6. How Does a Sinner’s Faith in Christ Alone for Salvation
Save Him?
Let us consider some passages of Scriptures
a. Mt 10:22 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
b. Mk. 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
c. Jn 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
d. Ac 2:21 “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved… Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” It is ‘from this perverse generation’ and not ‘from eternal condemnation’ or ‘hell’!
All these passages speak of ‘salvation’ as a result of what men do – enduring, believing, calling and entering. The obvious truth is, it is only those upon whom God has bestowed eternal salvation, i.e., effectually called, justified, regenerated and adopted who are able to ‘endure,’ ‘believe,’ ‘call’ and ‘enter’ because all these activities presuppose life, eternal and spiritual life bestowed at effectual call. Without spiritual life, such activities are impossible. Only those who have been called out of their state of sin and death to grace and eternal salvation by Christ Jesus can heed the gospel call to repent and believe in order to be saved; i.e., saved from this perverse and unbelieving generation, saved from their sinful and godless manner of life, saved to know the confident knowledge and expectation of eternal life. The extent of temporal salvation enjoyed and experienced by the redeemed here in this life on earth is conditioned upon their faith in and obedience to our blessed Saviour.
For Mk 16:16, in a real sense, baptism does save, just as all obedience to God’s will does save... but not in the sense that it delivers a man from eternal condemnation and secures for him eternal salvation, but saves in the temporal sense, just as any cessation from unbelief and disobedience to God’s revealed will by the redeemed always brings salvation in the temporal sense. “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1Pe 3:21. The answer of a good conscience as a result of water baptism, an act of obedience, is certainly a temporal salvation to be coveted. A believer is someone who has died and risen with Christ. The dead must be buried. Water baptism is to accomplish that and to declare the same. Water baptism also speaks of the resurrection to newness of life. Baptism by total immersion alone is adequate to declare those twin truths. How could a believer who claims that he is dead and is alive in Christ and yet remains un-baptized ever have a good conscience is a mystery to me. To possess a good conscience is certainly a salvation to be coveted! O the preciousness and the sweetness of a good conscience in this perverse and scheming generation! A defiled conscience is worse than a death sentence!
Acts 2:40 “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Apostle Peter exhorted the hearers to act in order to be saved from this perverse generation – perverse because of unbelief, stiff-necked and persisting in their prejudices and errors, not easily persuaded by the truth, etc. To turn from these and believe in the truth concerning Christ will save them from the fearful and bitter miseries and heart-breaking consequences of sins and unbelief here and now. It is not to save them from eternal hell, for they must have been saved from eternal condemnation at effectual call if they are ever to believe in order to be saved from this perverse generation.
What salvation does Paul intend by 1Timothy 4:16, “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”? Surely Timothy was already effectually called, justified, adopted, and regenerated! Surely the members of his churches were also eternally saved! How then was Timothy to save himself and his hearers? He was to take care of his personal life and the doctrine. By taking care of his personal life, he could be saved from making shipwreck and giving a carnal example to his church. By taking care of the doctrine, he could save himself and his hearers from false doctrine, confusion, and lies. The salvation here described by Paul is totally different from that unconditional granting of eternal salvation by the power of the Triune God. Surely we agree?
1689.13.1 says, “They who are effectually called and regenerated... are further sanctified really and personally...” The words “are further sanctified” remind us that they were already sanctified (simple past tense) in a specific sense, i.e., separated from the state of sin and death to grace and salvation at effectual calling. To be ‘further sanctified’ is ONLY possible because an elect is already effectually called and regenerated with eternal life. And this process of ‘further sanctified’ is stated in chapter 14.
1689.14.1: “The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word; by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened.” (2Co 4:13; Eph 2:8; Ro 10:14,17; Lk 17:5; 1Pe 2:2; Ac 20:32.) “The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls...” is the beginning of the process when the effectually called elect are further sanctified really and personally. This process of being further sanctified is initiated by the preaching of the gospel and maintained by the ministry of the word.
This process of being further sanctified speaks of the salvation that comes by a sinner’s turning from his sins and trusting in Christ alone for salvation, not eternal salvation from eternal condemnation, but salvation from the fearful miseries and heart wounding consequences of sins and unbelief here and now.
The just who lives by faith in Christ, one who works out his own salvation with fear and trembling, is the one who will enjoy the greater degree of temporal salvation. A believer’s own salvation worked out with fear and trembling is a salvation that is conditional and temporal… It is conditioned upon his working out with fear and trembling. It is temporal because the effect of this salvation is not eternal; it pertains to the redeemed life here and now. The salvation affects the life here and now as a pilgrim. This conditional and temporal salvation includes – the communion and fellowship with the triune God; a consciousness of the love of Christ; a mind and heart submissive to the leading and teaching of the Spirit; a vital sense of reverence for the Father – O for a greater sense of that holy reverence which is so lacking; a lively view of the glorious hope of one’s eternal glory; enjoying a good and clear conscience before the Lord and the world; a quiet and steadfast reliance and rest in the Lord; a thirst for a growing knowledge and a less-muddled view of the inspired Scriptures; readiness to give a reason for the hope that is in Christ; a vital love for God’s saints; a zeal for the Lord’s cause here, etc. etc. etc. All these salvation blessings may be dimmed or even lost if the redeemed become careless or negligent of the means of grace ordained for his salvation in the life here and now.
“For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath” Mark. 4:25. Carelessness and negligence will cause a child of God to lose much of the temporal salvation, and bring upon himself temporal judgment. There are many prodigal sons, living with the swine. He did not lose his status as son, but he sure did lose all the temporal salvation to be found in the father’s home! Wasn’t there an enormous difference in this aspect of salvation between Abraham and Lot?
“Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have” Luke 8:18. A careful hearer and doer will enjoy an increasing measure of temporal salvation. More will be given to him – not that more eternal salvation will be given to him, for eternal salvation once bestowed is fully and completely bestowed. But there is vast room and capacity for more temporal blessings to be experienced and enjoyed in this life on earth from the good hand of our Father. But beware of carelessness and negligence, lest even what you seem to have is taken from you. Carelessness will bring spiritual poverty upon you. It is bitterness and misery for the prodigal sons to live with the swine!
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