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Makestraightpaths.com examines the teachings of the religious
group variously known as “the Family,” “The Family International,” the “Children
of God,” or the “Family of Love,” and evaluates these teachings from a Christian
perspective. This page is one in a series on Family beliefs regarding salvation.
Salvation
The most important event
that can ever occur to any person is his or her eternal salvation. A
person may accomplish many wonderful things in life, but if he or she
has not been forgiven for his or her sins, then all those grand
accomplishments will count for nothing when the time to die finally
arrives.
In the Family, salvation
is certainly treated seriously. The Family is basically organised around
evangelical concepts, that is, most activities are designed to induce
the unconverted to come to salvation. In the Family, this is
called "winning souls." Personal salvation is a pre-requisite for
membership; one cannot belong to the Family unless one has professed
personal faith in Jesus Christ. Most Family members have a basic
understanding of what salvation means. However, there are also serious
problems with the Family's version of salvation. At best it is
simplistic and shallow. At worst, it is so deceptive that a person may
believe he has satisfied the requirement for his own salvation, yet
remain unrepentant, unforgiven and unsaved.
This page outlines the
basic essential facets or aspects of salvation from the Bible, and then
compares them to Family teaching. There are, it will be seen, several
areas in which Family salvation falls short from the truth of the Bible.
There are several
important reasons for examining salvation: First, to be assured of one's
personal salvation. Anyone whose 'salvation' consists of little more
than the Family's simplistic, incomplete easy-believism may be in
horrific danger of eternal separation from God. Second, to present the
Gospel accurately to other people. Evangelical enterprises that depend
on coercing people to repeat the 'salvation prayer' are fundamentally
flawed and probably do more damage than good - they may actually
reinforce false concepts in people's minds and thereby actually hinder
their salvation, instead of assisting it. Third, the Family claims its
unorthodox doctrines are vindicated by its evangelisation statistics. In
other words, Family leadership claims that as the Family "wins" so many
"souls," the teaching, although unconventional, must be correct. If,
however, it can be shown that there are major flaws in the Family's
understanding of salvation, then it follows that evangelism statistics
may be invalid. If the statistics are invalid then the doctrines lose their
support.
"Salvation" is a biblical
term that means safety and deliverance. In the New Testament, it refers
to forgiveness, reconciliation with God and
permanent deliverance from the power of sin. Following are a number of topics, each
describing a facet or aspect of salvation. Although these topics are arranged
under separate paragraphs here, and are usually treated separately in
systematic theology volumes, in reality, they cannot be separated from
each other chronologically or spiritually. That is, there is no
chronological process in which a person first commits sin, then becomes
separated from God, then receives the sentence of hell etc. Neither can
atonement be separated spiritually from grace or repentance from
regeneration. All these elements are present in genuine salvation. In
fact, if one element is plainly absent from a person's
'salvation,' it is probably true that if one searches deeply, one may
discover that in fact many elements are absent, and the person's
salvation is not genuine.
Sin
Sin is defined as
"everything in the disposition and purpose and conduct of God's moral
creatures that is contrary to the expressed will of God" (The New
Unger's Bible Dictionary). God is the sovereign, perfect lawgiver, not
only of the Mosaic Law and the Ten Commandments, but also of the general
moral principles that apply to every person who ever lived. That is,
theft, murder and adultery are always sin, regardless of whether
the sinner has heard of the Ten Commandments or not.
Regardless of the
specific circumstances, every sin is committed against God. For example, although a robber harms other people through his actions, his
actions are ultimately sins against God.
Ps 51:4 Against You,
You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that
You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. NASU
Sin entered the world
through Adam's failure in the Garden of Eden, and since then, every
person who has ever lived has also sinned against God.
Rom 5:12 Therefore,
just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death
through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned NASU
In other words, every
person is an innate sinner (sin is present in every person for
the simple reason that they are human), and every person is also an
intentional sinner (every person deliberately and actively disobeys
God).
There may be differences
between sins of omission and sins of commission, sins of ignorance and
sins of intent, sins of the body, sins of the tongue and sins of the
mind, but in reality, all sins are transgressions of God's holy
will, all sin is rebellion against God, all sin contradicts the holiness
of God.
For more on sin, click
here.
Separation from God
God is holy and perfectly
righteous. There is nothing in Him that is anyway unclean or sinful.
Therefore, human sin necessarily separates people from God.
Isa 59:1-4
Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is
His ear so dull That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made
a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His
face from you so that He does not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled
with blood And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken
falsehood, Your tongue mutters wickedness. 4 No one sues righteously
and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion and speak lies;
They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.
NASU
Separation from God
occurs both temporarily and eternally, that is, sin prevents people from
approaching God both while they are alive, and after they die. This
separation is absolute, due to the mutually exclusive natures of sin and
the holy God.
Every
sin separates a person from God. Every lie, theft, self-centred thought
or action, every lustful imagination or act of adultery, every jealous
coveting or act of robbery, every angry word or murder, each and every
sin separates a person from God.
Hell
Hell is real. Jesus spoke
often about hell - more than any other person in the Bible. Hell is a
fearful place.
Luke 12:5 "But I will
warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has
authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! NASU
People who reject God's
gift of Jesus Christ will face God's righteous judgement in the form of
"eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord."
2 Thess 1:5-10
5 This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you
will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed
you are suffering. 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay
with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you
who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8
dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those
who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the
penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in
His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have
believed — for our testimony to you was believed.
NASU
Jesus Christ will sit in
judgement of all people, who will be separated before Him. Some will go
into "eternal punishment," while others will receive "eternal life."
Matt 25:31-46
31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels
with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "All the
nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from
one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33
and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. 35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me
something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed
Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to
Me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see
You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to
drink? 38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or
naked, and clothe You? 39 'When did we see You sick, or in prison,
and come to You?' 40 "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I
say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers
of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me,
accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the
devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing
to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a
stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not
clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then
they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry,
or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did
not take care of You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to
you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of
these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 "These will go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
NASU
"Eternal punishment" is
the opposite of "eternal life."
John 3:16 "For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. NASU
John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who
does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides
on him." NASU
"Eternal life" is the
opposite of "perish" in the "wrath of God." Hell is a place of
torment and anguish.
Matt 13:36-43
36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His
disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the
tares of the field." 37 And He said, "The one who sows the good seed
is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the
good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the
sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil,
and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
40 "So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so
shall it be at the end of the age. 41 "The Son of Man will send
forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all
stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will
throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 "Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE
FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears,
let him hear.
NASU
Hell is the just
punishment, the deserved recompense for sin. As all people have sinned,
hell is the deserved recompense for every person.
Grace
Without the grace of God,
all people would be destined for hell. The word "grace" is therefore
used to describe the undeserved kindness of God toward people in
providing a means whereby they may escape eternal punishment.
"Grace" in this sense
is an attitude on God's part that proceeds entirely from within
Himself, and that is conditioned in no way by anything in the
objects of His favor. So in Rom 4:4. If salvation is given on the
basis of what a man has done, then salvation is given by God as the
payment of a debt. But when faith is reckoned for what it is not,
i.e. righteousness, there is no claim on man's part, and he receives
as a pure gift something that he has not earned.
(International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, 'Grace')
Atonement
The "atonement" is the
term given to the restoration of the breach between God and man due to
sin. Atonement is the process of spiritual reunification brought about
by the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus' life was freely offered for this
purpose.
Matt 20:28 just as
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give
His life a ransom for many." NASU
Jesus died to remove the
barrier of sin between God and people.
Eph 2:18-19
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the
Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you
are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household
NASU
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus, NASU
Col 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having
made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say,
whether things on earth or things in heaven. NASU
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just
for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to
death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; NASU
Justification
"Justification" is the
name given to the process whereby a sinner is "declared righteous"
before God. The sinner does not actually become righteous, rather he is
declared to be righteous because Jesus Christ has taken his guilt
upon Himself.
Justification is a
divine act whereby an infinitely Holy God judicially declares a
believing sinner to be righteous and acceptable before Him because
Christ has borne the sinner's sin on the cross and has become "to us
. . . righteousness" (1 Cor 1:30; Rom 3:24). Justification springs
from the fountain of God's grace (Titus 3:4-5). It is operative as
the result of the redemptive and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ,
who has settled all the claims of the law (Rom 3:24-25; 5:9).
Justification is on the basis of faith and not by human merit or
works (3:28-30; 4:5; 5:1; 2:16). In this marvelous operation of God
the infinitely holy Judge judicially declares righteous the one who
believes in Jesus (Rom 8:31-34). A justified believer emerges from
God's great courtroom with a consciousness that another, his
Substitute, has borne his guilt and that he stands without
accusation before God (8:1,33-34). Justification makes no one
righteous, neither is it the bestowment of righteousness as such,
but rather it declares one to be justified whom God sees as
perfected once and forever in His beloved Son. As Lewis Sperry
Chafer says: "Therefore, this may be stated as the correct formula
of justification: The sinner becomes righteous in God's sight when
he is in Christ: he is justified by God freely, all without a cause,
because thereby he is righteous in His sight"
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary)
Rom 3:21-26
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been
manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the
righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who
believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His
grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God
displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the
forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26
for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present
time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has
faith in Jesus.
NASU
The opposite of
"justified" is not sinful or wicked but rather "accused." In
other words, justification does not prevent the sinner from ever sinning
again or transform into a perfect person, but instead removes the accusation of sin, which was borne
by Christ on the cross.
Forgiveness
"Forgiveness" is, in much
of the New Testament practically synonymous with "justification."
Justification removes the accusation of sin, and provides the reason for
God to forgive, whereas forgiveness addresses the broken relationship
between God and the sinner.
When God forgives, He
restores man to the condition of former favor. Release from
punishment is involved, though Divine forgiveness is more than this.
In most cases the consequences, which in some instances are spoken
of as punishment, are not removed, but they lose all penal character
and become disciplinary. Nor does the forgiveness remove from human
mind the consciousness of sin and the guilt which that involved, but
it does remove the mistrust which was the ground of the alienation.
Mistrust is changed into trust, and this produces peace of mind (Ps
32:5-7; Rom 5:1); consciousness of the Divine love and mercy (Ps
103:2 ff); removes fear of punishment (2 Sam 12:13); and awakens
love to God.
(International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Forgiveness)
Forgiveness, by
definition, is undeserved. There is nothing that one can do to earn
forgiveness. Nonetheless, God places certain conditions on forgiveness.
For example, it is ludicrous to imagine that a sinner will be forgiven
if he shows no interest in discontinuing his sin.
Divine, like human,
forgiveness is always contingent upon the fulfilment of conditions.
It must be preceded by repentance and a firmly fixed intention not
to repeat the offence. In addition to this, one was required to
conform to certain legal or formal acts before the assurance of
pardon was his. These acts were expressive of the sinner's state of
mind. They consisted of certain acts of sacrifice in the
pre-Christian times and of baptism during the ministry of John the
Baptist (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3) and under Christ (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
These acts are never regarded as in any sense a quid pro quo in
return for which the benefit of forgiveness is granted. It is an act
of pure grace on God's part, and these acts are required as
expressions of the man's attitude toward God. The state of mind
required in order to obtain the gift of forgiveness is that to which
the Prodigal Son came (Luke 15:17-19), and that of the sinner who
went to his house justified rather than the Pharisee (18:9-14),
because he realized that forgiveness was to him an act of pure favor.
(International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Forgiveness)
Repentance
Repentance is defined as:
A fundamental and
thorough change in the hearts of men from sin and toward God.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Repentance)
Repentance is not, and
never has been, works designed to induce God to grant salvation.
Repentance cannot earn salvation, regardless of the depth and
genuineness of the attitude of the repenting sinner. Repentance is not a
condition God looks for before He saves.
However, repentance is
an indispensible element of salvation in that a sinner who does not
repent upon being offered Christ's atonement, justification and
forgiveness is effectively showing that he has rejected God's
gift of life.
Although faith alone
is the condition for salvation (Eph 2:8-10; Acts 16:31), repentance
is bound up with faith and inseparable from it, since without some
measure of faith no one can truly repent, and repentance never
attains to its deepest character till the sinner realizes through
saving faith how great is the grace of God against whom he has
sinned. On the other hand, there can be no saving faith without true
repentance. Repentance contains as essential elements (1) a genuine
sorrow toward God on account of sin (2 Cor 7:9-10; Matt 5:3-4; Ps
51:1); (2) an inward repugnance to sin necessarily followed by the
actual forsaking of it (Matt 3:8; Acts 26:20; Heb 6:1); and (3)
humble self-surrender to the will and service of God
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Repentance)
Jesus' message may be
concisely encapsulated as, "The Kingdom of God has arrived on earth in
the person of His Son. Therefore all people should respond to this
gracious gift by changing their lives ("repenting"), both away
from sin and toward God.
Matt 4:17 From that
time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand." NASU
Mark 1:15 and saying,
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent
and believe in the gospel." NASU
Luke 5:31-32
31 And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are
well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 "I have not
come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
NASU
Repentance cannot be separated from salvation, it is what happens at
salvation.
Acts 2:38 Peter said
to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. NASU
Acts 3:19 "Therefore
repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order
that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
NASU
Acts 17:30-31
30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now
declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31
because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in
righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished
proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
NASU
Repentance is a gift of
God; it is not a decision that a person makes on his own initiative.
Acts 11:18 When they
heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then,
God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to
life." NASU
Rom 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and
tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads
you to repentance? NASU
2 Tim 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition,
if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of
the truth, NASU
Sanctification
Sanctification takes
repentance to the next level.
The process of God's
grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes
dedicated to God's righteousness. Accomplished by the Word of God
(John 17:7) and the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:3-4), sanctification results
in holiness, or purification from the guilt and power of sin.
(Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Sanctification)
To sanctify means
commonly to make holy, that is, to separate from the world and
consecrate to God.
(International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Sanctification)
A sanctified person
("saint") is not someone who is morally perfect, but rather describes a
person who belongs to Christ, and in whom the Holy Spirit is working.
1 Cor 1:2 To the
church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified
in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call
on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: NASU
Sanctification is an
active, daily response to the presence of the living Christ.
The sanctified life
is thus a life of personal fellowship lived out with the Father in
the spirit of Christ in loving trust and obedient service. This
positive and vital meaning of sanctification dominates Paul's
thought. He speaks of living unto God, of living to the Lord, and
most expressively of all, of being alive unto God (Rom 14:8; compare
6:13; 2:19). So completely is his life filled by this fellowship
that he can say, "It is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in
me" (Gal 2:20). But there is no quietism here. It is a very rich and
active life, this life of fellowship to which we are surrendered. It
is a life of sonship in trust and love, with the spirit that enables
us to say "Abba, Father" (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). It is a life of
unconquerable kindness and good will (Matt 5:43-48). It is a life of
"faith working through love" (Gal 5:6), it is having the mind of
Christ (Phil 2:5). The sanctified life, then, is the life so fully
surrendered to fellowship with Christ day by day that inner spirit
and outward expression are ruled by His spirit.
(International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Sanctification)
Sanctification is a gift
of God.
1 Thess 5:23 Now may
the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit
and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ. NASU
Rom 6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you
derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome,
eternal life. NASU
2 Thess 2:13 But we should always give thanks to God for you,
brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the
beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and
faith in the truth. NASU
Reconciliation
Sin separates man from
God. Christ's atonement reconciles man to God.
Reconciliation,
therefore, means that someone or something is completely altered and
adjusted to a required standard (cf. Rom 5:6-11). By the death of
Christ the world is changed in its relationship to God. Man is
reconciled to God, but God is not said to be reconciled to man. By
this change lost humanity is rendered savable.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Reconciliation)
Paul focuses on
reconciliation in Romans chapter five.
Rom 5:1 Therefore,
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, NASU
Rom 5:10 For if while
we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His
life. NASU
Evangelisation is called
the "ministry of reconciliation" in that the result of "successful"
preaching is when a sinner is saved and thus reconciled to God.
2 Cor 5:18-20
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19
namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us
the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you
on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
NASU
Regeneration
Regeneration literally
means being "born again." As such, it has far greater meaning than
"receive Jesus" or "become a Christian." Regeneration, or being born
again, implies that there is a complete change in the new Christian's
attitudes, life, and actions.
The spiritual change
wrought in man by the Holy Spirit, by which he becomes the possessor
of a new life. It is to be distinguished from justification, because
justification is a change in our relation to God, whereas
regeneration is a change in our moral and spiritual nature. The
necessity, in the one case, is in the fact of guilt; in the other,
depravity. They coincide in point of time and are alike
instantaneous, and thus are both covered by the general term
conversion, as that term is popularly and loosely applied (see
Conversion). Still they are distinct in that the one is the removal
of guilt by divine forgiveness, and the other is the change from the
state of depravity, or spiritual death, to that of spiritual life.
Regeneration is also to be distinguished from sanctification,
inasmuch as the latter is the work of God in developing the new life
and bringing it to perfection, whereas the former is the beginning
of that life.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Regeneration)
Regeneration is entirely
a work of the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:5 He saved
us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and
renewing by the Holy Spirit, NASU
Regeneration is a
spiritual work that is intended to bring a purity to the believer's
life.
The clearest
assertion of it and the explanation of the doctrine of regeneration
is found in the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus (John 3). It is
based upon (1) the observation that man, even the most punctilious
in the observance of the Law, is dead and therefore unable to "live
up" to the demands of God. Only He who gave life at the beginning
can give the (spiritual) life necessary to do God's will. (2) Man
has fallen from his virginal and divinely-appointed sphere, the
realm of the spirit, the Kingdom of God, living now the perishing
earthly life. Only by having a new spiritual nature imparted to him,
by being "born anew" (John 3:3, the Revised Version margin "from
above," by being "born of the Spirit" (3:6,8), can he live the
spiritual life which God requires of man.
(International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Regeneration)
Faith
Salvation occurs "by
faith."
Faith is the
condition of salvation. It is not the procuring cause but the
condition, or instrumental cause. It is frequently associated in the
Scriptures with repentance; thus the conditions of salvation, as
commonly stated in Protestant doctrine, are repentance and faith.
But in reality true faith and true repentance are not separate or to
be distinguished too rigidly from each other. Faith is fundamental.
Repentance implies faith. Faith is not saving faith unless it
includes repentance. (See Repentance.) Saving faith may therefore be
properly defined for those who have the light of the gospel as such
belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as leads one to submit completely to
the authority of Christ and to put complete and exclusive trust in
Him for salvation. (See John 3:14-16.)
Faith, which is the condition of salvation, is also, in an important
measure, one of the results of salvation. In the justified and
regenerated soul, faith is deepened and developed by the influence
of the Holy Spirit. In its essential quality faith is unchanged, but
it acquires greater steadiness, and as the Word of God is studied
and its contents spiritually apprehended faith becomes broader and
richer in the truths and facts that it grasps.
Thus in its beginning and completion faith is one of the fruits of
the Spirit (Gal 5:22).
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Faith)
Faith is more than
intellectual assent to the teachings of the Bible; it is entering in to
a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Genuine saving faith
is a personal attachment to Christ, best thought of as a combination
of two ideas-reliance on Christ and commitment to Him. Saving faith
involves personally depending on the finished work of Christ's
sacrifice as the only basis for forgiveness of sin and entrance into
heaven. But saving faith is also a personal commitment of one's life
to following Christ in obedience to His commands: "I know whom I
have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have
committed to Him until that Day" (2 Tim 1:12).
Faith is part of the Christian life from beginning to end. As the
instrument by which the gift of salvation is received (Eph 2:8-9),
faith is thus distinct from the basis of salvation, which is grace,
and from the outworking of salvation, which is good works. The
apostle Paul declared that salvation is through faith, not through
keeping the works of the law (Eph 2:8,9).
(Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Faith)
Faith is a gift of God.
Rom 12:3 For through
the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more
highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have
sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. NASU
Resurrection
Christianity promises the
resurrection of the believer after death. That is, in some way, he will
live again with Christ in His Kingdom.
The teaching of the
Scriptures sums up as follows: (1) The body shall rise again. The
integrity of man's being, a creature of soul and body, shall be
restored. (2) In some sense the identity of the body shall be
preserved. (3) The body is to be changed and refined to fit it for
the new surroundings of the future life. For the saints it is to be
a "glorified body." (4) The resurrection of the righteous will take
place at the coming of Christ (1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:53), of the
unsaved at the great white throne judgment after the Kingdom age
(Rev 2:11-15). (5) The power is of God in Christ, who said, "I am
the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Resurrection)
Resurrection is followed
by judgement.
John 5:29 and will
come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life,
those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
NASU
Acts 24:15 having a
hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall
certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
NASU
For Christians, the
resurrection is a glorious hope and expectation.
Rom 6:8 Now if we
have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him
NASU
Paul discusses
resurrection in detail in First Corinthians chapter fifteen.
1 Cor 15:42-44
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable
body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor,
it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in
power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
NASU
Jesus is Lord
Salvation means accepting
that Jesus is Lord of all creation, Lord of all people, and Lord of
one's own life. Jesus is God, He is the only Saviour, and He is the
sovereign Lord. Therefore, there can be no real difference between
believing in Christ as Saviour and yielding to Him as Lord.
The New Testament calls
Jesus Christ the Lord more than 700 times.
Acts 2:21 And it
shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved. NASU
Election
The term "election"
refers primarily to the centuries-old dispute between Calvinists and
Arminians regarding whether individual salvation is predestined by God
or is a result of personal choice. It should be recognised from
the outset that there is strong scriptural evidence to support both
positions, and therefore a theology that takes one stance to the
exclusion of the other will be biblically imbalanced.
The Family is Arminian in
its support of choice rather than predestination, but Calvinistic in its
stance on eternal security.
It is with regard to
election that theological controversies have been frequent and at
times most fierce. Calvinists hold that the election of individuals
to salvation is absolute, unconditional, by virtue of an eternal
divine decree. Arminians regard election as conditional upon
repentance and faith; the decree of God is that all who truly repent
of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved.
But every responsible person determines for himself whether or not
he will repent and believe. Sufficient grace is bestowed upon
everyone to enable him to make the right decision.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Election)
Calvinism
In support of this
doctrine several arguments are made by Calvinistic theologians: (1)
According to the Scriptures election is not of works but of grace;
and that it is not of works means that it is not what man does that
determines whether he is to be one of the elect or not. For the
descendants of Adam this life is not a probation. They stood their
probation in Adam and do not stand each one for himself. (2) The
sovereignty of God in electing men to salvation is shown by the fact
that repentance and faith are gifts from God. These fruits of His
Spirit are the consequences and signs of election and not its
conditions. (3) The salvation that is of grace must be of grace
throughout. The element of works or human merit must not be
introduced at any point in the plan. And that would be the case if
repentance and faith were the conditions of election. (4) The system
of doctrine called Calvinistic, Augustinian, Pauline, should not be
thus designated. That though taught clearly by Paul, particularly in
Rom 8:9, it was taught also by others of the writers of sacred
Scripture, and by Christ Himself. Reference is made to Matt
11:25-26; Luke 4:25-27; 8:10; John 6:37,39; etc. (5) That the
sovereignty of God is evidenced in dispensing saving grace is
illustrated also in His establishing the temporal conditions of
mankind. Some are born and reared in the surroundings of
civilization, others of barbarism. And precisely so some are blessed
with the light of the gospel, while others, dwelling in pagan lands,
are deprived of that light and consequently are not saved.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Election)
John 6:39 "This is
the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose
nothing, but raise it up on the last day. NASU
Rom 8:29-30
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become
conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn
among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also
called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom
He justified, He also glorified.
NASU
Eph 1:4-5
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that
we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined
us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to
the kind intention of His will,
NASU
Eph 1:11 also we have
obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His
purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, NASU
Nelson's Bible Dictionary
says:
A careful study of
the Bible's doctrine of man cures any romantic notion of a human
will that is free to choose for or against God. Those who are slaves
to sin and its power (Rom 6:6) neither understand nor seek after God
in and of themselves (Rom 3:11; John 14:17; 1 Cor 2:14). Outside of
Christ, men are spiritually dead rebels who neither desire to submit
to the Lord Jesus Christ nor are able to. Apart from God's gracious,
free, eternal, and sovereign choice of such sinful men to become His
children, none would be saved but would abide forever under His
wrath (Rom 1:18).
(Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Election)
Arminianism
In behalf of this
doctrine the following is argued: (1) That the whole trend of the
Scriptures is to declare the responsibility of men and their actual
power to choose between life and death. (2) That the Scriptures
explicitly teach that it is the will of God that all men should be
saved. Only those perish who wickedly resist His will (1 Tim 2:4;
4:10; John 5:40; Acts 7:51; etc.). (3) That the Scriptures declare
the universality of Christ's atonement, and in some degree the
universality of its benefits (Heb 2:9; John 1:29; 3:16-17; 1 Cor
15:22; Rom 5:18-19; and many other passages). (4) That the doctrine
of unconditional election necessarily implies that of unconditional
reprobation; and that is to charge God with cruelty. (5) That
unconditional election also necessarily implies the determinate
number of the elect, a point that Calvinists hold, though they admit
that they have for it no explicit teaching of Scripture. To the
contrary, the Scriptures not only generally but particularly teach
that the number of the elect can be increased or diminished. This is
the purport of all those passages in which sinners are exhorted to
repent, or believers warned against becoming apostate, or to "make
certain about His calling and choosing you" (Matt 24:4,13; 2 Peter
1:10; etc.). (6) That the Scriptures never speak of impenitent and
unbelieving men as elect, as in some cases it would be proper to do
if election were antecedent to repentance and faith and not
conditioned thereby. (7) That the whole theory of unconditional
election is of the same tendency with fatalism. (8) That the logic
of unconditional election is opposed to true evangelism. (9) That
the essential features of the Arminian doctrine of election belong
to the primitive and truly historic doctrine of the church.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Election)
In the 18th century, John
Wesley was one of Arminianism's strongest advocates. In a sermon
preached in 1740, he said:
2. The grace or love
of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR
ALL.
3. First. It is free in all to whom it is given. It does not depend
on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree, neither in
whole, nor in part. It does not in anywise depend either on the good
works or righteousness of the receiver; not on anything he has done,
or anything he is. ...
4. But it is free for ALL, as well as IN ALL. To this some have
answered, "No: It is free only for those whom God hath ordained to
life; and they are but a little flock. The greater part of God hath
ordained to death; and it is not free for them. Them God hateth;
and, therefore, before they were born, decreed they should die
eternally. And this he absolutely decreed; because so was his good
pleasure; because it was his sovereign will. Accordingly, they are
born for this, — to be destroyed body and soul in hell. And they
grow up under the irrevocable curse of God, without any possibility
of redemption; for what grace God gives. he gives only for this, to
increase, not prevent, their damnation."
5. This that decree of predestination. But methinks I hear one say,
"This is not the predestination which I hold: I hold only the
election of grace. What I believe is not more than this, — that
God,, before the foundation of the world, did elect a certain number
of men to be justified, sanctified, and glorified. Now, all these
will be saved, and none else; for the rest of mankind God leaves to
themselves: So they follow the imaginations of their own hearts,
which are only evil continually, and, waxing worse and worse, are at
length justly punished with everlasting destruction."
(Sermons of John Wesley, Sermon 128 - Free Grace (Rom. 8:32))
The full text of this
sermon is available online
here.
Eternal security
Another topic that has
been fiercely debated for centuries is the question of whether one can
lose one's salvation, or whether a believer is "once saved, always
saved." The Family holds to the latter view.
The NT clearly
teaches that God offers no salvation at the present time that is not
eternal. Although this doctrine has been greatly misunderstood and
abused, when rightly understood it offers a powerful boon to a holy
life (cf. 1 John 2:1). Arminian doctrines reject security, employing
experience as a proof. However, the Scriptures commonly so employed,
when clearly classified, do not favor insecurity: (1) Passages
concerning false teachers of the last days of the church (1 Tim
4:1-3; 2 Peter 2:1; Jude 17-19) that concern apostates or those who
were never saved. (2) Passages comprehending no more than moral
reform: for example, Luke 11:24-26. (3) Passages dispensationally
misapplied (Ezek. 21:1-48; 33:7-8; Matt. 18:23-35; 24:13; 25:1-13 ).
(4) Passages relating to loss of rewards and chastisement (John
15:2; 1 Cor 3:15; 9:27; 11:27-32; Col 1:21-23; 1 John 1:5-9; 5:16).
(5) Passages relating to falling from grace, that is, leaving the
grace way of life for the legal way of life (Gal 5:4). (6) Passages
containing various admonitions (Heb 6:4-9; 10:26-31).
The doctrine of security has suffered much confusion and misuse. It
is rejected by many theologians and subscribed to by others but
abused by antinomian teaching and living. It is nevertheless a clear
teaching of Scripture, and when properly understood and faithfully
believed it is a doctrine of immense spiritual benefit and blessing.
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Security)
Some passages of
Scripture that give strong support for the view that one can actually
lose one's salvation are in the book of Hebrews.
Heb 6:4-7
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have
tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy
Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the
age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew
them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the
Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the
rain which often falls on it and
NASU
Heb 10:26-31
26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge
of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a
terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL
CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of
Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has
trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the
blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted
the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS
MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 31
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
NASU
Make Straight Paths does not 'take sides' on either the
election/ free choice or the eternal security issues, apart from noting
that there is strong scriptural support for each of the contrasting
positions, indicating that it might be a mistake to form a dogmatic
theology that completely excludes the possibility of the opposing view.
Salvation as
theological holism
As mentioned above,
although there are numerous aspects to salvation, it is impossible to
separate them from each other. All are part of the whole, and none
make any theological sense in isolation from the others. All are
essential elements of salvation. All - with the exception of the
Calvinistic/ Arminian disputes - are absolutely necessary to genuine
salvation. A person, therefore, who claims to have been forgiven for his
sins, but who has not repented and does not live as though Jesus Christ
was Lord of his life and actions, is quite probably living under a
delusion, rather than genuine grace.
The above aspects of
salvation also cannot be separated chronologically, as though one thing
necessarily occurs before another. All must occur, although some may
appear to happen simultaneously, while others may appear to occur
over a period of time.
Salvation in the Family
As noted at the beginning
of this page, in the Family, salvation is important but simplistic,
crucial but shallow. Some of the Family's practical understanding of
salvation is popular, but unbiblical. There are also several crucial
elements which are basically absent from Family thought.
At the heart of practical
Family application of salvation is the concept that a person gets saved
by asking Jesus into his or her heart. Family members' basic concept of
evangelisation ("witnessing") is that Christians may invite unbelievers
to pray a simple prayer containing some variant of the phrase, "Jesus,
come into my heart." This phrase is, of course, loosely based on
Revelations 3:20. In fact, the Family believes that anyone who prays in
this way is instantly saved, whether or not they repent, whether or not
they forsake other gods, whether or not they understand who Jesus is,
whether or not they are willing to allow Jesus Christ to rule their
lives. Over the years, Family members have conducted numerous mass
evangelism events in which large crowds were induced to pray to receive
Jesus en masse, following which approximate statistics were
recorded of the "souls saved."
Typical of the salvation
tracts produced by the Family is the following Christmas message, first
published in 2002.
The
Home of your Heart
Girl: Look! There’s Jesus in the manger! Is it true He was born in
Bethlehem?
Boy: That’s right.
Girl: If He was born in a little town so far away from here, then why
does He want to be my friend?
Boy: Good question! Jesus came to Earth from Heaven because He wanted to
tell us how much He and His Father God, both love us. It doesn’t matter
if we live in a big city, or out in the countryside, in a desert, or on
a tropical island. Jesus wants to live in our hearts no matter where we
live.
Girl: He wants to live in my heart more than in a fancy palace?
Boy: That’s right. And the best way we can show Jesus we love Him is by
letting Him live in our hearts. Jesus even promised that if we let Him
live in our hearts in this life, then He’ll save a special place for us
in Heaven.
Girl: So, how do I ask Jesus to live in my heart?
Boy: Just tell Him…
Boy and Girl: “Jesus, thank You for coming to Earth to show us Your
love. I want You to live in my heart forever. Thank You also for saving
a place for me in Heaven.”
Girl: Is Jesus in my heart now?
Boy: Yes! Now Jesus is your special, invisible friend, He’ll always be
with you, no matter what.
(Family Tract ©2002 Aurora Productions AG)
Another tract, published
in 2009, contains the following 'salvation prayer:'
How About a New
Life
"Dear Jesus, I
believe that You died for me and that You love me. I now open my
heart and ask You to come in. Forgive me for my past wrongs, and
please give me Your gift of eternal life in Heaven. Fill me with
Your love, peace, and joy, and help me learn to share that love and
joy with others. Amen."
Other tracts say:
Who is Jesus?
"Dear Jesus, I
know that I need help and that I can't save myself. I have heard
that You are the Son of God, and that through You I can personally
find and know the God of Love. Jesus, I need Your Love to cleanse me
from all fear and hate. I need Your Light to drive away all
darkness. And I need Your Peace to fill and satisfy my heart. So I
now open the door of my
heart, and I ask You, Jesus, to please come in and give me Your free
gift of Eternal Life! Thank You, Jesus, for suffering for all
of the wrong I have done and for forgiving me and hearing my prayer!
In Jesus' name, amen."
It's Free
"Salvation is a gift.
All you have to do is reach out your hand of faith and receive it.
Salvation is a miracle of God, but it's yours for the asking. All
you have to do is receive Jesus into your heart. He's there, waiting
to come in."
These tracts bring out the following main points:
-
Salvation is primarily a personal relationship with
Jesus.
-
This relationship is instantly commenced by asking
Jesus into one's heart.
-
There are many benefits to this relationship,
including guaranteed entrance to heaven, love, happiness, guidance
-
This salvation relationship is a free gift that may
be received by simply asking for it.
-
It is a miracle; it is unachievable through human
means.
-
It includes forgiveness and freedom.
There are, of course, numerous versions of the Family's
'salvation prayer,' and many many tracts.
A personal relationship with Jesus
Salvation does, of course, entail a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. However, establishing this relationship is not
the primary goal of salvation. Salvation, as detailed above, is
primarily concerned with forgiveness of sin and reconciliation to God
bringing eventual resurrection to eternal life.
Asking Jesus into your heart.
The Bible does not say that a person becomes a Christian
when he or she prays to ask Jesus into his or her heart. In fact, no
specific formula is given, apart from the frequently repeated
exhortations to believe and repent.
Revelations 3:20, from which the concept of asking Jesus
into one's heart is derived, is examined in detail on Bible.org
here.
Sin
Family members have a general understanding of sin, with
the exception that the founder of the Family arbitrarily declared that
several biblical sins are not sins at all. Therefore, in general, Family
members have not repented or forsaken certain things that are an offense
to God. All Family members have access to the Bible, and therefore all
are accountable.
For more on this topic, please read
Sin: a Definition, The Ten
Commandments, Romans 14:23 Whatever is not of
Faith is Sin and Freedom from what.
Separation from God
Family members may be basically aware that sin separates
one from God, but in general emphasise more emotion-based reasons for
conversion: with Jesus, people are purposeless, lonely, unsure, feeling
lost, weak, unhappy and so on. Jesus is often presented as the panacea
for all ills.
Hell
While Family members believe that hell exists, in
general, hell has no place in Family preaching. It is a topic that is
simply avoided, if at all possible. It is as though Family members
believe that the concept of hell is not compatible with the loving God
they wish to present, so they prefer not to talk about it.
Grace
Grace is understood in the Family by the popular acronym
Gift Received At Christ's Expense. Apart from a few Bible verses (Eph
2:8,9), little is ever studied about it in the Family.
Atonement
Atonement is also understood by a clever play on words:
to "atone" means to make "at one" with God. Again, Family members
understand very little on the topic.
Justification
Another simplistic play on words encapsulates almost the
entire Family understanding: believers are "justified," meaning "just if
I'd" never sinned.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is stressed quite heavily in the Family.
Christians are forgiven for all sin: past sin, present sin, and future
sin. This is, of course, true, but it is just as true that when an
overarching forgiveness is preached without a corresponding emphasis on
regeneration, then people begin to treat sin lightly. Family members
often have the attitude that even if some of the things they do are not
quite right, at least they are acting sincerely, and after all, they are
already forgiven.
They are generally not aware that sincerity does not
excuse sin.
Repentance
Family members understand repentance as 'metanoia,'
meaning a complete change in life. They do not understand that
repentance from sin necessarily follows true conversion, and so there
are probably many Family members who have never actually repented from
their sin. Further, as the Family has declared that certain sins are
actually legitimate in God's sight, many Family members continue in sin
to this day, refusing to accept that they are actually sinning
before God, and need to believe the truth of what the Bible says
about these sins and repent from them.
Sanctification
Family members understand sanctification as being
spiritually cleansed and "set aside" for the Master's use. However, as
they have not repented from or forsaken their sexual and spiritual sins,
there is no sanctification in the Family.
Reconciliation
Jesus said that He came to bring people to God His
Father. Family members, in general, have little or no relationship with
God the Father. This calls the genuineness of their salvation into
serious question. For more on this topic, see
Where is God.
Regeneration
Again, as Family members have not forsaken sin, many are
actively resisting the work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate them.
Faith
Family members have a good understanding of faith,
although they may not realise that faith is actually a gift of God.
Resurrection
Family members believe that when Jesus returns, all true
Christians will be united with Him in a literal place called heaven. The
founder of the Family declared that heaven would be a place of sexual
freedom.
Jesus is Lord
Family members have been taught to see Jesus as their
friend, lover, coach, big brother, and so on, all very personal and
intimate. Rarely is Jesus seen as the sovereign Lord, whose word is to
be obeyed, whose presence is to be revered, and whose person is to be
worshipped.
In fact, it is a fair assumption that some Family members
do not know who Jesus really is. For more on this topic, see
Who is Jesus.
Conclusion
Salvation does not consist of an instant easy-believism
in which someone may be coerced into repeating a prayer to ask Jesus
into his or her heart. A salvation that does not include repentance from
sin and regeneration, so that sin no longer has power over the person is
no salvation at all. Salvation that does not result in reconciliation
with God the Father is no salvation at all.
Jesus' message on earth was not, "Ask me into your
heart," or "I want to be your forever friend," or even "I love you." He
said, "Believe, repent, and come to God the Father." It is, of course,
entirely possible to pray for Jesus to come into one's heart and become
one's best friend without repentance from sin.
It is therefore an inescapable conclusion that some
Family members or people to whom Family members have preached may have
prayed a Family version of the "sinner's prayer," similar to the
examples quoted above, and yet remain unsaved, unforgiven, lost, and
eternally separated from God.
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