Know Your Bible
VOL. 6                           December 2, 2007                           NO. 45

Salvation by Experience?

    Several years ago I had a conversation with a man who, when he learned I was a preacher, wanted to relate his "salvation experience." He said he looked out his bedroom window one bright, moonlit night and saw in his garden a cross with blood on the center of it. The next morning, he investigated further and saw that it was a cabbage head with a ripe tomato right in the center. Since he could not explain how it got there, he took it as a miraculous "witness" to his salvation. Many have told a similar "experience" and based their hope of salvation on it.

    Isn't it amazing that people can come up with such opinions, in spite of the fact that the New Testament contains no such cases of conversion? No, not one convert in the New Testament ever based his hope of salvation on an "experience" of this nature. While miraculous events did accompany a few of them, they were not for the purpose of convincing the sinner that he had been converted and was now accepted by God.

    A miracle occurred on the day of Pentecost, but not upon the audience. The miracle occurred upon the apostles and enabled them to "speak as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). Those converted heard the apostles' preaching, believed and were commanded to "repent and be baptized" for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38).

    Philip "preached Christ" to the Samaritans (Acts 8:5) and his message was "confirmed" (Mark 16:20) by "the signs which he did" (Acts 8:6). But the Samaritans received no 'experience of salvation.' The Bible says, "when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts8:12).

    Miracles accompanied the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, but the eunuch never knew anything about them. An angel told Philip to go to the Jerusalem-Gaza road, and when he arrived, the Spirit told him to "join the chariot" in which the eunuch was riding. But Philip "preached Jesus" to the man (Acts 8:35), and when they came to a certain water the eunuch wanted to be baptized (Acts 8:36). He was baptized upon a confession of his faith, not upon the relation of his experience.

    In the Bible, men heard the gospel, believed in Christ, repented of sins and were baptized. Now, as then, this is what one must do to be saved.

---James E. Cooper

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 How To See "Eye To Eye" Religiously

    Why do some people not see religious things the way we see them? Why is there so much difference between what we teach and what the denominations profess? Do we not all have the same Bible? Are we not all trying to serve the same God? Do we not all believe in the same Savior? These are perplexing questions, and they are not easily answered to everyone's satisfaction.

    Basically, our understanding of the Scriptures differs from the majority of the religious world because we operate on a different principle of interpretation. To most religious people "truth" is relative, adjusting freely to different times and circumstances. For us, however, truth is truth. It is unalterable, unchangeable, and everlasting. But did "we" just arbitrarily decide this would be our regard for truth? Not at all. God's own word boldly claims "thy word is truth" (John 17:17) and "the word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth." (Psalm 33:4) While there are scoffers at the idea of absolute truth, we accept Bible teaching that such does exist, and we are determined to know it. Pilate's piercing question, "What is truth?" (John 18:38) was prompted by these words from Jesus: "I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

    This then, is the basis upon which we may come to see religious matters alike. There must be a commitment to the same standard of truth. No one would ever attempt to use differing standards of measurement if building a house, marking off a football field, or sewing a garment. This would guarantee error and disaster. Twelve inches must equal one foot on all our rulers if we desire uniformity. There must be a healthy regard and respect for the Bible on the part of every religious person in order for understanding to occur. Without this common devotion to God's word, all efforts to see things the same will fail. In order to come to agreement on matters essential to salvation, we must begin where we agree.

    From this point we must study the Scriptures, resolving differences as we go along. Major problems of difference are solved in small steps, and then we can be united in Christ. But we will never see things the same if we cannot agree on the existence, necessity, and location of the truth.

    No Bible discussion is profitable unless every participant is a truth seeker. If everyone concerned really wants the truth, then coming to an agreement and an understanding of truth will be achievable. Believe it or not, it is possible to discuss religious differences without becoming rude or creating hurt feelings. People who love the truth are not concerned with who is right, but with what is right. Every truth seeker is willing to surrender any position if it is false. There is no other honorable course for an honest man. An honest man will seek the truth, and when he finds it he will believe it. "Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding." (Proverbs 23:23).

---Mark W. White

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***SENTENCE SERMONS***

Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair.

***

Nothing is so fatal to religion as indifference.

***

Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle

which fits them all.

***

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.

***

By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach.

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