I am truly amazed at how many Christians ask this question. They think they are asking a logical question, but in fact, this is an attack by our enemy, the devil, to confuse and manipulate us. Amazingly, this is the not the first time this question has arisen in the church.

The First Church

The first church started with a bang with thousands coming to Jesus. Always understand when the church has great success, the enemy will show up to stop it:

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1)

Why did these men raise this issue? Here is the background on these men:

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. (Acts 15:5)

The problem was that many orthodox Jews had now become born again Christians, and they had been taught all their life they must keep the law or they will go to hell. They presumed, according to the way they were taught, if good works were not required, the church would lose its morality. The idea that God through the Holy Spirit can enter a heart at salvation, change a person’s heart over time, and then change his works was foreign to them. The born-again experience should change us to the point that we keep the law of God (or law of Moses) because of desire and not necessity.

Saved by faith and not works

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise, work is no more work. (Romans 11:6)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)

If good works cannot save us, then how can bad works condemn us? In fact, the idea of a faith-based salvation is even more epitomized here:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Wow! Five times in two verses God tells us it is not about works:

• Grace – unmerited favor that is never earned
• Faith – this is just believing, nothing else
• Not of yourselves – you cannot do it
• Gift of God – a gift is not a reward of any kind; it is given as an act of love on the part of the giver
• Not of works – our works don’t affect it

Entrance through the new birth

Let’s put the icing on this cake. In John, Jesus tells us what we must do to enter the kingdom. Here is what he says:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (Joh 3:3-5)

Entrance into any kingdom is by birth. Unfortunately, we were born into this world under the kingdom of Adam. When Adam sinned, we all became partakers of his sin. This is known as (original sin). Every baby, regardless of how precious we perceive them to be, is born under the curse of sin and for this reason obtains a sin nature at birth. Ever wonder why kids lie without being taught to do so? It’s a product of the sin nature. The only escape, therefore, is a new birth. Now we have dual citizenship with rights and privileges in both.

Once we are born again, the only way back is to be reborn as Nicodemus said by entering a second time into his mother’s womb (John 3:4). We know this is impossible, and for this reason Jesus makes this statement:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

Summary

What we see here is that salvation:

• Cannot be corrupted by religion
• Is by faith and not by works
• Requires a birth that cannot be undone

Can we lose our salvation? What do you think?

Next Section: The Holy Spirit

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