On the topic of personal salvation

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Jesus in Matthew 7:12).

While this essay may invite more questions, my intention is to bring some clarity to a topic that is not only important, it could be the most important thing I have written in a very long time. It deals with a topic that is central to the teachings of Jesus, the apostles, and for that matter, is firmly rooted in the Old Testament. Jesus reveals in the Sermon on the Mount that His true followers are in God’s kingdom. He also describes what kind of people they are. 

A kneejerk reaction to this question may be along the lines of this: "Of course there is a difference between belief and following Jesus. The devils believe and tremble." Therefore, I want to qualify what I mean by "belief." I am referring to saving faith -- the kind of faith that results in forgiveness of sins, the new birth, in becoming a member of God's kingdom and family. 

Will true believers have certain distinguishing characteristics in their lives? Jesus seemed to imply this in His most revered sermon. I recommend you reread Matthew 5-7 before continuing with this essay; we will pick up in chapter 7. Right after He gives us what we call the golden rule, He lays it on the disciples with fervor. After telling them to treat others the way they would want to be treated, Jesus states, 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13, 14 ESV).

We are treading on holy ground. We must respectfully and carefully exegete these statements from Scripture. It forms the basis for our obedience. Our salvation and everything that is expected of us hangs on it. Jesus makes it very clear that not everyone will escape destruction. In fact, the gate that leads to destruction is wider and easier. I don’t believe that Jesus is saying that the path is difficult to find. He simply states that it is narrower. He reveals the way, both here and elsewhere. Before we get into those specifics, let’s read on.

Jesus continues,

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits (15-20).

He prefaces the next teaching by describing false teachers in their deceptive state. Since they look like sheep on the outside, we must identify them by their works. He uses the metaphor of trees and good or bad fruit to illustrate this point. We see here that we can really identify a tree by its fruit or followers of Jesus by their works, right? Not so fast. Jesus moves on to a terrifying claim:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ (21-23).

As we consider the works of prophesying, casting out demons, and other “mighty works,” we can quickly summarize these as outward works of display. They are dramatic. They have the potential to draw attention to the one doing them. Jesus and His disciples did these kinds of works. The early apostles did them. They obviously have a place and purpose in God's plan. Yet, these works are not proof of one’s obedience to Christ.

The Lord is not teaching us how identify false teachers in this particular passage. But He gives us a clue, especially as we look at this entire sermon. While we tend to look at the big dramatic works that men and women do, these are not the true measurement of a faithful disciple. 

As we look at the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, we realize that Jesus’ emphasis is on a meek and quiet sincerity that is concerned about the general welfare of others and truly devoted to God. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, and the persecuted. We are told to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and treat others the way we want to be treated. We are to focus on inward holiness rather outward obedience to the big commands against murder and adultery. Even anger without cause and lusting after another man's wife is in conflict with the spirit of God's Law. We are not to do our religious deeds for the praise of men but rather go to the prayer closets and wash our faces and look our best when we fast, so as not to draw attention to our personal sacrifice.  

Inward holiness marked by humility that leads to serving others is real kingdom work. It isn’t that prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles is wrong. It is a powerful testimony of God’s grace when done in the right spirit. However, the real test of devotion is something that can more easily go unnoticed. That is why He tells us to avoid judging others. We must judge ourselves. 

The big flashy works of these false teachers is consistent with the hypocrites who seek the honor of others when they give and pray in prominent locations in order to be seen. It isn't what they are doing that condemns them, but the manner in which it is done.
 

The Narrow Gate

I mentioned earlier that the narrow gate is not necessarily difficult to find. Jesus is the light that lights everyone who comes into the world (Jn. 1:9). He is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6). Knowing Jesus is the foundation of it all. The gate is narrow, but it is not hidden. It is clear for all who want to see. In fact, He is the gate. He says so in John 10:7.

To enter this gate, we are to believe in Him (Jn. 3:16) and receive Him (Rom. 1:12). We are to acknowledge His Lordship (Rom. 10:9, 10) and believe that he died, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor. 15:1-7). Yet, the temptation is to look at all these proof texts and come up with an A-B-C checklist to make sure that we are in. If we reduce these passages to a checklist, I fear that we may be closer to the wide gate that leads to destruction.

First and foremost, we know that we are to have faith. It is impossible to please God on this side of eternity apart from faith. The object of that faith is the person and work of Jesus Christ. That is clear from Scripture. But there is a kind of faith that involves Jesus that does not save. James speaks of that throughout his epistle. Specifically in chapter 2, James writes, 

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless (Jms. 2:14-20)?

In the context of teaching us about the importance of caring for the poor, James is teaching us the nature of true devotion to Christ. If faith without works is dead, then one cannot have a living faith without works. The kind of works that are involved here are not exactly the kind that exalt self. It shows a concern for others. This is Christ-like work. His entire life was marked by serving others. We are to be like Christ. 

We also see that the works are more significant than the personal declaration of faith, at least if the works don’t line up with that declaration. It is one thing to say that you believe. It is something else to show that you believe by your works. This is consistent with the Sermon on the Mount.

If we have the Spirit of Christ living within us, we too should have concern for others. Yes, we will have battles of the flesh. We will fall on our faces sometimes. Sometimes we will be selfish. If we say we have no sin, we lie (1 John 1:8). Yet, there will be good fruit. There will be concern for others. We are not saved by these works (Eph. 2:8, 9), but we are saved for good works (Eph. 2:10). 

Saving faith is a living faith; it will on some level lead to compassion, mercy, and concern for others. Living faith, like a tree bearing beautiful and tasty fruit, is productive. Otherwise, it is dead and useless. 

The Formula

I grew up in churches and received formal training that put a lot of emphasis on formulas. We had these formulaic packages that we could use to evangelize others. We were taught to be able to take these formulas to the masses and lead them in “the sinner’s prayer.”  Once they did, we would call them "saved" and encourage them to get baptized and be a part of church. These formulas do not always emphasize repentance or change.

One of my concerns with this kind of evangelism is that there are countless people out there who have said the sinner’s prayer but have no real fruit. Some of them never attend church regularly. They never get involved in ministry. 

An artificial theological wall has been erected between faith and works, yet no such wall exists in the Bible. One is an outworking of the other; change is happening. This relates to repentance. The repentant one will not have all the details worked out in her head, but she knows that a change is taking place. At the point of her conversion, she may have tears. She may have felt strong emotions. She may not have felt much of anything, but she knows that she is more or less choosing a new path. Even the thief on the cross was aware of that. His change was radical, even if it only took place for a very short time. Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 mention that both thieves mocked Jesus, but one had a complete change of attitude and even rebuked the other thief before he was promised Paradise (Luke 23:39-43).

At what level any particular convert understands this will greatly vary. A child or simple-minded person will not process this the same way as an adult with more understanding. It is not about the amount of content that is rightly understood as much as the quality of the decision itself. It may be as simple as “Yes, I believe in this Jesus and receive what little I understand about Him.” A child may more easily be converted than an adult, but the real test will be as that child grows up, whether that faith was genuine.

I have been thinking and praying over this topic for decades. To become a Christian, one need only believe in the Jesus of the New Testament, the living Christ. Yes, belief in Jesus means receiving Him as Lord, which implies a level of obedience and servitude to Him and His teachings. While these details do not need to be worked out in the beginning, one cannot actually believe in Him and deny His lordship simultaneously. Believing in Jesus means to believe in Him AS Lord. Otherwise, one is embracing a Jesus that is not the Jesus of the Bible or of history. Lord means “master.” When it comes to His Lordship, it also points to His divinity. 

A confession of Jesus as Lord is not just making a verbal declaration. Jesus and James already made that clear. It must be accompanied by a subservient heart. An acknowledgement of the superiority of the One is also an admission of the subordination of the acknowledger. It places the one declaring “Lord” in a voluntary inferior position.  

It is like a citizen of a kingdom acknowledging the authority of his king. To do so, one must believe that the actual king is king. But this acknowledgment does no good for the king or the kingdom unless that citizen declares the king to be HIS king and himself to be subject to that king. He may otherwise considered a traitor.

That is what it means to believe in Jesus as Lord. The devils believe and tremble, but they remain in rebellion to the king. As followers of Jesus, we give up our rebellion and submit to His authority. At this point, we may not know many of Jesus’ teachings. We are simply believing in Him. We are receiving Him for who He is and acknowledging His Lordship. As we learn about His teachings and grow in our faith, we will be faced with tests of our faith. We may not pass every test, but the new work in us has begun. 

What I am getting at is not the old debate between Lordship salvation and easy believism. We cannot separate believing in Him from believing in who He is. To believe in the actual Jesus Christ of the Bible requires a basic understanding of who He is and acknowledging the implications for who He is. He is the Son of God; He is Lord. To say that we believe in Jesus, but to ignore or reject His Lordship is not saving faith. Rather, it is a belief in a different Jesus, one made in an image more comfortable to our liking, but not one that brings us into the fold of His flock or makes us a citizen of His kingdom.

Jesus gave us parables to teach us this truth. Whether Jesus was speaking about the wheat and tares or the sheep and the goats, we clearly see that there are many in the fields of His kingdom with a false allegiance. While it is not our job to say who truly serves Jesus, we do need to look at our own lives and be careful how we go about our mission work.  

It is certainly easier to read and agree to a checklist, say a prayer, and then get on with our lives. It is another thing altogether to commit our lives to Jesus as Lord and savior. Don’t get me wrong, there are countless who have agreed to the “checklist” and through God’s Spirit and saving grace, became true believers. What I have called the checklist may be a great way to make sure the potential convert has a basic theological understanding of who Jesus is and what He accomplished for humanity in history. What keeps me up at night is that there are doubtless goats and tares in the field who gave their mental assent to these truths but were never transformed.

Is Believing the Same as Following?

Jesus said that to be a true disciple, one had to deny oneself, take up a cross, and follow Him. Does every true believer also become a disciple or follower? We love categories. We would love to be able to have neatly divided lines between the sheep and the goats. No doubt, God knows very well who belong to Him. Jesus knows His sheep. 

Sheep are peculiar animals. It is no accident that the Lord uses sheep to describe His own followers. They are needy and tend to wander; sheep are skittish and easily distracted. We may look at someone and see them wandering and think to ourselves, “He must not be a true follower.” We must resist this urge. That one may be closer to His heart than any of us. We cannot know with certainty. We can love and pray for those who wander. Jesus Himself talks about going after the one lost sheep and leaving the others. That wandering sheep is just as much His as the other members of the flock (Matt. 18:12-14; Luke 15:3-7). 

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28). That is true of the wandering sheep as well. Once he hears the shepherd’s voice, he will return and follow Him. 

If Jesus' sheep follow Him when they hear His voice, we must conclude that believing is the same as following. We must also keep in mind that the One we follow said that we are sheep and taught that sheep may wander. It’s messy out there. Even the most faithful of His followers struggle with weaknesses of the flesh.

As we consider Jesus’ voice, we come full circle. As sheep quickly learn to recognize the shepherd’s voice, they respond to His commands. The analogy must not be on the texture or tone of the human voice, but on the commands. Do you heed the teachings of Jesus? Do you follow His commands? If so, there is a tremendous promise in store for you:

Back to the Gate

The key to entering the kingdom is to go through the proper gate. Jesus is the gate. He is not only the shepherd, but He is also the door of the sheep (John 10:7). We enter the field or kingdom through the narrow gate. We follow Him. We do good works. Sometimes we wander, but we come back when we hear His voice.

The broad gate that leads to destruction includes countless ways and ideas, but no doubt includes some who call Jesus Lord. Jesus us tell us so. They have somehow managed the right words at times, but they do not belong to Him. They do not know Him. They do not follow Him. Their heads are so filled with other voices, including their own, they are not listening to His voice.

Knowing Jesus is not a formula that we say, but a banner under which we live. It is believing that He is the Lord who both came from Heaven and now rules from Heaven. He lived among us in history, was sinless, died in our place for our sins, and rose again. It is receiving His offer for forgiveness from sins and following Him.

If you are reading this and wonder if you are really a true follower of Jesus, I have a few questions to ask you:

1. Do you have a desire to know God better and to please Him?
2. Do you want to exalt Jesus in your life?
3. Do you have compassion for those who are poor, hurting, oppressed, or marginalized in our world? What about those in your community?
4. Do you have an abiding faith in Jesus, or do you rest your assurance in a past prayer or decision that you made? In other words, is your faith today alive and active? 

I hope that you can say “yes” to these questions. In the end, it is not my opinion or observations on which you must rely. I can point you to the words of our Lord and His apostles. They have shown us the way. The Lord Jesus is the way. I can also with assurance declare that if you believe in Jesus and are following Him, that you have eternal life and have an important purpose and calling in this life to serve Him through serving others.