Scripture References: Romans 1:16, Hebrews 5:9, James 1:21-22, 1 Timothy 4:16
One don’t need to be a rocket scientist or a genius to understand what the four verses of scriptures above teaches. They clearly tell us that it’s believing what Jesus said, which is his word revealed in his teachings throughout the New Testament covenant that does the saving of the soul, and not just believing on his person. Why then do multiplied millions of confessing born again Christians believe they are saved when they believe on Christ and accept him as Lord and Savior of their life? They think its believing on the person Christ that saves their soul being convinced by what Paul also said in Acts 16:31 that says, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Paul did not say here that they were saved the moment they believed on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather he was telling them they must first believe on Christ and they would be saved. Its believing Christ’s teachings that does the saving of the soul, as the above four scriptures clearly reveals. One cannot be saved if they don’t believe on the person of Christ, because if they don’t believe on his person, then how could they believe his teachings?
Peter said these words in Acts 4:12 that says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” We can only be saved through and by the teachings of Jesus Christ and not by the teachings of any other man. Will the teachings of Mohamed or any other man save the soul? No, because there is no salvation in any other name than the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t know what Mohammed taught and don‘t care to, but I don’t think his followers believe they are saved just because they believe in him, but I know his followers follow him by accepting his teachings. So why do millions of people think they are saved just because they believe on the person of Jesus Christ? Its not believing on the person of Christ that saves, but rather its believing and obeying his teachings that does the saving of the soul. Listen closely what Paul tells us in I Timothy 4:16 that says, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” Paul did not tell Timothy to believe on Christ would save him, but rather he told him that if he continued in Christ’s doctrine he would not only save himself, but all who would hear him. Again Paul reveals this truth in what he said in Romans 1:16 that says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Did not Paul say here that it’s believing the gospel of Christ that is the power of God unto salvation and not just believing on the person of Jesus Christ? Why then do millions of confessing Christians believe they are saved by believing on the person of Christ, instead of believing his teachings that would save their soul? They have been deceived into believing that, but try telling them this and they will reject what you say to them. They refuse to believe what Gods word says about it and their doing this will cause God to reject them and they will believe lies to be damned, as Paul tells us in II Thessalonians 2:10-12 that says, “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Just to believe on Christ thinking that saves you excludes all obedience that God demands of us. God does not save a person so he will obey him, but rather God saves a person that will obey him. Did not the apostle Paul make this clear in what he told young Timothy as stated in I Timothy 4:16? And does not the apostle James tell us the same thing in what he said in James 1:21-22 that says, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Do you have to be a rocket scientist to know what it means to receive Gods word with meekness that’s able to save your soul if you will both hear and do what it says?
Another scripture that is among the many misunderstood scriptures is that of John 3:16 which says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Most people read this scripture thinking that belief on Jesus Christ imparts eternal life, but that would only be true if the three words “should not perish” would have been either “will not perish” or “shall not perish.” The words “should not perish” reveals the fact that one may perish so we have to find out why it would be possible. Whosoever believes on Christ should not perish, but if all you do is believe on Christ without obeying Christ, then you will perish. Listen to Hebrews 5:9 that says, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Christ is not the author of eternal salvation to a person that just believes on him only, but to them that not only believes on him, but to them that will obey him. To obey Christ is to believe and obey all his teachings found throughout all the scriptures of the New Testament covenant. The four scriptures stated at the beginning of this article proves that its believing and obeying all truth revealed in the gospel and not just a belief on the person of Christ like millions have been deceived into believing. All the many millions of people that say they believe in Christ do not obey his teachings that he taught all his disciples, which includes the apostle Paul as well. Listen to what Jesus said about this as stated in John 17:20 that says, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” We believe and obey Christ by believing and obeying all the teachings of the New Testament writers that consists of eight, which is Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, Jude, and Paul. Now what has just a belief on Christ have to do with believing all the many truths in all the epistles that make up the New Testament covenant? So in order to be saved, which is a choice that you have to make is done by not only believing on the person of Christ, but to believe and obey what he says, which is revealed in all the epistles written by all the apostles. “He that has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. “ Amen