Category Archives: Salvation

Question: Was King Saul a believer?

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Was King Saul a believer?

There are many who question whether King Saul was a believer.  They have to, not because of Scripture, but because their theology demands it.  Their theology says that if a person continues in sin, then he really was not a believer.  Saul would be a good example, because after David’s killing of Goliath and the ensuing jealousy, King Saul purposefully and intentionally spent years chasing after that rascal David to kill him.  How could Saul possibly be a believer and want that?  After all, Saul died a miserable death at the attack of the Philistines.  Certainly, he had to be an unbeliever!  That is not true, because that is not what Scripture teaches.

In 1 Samuel 10, there are nine clear indications that Saul was a believer.  This is the passage in question,

·         Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance1?
·         2 “When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you,`The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”‘
·         3 “Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.
·         4 “And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.
·         5 “After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
·         6 “Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
·         7 “And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you.
·         8 “You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”
·         9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.
·         10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
·         11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
·         12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(1 Sam. 10:1-12)

In the beginning of the chapter ten, Samuel, a judge in Israel, had been commanded by God to anoint Saul as commander over His people. The Lord had told Samuel, “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to me.” (1 Sam. 9:16) This does not say that Saul was a believer, but he was chosen by God as the first king of Israel. As Samuel stood with Saul, he took the flask and anointed Saul as commander over Israel (1 Sam. 10:1).  Let us note nine reasons why Saul was clearly a believer.

First, Samuel tells precisely what Saul will do as he is joined with a group of prophets from Israel (1 Sam. 10:3-5). These prophets were not just coincidently connecting with Saul.  They were on a mission from God prophesying from the Lord.  That would be absurd if Saul was an unbeliever, because an unbeliever cannot understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14).  There would be no reason for any connection from any further messages from God.  If he were an unbeliever, he would be anointed and then he would do his own works and ignore any messages from God.

Secondly, God’s Spirit came upon Saul, “Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you and you will prophesy with them…” (1 Sam. 10:6a). The Spirit of God does not come upon unbelievers to do God’s work. However, God’s Spirit will convict the unbelieving world (John 16:8-11) and judge the world, but not come upon the unbeliever for prophesying.

Thirdly, Saul was turned into another man, “…and be turned into another man.”(1 Sam. 10:6b) This is the transformation process of regeneration.  Paul uses the term, “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). 

Fourthly, God was with him, “And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you.” (1 Sam. 10:7) This is a clear sign that Saul had trusted in God’s provision and God was with him to lead the people.

Fifthly, Samuel offered burnt and peace offerings for and on behalf of Saul, “You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings.” (1 Sam. 10:8a) There is absolutely no reason to offering sacrifices for or on behalf of an unbeliever.  God is concerned with the heart.  After the heart is right, then sacrifices are made to honor the Lord.

Sixthly, God gave Saul another heart, “So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.” (1 Sam. 10:9)  Changing of the heart is a clear sign that Saul was a believer and the signs that came to pass affirm God’s blessing on Saul at that time.

Seventhly, God’s Spirit came upon Saul a second time, “…then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.” (1 Sam. 10:10) In the Jewish Age, the Spirit did not indwell the believer, but did endue the believer for special purposes (In the Church Age, the Spirit indwells all believers {Rom. 8:9}). The special enduement allowed Saul to prophesy for the Lord.

Eighthly, the people recognized God’s ministry through Saul, “…when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Sam. 10:11)  There was evidence that was witnessed by other prophets of God as being from God.  God may have spoken through a donkey and He can use any mouthpiece He wants, but the prophets recognized a transformation in Saul.

Ninthly, a proverb was named after Saul, “Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Sam. 10:12)  In other words, the father (or the source) is the same source as the rest of the prophets of God.  Saul is from the Lord.  He is a believer.

Someone may be able to pick apart one or more of these reasons.  When you put them together, there is clear evidence that Saul was a believer in the Lord.

Now why is Saul questioned?  He is questioned about being a believer, because his actions are not “fitting” of that of a believer.  Really? See the article on the believer’s Downward Spiral.1 People who question if Saul was a believer never seem to provide a good answer to the question, “How many sins can I commit, before I need to question whether I’m a believer?”  A believer can act just like an unbeliever as Paul warns in Ephesians 4:17.  That is why the Lord disciplines His children, because they sin and refuse to repent (Heb. 12:5-6). 

 

1Check this link to read about the believer’s Downward Spiral: http://renewingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/06/question-how-sinful-can-believer-get.html

Question: What is Prevenient Grace?

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What is Prevenient Grace?

The word “prevenient” is no longer used today, but is common when discussing theology.  Prevenient is an archaic Latin term that simply means “to go before.”  It refers to the grace of God that precedes a person making a decision for salvation.  However, depending on the theological background of the person, the word can have different meanings.

Most people holding to the Reformed point of view will use the term Prevenient Grace to be the grace of God that goes before God’s work in a person’s life to regenerate and “give faith for salvation.” It will be used as a synonym for “Irresistible Grace,” that is, the grace of God that is irresistible by an elect person to believe.  In this sense, it is often equated with Effectual Grace, that is, the grace of God that is effectual to bring the elect person to the point of salvation.

Most people holding to the Arminian point of view will use the term Prevenient Grace as that which deals with the effects of the fall so that a person can choose to come to Christ or not.  It also can be a synonym for Effectual Grace, but used in a different manner in Reformed Theology.

Catholic doctrine would see Prevenient Grace as “assisting grace,” which assists those who are in the process of believing in Jesus and completing the work necessary for salvation.

Similar to Prevenient Grace is Common Grace, which is the grace of God that is common to all men. It is common, because it is for all mankind, not just those who might be elect as in Reformed Theology. Common grace is undeserved blessings extended to all mankind regarding God’s creative order, the restraint of sin from totally destroying man and man’s universal awareness of right and wrong.  Basically, the word is used according to the theology from which it is described.  It will mean slightly different things based on a person’s presuppositions.

I look at Prevenient Grace as the work of God prior to salvation.  It is unmerited favor that is not deserved and cannot be earned.  God made a universal call to man. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) Jesus was in prayer to the Father and He was also just talking to the multitudes about the sinners of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. The disciples of John the Baptist had been sent to ask Jesus if He was the coming One and Jesus turned and spoke to the multitudes about the greatness of John the Baptist and to consider their own lives.  As he rebuked the rejection of God’s light to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, He went into prayer to the Father.  From that prayer, He invited all to come to Him.

When Peter gave the first message in the Church Age, he invited everyone to Christ. He said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Peter was talking to Jewish people who had assembled in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks, which came to be known as Pentecost. Peter was not distinguishing between elect or nonelect.

Additionally, when Paul was in prison, singing with Silas, the Philippian jailer realized the potency of the moment, and humbly approached Paul,

  • 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
  • 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Act 16:30-31)

Paul made the invitation to a complete stranger. It was the call of God.  God does not desire than any should perish, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9) That is why the Holy Spirit convicts the entire world of sin,

  • 8 “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
  • 9 “of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
  • 10 “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
  • 11 “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:8-11)

In that call and in that conviction, the grace of God works to ensure the certain futurition of God’s decree. The tension between the sovereign decree of God and freewill is the antinomy (literally the incompatibility) that holds us humbly submissive to the will of God.

We could not choose for God, if He did not work His grace in us.  We could not have a relationship with Him, if we had not chosen to accept what He had done.  No one believes apart from His grace (common and prevenient). No one could choose for God apart from His work of calling and conviction. No one is saved if God did not take our nonmeritorious faith and enter us into union with Christ. And God’s grace can be spurned as men suppress the truth in unrighteousness and are therefore without excuse (Rom. 1:18-20).  In that antinomy are the sovereign work of God and the free will of man in harmony.

Question: Is believing in what Jesus did for us enough for salvation?

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Question: Is believing in what Jesus did for us enough for salvation?

 

This is really a two part question: 1) Is believing in what Jesus did for us and who He is enough for salvation? And 2) What does true conversion look like?   

Salvation is the most basic question and statement of belief for the Christian.  It is essential to clarify and understand what is true regarding salvation.  If your understanding of salvation is wrong, then nothing else matters.  If you believe, for example, that you must know that Jesus was the Son of God and keep certain rules, then you miss the essential truth for salvation.  Let’s begin by noting three things: 1) the bottom line for salvation; 2) the gift of salvation; and 3) how the gift must be received.

First, Paul explains the gospel in his first letter to the Corinthians.  He writes,

            Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you
             received and in which you stand,
             2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you– unless you
            believed in vain.
             3 for I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins
              according to the Scriptures,
 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4)

Paul is declaring the gospel, which is knowing that Jesus Christ 1) died for your sins; 2) He was buried (that is He showed that the work was done); and 3) He rose again (His work was shown to us that it was accepted by the Father).  That is the gospel, or good news that we must trust.

Secondly, salvation is a gift from God according to Paul, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” (Eph. 2:8) The original language of Greek in this verse requires that the word “it” as in “it is the gift of God” must refer back to a neuter noun, because gift is neuter (like many languages, there is masculine, feminine and neuter nouns and pronouns).  Some people have tried to say that the “it” refers to “faith” and therefore they say God gives a gift of faith. In order for it to refer to faith, there would have been a feminine relative pronoun included, but there is not. The gift cannot refer to “faith” according to the original language, no matter how someone might attempt to construe the rationale.  The “it” can only refer to “salvation” as offered by God as a gift.

Thirdly, that gift must be received by faith.  John writes, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)  The person must “receive” Jesus, that is, what He did on the cross.  By receiving Jesus as your Savior, you are “believing” in His name.  John is using two expressions that imply the same thing.

Let’s expand this definition of faith. First, it is not enough to know that Jesus is the Son of God and died on the cross for salvation.  Knowledge alone is not sufficient for salvation.  Knowledge is awareness. Knowledge is a cognitive fact. Those who do not welcome the truth may know it, but not trust in it (2 Thes. 2:10). Secondly, it’s not enough to mentally agree with the facts.  The demons believe that God is one, that is, has one plan and has one provision, but they shudder (Jam. 2:19).  They “shudder,” literally “frizzle,” because they are fearful of their eternal destiny.  Thirdly, you must accept the gift of salvation by trusting in Jesus Christ. Trust is dependence upon the object.  It is accepting the gift or relying upon the gift.  It is more than cognitive awareness.  It is proving a chair will hold you up by actually sitting on the chair.  It is actually getting on the plane and buckling up, rather than just hoping from a distance that a plane might take you on a trip.

Now the question, “What does true conversion look like?”  When someone is converted, he is a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). He becomes a branch that must abide in the vine in order to bear fruit (John 15:5).  He must long for the milk of the word (2 Pet. 2:1-2) and eventually desire to grow in order to feed himself (Heb. 5:12-14), so that he can discern truth and error.  A truly converted one will pursue knowing Jesus (Phil. 3:9-14).  He will bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), because he will confess his sins to God (1 John 1:9), and because he desires to walk in fellowship with God and others (1 John 1:6-7). 

However, a believer can act like an unbeliever. Paul writes, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the1 Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, (Eph. 4:17) If they didn’t have to be concerned about walking like Gentiles (unbelievers), Paul would not have warned them.  Paul also writes, “…be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18)  If believers were filled with the Spirit all the time, Paul would not have to command that to happen. Furthermore, Paul writes in 1 Cor. 3:1-3,

             And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in
             Christ.
             2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it,
             and even now you are still not able;
 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

First, Paul clearly is writing to “believers” (saints in 1 Cor. 1:2) and he calls them brethrenin the above passage.  Secondly, Paul says they are “carnal,” that is, they are living according to the flesh, rather than the Spirit.  The rest of the book of Corinthians reveals just how fleshly they are living.  Thirdly, he reveals their carnal status by identifying the sins they are committing, “envy, strife, and divisions.” And fourthly, he states they are behaving like mere men, instead of spiritual, godly men.

            When a Christian acts in a carnal way, watch out!  Paul admonishes the Galatians believers to not think they can become sanctified by the flesh (Gal. 3:3). When a Christian continues in sin, he will be disciplined by the Lord (Heb. 12:5-6).  He will lose out on intended blessings and rewards (Col. 2:18; 3:24, 26; 2 John 8; Heb. 6:12; 10:35). 

 

Question: Can a believer lose his salvation per Rev. 3:5?

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What is the “Book of Life”?
 Can a believer lose his salvation per Rev. 3:5?

            The Book of Life contains all the names of everyone who is born.  Only God could know all those names.  In ancient cities, a register was kept with a list of living citizens.  The names of the dead were erased. The Book of Life therefore, contains the names of all the living, the wicked as well as the righteous.  David writes,

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. (Ps. 69:28)

We need to recognize that the names of the righteous are written in the Book from the foundation of the world according to Revelation 13 and 17,

8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8) (my emphasis)

8 “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Rev. 17:8) (my emphasis)

Their names were written before they had done anything good or bad.  They were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world,

4 …just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (Eph. 1:4)

            Now when the disciples returned from a mission ministry, they were all excited about what they saw.  Jesus exhorted them to not be excited about demons subject to them, but that their names were written in heaven.

20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

The word for “written” is in the perfect tense, which means that it could be translated “written with the result that they cannot be not written,” that is, “the names cannot be removed.”   If the names of believers are recorded in heaven, why would Jesus give any indication that the name could be removed?  Only if the name was not a part of the living, that is, those who have trusted in God’s plan of salvation found in Jesus Christ.

            As unbelievers die, their names are removed from the book, just as the names were removed from the registry of the ancient city.  So that at the Great White Throne, only the names of believers remain in the book and it becomes known as the Lamb’s book of life,

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:12-15) (my emphasis)

Those who never trusted Christ were removed from the book and they are cast in the Lake of Fire.  That book becomes known as the Lamb’s Book of life,

27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Rev. 21:27)

These are the true believers for eternity. They are the elect.  It doesn’t matter if the name was included in a local church on planet earth.  It only matters if the name is in the Book of Life for eternity.

            Some people struggle with the passage in Revelation 3:5, which says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life;but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (my emphasis)  If someone is genuinely born again, he remains regenerate and written in the book (John 5:24; 6:35-37, 39; 10:28-29).

            However the seed thought of removal was begun by Moses during the formation of the great nation of Israel.  Moses and the Lord dialogued,

31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!  32 “Yet now, if You will forgive their sin– but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” 33 And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. (Ex. 32:31-33) (my emphasis)

Overcoming is a concept John addresses in 1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith.”The one who overcomes the world is the one who trusts in Jesus Christ and is no longer blinded by the god of this world (1 Cor. 4:4).  Revelation 3:5 does not state that a name will be removed, but that those who are believers absolutely will not be erased (cf. Walvoord, Bible Knowledge Commentary, pp. 82, 338). God would never blot out the name of a true child of God.

Five Questions: Bridge Building with the Gospel

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Five Questions: Bridge Building with the Gospel

I have a growing concern for the lost in the world.  My concern has gone through ebbs and flows over the years, but as I realize the lack of many days left in life (maybe thirty years), I realize I may not have much time to reach out to others.

There are few things in life more moving than to watch a person put their faith in Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross and His resurrection.  There are few things more fantastic than to watch a rebirth happen before my eyes.  There are few things that motivate me more than witnessing a person who becomes my spiritual brother or sister!

Do you get that opportunity very often? 

One of the tools I use to transition to talk through the good news of Jesus Christ is to ask five questions.  The questions are merely a tool to build a bridge to someone so I can share the greatest news in the world – that Jesus died on the cross for his/her sins and that he/she can grow in a relationship with the God of the universe.  The questions are a tool to share that God loves him/her so much that God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world and that whoever believes in Jesus would have eternal life.  That’s fantastic news!

Here are the five questions I use to start a discussion and build a bridge to a person:

  • Do you ever talk about spiritual things?
  • In your opinion, who is Jesus Christ?
  • Do you believe in a heaven and a hell?
  • If something tragic were to happen, do you know where you would go?

           [If God asked, “Why should I let you into heaven?” what would you say?]

  • If what you believed were not true, would you want to know the truth?

The answers to the first four questions don’t really matter too much, but they do tell me a great deal about where the person is spiritually.  They tell me what the person is trusting in for salvation, if anything.  They get the person talking and allow me to gain credibility that I am interested in them as a person (and I am!). 

The main question is question number five, “If what you believed were not true, would you want to know the truth?”  If they say yes, then I have a free and open door to walk through and share my faith.  I’m not forcing myself onto the person.  I give the person an opportunity to say no, before I start talking about Jesus.  But once they say yes, then I can take them through a gospel presentation, whereby they can make the greatest decision of all time – accepting Jesus as Savior to become a child of God.

What do you use to build a bridge to talk to people about the Lord Jesus Christ?  Does it work well?  I’m interested in your feedback, because I want to be effective in building bridges and sharing Christ.  Let’s go reach the world for the sake of Jesus!