Busting the “Salvation” Myth

Well, good afternoon, brethren. It’s good to see all of you once again on this Sabbath day.

Can a penny dropped from the Empire State Building kill someone? Does talking to plants help them grow? Will your tongue actually get stuck to a frozen pole? Would a car explode if a bullet hit its gas tank? Would a person be blown out of their shoes if they were in an explosion? Could you realistically cut a sword in half or a bullet in mid-air using another sword?

What on earth are you talking about? Well, these are very real questions that people wondered about and that came up, and were ultimately answered on a show called MythBusters. How many remember that show, MythBusters? Very popular show here in the United States. It’s a show where they would go through and they would try these different myths or things that people believed to be true. And the show was, again, very popular. It ran for about fifteen years; ended up going international. So, some of you outside of the United States may have heard of this show, MythBusters, as well.

But the show revealed many things. And one of the big things that it revealed was how often we accept things as true or false without ever really testing them. And each myth, some of those that I went through, some of those extraordinary questions that I asked, they did actually try. And each of those myths, they would test, and at the end, they would have a verdict. Either it would be confirmed, the myth would be confirmed, or the myth would be busted. And that was the goal of the show. And if it was busted, that meant that the myth was not true. If it was confirmed, it meant that, of course, it was not a myth and it was something that was true.

Brethren, some believe the book on your lap, the Bible, the book in front of me here, some believe that this book is filled with all sorts of myths. Eternal life, “Well, clearly, that’s a myth. No one can live forever. Everyone must die,” they would say. Or resurrections, once you are dead, that’s it. Your life is over. You’re in the ground and never to be seen or heard from again. Some believe that to be a myth. Some would say God Himself is a myth. This magical person in the sky that weak-minded people believe in, He’s certainly a myth. There’s no way that He exists. No one could ever really prove it.

Well, brethren, this message is going to focus on what some would call a myth. And this subject is more important than pennies or plants or bullets getting cut in half by a sword. This so-called myth is much, much more important than that. Today, we’re going to talk about salvation, the word, or the understanding of salvation. The words, being saved, that word saved, or salvation, those words are used all the time in religion, and people don’t really know what they mean. All of us pretty much we know what they mean. But many in the world of religion do not know what they mean, and perhaps you’ve been asked about being saved or salvation, and how would you explain it if someone were to ask you about it?

Many understand this concept of being saved or salvation; they misunderstand it completely. Others have part of the picture. They sort of have an understanding about it. But today, we’re going to bust some common myths when it comes to this idea of salvation. Let’s turn to a key scripture that’s going to drive the message, Philippians chapter two. This verse will be our anchor verse, something that will motivate us, even on a subject so familiar to us, this idea of being saved or salvation. This is an anchor verse for us, nonetheless.

Philippians chapter two, verse twelve. Philippians two, twelve, it reads, “Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” This is Paul talking about how the brethren were conducting themselves. But here’s the part of the verse. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Now, clearly, these were people who at least had a pretty good idea of what salvation is and what it meant. Just like all of you, you know what salvation is or what it means, but brethren, nonetheless, we have to work out our own salvation.

Each of us, on an individual level, is accountable for our own salvation. We have to take ownership of being saved, take ownership of this salvation, and work through it and work it out. Not only must we work it out, we must do so with fear and trembling. In other words, it’s extremely, extremely important. Salvation there means rescue or safety. So we have to work out being rescued. We have to work out our safety.

Spiritually speaking, we have to work it out with fear or reverence and trembling. My goal today is to help us to renew or better understand this reverence that we must have for our salvation. Brethren, too much is on the line for us to miss. So, of course, in order to work out our own salvation, we have to understand what it is. We must fully understand what salvation is and more importantly or just as importantly, what it is not. What salvation is not. What it is and what it isn’t.

So let’s bust some popular myths when it comes to the most precious thing that God has made available to mankind, and that is salvation. Now, as we go along, I’ll probably share the answers to some of those questions I posed early on as I put this message together. You know, I thought I better answer some of those questions, otherwise you won’t be paying attention to the message. You’ll be thinking about all those questions I posed and whether they were actually found to be true or not. So, as I can, as we go through, I may just sprinkle in some of the answers to some of those myths from the show. But you have to make sure, of course, to pay attention to the most important thing, which is obviously our subject today, and that’s salvation.

Now we are going to cover quite a few verses today by the time that I’m done, but my goal is for you to be as prepared as you need to be to not only and most importantly work out your own salvation, but to have a solid understanding for what, you know, in the course of your life as a Christian subject that may come up, you know, as you speak with others, you know, about this most important subject. All right, myth number one. The myth says, “If I believe in Jesus, I am a Christian.” That’s the first myth. If I believe in Jesus, then I am a Christian.

Now this myth is incredibly common. I start here because it is really at the foundation of what many people’s misunderstanding of what salvation is all about. It really, you know, gets to the heart of, okay, Christianity and salvation. But professing a belief in Jesus may be the most widely assumed definition of Christianity. I believe in Christ. That’s what makes me a Christian. Say a prayer, you accept Jesus. Some churches, you go up front, you profess this belief in Jesus in front of a group of witnesses, and ta-da, you are now a Christian.

Well, the origin of this myth is largely rooted in a lot of emotionalism and emotional experience. You know, of course, you know, becoming a part of God’s Church and being a Christian is, of course, obviously has an emotional element. But it’s this idea, this myth of professing belief in Christ is all it takes; a lot of it is based on emotion, church tradition, and a number of isolated scriptures such as the following. Turn to Romans chapter ten. Romans chapter ten. And we’ll look at a verse that often is misunderstood and construed to mean that all you have to do is profess Christ. Romans chapter ten.

Read it here. Romans chapter ten, verse nine. Romans ten, nine, it reads, “That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Ta-da. I’m saved. I profess Jesus. I believe in my heart. Verse ten, “For with the heart the man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” So we see saved there. You confess Christ, you’re saved. If you believe in your heart, now you have salvation. Now, of course, that verse is true. It’s in the Bible. Of course, it’s true. Has to be true. But clearly, brethren, and obviously, it does not tell the whole story.

Turn to Acts chapter eleven. Acts, chapter eleven. Being a Christian is not just about what you say. It’s about how you live. Acts, chapter eleven. Just came from feast. We learned so much, brethren, so much about our future, so much about the kingdom of God and all the wonderful things that will come to the world, so many of those things God will use us to teach. Well, think about the basics. One of the great things about coming off the feast, it’s an opportunity to go back to the basics. That’s what we’re doing here. Acts chapter eleven, verse twenty-six. Acts chapter eleven, twenty-six, “But Peter...” Let me see, I’m sorry, that’s ten, let me go, Acts ten, twenty-six.

Acts chapter eleven, rather, twenty-six. It reads, “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch, and it came to pass that a whole year they assembled together...” Excuse me, “...assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” So, a Christian is a student or a follower, and if you’re a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are a student, follower, or imitator of Jesus Christ. So obviously Christ did not just confess certain things and just say things.

Of course, he said many things, but obviously, he had a lifestyle. He had a certain lifestyle, and the disciples were following that lifestyle. So it goes beyond just a confession. I can call myself an airplane pilot, “I’m an airplane pilot.” But if I have absolutely no idea how to fly an airplane, that doesn’t make me a pilot. I can call myself a Christian all day long, but if I don’t do the things, if I don’t imitate and do the things that Jesus Christ did or follow Christ, then I’m simply a Christian in name only.

First John chapter two. We’re busting the myth that it simply is a confession, is all it takes to be considered a Christian. First John chapter two, verse six. First John two, six, “He that says he abides in him ought also...” To do what? “...to walk even as he walked.” If we say we abide in Christ, that we are Christians, we must walk as Christ walked. You notice it says, “He that abides in him ought himself also to walk.” So you can say you abide in Christ, that’s good, but we must also walk the walk, not simply talk the talk. Brethren, we cannot just pay Christianity lip service. It has to be something not only that we say, but it also has to be something that we do. Apparently, this idea or this simply professing Jesus Christ is not something that’s new. Apparently, it was a problem even back in Christ’s time.

Luke chapter six. People quickly recognize the benefits. They quickly recognize the benefits of calling themselves Christians, but what they seem to lack was the understanding that it goes beyond a simple profession. Luke chapter six, verse forty-four. “For every tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of bramble bush do they gather grapes.”

Hearing much more about grapes, that understanding really was opened up most recently, brethren. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the mouth his heart speaks.” Our mouths can say one thing, brethren, but it is our hearts that speak also. Those two things can be in contradiction, what comes out of our mouth and out of our heart, or they can be in unison.

Verse forty-six, here’s the problem. “And why call you me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Jesus Christ made it very clear, a true follower, a real follower, does not simply profess belief in him. Brethren, we can’t just profess to be Christians. We also have to obey. Saying we’re Christians and not obeying and doing the things Christ said has dire consequences.

Turn to Matthew seven, Matthew chapter seven, dire consequences. Matthew chapter seven, verse twenty-one, “Not everyone that says unto me Lord, Lord...” Why does Christ keep bringing this up? Why is he bringing up this idea that people can say that they’re Christians, “Lord, Lord,” they’re acknowledging Christ for who he is. But he’s saying here, back to the verse, “Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that does the will of my father, which is in heaven.”

Imagine someone wearing a military uniform. The uniform is on, it’s pressed very proper, it’s clean, they got medals, everything is in place. They look spotless. They have the uniform on, but they never train, they never take orders, they never do the things that the military would have them to do. Is that person a soldier? No, they simply have on the uniform. Brethren, if we’re simply calling ourselves Christians and not doing the things which Christ says, are we soldiers for Jesus Christ, or are we simply wearing the uniform?

These are basics. These are basics, but clearly, they are important. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. So what is a Christian? What is a Christian? Does the Bible actually define a Christian? Of course it does. Romans chapter eight. What is a Christian? Romans chapter eight, verse fourteen, perhaps you have this marked in your Bible, I have it marked in mine, it’s a very foundational verse. What is a Christian? Romans chapter eight, verse fourteen, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Brethren, we must be led by the Spirit of God to be considered a son and daughters of God. We must be led by God’s Spirit. They are the sons of God, not simply a profession. A profession is good, a profession is a part of it, but it has to be much, much more than that.

Christianity requires us to walk as Christ walked. To surrender to God’s will, to ultimately be led by God’s Spirit, whether it is God’s Spirit in us, which is the ultimate goal as baptized members, or God’s Spirit working with us for our young people and people who are prospective members and who are coming along. In both cases, we must be led by God’s Spirit. To be led means we must follow and imitate and do the things which God’s Spirit would have us to do. So now that we’ve defined what true Christianity is, we must explore it. Now we can begin to explore what it means to actually be saved.

Now, before we do, what about that penny being dropped from the Empire State Building? Can that actually kill someone? Well, they did try it on the show, and it turns out that myth was busted. A person cannot be killed from a penny being dropped from the Empire State Building. As high as it is, they cannot be killed. The penny is just basically too light. It’s not heavy enough. It gains velocity, but it’s not heavy enough to actually do any damage to kill someone if it were to hit them if it was dropped from the Empire State Building. So maybe it’ll sting a little bit, or it might leave a welt on your skin, but it actually would not kill anybody.

All right. Myth number two, I’m already saved. I was saved five, ten, twenty years ago. I’m already saved. I’m good to go. Now this myth of already being saved, that it’s a finished thing, it’s a belief that salvation is something you receive in a single moment, “Okay, I’m saved. I’m done. I’m good to go.” The origin of this myth, this idea that salvation is in a single moment, a one-time transaction, it comes from many understanding of several verses, but the Bible actually uses saved, and it’s used in three tenses, and this is important to understand. This is a foundational part of this doctrine, brethren. The Bible uses the word saved in three tenses: past, present, and future. So there’s a past, present, and future element to this idea of being saved or salvation. Let’s break it down.

Romans chapter five. Salvation or being saved has different tenses or elements to it. Romans chapter five, verse ten. We’re going to immediately see that this belief that salvation is done in a single moment, it’s going to be challenged just using this one verse to begin. Romans chapter five, verse ten. Let’s read. Romans five, ten, it says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Well, wait a minute. I thought we were already saved. It says here, “We shall be saved by His life.” That is a future tense. It hasn’t happened yet. We have more to do.

First Corinthians chapter one. We’re challenging this myth that I’m already saved. It’s a one-time event. All done. First Corinthians chapter one, verse eighteen. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us, which are saved, it is the power of God.” Now it’s interesting. It says are saved. “Oh, all done, right?” But when you look into the meaning of saved, it’s actually being saved. The New King James Version actually gets the translation correct. It’s actually being saved. So it should be rendered at the end of the verse, but unto us, which are being saved, it is the power of God. We are in the process of being saved. That’s the present tense. So it should be abundantly clear, brethren, that Christianity is a process. It’s not an event. It’s not a one-time event.

Romans thirteen. Romans chapter thirteen. Christianity is a process, not a one-time event. Romans thirteen, verse eleven, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of our sleep.” Wake up. We’re being admonished and told to wake up, snap out of it, pay attention, watch. It’s high time to wake out of our sleep. Why? “For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” So when we first believed and first became a Christian, guess what? Our salvation, our goal, our end goal, is now closer to when we first started out on this journey of Christianity. Of course, with the passing of time, it’s closer than it was when we began the journey. So the point is, wake up, pay attention, focus. It’s high time to wake up because our salvation is nearer.

Brethren, verses like this remind us that we have work to do. Our salvation is nearer than when we first went down into those baptismal waters, or when we first read our first booklet, or when our minds were first opened up by God to understand his truths. Imagine you’re running, you’re training for a marathon. You registered, you got all signed up, you bought your shoes, you trained for the race. Race day came, you even showed up on time, and when the gun went off, you started running. Everything’s going well. But have you finished the race? Is the race over? Or are you just in the midst of heading toward that goal? Which, in this case, in the analogy, is salvation.

The salvation process, as I mentioned, brethren, has three phases. Turn to First Corinthians chapter six. This is precious understanding. This myth of I’m already saved, it’s a one-time event. We are busting that myth, and we’re doing so using the word of God. First Corinthians chapter six, verse eleven, “And such were some of you, but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God.” So, it says we are sanctified and justified.

Romans chapter eight. Turn to Romans chapter eight, verse twenty-nine, “For whom he did foreknow...” We’re breaking into the thought here. This is the salvation process. “For whom...” Verse twenty-nine, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the...” What? “...firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate him, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified.” We see that word again, justified. And then, “And whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Brethren, we just covered between those two verses, First Corinthians and Romans chapter eight, we covered the three phases of salvation. There’s justification, sanctification, and glorification.

I’m going to repeat that so you can write it down. The three phases of salvation are justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification deals with past sins. God forgives past sins, and we begin the process, the salvation process. We were justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. From there, so that deals with the past, when it comes to salvation. The present is sanctification. This is the ongoing process of growing, changing, and overcoming sin. That is sanctification. That is being set apart, separate from this world, from the slavery of sin. We are sanctified or separate from the world. We are set apart. That’s the present, when it comes to salvation. What about the future? Well, that’s glorification. Glorification is the future, when you’re changed, ultimately changed to spirit, at the return of Jesus Christ. This is the final phase of salvation.

Brethren, for us, we’re changed when the Father comes. This final phase of salvation. So you have justification, which deals with the past, sanctification, which deals with the present, and glorification, which deals with the future. Brethren, God’s plan is beautiful. God’s plan is beautiful. He would that none would perish, but that all would come to repentance. God wants everyone to be saved. In our present time, brethren, we’re going through this salvation process. We’ve been justified. Christ died for our sins. Our past sins have been forgiven. We are currently sanctified. We are separate and set apart from the world. Our goal is to be glorified. And the beauty of God’s plan is He does these phases, and it will be made available for everyone.

For us, prior to the return of the Father, prior to God coming back, we’re in the midst of this process. But think about the kingdom of Israel, when saints, those who weren’t ready, will have their opportunity to go through this process. Ultimately, in the Millennium, those who haven’t even been born yet are going to go through this same process, a process that we will be all too familiar with. Not only after, obviously, a message like this, but because we’ve gone through it as well. All three, justification, sanctification, and glorification, are a part of a true understanding of salvation and being saved. So salvation is not a one-time event. Once you begin the journey, you must stay on the path.

Now, before we go to the next myth, can talking to plants help them grow? Got some plant lovers out there, I’m sure. They decided to tackle this on the show. Can talking to plants help them grow? Well, brethren, this actually was confirmed. This was confirmed. Plants exposed to sound, it could be any kind of sound, in this case, I guess it’s talking to them, but they actually grew better than in silence. They didn’t fully figure out the science behind it, whether it was the sound waves or the vibrations, but plants exposed to sound do actually grow slightly better than those that do not. So if I walk in a room and I see you talking to a plant, I will no longer think you’re crazy. I’ll think that, “Hey, you know what, you’re just looking for a bountiful growth with that plant.” No talking to plants. Well, no, it’s fine. It’s fine.

All right, myth number three, Salvation is earned. You can earn salvation. Now, this myth, I kind of flipped it around. This is an accusation that frankly, many of us in God’s Church, we get accused of believing that. We believe that you can earn salvation. People say, “You know what, those poor Christians, those poor people in God’s Church...” Or whatever they call us, you know, Restored or whatever. “Those poor people think that you can earn salvation. What’s wrong with them?” Well, actually, you’re correct. We cannot earn salvation. The issue is not with us claiming to earn salvation. That’s not the point. But they associate obedience to God’s law with legalism.

We get accused of being legalists, legalism, and it’s meant to be derogatory. But what they’re saying is that if we keep God’s law, we strive to keep God’s law, we’re trying to work our way into salvation, that it’s based on our works. Obviously not true, but ironically, those who object, who reject obedience, they think, those are the same people that think you’ve earned salvation the moment you believed. So those same people who will say, “Oh, well, you’re being legalistic,” will also turn around and think, “Well, if you just profess salvation, you’ve earned your way to salvation.” It gets all twisted up.

It gets all confused; but turn to Ephesians two. We’ve never, never claimed to be earning salvation. That’s never been what we believe and what God’s Church teaches. To do so would be to deny many, many scriptures, including this one. Ephesians chapter two, verse eight, “For by grace are you saved through faith.” Nothing there about earning salvation through following the law. “It is by grace that you’re saved through faith and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.” Can you earn a gift? The moment you earned a gift, it ceases to be a gift. It’s now compensation. “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” “Wow, I keep God’s law so well that I’m earning salvation.” Verse ten, “For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.”

So you have this, the verses that I read, this idea that an understanding that we are saved through grace or by grace through faith, not of ourselves, we can’t earn our way there, but we nonetheless are God’s workmanship, and we’re created unto good works, so we still do have work to do. How can all that work together? Salvation is clearly called a gift, yet works are involved. Well, brethren, that gift must be accepted, cared for, and put to use. You can give me a gift, I can open it up, and it just sits there in the box. I never used it. I never put it to use.

Second Timothy chapter two, verse twenty-five. Second Timothy two, twenty-five, “In meekness, instructing those that impose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance...” That was the focus, “...give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth.” Brethren, repentance is what? To change. To cease to do one thing and to begin to do something else. That’s very personal. That’s something that we must do. But the verse is telling us that even that, even the desire and the knowledge and desire to change, that even comes from God. We can’t even take credit for that. Just recognizing, “You know what, I’ve done the wrong thing.” That has to even come from God.

Brethren, those of us who know that God wants obedience, we understand that it is not of ourselves that we not only have this knowledge, but the desire to do so. Salvation is not earned. It is a gift. But it doesn’t mean works are not important. James chapter two. The gift of salvation. The salvation itself is a gift, but we must put that gift to use. James chapter two, verse seventeen, we’ll spot through here, James two, seventeen. These verses trip up many theologians. “Even so faith...” Verse seventeen, “Even so faith, if it has not works is dead being alone.” If you, I, anyone says they have faith yet do not have works, that faith is dead. It is lifeless. Verse twenty, “But will you know O vain man...” O vain man; useless man, “...that faith without works...” once again “...is dead.”

Verse twenty-four, “You see then how that by works a man is justified.” We see that word again, “But not by faith only.” We never claimed, God’s Church never claimed, God never claimed in the scriptures that salvation is earned. That keeping the law is somehow earning salvation. Brethren, a scholarship is different than a diploma. A scholarship to college is different than receiving a diploma and graduating from college. Salvation is the scholarship. We’ve been given the opportunity to attend college. It’s been paid for.

All of the expenses have been taken care of, but we have work to do. We have to study. We have to go to class. We have to take the exams. We have to pass the exams. We have to go see the professor if we need help. If we continue to do that, guess what? Then we receive the diploma. Big difference. Obedience does not earn us salvation. Obedience is simply a demonstration of the faith that we were given by the grace of God. Is that clear? Obedience is a demonstration of the faith that we received by the grace of God. It’s how we respond to this gift. How important is this gift to all of us? Big difference.

Well, before we go to the next myth, we’ve been on a roll here with some of our myths from the beginning. Can a person’s tongue get stuck to a frozen pole? We’ll make this one quick. Yes. I’ve done it. It’s been a while. [laughs] I wouldn’t recommend it. It actually can happen. The moisture on the tongue quickly, freezes pretty quick if you stick it to a pole. Again, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s very painful. That’s probably making some of our youngsters, our really young kids, want to try it. “I want to try it.” Don’t try it. Your tongue can get stuck to a pole, to a frozen pole. Winter is coming. Again, don’t get any ideas.

Myth number four, once saved, always saved. How many have heard this one? Once saved, always saved. This myth is comforting. “Wow, once I’m saved, I’m good. No one can take this from me.” That’s a comforting myth, but brethren, it’s very dangerous. It’s very dangerous. As appealing as it is, it’s very dangerous. It’s appealing because it takes away this fear of failure, that somehow salvation can be taken from you. But it’s a misunderstanding of verses like John ten. Let’s go there. John chapter ten. It’s interesting in this. You can see the devil’s hand in it. Many will often use verses from the very same Bible that has the truth. They’ll use verses, but they’ll misunderstand or twist those verses, say, “Hey, see, it’s in the Bible.” “Yes, but that’s not what it means.”

John ten. I’ll give you an example. John, chapter ten, verse twenty-eight. This verse is often used to justify this “once saved, always saved.” John ten, twenty-eight, it says, “And I give them...” Christ speaking, “I give unto them eternal life that they should never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” So, no one can take them away from me. Verse twenty-nine, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” Brethren, what this is saying is a person can’t be plucked out of Jesus Christ or the Father’s hand.

I’ve heard it explained as you got one foot in Christ’s hand and one foot in the Father’s hand. No one can remove you from their hand. And those verses are true. They’re beautiful and wonderful to think about, but it does not, those verses do not cancel out hundreds of warnings in the scriptures about falling away, drifting away, or turning back, or being disqualified. Those two verses that I read, this inability to be plucked out of or pulled out of the Father and Christ’s hand, those verses do not negate all the verses that say that we can fail.

Matthew twenty-four. Brethren, we can fail. Sure, no man can pluck us out of God’s hand, but we can fail. Matthew twenty-four verse thirteen, “But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.” Or receive salvation. He that endures to the end, that put a qualifier on it. Endurance is required in order to make it. Revelation chapter three. We’re seeing here that it’s possible to, if it’s saying you must endure to the end, it’s telling you that it’s possible not to endure to the end. Revelation chapter three. Revelation chapter three verse five, “He that overcomes the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life.” That’s an interesting image.

You have this book with names and a promise not to blot your name out of that book. “But I will confess his name before my father and before his angels.” The names that are in that book will be confessed before God and the angels. How can your name be blotted out if it’s once saved, always saved? “Oh, I’m written in the book. My name is permanent.” Not so fast. Revelation says your name can be blotted out. My name can be blotted out. Once saved, always saved doesn’t fly.

What sense does it make to begin the journey towards salvation and be disqualified? Hebrews chapter six. It makes no sense to start on a journey and to quit, to be disqualified. Hebrews chapter six verse four, “For it is impossible...” Listen to this, brethren, this is a warning. “It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit.”

Now we just begin, it is impossible. Verse five, “And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come.” These people were shown the way, and they saw it. Their eyes were opened, but it’s impossible for all that. Verse six, “If they shall fall away...” Wait a minute, I thought it was once saved, always saved. “If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they...” Do what? “...crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame.”

Did you know, brethren, that it is possible to crucify Christ all over again? That shame that He was naked, He was beaten, He was tortured in front of his creation. Did you know it was possible to do that all over again? Well, yes, it is. If we accept this and reject it, the verses are clear. The verses are clear. The main point is that it’s possible. Those who are saying once saved, always saved don’t understand that that is certainly possible. It’s like jumping on... getting on board a ship, you know, going on a cruise.

You get on the ship, you’re a passenger, you have your room, you have your ticket, you have your meal plan, you even have your life jacket and everything that you need. You’re on the journey, everything is going well. Halfway through the journey, you jump off the ship and you swim away. Probably won’t make it very far. But brethren, you never get to the destination. What was the point in getting in the ship in the first place? To jump off halfway or partway through the journey and swim away, and never make it to the destination.

Brethren, God won’t force you to stay on this path. He doesn’t force me to stay on this path to salvation. It’s a choice. It’s a choice. God gave us the gift, but it’s a choice whether we want to accept it and put that gift to use. That’s the thing about how God does it. He doesn’t force us to accept salvation. Now, he may allow us to go through various experiences to incentivize us to stay on the journey, whether it’s positive or negative, but God does not force us to stay on the course. Even Paul knew he could be disqualified.

First Corinthians chapter nine. The apostle Paul knew that he could be... That, first of all, disqualification was possible, and that it could include him. First Corinthians chapter nine. Though he was an apostle, he was the teacher. He was at the front of the room speaking to the members. He held himself accountable. He recognized his own abilities and weaknesses as well. How much more, brethren, should we?

First Corinthians chapter nine, verse twenty-seven, “But I keep under my body...” This is Paul talking about himself. “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection.” It takes discipline, lest why? “Lest that by any means, when I have preached unto others...” I’ve spent my entire life. I gave up my life. I’ve done all the things that it took to get me to this point. In this case, as an apostle, he was preaching and teaching others. “When I have preached unto others, I myself should be a castaway.” Once saved, always saved. It’s a fiction. If Paul could be disqualified as an apostle, a man of that stature, brethren, how much more could it apply to us? It does apply to us. We also must put ourselves under subjection. We must also be disciplined in order to make it. Once saved, always saved is certainly a myth that is busted.

For the most important question on all of your minds, can a car explode if a bullet hits the gas tank? Maybe that’s just a guy thing, action movies, you see the bullet hits the car, and boom! It blows up. Is that possible? Well, they tried it on the show MythBusters, and that myth was busted. Simply firing into a gas tank, despite the Hollywood drama and the scene in the movie, a bullet won’t ignite a gas tank under normal conditions, so it’ll just pass right through or get stuck in the middle. Hopefully, brethren, that’s not something we have to worry about in our daily lives, but anyway, myth number five, back to business.

Myth number five, Jesus kept the law for me. Jesus kept the law for me. This one is similar to once saved, always saved. This one is one that’s confusing for many people. Is, Jesus kept the law for me; he’s our savior. This is very, very common in Christianity, professing Christianity, and it’s often used, once again, as an excuse not to obey God. People say, “You know what? I can’t keep the law; it’s impossible to keep the law. If you break one, you broke them all.” You’ve heard that verse, and it is based on scripture. I can’t keep the law, but that’s okay, Christ kept it for me. Jesus Christ kept the law for me, so I’m good to go. That sounds humble; it even sounds spiritual. “Jesus Christ kept the law for me. I have this close relationship with Christ,” but in truth, brethren, that’s one of the most deceptive elements of misunderstanding salvation that could ever be.

Turn to Matthew five, seventeen. This is a verse many use to justify this myth. Matthew five, seventeen. It says, “Think not...” Christ speaking, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I came not to destroy, but to fulfill.” Close the book. Christ kept the law for me; he fulfilled the law for me. The idea is that because Christ kept the law perfectly on our behalf, we don’t have to keep it. His righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, is credited to those who believe in him. That’s where they’re going with that belief. So I don’t have to change or obey, Christ did it for me; this is great, Christianity is awesome. Well, brethren, we got to keep reading. We got to keep reading, we don’t even have to go anywhere else, let’s just keep reading.

Verse eighteen, we started in seventeen, “For truly I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, not one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law...” Oh, oh, why is he bringing up the law? I thought he kept it for me. “...till all be fulfilled.” Verse nineteen, oh boy, “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments...” Why are we talking about breaking commandments? I thought Christ kept it for me. “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so...” Ministers of this world, “...he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Christ fulfilled the law, not by canceling it, he lived it perfectly. And he’s telling us that we must do the same. We must teach and obey even the least of these commandments.

First John chapter two. I love going back to the basics, brethren, understanding the doctrines and the things that got me excited about being a Christian, a true Christian, coming into God’s Church. These verses are in your Bible, my Bible. They’re right there. First John chapter two, verse three, “And hereby we know that we know him if we...” Do what? “...keep his commandments.” So we know the Father, we know Christ, if we do what? Keep his commandments.

Verse four, “He that says I know Him...” I know God, “...and keeps not his commandments is a liar. And the truth is not in him.” To even know God, we must keep his commandments. Christ kept the law for me. No, we have to keep the commandments to know God. There is no room for this idea that Christ can obey God for you. Obedience is personal. John fifteen. Obedience is personal. Obeying the law is something we must do on an individual level. And it’s personal.

John fifteen, ten, “If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love.” So, not only do you know God, you also abide in the love of God if you keep his commandments. Jesus Christ kept the law for me, impossible. “Even as I...” Christ goes on to say, “Even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” All the point of Him saying He fulfilled the law was to saying that He did it. He fulfilled the love of God by keeping His commandments. And He’s simply telling us to do the same. To fulfill the law of God, to know God by keeping His commandments. Brethren, that is something we must do on a personal level. It’s impossible for Christ to keep the law for us. When you think it through, it doesn’t even make sense.

Galatians chapter two, verse sixteen, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we that believe in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Many take that verse, and they misunderstand. They say, “See, what do you mean? We can’t be justified by the works of the law. It takes faith in Jesus Christ. That’s all it takes. And what’s the point of keeping the law? Because we can’t be justified by the works of the law.” And that’s true. Again, it’s in the Bible. It is true you can’t be justified by the works of the law.

But remember what we talked about. Justification is what? Dealing with past sins. Brethren, if I begin to obey God now, that doesn’t automatically deal with past sins. Past sins are dealt with by the justification by the faith in Jesus Christ, who died for those sins. That’s how we’re justified. Just because I obey moving forward, which certainly I must do, I still got to deal with my past. If I killed someone and it was never dealt with, but I stopped killing any other people, well, I still got to deal with my past. My past still has to be dealt with. That’s where faith in Jesus Christ comes in. That’s why it’s important to know the meaning of words.

Justification deals with the past. Our sins must be wiped clean. That comes through faith in Jesus Christ. That has nothing to do with the works of the law moving forward. And the works of the law, that term, works of the law, that deals with the... primarily with the ritualistic and ceremonial observances, not the Ten Commandments. The works of the law. Very important. But those pointed to a greater principle, the principles illustrated by the Ten Commandments.

Those works of the law, those rituals, those ceremonial observances were eliminated by Christ’s death. Dealing with those past sins, those justifying... being justified. But Brethren, we have to move forward in obedience. The Bible never taught that obedience to the Ten Commandments was not necessary. The Bible never taught that you could worship other gods now that Christ died, or you can serve and flop down in front of idols, or use His name in vain, or break the Sabbath, or disrespect your parents, or kill, commit adultery, steal, and lie, and covet because Christ died for me. That makes no sense.

I remember a minister in a worldly church tried to explain that to me. That once you’re accepted by God, Christ kept the law for you, young man. Christ kept the law for you. Once saved, always saved. I said, “Sir, I just don’t understand that.” And the conversation got ridiculous. I just said, “You know what? Okay. Well, what if I just reject, flat out reject God, and just say, “You know what? God, I want nothing else to do with You,” after committing to Him. What then? “Oh, well, you’re saved.” You can’t go back on His word.” I said, “I can just completely reject God, and want nothing else to do with Him, and He’s forced to save me?” “Yes, that’s what the Bible says.” Clearly, I had to leave that church.

You can’t substitute someone else’s effort for your own responsibility. Christ cannot keep the law for me. [chuckles] No, I have to keep the law. Men know that. I can’t pick the best behaved person in my circle and say, “Hey, you know what? Keep the law for me. Don’t speed. Pay your taxes. Don’t steal. Do that for me.” Then I’m going to go do whatever I want. When I get caught, wait a minute. He kept it for me. It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous. Maybe as ridiculous as this next question from MythBusters.

Can you be blown out of your shoes in an explosion? Can you be blown out of your shoes in an explosion? Well, this one was confirmed. A person can be blown out of their shoes in an explosion, sort of, sort of. Under certain circumstances, you can be blown out of your shoes, when you’re in an explosion, and it can happen. The force is enough to blow a person out of their shoes. All right, moving along.

Now that we understand that no one can keep the law for us, myth number six, as we continue along, that we are under grace and the law, therefore, doesn’t apply. So you have this idea when it comes to salvation that Christ can keep the law for you, but also this idea that, well, we’re under grace. Christians are under grace, so the law is no longer binding over us. Commandments, therefore, are optional. Now, when you say it that way, it’s like, oh, wait a minute. But the commandments, effectively, are optional because we’re under grace.

Brother, you should be seeing a theme here, and I mentioned it earlier. The devil keeps trying to get people not to obey God. “I don’t want these people obeying God. I don’t even want them to think it’s possible. I don’t even want them to think God wants anything to do with them obeying Him because...” this is the devil speaking, “...because I don’t obey Him. So I need other people to not obey Him.” And that’s where this twist on this understanding this myth, this salvation myth comes from. It’s not a coincidence.

But this idea of being under grace becomes a license to sin. Romans Six. This is a verse used to spread this confusion. Romans Chapter Six. Romans Chapter six, verse fourteen. Romans Chapter Six, verse fourteen. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, but you are not under the law, but under grace.” See? We’re not under the law, we’re under grace. And they take that verse, and they conclude that the law must have been abolished. But that’s not what Paul or the Bible taught. Let’s start at the beginning of this same chapter. It’s all about context.

The same chapter, Romans Six, verse one. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” Well, he came out with a haymaker. He’s teaching. God is using Paul to teach the Roman church, and subsequent Christians about grace, and the importance of grace. So he’s been going along, but he’s saying then, okay, now you got this understanding of grace. But am I saying that we should continue in sin so grace may increase? God forbid. No, that is not what I’m saying. How shall we that were dead to sin live any longer therein? We have to stop sinning. Very clear. God forbid. He answered the question, and it was with passion. God forbid.

He’s saying that we’re not under the penalty of the law, because why? We’ve been forgiven and empowered to obey. And that comes through grace. The penalty of the law is death. We are no longer under a death sentence. The wages of sin is death. You know the verse. We’re no longer under that death sentence. We’re no longer under the penalty of the law. Titus Chapter two, verse eleven. Titus Chapter two, verse eleven. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”

Brethren, we can’t simply say that we’re under grace, or allow people to say that we claim, okay, well, we’re under grace. That’s what the churches of this world misunderstand. We understand that we must live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Is that possible? So God is asking us to do something through Titus that’s impossible, through the book of Titus? Well, clearly it is possible to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, as challenging as that may be. We have to deny the things of this world, brethren, that will go opposite of living soberly, righteously, and godly.

Grace teaches us to live righteously, not lawlessly. Hebrews Ten. Hebrews Ten. Grace actually teaches us to live righteously, not lawlessly. Hebrews Ten, verse twenty-six. Hebrews Ten, verse twenty-six. Hebrews Ten, verse twenty-six. “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth…” so we know God’s truth. We understand it. We know what we’re doing. If we sin willfully after that, “…there remains no more sacrifice for sins.”

Brethren, God’s plan is in full swing. He sent His innocent son to die. Christ put on flesh. He was tortured. He died. That’s the plan. “There is no more sacrifice for sins.” That’s the ball game. That’s it. Verse twenty-seven. “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation…” I’m just reading the scriptures, “…judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.” So it’s tying this willful sin, this rejection of God’s knowledge, though you know it, this willful sin, what we have to look forward to is judgment and fiery indignation that’s going to devour others who have rejected God.

This directly contradicts this idea of being under grace. Imagine someone was pardoned for a crime. I remember hearing this at baptism, during baptismal counseling, a version of this. But imagine being pardoned from a crime. The judge wipes away the record, and you get a second chance. You know what? I’m going to give you a second chance. Circumstances were what they were. I’m going to give you another shot. I’m going to wipe your record clean.

Now, what should that person do? An extraordinary moment. This judge has wiped their record clean. It’s as if they didn’t do it. Extraordinary moment. What should this person do? Should they now be more grateful and say, “You know what? I had a brush with death. I almost got condemned, and punished for what I did, but I got a second chance. The judge gave me a second chance.” Now what am I going to do? Am I going to be gracious, or am I going to take that grace, and forgive people, and obey the law? I got out of that one. I’m going to do better, or am I going to return to crime, and say, “You know what? I’m under grace now. The judge forgave my past sins. I can go out and do whatever I want.”

The answer is obvious. That pardon under grace gave that person a new life, but it is not licensed to go, and sin more. Brethren, we have to take the grace that God has given us, and go out, and sin no more. Sin no more. Grace, and the law are not enemies. They don’t compete against each other. They work together. They work together. Grace does not cancel obedience. It enables it. It helps us to be more grateful for what is in front of us.

Before we get to the final myth, the final myth about salvation, let’s cover our final myth from our list. Can a sword cut through another sword or a bullet in midair? Busted. Busted. Even the best, highest quality swords will break if you hit them against another sword hard enough. And you certainly can’t cut a bullet with a sword without that sword being damaged. So that’s just in the movies. Similarly to others, I wouldn’t try it. Don’t try this at home. Real swords are not indestructible.

Myth number seven, the saved go to heaven. The saved go to heaven. Brethren, we know this one. This is probably the most widely believed of all, this idea of salvation, misunderstanding of salvation. But that the saved go to heaven, we have a booklet that speaks, I think it has a similar title, Do the Saved Go To Heaven? Asking it as a question. But every funeral service, no matter how the person lived, you’ll often hear things like they’re in a better place now, and they’re off with God.

Even if the person rejected God, didn’t live with God, or maybe they had a deathbed confession, and giving their life to God on their deathbed, that person is somehow now with God in heaven forever. And it’s a misunderstanding of verses like Second Corinthians five. Second Corinthians five, eight. We can turn there. Second Corinthians five, eight. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse eight. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.” So when we die, this idea that when we die, we are present with the Lord in heaven.

Now, it’s certainly true. Paul would rather be absent from the body, and present with the Lord. That’s true. But that’s going to come after He’s resurrected. That’s not where he is right now. That’s after He’s resurrected. Ecclesiastes chapter twelve, another verse that gets twisted. And you used to say, “Oh, well, the saved are in Heaven. Ecclesiastes chapter twelve, verse seven. Ecclesiastes chapter twelve, verse seven. “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was...” So when you die, you go back to the dust. “... And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” The spirit shall return unto God who gave it. The saved are in heaven. Pearly gates, puffy clouds. You know how it goes.

Well, the spirit in man does return to God. That’s true. But that spirit is like dormant. It’s dormant. It’s with God, but it’s dormant until when? Once again, the resurrection. This idea of an immortal soul flying off to heaven when a person dies is not true. John three. John three. John chapter three verse thirteen. John three, thirteen. “And no man, no man has ascended up to heaven. But he that come down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven.” This verse was written, was spoken after faithful men, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Daniel, they all died. So those faithful men, according to the scriptures, all lived and died, yet the verse says no man has ascended unto heaven. How can that be? How can that be? Yes, Jesus came down from heaven, but no man has ascended up to heaven. How can that be?

Job fourteen, Job chapter fourteen is read at funerals in God’s church. This is a real eye opener if you understand it. Job fourteen. Job chapter fourteen. Many who attend a funeral in God’s church may, they’re not members, they may be hearing this verse, they may hear this verse for the first time. And there’s a lot here if you understand it. Job Verse fourteen, verse fourteen. Job fourteen, fourteen, “If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time shall I wait till my change come. There’s a lot in that. There’s a lot there. Notice it says, if a man die, shall he live again? I thought he went to heaven. No, shall he live again? that means he’s not living. He has to live again.

At an appointed time, there is a point in time where that man will live again. He’s not in heaven right now. Despite salvation and being saved. I would certainly say Job qualified for salvation. But he’s talking about living again. At an appointed time. Change come... a change must come. That doesn’t happen the moment a person dies. Job knew he would be resurrected. He knew that his “immortal” soul wasn’t going to fly off and be with God in heaven forever.

First Thessalonians chapter four. First Thessalonians chapter four. Brethren, I’m sure you’re taking good notes here. These are good verses to review as we go back to the basics on very important teachings, and doctrines of God. First Corinthians chapter four. I’m sorry. First Thessalonians chapter four, verse sixteen. First Thessalonians four, sixteen. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven.” So God coming down from heaven with a shout in the voice of the archangel and the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. So those who died in Christ are dead. They must rise. The faithful are dead. They must rise. They’re not in heaven with God right now.

Think of death like sleep. We’ve heard of this being asleep in Christ. If you’ve taken a nap, if you’ve gone to sleep, I’m sure you have, you’ve experienced, you’ve gotten a taste of what it’s like. When you’re asleep, you’re not really conscious of what’s going on. Then you wake up, and guess what? You wake up, and things continue just as they were when you went to bed. That’s what it’s like to be asleep in Christ.

When saints are given a new body, and they come back, they will wake up, and it’ll be as if they were just simply asleep. That’s the truth of the Bible. That’s the truth of the Bible. Heaven at death is not the plan that God has in mind. But Matthew chapter five. Matthew chapter five, verse five. Matthew chapter five, verse five. What does God have in mind? Early on in Christ’s ministry, He’s still establishing himself as the Son of God, God’s representative. Himself being God, of course. Matthew chapter five, verse five. In the Beatitudes. Matthew five, five. “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” The goal is to inherit the earth. Revelation chapter five, verse ten. Revelation five, verse ten.

“And has made unto us…” excuse me, “…and has made us unto our God kings and priests.” So this is our future, new bodies in the God family. Kings and priests and we shall, as kings and priests, as members of the God family, what shall we do? “…and we shall reign on the earth.” Now, it’s interesting when we think about heaven and the proximity of heaven, and where heaven is and now it’s so much closer than we understood it to be before. It is interesting. Obviously, we’ll have access to heaven with our new bodies and members of the God family. But all of that is encapsulated in and around the earth. Doesn’t that speak to you so much differently now when it says we shall inherit the earth? It works with this understanding that heaven is not some distant far-off place where God resides.

So the saved at death don’t float off to heaven. They are dead until they are resurrected and given an opportunity like we have, brethren, to reign on the earth with the Father and Christ in his kingdom. So, Brethren, we’ve busted seven major myths when it comes to salvation. We’ve seen that it’s not a one-time event. Salvation is not something that can be earned. It’s not automatic. We don’t end it by just floating off to heaven. That’s not what salvation is all about. And here’s the encouraging part. All of that is encouraging. But those who have been in God’s church, brethren, we understand this. Those who have come into God’s church are beginning and continuing to understand this.

The extraordinary part about all of this is not the fact of understanding true salvation, or what salvation is. It’s the fact that we know it, the fact that we can understand it, us poor people who know nothing, who just, the weak of the world, people who get dismissed, people who get overlooked, people who have no idea. You go off to this Feast or you keep this Sabbath and you wear suits and you don’t wear makeup and you do all these things. You don’t keep Christmas. You keep these strange days. Brethren, we know this. These are things that we know. We cannot take it for granted. When is the last time... When is the last time that you’ve stopped and thanked God for this understanding of what it means to have salvation? When is the last time you’ve done that?

Well, if it’s been a while, take time. Stop, pause, thank God for the understanding of salvation, and of His plan. Take time to thank God for it. It is an amazing, extraordinary understanding, everything that we went through today. Could have gone through much more. Turn back to Philippians Chapter Two, as we begin to conclude. Philippians Chapter Two. Thank God for this understanding about salvation. Philippians Chapter Two.

I want to leave you with something encouraging. Philippians Chapter Two, verse twelve, or we read this earlier. “Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now also much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. So you have this idea, oh, fear, trembling, oh, salvation, everything’s on the line. It’s pressure. It’s a lot of pressure. If I don’t make this, oh, I got to make it work. Fear and trembling, right? You have this idea of that. Well, let’s keep reading. Verse thirteen, “For it is God which works in you both to will, and to do of his good pleasure.

Yes, we must work out our own salvation with fear, and trembling. But it’s saying here that Almighty God, He works in us and gives us the will to do that, the power to do that, and it’s His pleasure to do it. He wants to do it. Yes, we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but it is God’s will. God gives us the will, and the power to do that, and it brings Him pleasure. God is pleased. He’s happy to help us work out our own salvation.

He’s happy to help us obey Him, first of all, understanding what salvation really is, and to take that gift, that gift He’s given us because of His grace in dealing with our past sins, helping us to be sanctified in our current state, and eventually glorifying us. It brings Him pleasure to do that. Think about the MythBusters, that show that we started with. Every episode ended with clarity. They were clear either that myth was busted or it was confirmed. We’ll go to one final scripture.

Similarly, we will end the same way with clarity. Second Peter Chapter One. Second Peter Chapter One. Second Peter chapter one, verse ten. Second Peter chapter one, verse ten. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered into you abundantly, and to the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Brethren, we must be clear. We can be clear. Make your calling, and election sure. You’ve seen what salvation is, and what it is not. Don’t just admire the truth. Act on it. Live it. Finish the race.