You should read my Summary of Disk 1 before reading this. A very brief summary of it: True salvation from hell is in two phases: When you exercise faith and repentance (and baptism, another CD), you're saved. But "staying on the Vine" requires abiding--i.e., works, or fruit, showing obedience to your Lord. Ignoring Christ's commands is a ticket to hell, even if you "exercised faith" at one time in your life. You should daily be in contact with His Spirit and His Word about obeying His commands and His will for your life.
Now let's look at Part II: Did the three leaders of the early church get the gospel right—which means, is it the same as Jesus’ gospel? Let’s read and see.
PETER
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.
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.
This seems to disagree with Peter's words in Acts 2 above. But Peter is simply giving the second phase of salvation: maintaining salvation through working righteously. This second phase doesn’t jibe with Luther’s “just have faith, no works necessary"--what I call "easy believism." But Peter agrees with Jesus--that's more important.
Keep in mind that God confirms Peter’s accurate presentation so 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 Peter's words of “fears him and works righteousness” for salvation, this means either you have a contradiction 8 verses apart, or else… the word “believe” ALSO means that you will do whatever obedience that person you believe in says to you. Our Jesus is our Lord and King. Jesus is Lord! Bow and obey Him! Peter isn’t going to contradict himself to the same group of people. He knows the gospel better than that. So you harmonize v. 35 and 43, take them Together as necessary for salvation.
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
Peter has the word "grace" (translated, unfortunately nowadays, as "now works necessary") with the phase "obedient children." 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 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, to stay on the Vine.
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?”
Note that Peter uses the word "obey" as necessary to pass the Judgment seat. Note his emphasis on fearing God. (Modern evangelistic churches avoid this tone).
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.
Not the phrase "the latter end is worse for them than the beginning." This is clearly interpreted as losing salvation by becoming "again entangled" in the world--which we are required to avoid, in obedience to our Lord.
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 agreeing with our Lord, but we have space restrictions.
JOHN
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.
This seems to say that Jesus' grace replaces the law of Moses--and that seems to say that works are no longer necessary. But Scripture clearly doesn’t believe that, as we have seen. So, is Scripture contradicting itself here? No; there is a clear explanation: the Law of Moses, as Bercot explains, is Christo-Judaism that Paul is battling against--some believed that, to get on the Vine, it was necessary to be a Jew and be circumscribed. Not true; as we have seen, to get on the Vine, one must repent, and have faith in Jesus as our substitute, paying for our past sins. Paul wants to jettison their list of Jewish works to get on the Vine.
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.
Not knowing God is a death sentence. But not keeping His commands is that death sentence. Also note the last sentence. We are in Him, we know Him intimately (or, we are saved), how?-- by keeping His word (i.e, His commands), which perfects the love of the Spirit. And then we know that we are saved.
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.
Loving your fellow believers is one of the fruits that God expects. Note also that not practicing (thus a daily effort is expected) righteousness leaves you a child of the devil.
There are more, but space demands we move on.
JAMES
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 guaranteed forever 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. Salvation has two phases.
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.
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.
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,” that "faith" cannot save. Clearly, James is arguing that faith not followed by works does not gain us heaven. This is also 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, so no heaven. We need to be justified by God to be saved. God’s justification needs the follow-through of works.
Note that James nowhere implies that faith guarantees proper works
(that's an idea that lends itself to believing in "eternal security"--what many theologians believe). No, it takes effort, striving, words that are elsewhere in Scriptures.
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.
Note that this says that AFTER one wanders from the truth (he was saved before, being in the truth), someone could then correct us--and see us saved--again. Yes, if you were on the Vine, you can wander away—to death of the soul (or, hell). Thus, you can lose your salvation.
Thus, we conclude: 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.
NEXT WEEK: DOES PAUL REALLY DISAGREE WITH JAMES?
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