CAUTION: Read my Summary of Disk 1 before reading this.
2. Here’s the big question we’re looking at: Did the three leaders of the early church, and Paul, get the gospel right—which means, is it the same as Jesus’ gospel? Let’s read and see.
Peter
3. We’ll begin with Peter’s gospel. Acts 2:36-38 is his clear word about “how to get on the Vine” (see Part I summary last week): “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What do they do to be saved after they were told to accept the identity of Jesus as the Christ? Repent (have a change of heart), and be baptized—the normal way to get on the Vine.
4. Now let’s see his gospel presentation at Acts 10:34-35: Then Peter opened his mouth and said…35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. Again, this doesn’t jibe with Luther’s “just have faith.” But it does agree with Jesus.(Disk 1)
5. Keep in mind that God so believes in Peter’s accurate presentation that He has him open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles. Acts 10:43 says, in part:…whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” Since that’s only 8 verses away from “fears him and works righteousness” being the key to remission of sins, this means either you have contradiction in only 8 verses, or else… the word “believe” means that you will do whatever obedience that person you believe in says. Let us never forget the monarchical system they were under when I say, Jesus is Lord! Bow and obey Him! Peter isn’t going to contradict himself to the same group. So you harmonize v. 35 and 43, take them together.
6. I Peter 1:13-17 says: Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear Does that fit Luther’s model of salvation—or Jesus’ model? Note that grace, simply meaning kindness or favor, is awarded to those who are obedient—and God judges us on our works in doing that. Remember what we said in Summary Part I: If you don’t obey Christ, you don’t love Him—and that means you’re not saved. He extends favor to those who abide on Christ’s Vine—those who are faithful and obedient. (Getting on the Vine, as we saw in #3-5 above, involves faith and repentance—it’s just that now he’s talking about staying on the Vine.) These works are not “trying to earn merit,” they’re works of faith, works of obedience. Which everyone on the Vine is doing.
7. I Peter 4:17-18: For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
8. II Peter 2:20-21: For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. As we said in Part I, Luther didn’t like II Peter. You can see why—no verse speaks more clearly about the possibility of losing salvation—but that idea is not in Luther’s “gospel.” But Jesus said if we don’t bear fruit, we’ll be cut off from the Vine and thrown into the fire (John 15: 6). There are many more verses, lots more proof of Peter’s gospel, but space restrictions.
John
9. Moving to John, consider John 1:16-17, And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Mr. Bercot is reminding us that God’s abundant grace, allowing us on the Vine, giving us the Spirit to live a conquering life, and finally, beautiful heaven—at no time do we earn any of these things. But nowhere does it say that we do nothing. Scripture doesn’t make grace and works as mutually exclusive; but it does contrast grace vs the Law of Moses (there should be a capital “L.”) You can have grace and works.
10. I John 2:3-5: Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. Note the last sentence. We are in Him, we know Him intimately (or, we are saved), how?-- by keeping His word, which perfects the love of the Spirit. And then we know that we are saved.
11. I John 3:10: In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
12. I John 5:2-3: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. What is the love of God? Not an emotional thing (though it will be there too, at times)—but keeping His commandments.
James
13. Now let’s go to James 1:12: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Note that “approved” (a salvation word) is not past and guaranteed by your once expressing faith—but it is conditional on our enduring temptation, our practicing righteousness, as well as our faith in the work of the Lord on the cross.
14. James 1:22: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves How do we deceive ourselves? By thinking we’re saved when we’re not doing the word—by not practicing obedience.
15. James 2:12: So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. The phrase “law of liberty” is not an oxymoron, not self-contradictory. Good laws give liberty to people. Lawlessness in society is scarily restrictive on those who want order. Being freed from the bondage of Satan is freedom indeed. Note also, in his speaking to saved people, that he says WE will be judged. Many folks actually believe that Christians will escape judgment. Not the case, as this verse indicates. Our judgment will be based on whether we are speaking and doing what we are told, in Scripture. Agrees perfectly with Christ in Matthew 25:40ff.
16. James 2:14: What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? The last question is rhetorical, answered by the implication in “what does it profit.” The answer is “No.” Clearly, James is arguing that faith not followed by works does not gain us heaven. This is made clear in James 2:24-26: You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Dead means dead—no life, no heaven. We need to be justified by God to be saved. God’s justification needs the follow-through of works. The “works” are actions that stem from a living faith, or obedience to God’s commandments, when taken in context with Scriptures above. Note that James nowhere implies that faith guarantees proper works (an idea that lends itself to eternal security--what many theologians believe). No, it takes effort, striving, words that are elsewhere in Scriptures. Not a guarantee.
17. James 5:19-20: Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. Yes, if you were on the Vine, you can wander away—to death of the soul (or, hell).
18. ALL THREE of these prominent Christian leaders—who were closest to Christ—agree in total to Christ’s gospel. An obedient love-faith relationship with Him is necessary to maintain salvation. James, under attack from Luther, should be particularly defended here—he had a leadership role in early Christianity—as Acts 15:13 and Galatians 2:9 show. The main point is, he praises works as essential--as how his half-brother Jesus preached it.
Paul
19. Now Paul. Despite what you hear from others, he also taught that you maintain salvation by an obedient, love-faith relationship with Christ, not “faith only.” Mr. Bercot reminds us that because of time limitations, we only again get a “taste” of him. if you want ALL the verses that teach the proper gospel, buy Disk 3 (from scrollpublishing.com), put it in your computer and read it—or print it for further study or to mark up your Bible. Folks, the right gospel—from Scripture—is critical to our eternal life. Let us never deceive ourselves so as to be one of the “believers” in Matthew 25 who go to hell.
20. Luther insisted that obedience has nothing to do with salvation. But read Paul in Romans 2:3-11: And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
He is clearly saying, doing ungodly works and not repenting, will not escape God’s judgment; eternal life are for those who continue to do good, or “works what is good.”
21. Romans 8:1-6: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Unlike what you may have heard, there are no “carnal Christians.”(whoops, exception Scripture: I Corinthians 3:1-15. Somebody want to comment?) And not walking in the flesh is a condition to those seeking “no condemnation.”
22. Romans 11:20-23: Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. Yes, God is good—but also severe. We must endure, we must continue in His goodness.
23. I Corinthians 6:9-11: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Some sins are viler and will throw you off the Vine and on the way to hell—unless you repent (covered in other verses). After you’re saved-avoiding certain sins means something. There are no conditions here on the fact that you lose salvation by participating in these acts.
24. I Corinthians 7:19: Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Paul is saying, we’re not bound to this aspect of Mosaic law. We’re bound to Jesus’ law.
25. II Corinthians 5:15&6:1:…and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 6 We, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. How do you “receive the grace..in vain”? By losing the grace you got--losing salvation. The purpose of His death? To live for Him, not for self. That necessarily involves obedience to Him.
26. II Corinthians 13:5: Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. The eternal security person doesn’t have to examine himself—they preach that he must feel certain that “you have it all made.” But isn’t that self-righteous thinking? But in this verse, the real gospel is that he should examine himself for sin. Doesn’t sound like much eternal security in this verse. And there is something which can disqualify us. Disqualify is not the same as unqualify. “Unqualify” means you never got it in the first place. Disqualify means you got it, then got yourself turned out. A big difference in a little prefix.
27. Galatians 6:7-9: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap IF we do not lose heart. A condition on ultimate salvation; the word “if.” (A study should be made of the word “if” in Biblical gospel presentations.)
28. II Thessalonians 2:11-12: And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. These verses are on the Last Days. The idea that God would “send” strong delusion is outside the realm of this paper. But I ask: What is “the lie?” Could it be the self-deception into believing that you can live for the flesh, and still gain heaven? Then you’ve turned away from the truth.
29. I Timothy 5:8: But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. “Denying the faith” isn’t restricted to verbally denying Christ; it seems to have a broader, dangerous meaning that includes a particular work (actually, in this case, “non-work.”) Also note: This person was once a believer, since he is contrasted to an unbeliever. And note that an act of unrighteousness made him lose his salvation.
30. II Timothy 2:12-13: If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. We would like to interpret “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” to mean, He is faithful to save us. But it doesn’t say that—it’s your id talking again. How could He have meant that and in the same paragraph said He “will…deny us?” Here is the answer, a troublesome truth, the only one possible: Look to the phrase “He cannot deny Himself.” It’s speaking of Him remaining faithful to His own words and to His perfect holiness. As we learn in context, “He remains faithful” simply means He will fulfill His promises to the letter. And if He said elsewhere, and in context, that living for the flesh, denying Him will mean hell, then that’s it. He did of course also say elsewhere that real repentance (change of behavior, not just sorrow) will bring grace. Note the conditional “IF we endure, we shall reign with Him.” Denying Christ obviously means we didn’t endure. So you’ve lost your salvation.
31. Thus, Paul and James really agree: We maintain salvation through faith and an obedient relationship with our Savior. And it is possible to lose salvation.
32. If you accuse Mr. Bercot of “proof texting,” ignoring the verses that emphasize faith (see Disk 1), and you prefer to believe Luther’s gospel, Mr. Bercot asks you to look at all the verses in these two disks—what they say and what Luther says, if all true, give us a messed-up gospel. Try to reconcile these verses with those you cherish; be honest with the term “context,” try seriously to bring them together. And look at the historical context in which the Scripture was written: When Paul disparages works, he is arguing against the Judaist believers who wanted the Gentile new believers to be circumcised and forced to follow Mosaic law—their works. So he’s saying that law’s works are not essential to Christianity. Consider these verses below, some of Luther’s favorites, in light of this true idea—wherever you see “law,” re-write it as “Mosaic Law.” Changes its meaning, doesn’t it? Do that with Romans 3:20-31: Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law (got that one right) and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law (this one is supposed to be a small letter).
33. He continues with Luther’s favorite verses for quite awhile. We only have space for a few. First, Romans 4:1-17, how Paul disparages the work of circumcision, how Abraham was not saved by circumcision, but by faith. His circumcision came later, after God declared him righteous. We have no problem reconciling that into our gospel, Jesus’ gospel. Paul was talking about a different meaning of “works” than James. Please note, however, how Abraham’s faith was followed by incredible works—leaving his home to follow God’s instructions, at great personal sacrifice.
34. Romans 10:3,5: For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God… For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them. Verse 3 is NOT about people trying to establish works as a basis for their righteousness, as some believe. It’s about the Jews continuing Jewish practices to obtain righteousness—which is not of God. God’s righteousness we have spelled out. In verse 5, Moses (and Paul) were saying it’s impossible to deserve heaven by works, by trying to never sin. Living by this attempt means you’re dead for sure. We agree—initial salvation cannot be based on works. We have, however, argued that in maintaining salvation, works play a part.
35. Romans 11:2a, 5: God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew … 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. Again, by disparaging “works,” he is not talking about ignoring obedience to Christ. He’s talking about Jews who have been saved did not get there by the works of the Mosaic Law.
36. Galatians 2:3-5 is about circumcision (see vv 14-21, using capital “L”), Galatians 3:2, same story, Law of Moses. Ephesians 2:8-17 has two favorite verses (8,9) BUT Paul is AGAIN disparaging the Mosaic Law, capital L, particularly circumcision (v 11, 15). Philippians 3:2-5 disparages “confidence in the flesh” but he’s talking about circumcision, the Mosaic Law. Colossians 2:11-17 same story.
37. As you can see, this “ammunition” used by some to disparage the real meaning of our obedience to Christ are clearly out of context. In most cases, he is talking about how wrong it is to try to live the Law of Moses as the basis for salvation.
38. Mr. Bercot also talks about the other corrupt methodologies (see Disk 1). He has some interesting remarks about the “updating” of King James in 1769 (striking large “L” and making it small in Romans 3, above, for instance). He also talks about how the words “grace” and “justification” have lost their original simpler meaning. They were given a theological meaning that supports a false gospel.
39. In summary: getting on the Vine requires belief, repentance, washing the water of regeneration. Abiding on the Vine requires obedience. You can lose your salvation by living by the flesh. Examine yourselves, readers! Read Disc 3—or the NT looking for verses on salvation.
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