THE HOW OF SALVATION -- FUTILE HUMAN ANSWERS

How false are the words spoken by a Methodist Doctor of Divinity in a Wesleyan University -- "Character building and the making of men should be the main business of industry. The articles manufactured should be by-products. A worth part of our time should be spent developing character. A man can undo his past, conquer his present and lay claim to his future if he spends part of his time in service for his fellowmen." Here again is the attempt to merit salvation by service. No, rather, let us hear the words from a recent editorial in the New York Christian Advocate: "There is nothing that the Church and the world need more today than the fearless, vigorous, tender, persistent preaching of salvation by faith. They need it because the minds of men are befogged and befuddled. The multitudinous "isms" and "ologies" of the past hundred years have left the people bewildered... The proclamation that only by faith can a man be saved is called for, not only because they are mystified but because they are misled. The greatest curse of modern religious teaching is its revival of the doctrine of salvation by works. The doctrine is not preached in so many words. It is merely suggested. It is implied by the modern emphasis and trend. It is a perversion of the vital principle of service contained in the widespread idea that the only thing necessary in order to become a Christian is to go to church or subscribe to the benevolences, or serve on the official board, or endow a college, or to cooperate in philanthropic activities."

In our early ministry we used to quote (because we knew no better) the words of Sam Jones that if a man would act before he was a Christian as he would act after he became a Christian, it would not be long until he was a Christian, which we now see is as false as the salvation by works taught by Romanism.

Said a Baptist woman, when salvation by faith had been preached, "I have made my confession" by which she meant that she had publicly confessed Christ. But she did not have the peace of pardon given in justification by faith, by which it was evident that her "confession," whatever she meant, was short of the repose of the soul in the merits of Christ for salvation by faith in Him alone.

A prominent evangelist used to have hundreds hastily rush to the front to shake his hand, in response to his call for them to resolve to be better men and women; and he would get others to promise that they would establish family altars. Now men and women may resolve to be better, and sinners may pray at family altars for a life time and go to hell in the end, apart from faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Family altars are not conditions but results of salvation by faith. "(However, we would not minimize the blessings derived from true family worship, and the great need of it in our day when there is such a dearth of hearing the Word of God and Satan is driving us until we think that everything we do and say must be "Snappy" and there is little time to commune and meditate. "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart therefrom, " is still worth testing out. It has been said that nine-tenths of all professing Christians are between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five, and doubtless many of these young Christians have been saved at family altars, or at family worship, which expression we prefer. At least they have received their inspiration and teaching there, which eventually was used as the means of bringing them into the fold)."

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" -- Acts 16:30. "What must I do to be saved?" The very form of the question shows that the inquirer was laboring under false impressions• There is tremendous egotism in it. What must I do? Here is gross human presumption-to think that finite man could do the work which the infinite God alone can accomplish. It also shows how far fallen man is from God in his presumption that he can work his way back to God, by what he does, by his own works. It did not dawn upon the poor lost jailor to ask what must God do for him to save him. The prevailing poison of salvation by human efforts and works so possessed him that instinctively he offers to help Omnipotence. Fortunately for him, the petition is addressed to one who went through all the agony and futility of salvation by works, -- and who was saved by grace through faith, and knew how to help those who were in the same sad plight. But before he gives the answer, let us consider some of the futile answers of men to this Question:

To be saved, New Thought tells us that we must think lofty, noble thoughts. How is the unregenerate man to do this, since "the carnal mind is enmity against God," and only the Christian, who has been born again, has "the mind of Christ?"

The Character Builder answers: "Strong, firm resolution is sufficient." But the Word says that "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked-who can know it?" and "Without Me ye can do nothing."

Another replies: "Study the Bible; know the commandments if you would practice them." But how is this possible apart from the new nature which loves to do this? "The natural man understandeth not the things of God for spiritual things are spiritually discerned."

The one who hopes for salvation through the supremacy of the natural will, advises determined concentration to overcome sin and self.

Socialization, with its social service, is the remedy offered by another. Some of the activities of social service are commendable, but providing for man's physical welfare, and even in some cases, feeding his soul, will not beget spiritual life.

"Organize the activities of the community into a Community Center and attack the problem en masse; mix church and world, abolish the lines of separation, recognize all men as brothers, unite in social programs, and thus gradually assimilate the world into the Church, " say others. The Word of God says, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" "What fellowship hath light with darkness?" Can the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, and the "spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, " when mingled in community activities, find fellowship and brotherhood?

Says Christian Science (which is neither Christian or scientific) "Derby the facts of sin, sickness, death, Satan, demons and the necessity of the blood atonement of Christ as man's only hope of redemption."

"Join church, be catechized and confirmed, attend communion and pay tribute, and all will be well, " is heard from other sources; substitutes for salvation by faith.

"Embrace the seven infallible sacraments, " is the answer given to millions of our day.

"Do no harm to your fellows, pay your honest bills (which is merely good business) do good to the sick and afflicted; serve your fellowmen" -- but these are the results of salvation, not the means by which we are saved.

"Follow the conscience -- conscience is an infallible guide, " says another. Forget not that Paul testified that he was living in all good conscience when he stood by and consented to the death of Stephen, aiding and abetting the foul deed by holding the clothes of its perpetrators. We may, after knowing Christ as our Saviour, however, trust Him to "purge our conscience." Not until then, however.

Adventism comes to the rescue with an answer: "Observe a day; be a vegetarian and eat no meat."

The Uniformist would save us by dressing us up in a peculiar garb. They say, "Wear the peculiar cut coat and high-top storm-front, windshield, flap-jack vest with a large collar button in place of the modest tie; substitute hooks and eyes for buttons and dress like a fright to advertise the barrenness of the soul that seeks salvation by the garb. The Scriptures specify no other peculiarities than modesty of apparel as a proof of, and not as a means to salvation. Plain clothes are often the grave clothes of a dead formality. Of all hideous sights -- scarecrow clothes and an unshining face! Of all beautiful sights, modest apparel and a shining face. The peculiarity of God's people is not in their dress but their zealousness of good works!

The Hippodrome wholesale revivalist offers the trail, the hand-shake, the signature of the syllogism and the choice of churches and the hope that if the good start is followed, salvation will ensue. Thank God whenever it does, but there is a shorter and simpler method. The Scriptural way is salvation by faith in a Person, immediately conferred in response to saving faith. "Except ye believe that I am He ye shall die in your sins." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

Playing the man, holding up the head, throwing back the shoulders, looking the world in the eye and marching down the saw-dust trail, can never do as a substitute for the simple -- "Look unto Me, all ye ends of the earth and be ye saved, for I am God and there is none else." "For there is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

Again men are told to have strong convictions and to stand for them with all their powers; or be straight on the fundamentals and thoroughly orthodox in all your religious views. The Pharisees were thoroughly orthodox in views and safe teachers, intellectually, of the Law, according to the Master's testimony, and their ministry of truth was to be commended, but they could not escape the damnation of hell notwithstanding, all their orthodoxy, and the fact that they were long on robes and doctrines. We need the Spirit of God to set our orthodoxy on fire; we must have the power as well as the form.

"You will save yourself by throwing yourself heartily into the betterment programs of the day, " says another.

One says, "Be knowing, be wise, salvation is by education, by culture." There is no decrying of true culture, but it is not the instrumentality God has chosen by which to save the soul.

The cry is heard -- "Be a philanthropist, a lover of mankind." But many a philanthropist has violated the love of mankind in the method of accumulating the means of his philanthropy.

"Say the Rosary, " another tells us, "and you will earn peace."

Again, "Have rigid militaristic rules of betterment and execute them daily. Persevere. Exercise your will. Participate in the Eucharist."

One poor man under deep conviction, told the writer that he thought if he were willing to go to jail that he would be saved. This is a new thought: -- salvation by going to jail. To try to make a deep impression as to the futility of salvation by serving a prison sentence, we told him he might as well expect to be saved by his willingness to go to hell.

In other places, too much is made of confession, apology, restitution, and pilgrimages to certain places. Restitution, if necessary to salvation, would have barred the thief on the cross, who was saved at the eleventh hour and given no opportunity to restore what he evidently had stolen. Some things can never be made right. Those that can, need not be, as a condition of salvation. The Lord accepts the willing mind to adjust such matters, saves the willing suppliant on the condition of faith, trusts him, and at the earliest opportunity the restitution is made where possible, as a proof of salvation by faith, not as a condition of it.

"Be baptized and have a certificate of your baptism artistically framed and hung in a conspicuous place to remind you of the step you have taken, " says yet another. The writer is reminded of calling the attention of his hostess, at a certain place, to the fact that baptism, apart from the birth of the Spirit, was not the gate of entrance into the kingdom of heaven. He was compelled to hunt another boarding-house for his fidelity to the truth.

"Say your prayers, have a warm spot in your heart for religion, go to church, have an enthusiasm for beautiful, ritualistic ceremonies, " is heard in other quarters. "Go to church Sunday, you will feel better all week. Write home to Mother." Surely, but think not of saving merit in it.

Others answer the burning question legalistically, saying, "Except ye keep the law of Moses and be circumcised ye cannot the saved." "Observe all the religious feasts and feast-days and times, seasons and customs." But hear the Word -- "Ye observe days and months and times and years. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain." Gal. 4:10-11.

To relieve the monotony of these futile human answers, let us intersperse some good news:-"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have 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 (ancient or modern) shall no flesh be justified." Gal. 2:16-17.

"I do not frustrate the grace of God (by recourse to the law): for if righteousness come by the law (any law) then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:21.

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written; Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them! But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for The just shall live by faith."

"And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them."

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, " Galatians 3:10.

But to return to the answers of men to the Great Question, "What must I do to be saved?"

You might get relief by entering a monastery, or convent, or by circumcision, catechism, confirmation and participation in your first communion.

Accept Dowieism, Mormonism, Russelism, Seventh Day Adventism. Set on a new life in real earnest, as Wesley did.

Change your mode of baptism, be immersed. Believe in Election.

Serve your fellowmen; turn over a new leaf. Reform.

Quit smoking and chewing and stop swearing and clean up your life. Eliminate card playing, quit dancing: stop going to the movie, stay away from the vau-devil, fest-evil, cir-cuss, and carn-evil, don't go in bad company, cut the old crowd. Salvation by believing on Jesus will include all this, but all of these eliminations will not include salvation without saving faith. The highly moral man, for respectability's sake and for reputational reasons, avoids most of them, but he does not place his whole reliance on the blood of Christ for salvation.

A supposedly higher order of answers include exhortation to develop character, assert manhood, decide for Christ, take a stand, use all the means of grace, fast Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially be serious for a spell in Lent; be exemplary, sacrifice ease and honor, wealth and every temporal gratification. Use your best endeavors, be punctual at all the church services, bow your head on reaching your seat, say your prayers, morning watch, evening vespers, private and public and family, including grace at meals.

"Decorate your walls with beautiful scriptural mottoes." Said a Colporteur on entering a home, "I knew this was a Christian home as soon as I saw the beautiful wall texts." Yes, provided the Scripture be in the heart and not limited to the walls.

"Live up to the teachings of the Lodge; help the poor, meet the demand of the Centenary One good brother, under conviction for sin, seeking light, said he had done all he knew to do except that he had not met the demands of the Centenary. Calling his attention to the one condition of faith in Christ for convicted souls, saving faith, he was saved. The demands of the Centenary are not in any sense a condition of salvation, neither for its inception or perpetuity. The saved person may meet the good things in it as one of the fruits of his salvation -- never as a means to saving grace-that would be a revival of salvation by works.

"Be willing to give anything; be willing to do anything; be willing to go anywhere; be ready for any work in any world;do more for the Lord; enter holy orders." Wesley tried the modern slogan of "readiness for any work in any world, " in this world of ours, but it would not work. He got no salvation by crossing the ocean: but he did get conviction, in the storm, that he was not a saved man, while beholding the victorious demeanor of the Moravians who were rejoicing in salvation through faith rather than works. The howling winds, the mighty billows which swept the decks, the ominous thunders, the vivid lightnings flashing, and the terrified, screaming English, were not enough to mar their peace in Christ and Wesley saw the fruits of salvation by faith, discovered he was afraid to die, was convinced of the sin of unbelief, and later, after, as one vividly put it, thirteen years of religious life, unprecedented for its activities, in which he had "more religion before he had any (experimental) than many of us have after we claim to have it all, " he was justified by faith and his heart was strangely warmed.

Practice yogi, auto suggestion, self-hypnotism, hear a voice, pray for a wonderful dream, look for writing in the heavens; be serious; be a man; go forward; appear before the Presbytery and tell them your troubles; go to an altar; accept the traditions of the modern elders: follow the proselytes if you are dissatisfied; leave one church and join another.

Ad infinitum are the human answers which divert the poor, troubled soul and block the way to the cross of Christ. Do good, treat everybody right, and ultimately you will become good -- nay, but be made a new creature in Christ Jesus by faith, be made good and you will spontaneously do good.

For the heart's ills the ritualist would point to his ritualism and the legalist to his legalism; the formalist to his formalism; others to their way or their uniform; the ascetic to his asceticism; the Hydrolater to the tank, cistern, pond or stream; the bigot calls for radical conformity to his bigotry; the radical to his radicalism; the Theosophist to his system; the Mormon, to Mormonism; the Buddhist to Buddhism. They have no Christ to offer for they do not know Him themselves.

How delightfully refreshing is the "Good News" of Salvation through faith in Someone, in Him who has accomplished it all for us. How the air is clarified, rarified, purified and sweetened until it seems like heaven itself after traveling in these dark labyrinths of men. Suddenly we emerge into the verdant fields of living green, led by the still waters by Christ Himself Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and hear him say -- "I that speak unto thee am He" -- the Messias, the Saviour of the world, thy Saviour!"

To be saved; enough has been done already; we need only believe He has done enough, that "God hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

"What must I do to be saved?" Do nothing! We have done too much already! We must see that our doing rather than trusting has been the insurmountable barrier to our salvation. Our works, our doings, (especially when there is a subtle thought of merit in them, ) are evil. "The works of the world are evil, " said the Master. Especially men need see the evil of their religious works prior to salvation, as a substitute offered to God for that faith alone which He demands.

Do nothing, believe on Some One! and thou shalt be saved. It must be remembered that the demand of Paul for faith was spoken to a man who had been thoroughly awakened to his lost estate by terrific, convulsive, earthquake conviction; and that it was a demand for saving faith as distinguished from mere intellectual belief.

Saving faith is impossible for unconvicted, unrepentant sinners. Their faith is head faith, not of the heart. No more sufficient to salvation than the faith of a devil who believes and retains his devil nature. Indeed this is the point of discrimination between the two kinds of faith. The one saves the soul, changes the life, and the other leaves its possessor in sin and with a hardened unrepentant heart.

True faith will always be followed by its appropriate concomitant fruits or evidences, including as the early Moravians taught: Dominion over sin; constant peace; a sense of forgiveness all of which is the gift of God.

Wesley described the fruits of saving faith as, deliverance "From all uneasiness of mind. From the anguish of a wounded spirit. From all discontent. From fear. From sorrow of heart. From listlessness and weariness, both of the world and ourselves."

Men lack justification because they lack faith, for "Being justified by faith we have peace with Goal through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Condemnation is the result of the relinquishment of faith -- "Having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith."

"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."

The world is in sin because of unbelief. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin because men believe not on Jesus. Faith in Him would eliminate the sin.

Death, listlessness, lifelessness, are all traceable to unbelief. John says that the Word was written that men might believe that Jesus is the Christ and that believing they might have life.

The absence of joy and peace is caused by unbelief for they are "filled with all joy and peace in believing."

Instability, lack of establishment, and the "wiggle and wobble" everywhere prevalent among professors of all degrees of grace, can be tracked to unbelief's lair-"If ye will not believe neither shall ye be established."

Unbelief even impugns the Divine integrity and virtually calls God a liar. Men cannot live a day without faith in each other, and though shocked repeatedly, and their confidence violated ruthlessly, they still go on placing faith in mortals. God never betrayed anyone's trust and yet it is regarded as hazardous, a risk no under. writer will assume, to launch out on God's Word. "He that believeth not hath made God a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son." 1 John 5:10.

"He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself" -- no longer need of great anxiety about the witness, or the assurance. The Spirit of God, sent into our hearts, when we believe, cries -- "Abba, Father."