism. Unless the child has fallen away from faith and been reconverted, that childhood and adolescent and adult faith is a continuation of the same faith received in baptism. The faith created by baptism and that faith sustained by continued use of the Word are not two different faiths but the same faith.
In justification, the terms, objective and subjective justification are confusing. Objective justification to me borders on universalism. It states that when Christ died, forgiveness was pronounced to all and is an accomplished fact and that everyone is declared forgiven. If everyone is declared forgiven, to me that means that all are saved. I believe when Christ died He made forgiveness possible (The offer of forgiveness is there). But, you are not forgiven until repentance and faith is wrought by the Holy Spirit. Please comment. This is confusing for me.
The teaching of objective justification is that God the Father declared the sins of the whole world forgiven because Christ had paid for all sin. To benefit from that payment and that declaration it is necessary that a person be brought to faith in Christ as his Savior (subjective justification). Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 where both of these points are clearly stated.
If I put money in the bank for you, it is legally yours. If you do not believe me when I tell you about it and you never use the money that is yours, you never benefit from it. It is the same with justification. Christ has made the payment for us and God the Father has credited it to our account (objective justification). If I don't believe that it was given for me (subjective justification), I will never benefit from it. Though God's grace is universal, salvation will not be universal because many spurn God's grace.
My faith is not a cause of my justification. It simply receives the gift God gives. Our faith does not complete justification. It simply accepts it. Even this acceptance is a gift that the Holy Spirit works in me.
I read your article about the anti Christ, and saw the following statement: "This teaching that the Papacy is the Antichrist is not a fundamental article of faith. . . . It is not an article on which saving faith rests, with which Christianity stands or falls." While I understand the statement above, I would like to explore the concept of "fundamental article of faith", or "saving faith",as the second sentence explains. I have heard Pastors talk about fundamental articles of faith several times. I have also had conversations with preachers from other churches, and this term comes up every once in a while.
My question: Does the WELS have a list of "fundamental articles of faith"? If so, what are they? Or is this simply a conceptual statement?It is a conceptual statement, since we cannot make a definitive list of which doctrines are fundamental doctrines and which are not. Some obviously are fundamental doctrines without which no one can be saved: faith in God, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the completeness of Christ's work of atonement, justification by faith, etc. Others are extremely important: the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, the sacraments, etc. A person could be saved without knowing who the pope is or even without having had the opportunity to learn about the Lord's Supper.
The only reason for making a distinction between fundamental and non-fundamental doctrines is to make the point that it is possible for a person to be saved without a perfect knowledge of all doctrines if that shortcoming is a sin of weakness. The knowing, deliberate rejection of any doctrine destroys faith and salvation.
The main objection to trying to draw up a list of fundamental doctrines is that some then use that list as a basis for fellowship and "agree to disagree" on the other doctrines. We have no right to deny any doctrine of Scripture or to allow disagreement in some.
I had a conversation today with a Baptist friend who was shocked to find out that my church did not believe that "once saved, always saved". One biblical truth I used to defend my position is that we are to be careful, lest we fall. However, he made some good points and had scripture to back him up. (i.e. John 10:28) He asked me what would happen to me if tonight, for some reason, I went out and killed someone and had no chance to repent before I was killed, too. Would I go to hell?
I said no, if I still had my faith, but I didn't feel that I made a good case for my position. I asked him if he could do anything in his life that was so terrible that he wouldn't go to heaven. He said absolutely not. It doesn't matter if he would begin living a life of sin, commit adultery, murder, etc. (although he knows that to do so is contrary to God's will in his life.) - his salvation is secure. I have heard other Baptists say about Christians who have fallen away that they were never really saved in the first place. Can you help me to defend the WELS position on this?Believers can fall from faith. In his explanation of the parable of the sower, Jesus says, "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away" (Luke 8:13). According to Jesus a person can believe for a while and then fall away. While they believed they possessed eternal salvation, but when they fell from faith they lost God's gracious gift.
Some among the Galatians had believed for a while, but had fallen into soul-destroying error. Paul warned them, "You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace" (Galatians 5:4).
If a person allows sin to control his life, he will fall from faith. The Bible warns, "Brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:12-14).
Paul writes, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God: (Galatians 5:19-21). Your friend is fooling himself if he thinks that he can murder or live in open, obstinate sin and remain in faith.
Those who fall from faith must be reconverted. Jesus tells us, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:15-18). Please note that Jesus begins by calling the person a brother. A brother is a fellow believer. The one who finally refuses to repent is to be treated as a pagan. By his impenitence he has shown that he has become an unbeliever. He has fallen from the faith. He has lost salvation until he is brought to faith once again.
Even the elect may fall from faith for a while, but will ultimately be brought back to faith before they die. Note the example of Peter who denied his Savior (Mark 14:66-72). King David fell from faith through his willful sins of adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered in battle. He refused to repent for a while until the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to call him to repentance (2 Samuel 11:1-12:13, Psalm 32, Psalm 51).
Those who believe possess salvation fully and completely. Those who do not believe or who have fallen from faith do not possess salvation (John 3:16-18).
Since the Papacy is considered the very Anti-Christ, Is the current Pope saved? I know it's hard to look into his heart and know for sure, but this Pope, along with all past popes, I wonder. And, what about Mother Teresa?
In his epistle to the Galatians, especially in chapter 5, Paul states very clearly that a person who accepts even one work as necessary for salvation falls away from grace. The public confession of the popes and of Mother Theresa is a confession that salvation is by faith and works together. As Jesus warned the Pharisees, a life devoted to "good works" as Mother Theresa's was may actually make people further away from God and salvation, rather than closer to him, since their trust is not in Christ alone. For these reasons we have no evidence to support optimism about the salvation of such people as the pope and Mother Theresa. It is possible only if the faith of their heart in the end is different than the faith they have publicly confessed. That is something only God will know.
We cannot judge their hearts. That is God's responsibility. But it is our responsibility to judge their teaching and their example and to warn people against these.
Will those who never heard the gospel end up in hell?
Jesus promises that "whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). There is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus (Acts 4:12; John 3:18) and no one can come to faith apart from the gospel (Romans 10:13-17). Those who have not heard the gospel will be lost forever. That is why it is so important for us to heed our Savior's great commission (Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20). He calls us to proclaim the gospel of salvation personally and to send out missionaries to proclaim the gospel in places we do not have the opportunity to go.
As St. Paul writes to the Romans, "'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.' . . . Consequently faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:13-15, 17).
I know all religions are different with some of their beliefs, Catholics vs. Methodists vs. WELS, but if a person truly believes in Jesus and that their salvation is based on this belief, No one comes to the father except through me, when this person dies, will their soul go to heaven?
Everyone who believes that Jesus is true God (John 5:23) and trusts in him alone for forgiveness of sins and salvation (John 3:16) possesses salvation and will go to heaven. We believe that there are true believers among the Roman Catholics, the Methodists, and other Christian denominations.
However, the Holy Spirit works only through God's truth to create and sustain faith. He does not work through false teaching. Every doctrinal error undermines faith. Some doctrinal errors overturn saving faith. The Scriptures also warn us repeatedly about false teachers and false teaching (Romans 16:17, 2 Timothy 2:17, Galatians 5:7-10, Titus 1:10-11, Matthew 7:15). For these reasons we must strive to conform what we teach and believe to all of God's Word and warn about those teach falsely, even though there may be true believers in those denominations.
In discussion with my Baptist co-worker I was saying to him I understand that to have faith it means believing Jesus is the Christ, and that he died and rose for you. His comment was, "Yes, I agree, but that's not all to saving faith. You also have to ask Jesus to forgive and save you, then believe and trust he did." I thought believing and realizing Christ died and rose for you only is what saves you. Please comment. He says the "saving faith part" is not believing Christ died for you, because he died for all, even the ungodly. But that the saving faith is trusting that Christ saved you based on your prayer asking him to, you ask for forgiveness, then trust he forgave you.
The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that we are saved through saving faith ALONE, that is, without any contribution of works, prayers, or any other ingredient that we may offer. Let us assume that your Baptist coworker is trying to show the inadequacy of what has been called "historical faith" or "head knowledge faith." We concur that the heart of saving faith is personal reliance or trust in the Lord Jesus and his substitutionary work on our behalf. We also understand that this God-created gift of faith will involve the desire for forgiveness, whether expressed in a formal prayer or not. But to say we have to speak such a prayer before faith is genuine or forgiveness becomes ours is wrong.
The often repeated words of your friend basically stem from the idea that a Christian is a Christian at least partly because of something he or she has done in cooperation with the grace of God in Christ. It is assumed that the believer appreciates God's love or Christ's work more than others do, resists God's saving efforts less, or in some way meets an assumed requirement to "complete" the recipe for full salvation. This language is from that school of thought known as "synergism" and always assumes the need for some kind of human contribution to the salvation process.
Synergism itself and the idea that we "must" pray or ask for forgiveness in a prescribed manner to make Christ's work effective for us personally is false and unbiblical. It denies the truth that God does all the work, brings us to faith, and leads us to pray and give thanks as the fruit of faith, not a condition to receive it.
You stated an answer to someone that Saving Faith is simply trust in Christ as Savior. Could you expand on this and describe that? This is my interpretation: I believe that Christ, Son of God, lived, died, and rose again, earning my salvation. Is this correct?
Your summary of "saving faith" is correct. Saving faith acknowledges that although our sins have justly earned hell, yet our Triune God himself, in the person of his eternal Son, became our brother and by his life, death and resurrection earned for us forgiveness, membership in his family now, and eternal life with him forever. Perhaps no one summed up the essence of saving faith better than did Martin Luther in his Small Catechism. The first two paragraphs of his explanation to the second article of the Apostles' Creed read as follows:
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord.
He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.
It should be kept in mind that when we speak of "saving faith," we are not disregarding the importance of every other doctrine of Scripture. Every teaching of Scripture is important to growing in faith, living the faith, and persevering in faith (2 Timothy 3:15-17). By emphasizing "saving faith" we are proclaiming that a believer in Christ may be ignorant or misinformed about some other doctrines of Scripture, and yet still be a believer. Such ignorance or misinformation is always dangerous to faith, but "saving faith" can still exist in the heart by the Spirit's power through the gospel.
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Bravo! Bravo!