Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
False Doctrines of Salvation
Before we get started, if you do not understand the importance of Primary Scriptures, please read this article. Primary Scriptures
When discussing any doctrine, it is always best to use primary scriptures if at all possible. For only then can you be certain of finding God's truth and not man's interpretation. So I will start off with one here.
John 3:18 (KJV)
18 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.
These are words from Jesus Himself. He clearly breaks the world into two groups only. Those who believe and those who do not believe. Those who believe are not condemned. Those who do not believe are already condemned simply because they do not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Now we have people arguing that we must refrain from sin to be saved. That we must do good works to be saved. That we must be baptized by water to be saved. They will give verses that can be interpreted to support each of those beliefs, but they can never give a single primary scripture that proves their beliefs.
The simple truth is, Jesus clearly tells us "how" we are saved here. There is no doubting it is about salvation. There is no doubting that Jesus is saying if you believe you will not be condemned and if you don't believe you are already condemned. Yet he does not give a single clause in this statement.
What about those who believe but do not refrain from sin? Or those who believe and are not baptized by water? Or those who believe but do not do good works? Where do these people fall? Are they condemned or not? Since Jesus does not add those groups specifically, it is wrong for us to do so. We must add those groups to one of the two groups Jesus mentions. In all of these cases I listed, they may not be strong believers who have a good relationship with the Lord, but they are all believers. According to the words of Jesus Himself, they are not condemned.
Now you can give a thousand scriptures that are interpreted to mean you must do one of those other things to be saved, but if you do, you are interpreting scripture to directly contradict what Jesus plainly says. That instantly means your interpretation is wrong!
There is nothing wrong with interpreting scripture. In some cases we are forced to do so. However, it is always, always wrong to interpret scripture to directly contradict a primary scripture. Because Gods Word simply cannot have any direct contradictions.
So whatever you want to believe, you must first explain that verse from Jesus. You must figure out how you can fit your belief on salvation into what Jesus says here and not contradict His words. If you cannot do that, then you simply have no right to argue that your belief is correct.
However, let me also mention that this is not the only primary verse about salvation. This is one of 19 primary salvation verses. There are many more primary scriptures on salvation than any other doctrine. It seems God wanted to be very clear when it comes to our salvation and still people ignore what is plainly stated and instead they choose to believe man's interpretation. So before you can argue for any salvation doctrine to be true, you must find a way for it to fit in with all 19 primary scriptures.
Here are the entire 19 verses... "Primary Salvation Verses"
Now you might want to give your own scriptures trying to prove your beliefs. Please take a look at the list below. If you find the verse you want to give listed, please read it to see why it is not a Primary Verse. Which is extremely important because a thousand interpreted verses simply cannot be accepted over a single Primary Scripture because that would mean there is a contradiction in Gods Word.
††† Matthew 7:21-23
††† Matthew 28:19-20
††† Mark 16:16
††† John 3:5
††† Acts 2:38
††† 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
††† James 2:14-17
††† 1 Peter 3:21
†† What Does it Mean to Repent?
†† Are Believers also Sinners?
When discussing any doctrine, it is always best to use primary scriptures if at all possible. For only then can you be certain of finding God's truth and not man's interpretation. So I will start off with one here.
John 3:18 (KJV)
18 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.
These are words from Jesus Himself. He clearly breaks the world into two groups only. Those who believe and those who do not believe. Those who believe are not condemned. Those who do not believe are already condemned simply because they do not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Now we have people arguing that we must refrain from sin to be saved. That we must do good works to be saved. That we must be baptized by water to be saved. They will give verses that can be interpreted to support each of those beliefs, but they can never give a single primary scripture that proves their beliefs.
The simple truth is, Jesus clearly tells us "how" we are saved here. There is no doubting it is about salvation. There is no doubting that Jesus is saying if you believe you will not be condemned and if you don't believe you are already condemned. Yet he does not give a single clause in this statement.
What about those who believe but do not refrain from sin? Or those who believe and are not baptized by water? Or those who believe but do not do good works? Where do these people fall? Are they condemned or not? Since Jesus does not add those groups specifically, it is wrong for us to do so. We must add those groups to one of the two groups Jesus mentions. In all of these cases I listed, they may not be strong believers who have a good relationship with the Lord, but they are all believers. According to the words of Jesus Himself, they are not condemned.
Now you can give a thousand scriptures that are interpreted to mean you must do one of those other things to be saved, but if you do, you are interpreting scripture to directly contradict what Jesus plainly says. That instantly means your interpretation is wrong!
There is nothing wrong with interpreting scripture. In some cases we are forced to do so. However, it is always, always wrong to interpret scripture to directly contradict a primary scripture. Because Gods Word simply cannot have any direct contradictions.
So whatever you want to believe, you must first explain that verse from Jesus. You must figure out how you can fit your belief on salvation into what Jesus says here and not contradict His words. If you cannot do that, then you simply have no right to argue that your belief is correct.
However, let me also mention that this is not the only primary verse about salvation. This is one of 19 primary salvation verses. There are many more primary scriptures on salvation than any other doctrine. It seems God wanted to be very clear when it comes to our salvation and still people ignore what is plainly stated and instead they choose to believe man's interpretation. So before you can argue for any salvation doctrine to be true, you must find a way for it to fit in with all 19 primary scriptures.
Here are the entire 19 verses... "Primary Salvation Verses"
Now you might want to give your own scriptures trying to prove your beliefs. Please take a look at the list below. If you find the verse you want to give listed, please read it to see why it is not a Primary Verse. Which is extremely important because a thousand interpreted verses simply cannot be accepted over a single Primary Scripture because that would mean there is a contradiction in Gods Word.
††† Matthew 7:21-23
††† Matthew 28:19-20
††† Mark 16:16
††† John 3:5
††† Acts 2:38
††† 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
††† James 2:14-17
††† 1 Peter 3:21
†† What Does it Mean to Repent?
†† Are Believers also Sinners?