[Biblemat] A) THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Thursday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my recent files:

THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT

     It's interesting to me how an illustration can sometimes
become so powerful that it supplants the thing it is illustrat-
ing.  For instance, the illustration for salvation is many times
cited by the use of a man's five fingers.  Here, believe, repent,
confess, be baptized, we are wont to affirm, is God's plan for
salvation.  And it is.  But that's not some sort of creed.  It's 
an illustration -- a representative of what happens when an 
honest person -- a sinner -- seeking salvation from his sins,
reads the Bible and sees what God affirms as the necessary
steps to salvation.  But let it be carefully observed:

Sin Is More Than A Mere Mismanagement Of One's Life: -- Sin
is a wilful choice, made by a rational human being, but one
taht is in direct contradiction to what God defines as truth and goodness.  A 
person sins when he deliberately chooses
his own way in preference to God's way (Jer. 10:23; Isa. 55:8,
9).  Sin is a disdain for God and His law.  In Psa. 51, David 
affirms, "against Thee and Thee only have I sinned."  All sin
is against God.  In 2 Cor. 5:21, Paul affirms that Christ was
"made to be sin" for us.  And in Isa. 53:4-6, we are informed
that the death of Jesus was necessary for our forgiveness.
Sin is not just mis-managing one's life, but a serious reproach
against God.

Faith Is More That A Mere Admission That Jesus Christ Is The
Son Of God: -- Faith that doesn't act on known knowledge is
no faith at all (Jas. 2:22).  Faith is active.  The Hebrew writer
says that in order to please God one must not only believe
who He is, but "that He is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).  It is not enough to merely love God,
either.  "He that saith I know Him and keepeth not His comm-
andments is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 Jno. 1:4).
Love for God is perfected in our obedience.  Faith that works
is faith that saves.

Repentance Is More Than Just One's Decision To Turn And
Serve God: -- Salvation is not, and never has been, a one-
stroke process; and repentance is not a one-time decision.
John tells us that we should "bring forth therefore fruit meet
for repentance" (Matt. 3:8).  That's a continual process, a wil-
ful decision to do better day by day.  Repentance activates
one's faithfulness.  One who repents will then turn.  There is
no repentance without turning and no turning without repent-
ance.  One implies the other.  One who has repented will be-
gin immediately to turn himself around (Acts 2:38; 3:19).

Confession Is More Than An Admission That Jesus Was A
Historical Character: -- Confession is an audible admission
of what is in one's heart.  I cannot know for sure what you
believe -- no matter how I may suspect it -- until you tell me.
Confession, to the Christian, is a kind of pledge of allegiance.
The Ethiopian, in Acts 8, confessed that he now believed in
Jesus Christ.  And it's not just a mantra or creedal admission,
but a real statement of acquiesce and resolve to God as Sov-
ereign.  Confession states publically who we serve.

Baptism Is More Than Just Getting Saved: -- No good Bible
student would deny that baptism saves (Acts 22:16), being
"born again" (Jno. 3:3,5) is just that -- being born.  Following
your birth there must be a willing decision to develop toward
spiritual maturity.  "If ye then be risen with Christ," says Paul,
"seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at
the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on 
the earth."  That's the course of pursuit which naturally follows baptism 
(being "risen with Christ").
That maturation process is one that must be diligently pursu-
ed: it's putting on the "new man" and putting off the "old man" (Col. 
3:10,12,14).

Judgment Is More Than A Slapping Of The Hand: -- Judgment
is serious business.  It is an appointment every man will keep
and should be a horrible thought to those nto prepared for it
"Behold, therefore the goodness and severity of God; on them that fell 
away..." (Rom. 11:22).  Matt. 25:31-46 records
the judgment scene.  Several things stand out: First, please
note that everyone will be there (vs. 32).  Second, please ob-
serve that there will be a separation of the good and evil (vs.
33).  Third, notice, please, that some will be sent into everlast-
ing punishment (vs. 41).  And fourth, rejoice that the knowled-
ge that there will be a glorious reward for the faithful (vs. 34).
"It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judg-
ment" (Heb. 9:27).  Can we dare ignore the fact of impending
judgment?  And it could be sooner than you think.

     Yes, let us allow the Bible to speak for what constitutes
salvation.  And let us be careful not to make the illustration of
the salvation, salvation itself.  ----- Dee Bowman via Gospel
Power, Vol. 15, No. 13, Mar. 30, 2008.   </HTML>
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