I've Tried To Be Good

 

It's a question I remain hesitant to ask: "Are you saved?" I know people who don't mind asking at all. One lady at our church told of waiting quite a while before asking her own grandmother, and was pleasantly surprised that the answer not only was "Yes, I am," but started a conversation which gave depth to that answer and solace to her granddaughter.

Often the answer is "I've tried to live a good life," which doesn't address the question. There are millions of people who work at living a "good" life as opposed to a "bad" life, but the real question comes down to a question of salvation. I've focused on what the Bible says in previous blogs, but there are many different churches that have added specific actions that are required for salvation that are not biblically factual.

The first one that comes to my mind is baptism. 

Our church does require baptism for membership, but does not include it as part of salvation requirements. For us, it shows the commitment on the part of the person asking for membership. They are willing to follow Jesus example. Before beginning His ministry, He was baptized by John the Baptist. The importance of that action shows in the fact it is contained in all four gospels: Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:32-34.

Not every incident is in all four gospels. Often something is is two, perhaps three, but I would suggest that very important information is carried in all four gospels. Do not infer that a singlet is unimportant - the fact it is in the Bible at all carries meaning that it was intended to be there. One reason for reading a variety of translations is to see what was omitted - or added. Since few readers of Old Testament Hebrew or New Testament Greek are around to check what we know to be facts, we must depend on translation. When the job is well done - such as the centuries of hand copying of Isaiah down to the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can be certain that we do have the most accurate accounting of scripture today.

So, since baptism is important as an example of following Jesus' example, it is expected as the first step of joining a number of different denominations. That does not mean it is a part of salvation, but our church has made it a requirement for membership. Why? Because it shows the new member believes, as we do, that baptism is an important step. Plus, that same new member shows understanding that it is not essential to salvation. If they believe it is, they really should find a church that accepts that belief.

Membership listing in our church rolls does not mean salvation, and we believe that holds true for any church roll. It is not necessary to be a member of a church to be saved. However, once accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, a new Christian should find a congregation where members actively respond to Jesus' teachings and are eager to help a new believer learn more - about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and how to keep the important commandments of Matthew 22:35-40. Before consideration of any other part of learning, these verses contain the importance of all the Jewish Law and the prophets.

How can we know if we are good enough to be saved? We aren't. We are saved because we aren't good enough to match what God requires. If we were, Jesus did not have to die on the cross. But that was decided, by God before creation:

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:17-23)

I could have just used the bolded part - but the context tells us that we can never be "good enough" on our own to pass through God's righteous judgment. He knew that and set a plan in motion that includes eternity past, our present, and eternal future.  John 3:16-18 is the most complete telling of what it takes - although the first part of John 3 and multiple other verses confirm (and none deny) what it takes to know ourselves that we are saved from eternal separation from God:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)

John wrote five of the books in the New Testament. He never changed his concept:

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:10-13)

Don 't "try to be good" enough to pass through this world without knowing Jesus Christ and His Father. Once you've heard the stories, talked with people who have made the commitment, read what His followers left for us to know - rejection is just as plainly described as salvation. It is a choice. We all make it one way or another. I'm hoping to spend eternity speaking with people I know now. Some have not chosen wisely.

Oh, yes - we believe when you do trust Jesus, that's salvation. Then you depend on Him to walk with you through the coming trials and tribulation that naturally come to life. He will do that for people who believe He is able to keep us:

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

If you don't, be cautious about saying you do. You may need more information to grow your faith:

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)

We aren't perfect. We goof up, we sin. That does not remove our salvation provided by God. We repent, we apologize, we ask forgiveness - of those we've injured, and from the Savior who never leaves us alone.