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EASY BELIEVISM
biblelineministries.org ^ | Hank Lindstrom

Posted on 05/04/2003 12:10:50 PM PDT by P-Marlowe

EASY BELIEVISM

By Hank Lindstrom


     What is "Easy Believism"?  Usually the phrase "easy-believism" is a slam against those who teach that salvation is not by human works, but by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  It is clear from the Scriptures that salvation is received by faith only in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  "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)."

     "Easy Believism" is a way of saying that salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone is just too easy.  "It is too simple," they say.  Those who use the phrase "easy believism" are saying that there must be more to salvation than just faith in Jesus Christ.

     The Bible tells us that Satan uses the fact that the Gospel message is so simple to deceive people.  II Corinthians 11:3 says, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."  One of the most common objections to the true gospel message is that "it is too simple".

     Satan changes the true gospel into a counterfeit message by addition and subtraction.  In other words, Satan adds human works or effort to the plan of salvation in order to make the message of none effect (I Corinthians 1:17).  Satan used phrases like "easy believism" and "it is too simple" to ridicule the true message of faith only (Romans 3:28).

     To not believe the record as God gave it makes it null and void. "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 (I John 5:10)."  To add one human work to the plan of salvation would place a person before God without grace.  Romans 11:6 says, "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."

     When we talk about believing, we are not talking about mental assent to a historical fact.  We are talking about a personal trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who gave His life on the cross of Calvary, was buried and then rose again from the dead.  The word "believe" comes from the Greek word "pisteuo", which means to trust, to rely upon, to place one's weight upon, etc.  When a person puts his trust in Jesus Christ alone as his Saviour, he is saved.

     Christ died-that is history.  Christ died for me-that is salvation.  The fact that Jesus Christ died is a historical fact.  Accepting that truth about Jesus Christ's death as a historical fact does not save.  But the personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as a risen Saviour, who died for me does save.

     This conflict over grace vs. works has been going on ever since Cain and Abel.  Even the apostle Paul was slandered when he preached the gospel of the grace of God.  Romans 3:8 says, "And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just."  Some people were affirming that the apostle Paul taught that salvation by faith only was a license to sin.  "Let us do evil, that good may come (Romans 3:8)."

     We have now seen the two major objections to the true gospel.  1) "It is too simple", and 2) "easy believism" means that I could live as I please and still go to heaven.

     Amazingly, when a person is saved, he is saved forever and cannot be lost.  Jesus Christ gave His word in John 6:37 and 39, that "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."  If one person were ever lost that was ever saved, then Jesus Christ would be a liar (John 6:39).

     Therefore, it is true that no matter what a person does after he is saved that person is still saved.  What the person can lose by living as he pleases is not his salvation, but rewards, joy, fellowship, power, testimony, etc.  The things related to the Christian life and eternal rewards can be lost but not one's salvation.  This can also include the Lord taking a Christian home to heaven early.  Many of the Corinthian believers were taken home to heaven early according to I Corinthians 11:30 which says, "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."  Also, I Corinthians 10:8 tells of 23,000 that the Lord took home to heaven in one day.  It is clear that there are numerous illustrations throughout the Bible that God sometimes will take a Christian home before his time.  God will not cast the delinquent Christian out, but God might take him home to heaven early.

     Concerning the saved, God says in I Corinthians 11:32, "When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."  God deals with His children as a loving father would correct his erring child.  God is interested in our welfare and wishes for us to live a life that He can bless and reward.  (See Hebrews 12:6-11).

     So the Christian does not have a license to sin when he accepts Jesus Christ as his Saviour, even though the person is saved eternally and cannot be lost.  Again, salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Romans 4:5 says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

     To add works to the plan of salvation would be heresy and would mean no salvation at all. Ephesians 2:8,9 says "For 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."  I would hate to stand before God having no grace (mercy).  To anyone who adds works to God's grace, they will have no grace (mercy) according to Ephesians 2:8,9.

     In conclusion, those who say "easy-believism" are rejecting the true gospel of grace (Ephesians 2:8,9), by saying "it is too simple" and "it is a license to sin".  Remember the true gospel is simple (II Corinthians 11:3), and God corrects (chastens) those that are truly saved (Hebrew 12:6).

     We pray that you can say as the Apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Roman 1:16)."


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Theology
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To: anncoulteriscool
I hope your being facetious. Do you constantly anguish over your past sins? Is the anguish over your past life the thing that keeps you saved? Or is it the recognition of your sinful nature that brought you to the point of repentance? A recognition that you've fallen short and the you need to change directions?

Is there anything that you can do to atone for your sins on a spiritual level? Or did Jesus atone for your sins? If you could atone for your sins by feeling guilty and ashamed, then Jesus didn't need to die, all you had to do was feel guilty.

Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light, but all throughout Christendom there is the tendency to place heavy burdens greivous to be borne on those who would follow Jesus. They create a religion where Jesus sacrifice is step one on the ladder and the sinner is then obliged to climb the ladder through self righteousness.

Jesus said it is finished. He did not say, well I guess this is a good start. Yes you must repent and believe. But must a man dwell on his past? Must he focus on his own shrotcomings? Or must he like a lamb, focus on the shepherd?

Belief is just too easy a way for some people. They think they must do something to help Jesus to save them. But what saves them has already been done. Its just too hard to believe.

41 posted on 05/04/2003 8:09:16 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: jwh_Denver
I was rescued from a works based cult. The fact that Jesus actually did all the work was anathema to them. The work that Jesus did for them was only step one. It was a small step. After that it was "obedience to the laws and ordinaces of the gospel" that was necessary to acheive your salvation. But the gospel is supposed to be good news. The Good news is that "It is Finished." The good news is that whosoever believes on Jesus shall not perish but have everlasting life.

The bad news is that if you believe it is not enough. The bad news is that unless you fit someone else's definition of a striver for righteousness that your salvation is in question. Hey nobody has to strive for righteousness because nobody can achieve it. We are righteous not because we keep the 10 commandments to the letter, we are righteous because we are covered by the blood of Jesus.

It's a hard thing to realize that there is nothing you can do to assist Jesus in your salvation. But it seems very few are willing to actually concede that fact.

42 posted on 05/04/2003 8:17:31 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: 1 spark; P-Marlowe; ET(end tyranny)
And Strong's Lexicon defines it: "illegality (i.e. violation of the law)"
Basically, Jesus predicted, that because of false prophets, illegality or violation of the law and a condition of without law will abound.
Looks like he was right on target.

Great post. Satan has inspired many to think that continuing in sin is righteousness. Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Paul makes the case that because we are no longer under the written laws of physical Israel does not mean we are free to violate God's law...to sin. He believed what the old testament, his only scripture, told him about the new convenent:

Jer 31:33 but this shall be the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those days, says Jehovah, I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

God's laws, his torah, are written in the hearts and minds of believers. As we grow in faith and understanding the natural result is that we keep the law.

43 posted on 05/04/2003 8:28:06 PM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: dsc
Faith. Faith is the condition, not the intellectual act of "belief."

Both the words "faith" and "belief" or "believing" are translated from one Greek word "pistis" or a form of it. I have yet to see in any version a definitive answer on why they translate it into "faith" or "believing".

Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."

Believing is a monumental part of a Christian's life because what he believes will affect his entire behavior.

What would the right question be?
44 posted on 05/04/2003 8:31:35 PM PDT by jwh_Denver
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To: 1 spark
And if you are guilty in one point of the law... What happens? Do you lose just a little bit of your salvation?

Are you free from sin today? If so, then why? Is it because you don't give into temptation or is it because you are free from the stain of sin and the power of sin because of what Jesus did for you?

When is the last time you sinned? And if you sin tomorrow, what happens to your salvation?

45 posted on 05/04/2003 8:57:02 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: DouglasKC
Satan has inspired many to think that continuing in sin is righteousness.

Show me one mainstream or mainline preacher who preaches such a thing or show me one website that isn't a Jim Jones cult where such a thing is taught.

If you can't then maybe you should repent of your false accusation.

Many do not teach that. This is a strawman argument you are making. Now show me that your strawman is more than just fluff.

46 posted on 05/04/2003 9:03:24 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: P-Marlowe
"But the gospel is supposed to be good news. The Good news is that "It is Finished." The good news is that whosoever believes on Jesus shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Your post brings such joy to my heart and I believe your post is of the holy spirit. Just this week it was revealed to me what the Good News of the Gospel really is. With that understanding I realized why whenever somebody mentioned or I saw in the Scriptures the words "Good News" I cringed. What Good News? Laws, rules, regs, bondage? Even though I have witnessed to hundreds and hundreds of people I didn't believe my own rap. Why should I heap more weight on somebody else? But now I feel the message should be shouted from the rooftops that the Good News is REALLY GREAT NEWS. Believing what God did through Jesus Christ as you call the "Finished Work". God gave us the outright audacity to call Him our Father. We are righteous because of the work of Jesus Christ. We walk by faith (believing). We can bask in God's unmerited favor (grace) towards us without the bondage of laws because Jesus fulfilled all the OT law including our own "laws". Even though we sin we have the RIGHT at any time to go to God without any sense of sin, guilt, or condemnation and talk with God Almighty our Father and for God to build a loving relationship for us with Him. And this is only the beginning!

I also was in a cult but God taught me many things from that experience, therefore I have no regrets.
47 posted on 05/04/2003 10:04:49 PM PDT by jwh_Denver
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To: P-Marlowe
There is a more traditional view of "easy believism" - "accept Christ into your life" - but not include the repentance. Jesus becomes another path to feeling better about yourself...the means of overcoming all those bad feelings you are carrying around with you.

I saw this at a Youth Group musical Thursday night. Two troubled kids were told to just ask Jesus into their lives, and everything would be better. He becomes the panacea for a troubled-filled life.

Repentance is a necessary component of salvation - an indispensible one, in fact.

48 posted on 05/04/2003 10:07:36 PM PDT by LiteKeeper
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To: drstevej; ET(end tyranny)
You confuse events related to His second coming with HIs first coming.

Can you point to any passage in the Hebrew scriptures which prophecies a second coming of the messiah?

49 posted on 05/04/2003 10:23:53 PM PDT by malakhi (Sola Torah, baby!)
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To: LiteKeeper
I would agree that repentance is an essential element, but it is not a necessary element to what christ did, it is a necessary element to our belief. Christ called us to repent. So if we are to be saved we must repent as we cannot believe unless we repent. But what is repentance? It is a turning away from our old lives and turning our focus on Jesus. To make him our Lord.

What bothers me about many people is that they assume that everyone who isn't as sinless as them is not walking with the Lord or is not saved. That in order to be saved a person must be as hard a worker and as sinless a person as they are.

Hey if works and sinless living are essential to maintaining your salvation then we might as well have the law back. Nobody was righteous under the law before Jesus and certainly nobody is righteous under the law after Jesus. Only Jesus met that standard.

Repent yes. Do good works in order that you can assist Jesus in saving yourself... Blasphemy. You do good works because you love Jesus and the Holy Spirit leads you in that direction. You don't do them because you have to in order to be saved.

50 posted on 05/04/2003 10:27:06 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: P-Marlowe
We are righteous not because we keep the 10 commandments to the letter, we are righteous because we are covered by the blood of Jesus.

Wrong. God doesn't want 'human' sacrifices. That's why God, in Genesis 22, replaces Isaac with a Ram! What more 'visual' do you need? God wanted to see if Abraham would 'obey'. When God knew that Abraham meant to follow through and sacrifice his only son, God called out to Abraham, and stoped him. Then God brought forth a Ram, to be sacrificed.

Hosea 6
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Leviticus 16
10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

The goat was sent into the wilderness. It was NOT killed. Atonement is about life, NOT death.

Notice that Aaron CONFESSED over the goat, the sins of Israel.

51 posted on 05/05/2003 4:17:57 AM PDT by ET(end tyranny) (Deut. 32:37 -- And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,)
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To: Codie
Consider the object which may have been referenced when Christ used the term Petra to describe upon what the Church would be built upon.

Perhaps it was in response to Christ's query to his disciples, 'Who am I?', which in order to be answered truthfully demanded the answerer to exhibit simple faith.

That simple faith might very well be the ROCK upon which the Church is built, rather than the one disciple who rendered the faithful answer.
52 posted on 05/05/2003 4:45:04 AM PDT by Cvengr (0;^))
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To: malakhi
Reread Daniel. Consider the the break in the 70 sevens, then consider the last week. A decision point arrived, if you will, where in Israel was afforded their opportunity to accept their Messaiah, but by rejecting Him ushered in a time of the Gentiles.

In this fashion, both options were available but the course chosen by the Israelites was implemented via God's Grace to usher in Gentiles into the Kingdom of God through faith.
53 posted on 05/05/2003 4:51:09 AM PDT by Cvengr (0;^))
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To: malakhi
***Can you point to any passage in the Hebrew scriptures which prophecies a second coming of the messiah?***

No, I can not. Nor can you point to any limiting fulfilment to only one coming. And Jesus said He would return. His followers clearly understood Him in this.

Prophetic fulfilment is clearer seen by us in hindsight than foresight.
54 posted on 05/05/2003 4:56:16 AM PDT by drstevej
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To: P-Marlowe
There are requirements that must be fulfilled. Only the biblically careless call them works. One must believe. One must repent. One must be baptized. One must live a life of obedience.

People who ignore the above also ignore James. Many Christians for some reason do not like James. Notice that James clearly adds to the discussion of Abraham's faith being counted as righteousness. He doesn't do that accidentally. He is intentionally providing further perspective to Paul's words; probably so Paul isn't misinterpreted. I believe Acts 15 demonstrates that James and Paul were on good terms.

James 2 - 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[4] ? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[5] and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

55 posted on 05/05/2003 5:06:51 AM PDT by RockBassCreek
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To: 1 spark
Good post. Jesus also said:

Matthew 7:
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

It is the DOING that gives one, a firm foundation.

56 posted on 05/05/2003 5:11:49 AM PDT by ET(end tyranny) (Deut. 32:37 -- And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,)
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To: drstevej
No, I can not. Nor can you point to any limiting fulfilment to only one coming.

That is an argument from silence. The scriptures don't say a lot of things. Can I assume from their silence that all these things not mentioned must therefore be true?

And Jesus said He would return. His followers clearly understood Him in this.

He also said, and his followers understood, that "this generation will not pass away till all has taken place".

Prophetic fulfilment is clearer seen by us in hindsight than foresight.

Without doubt.

57 posted on 05/05/2003 6:26:08 AM PDT by malakhi (Sola Torah, baby!)
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To: P-Marlowe
The bad news is that if you believe it is not enough. The bad news is that unless you fit someone else's definition of a striver for righteousness that your salvation is in question. Hey nobody has to strive for righteousness because nobody can achieve it. We are righteous not because we keep the 10 commandments to the letter, we are righteous because we are covered by the blood of Jesus.

Great observation. My preacher talks about the "two thieves" of the cross: works and the feeling that my sins are so bad cannot be forgiven.

Folks get so wrapped around one of these that we don't look at the Cross. The bottom line is we need to preach the Gospel to ourselves everyday to overcome the thieves.

The works thing is insidious; we constantly add little rules to our lives and we aren't even aware that we are doing so!

58 posted on 05/05/2003 6:58:35 AM PDT by Gamecock (5 SOLAS)
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To: Codie
Doesn't matter. The anonymous super-pope who wrote this from his hosted-for-$15-a-month website knows he is qualified to pontificate on human salvation, and that is that. The Church Fathers were just slavish sheep following some wannabe-emperor in Rome.

/sarcasm
59 posted on 05/05/2003 9:56:55 AM PDT by Conservative til I die (They say anti-Catholicism is the thinking man's anti-Semitism; that's an insult to thinking men)
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To: P-Marlowe
If you believe only in faith then you do not believe the Gospel. The New Testament both dtrectly and implicitly states that is faith *and* works that we are saved.
60 posted on 05/05/2003 9:58:23 AM PDT by Conservative til I die (They say anti-Catholicism is the thinking man's anti-Semitism; that's an insult to thinking men)
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