As we continue the review on a tract distributed by a local denomination, we emphasize again, that we love all men of all nations and of all religions. Neither love for, nor friendship with other human beings should be allowed to take precedence over our love for the truth ( II Thess. 2:10, John 8:31-32). This is not a personal attack, nor do we question the sincerity of those who distribute the tract. If we study carefully, sincerely and prayerfully, we can all speak the same thing, as Paul instructed (I Cor. 1:10).
The tract states: "You must place your 'complete' faith in Jesus Christ...(Rom. 3:22, 10:9, 3:28) then pray and ask him(Rom. 10:13, 10:11)". We know that "without faith it is impossible to please him..." ( Heb. 11:6). But, what is being taught here is that faith plus prayer equals salvation. The New Testament no where instructs one who is not a child of God to prayer, in order ot have his sins removed.
One of the passages used: "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference" (Rom. 3:22): In 1:17, Paul says the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel. So when we read, "the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ, we understand the word of means that Christ is the source of that faith, the gospel.
In the last article we pointed out that this book was written to Christians (1:7); that the gospel is God's saving power to all men (1:16). To be saved by the gospel and to be justified by faith mean the same thing.
The righteousness of faith (the gospel) is attainable. Paul says: "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the WORD of FAITH, which we PREACH" (10:8). What did Paul preach? The gospel (I Cor. 15:1). (The tract uses v 9 as a text to "place your 'complete' faith in Jesus Christ.") Paul says that the righteousness involved in God's plan is "nigh"--is attainable "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (v9). "Thou" refers to the Jews. God demanded that they believe on Christ, and confess him. Without faith it is impossible to please God. The Bible emphasizes the obligation of confessing Christ before men. The Lord said: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32). Peter confessed the Christ: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). The nobleman of Ethiopia confessed "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37 b). In I Tim. 6:12 Paul says to Timothy: "Fight the good fight of the faith [gospel], lay hold on the life eternal,, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses (ASV). Before obedience to the Lord in baptism, one must confess his faith in Christ. But , the confession does not end there. Just as long as we live, we must keep on confessing the Christ--by word and by life.
The proof that God requires faith and confession is offered. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (v.10). The conditions are indispensable to one's salvation. These are not the only conditions, for God demands repentance (Acts 17:30). But, repentance grows out of faith. The need for faith in Christ was the point to be emphasized to the unbelieving Jews. The kind of faith that saves is that which compels obedience to God's will: "Even so faith if it hath not works is dead" (James 2:17, 24, 26).
" If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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