"For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. . ." Numbers 23:9

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THE MOUNTAIN MESSENGER

August 2005
Volume 2..........................Number 8
Crum, West Virginia

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WILL GOD CHANGE HIS MIND CONCERNING MAN'S SALVATION?

By James E. Farley

More and more we are hearing some members of the churches of Christ say that "it is possible" that "God could and might save some who have not been baptized."

At a lectureship I attended, there was the typical question and answer session. One rose from the assembly and asked, "What if a person really came to believe in Jesus, and what if this person did indeed turn from their former life in true repentance, and what if they were on their way to the water to be baptized, and died in a car wreck, would God save that person?"

The one who rose from the podium to answer the question is a teacher at one of the universities associated with the churches of Christ. He came to the microphone and said, "I'll tell you what, I'm just glad that I'm not the judge in such cases. God will judge that one, and to tell you the truth, I just don't know whether that person will be saved or not."

I was amazed! However, we are hearing such seemingly humble platitudes more and more these days. The fact is, I'm glad I'm not the judge in that matter too. The fact is, God will indeed judge that person. But to humbly tell you the whole truth (John 8:31-32), GOD HAS ALREADY JUDGED IN THIS MATTER, AND IT IS REVEALED FOR US IN THE WORD OF GOD!

How is it that we come to know about God? Well, we can know there is a Creator because there is a creation. Design demands a Designer. (Compare Psalm 19:1; Psalm 14:1; Romans 1:19-ff).

But, how is it that we come to know God's Will? How do we come to know God's mind? He has revealed Himself to us through the verbally inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We can read it and we can understand it (Eph. 3:3-5; 5:17)! The Word serves as a lamp and a light as we walk through this dark world of sin and confusion (Psalm 119:104-105). The apostle Paul clearly expresses the fact that we come to know the mind of God through the Word given to us through the inspired apostles and prophets (1 Cor. 2:9-16).

Our heavenly Father is the giver of all good and perfect gifts (James 1:17), and He has given to us the "perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25). He has given to us "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). How many things is "all things?" What does it mean to be "thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:17)?

We have God's mind in human language via the New Testament of Jesus Christ! We must look into it, continue therein, abide in the doctrine of Christ, walk in the light, etc. (James 1:21-25; John 8:31-32; 2 John 9-11; 1 John 1:7). We must never think of men above that which is written (1 Cor. 4:6). The Word has been once and for all time delivered unto mankind, and mankind will be judged in the last day according to what is written in the Word (Jude 3; John 12:48; Rev. 20:11-13). That judgment will be a righteous judgment (Acts 17:30-31) because it will be a judgment based upon revealed righteousness (Rom. 1:16-17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Titus 2:11-12).

Having now established these facts, let us consider what God's revealed righteousness teaches concerning what an alien sinner must do to be saved.

God says that a person must certainly hear the Gospel in order to believe it. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:13-17; Acts 4:4; 18:8). This necessitates, of course, that the Gospel be preached to all mankind (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:44-48). Men preached to - men taught (cf. John 6:44-45) - must come to believe the Truth - the Gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16-17; John 8:24). Men who believe must repent of past sins (Luke 13:3; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 17:30-31). Men who have heard, believed, and repented are to confess Jesus as God's Son and be immersed in water (baptized) for the remission of sins (Acts 8:37-ff; Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10; Mark 16:15-16;

Acts 2:37-38; 22:16). Those who have meekly received and humbly submitted to God's Will (God's mind) are to arise from being baptized and walk (live) in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; 3:1ff; 1 John 1:7).

The great God of heaven (the great giver of all good and perfect gifts) has given these things that pertain to life and godliness. We can know His Truth from the verbally inspired Word; the same Word that will judge all mankind at the last day (John 8:31-32; 12:48). God has already judged the matter of man's salvation from sin, and He revealed it in His Word for us to read and understand. The only way a man can know that he knows God is when he keeps His commandments (1 John 5:2-3). One cannot say, "Lord, I was really going to obey you. I had planned to obey you. In fact, Lord, I was on my way to obey you, but...." Matthew 7:21-23 is still in the Bible.

How is it that some among us attempt to usurp God's authority on the matter, and suggest that "He might save some who have not been baptized for the remission of sins?" There is no authority given for us to even suggest such a thing! All will agree the overall cause of all religious division and problems is a lack of adherence to the verbally inspired Word. We are to be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10) on such matters, but the mind and judgment that we are to have is God's mind and God's judgment! When men begin to give their personal feelings and thoughts on such important matters, division ensues - division from God and division from one another (cf. Prov. 14:12).

To make this point clear, I have often used the tried and true illustration of an engaged girl. Let us say that a young girl finds a wonderful young man to marry. He asks for her hand in marriage and she agrees. Is she his wife at the moment she agrees to marry him? No! Let us say this man is a multi-millionaire, and the young girl dreams of the wonderful life that lies ahead for her. Just because she has such dreams, does this make her his wife? No! The planned wedding day comes, and the bride is at the church building with all her entourage awaiting the beautiful ceremony. Does it make her his wife simply because she is preparing for the ceremony and is dressed in a beautiful gown? No! The doors to the auditorium open and there, holding on to her father's arm, is the beautiful, blushing bride. The groom, and his groomsmen are all up front awaiting the bride's walk to the front. As she gets halfway down the aisle, the groom grabs his chest and slumps to the floor, dead of a massive heart attack! What a terrible picture, but it is one that can conceivably happen, right? The question is, will this young lady inherit any of this dead rich man's fortune? Will she benefit from being his fiancé? The answer is a resounding no! She is not his wife. Oh, she was to be his wife. She wanted to be his wife. She dreamed and prepared to be his wife, but he died before she became his wife!

Just so, one who believes that Jesus is the Christ, but who has not completed his humble and submissive obedience to God's Will, is not a part of the bride of Christ; not a part of the church for which Jesus died. The church of Christ is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). Jesus is the Savior of the body (Eph. 5:23). We are to believe, repent, confess Jesus, and be baptized INTO Christ - into the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-27). The church of Christ saves nobody. The church of Christ is the saved. If one is not in Christ, in his body, he is not a part of the saved.

You and I are not passing judgment upon a person who has not been baptized into Christ. Oh, we can make a judgment concerning whether or not he has been baptized, and therefore whether or not he is a saved person. In fact, we are commanded to make "righteous judgment" (John 7:24; cf. 1 John 4:1; Matt. 7:1-20). That which we are to use to make such judgment is God's revealed righteousness, the doctrine of Christ (Rom. 1:16-17; 2 John 9). However, we are not passing judgment upon this one, for the great God of heaven has already done that! Furthermore, He has revealed this judgment to us in His verbally inspired Word.

One verse from the Bible sums up all that we have studied here. It is Psalm 119:89, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."