Truth Magazine

By Daniel H. King Sr.

We all have many choices to make in life. Most are trivial and a few are significant. When we wake up in the morning we may puzzle over which breakfast cereal to have, or whether to have cereal at all. A lady considers which color lipstick to wear today, which dress to put on, and which type of shoes is best for today, heels or flats. Tomorrow we probably won’t even remember how the decision turned out. Many such inconsequential things are thought through and decided by us on a daily basis. We hardly recall the result from one day to the next.

Occasionally, however, we must decide about important things. So many have been the trifling issues in our lives, that if we are not careful, we may tend to treat them as trifling also and not give them the care and attention which such vital matters deserve. The determination to become a Christian is an issue of such consequence that most of us give it much thought and reflection before making the commitment.

This decision puts us into the “house of God” of which Paul speaks in 1 Timothy 3:15. But how much thought have we given to whether we shall be a vessel of honor or of dishonor in that house? In the second epistle to Timothy, Paul considers this question in Timothy’s case. For, Timothy, you see, was making daily decisions which determined which type of vessel he would prove to be in God’s house:

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work (2 Tim. 2:20-21).

The Lord’s house is a great house, not a small one. It is composed of people of all types and descriptions. And, like a grand mansion which has special fine china bowls in which to serve the most dignified guests, so is God’s house. Yet that same great mansion has also a lowly bowl for feeding the dogs, and a container for holding the trash. The point which Paul is making is that we may choose what type of vessel we are to be in the Lord’s house, whether unto honor or dishonor. And, just because we have decided to be inside the house does not mean that we have also decided to be a vessel of honor. The two are not necessarily the same.

Who, then, is that person who is a vessel unto honor in the Master’s house? Here are the apostle’s thoughts on the subject:

The Man Who Purges Himself Of Sin

“If a man therefore purge himself of these . . .” writes the apostle. “Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness,” he had said earlier (v. 19). And later in the chapter he said, “But flee youthful lusts . . .” (v. 22), and, “But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse . . .” (v. 23). His point is that you do not put the trash in the fine china. If there is trash in it, then it is not a vessel of honor. Nor do we feed the dog in a sterling silver vessel. If the dog is fed out of it, then it is not a vessel of honor. How it is used and what is put into it determines if it is a receptacle of esteem or of contempt. But Paul does not stop there.

We need to see ourselves in that light. If our lives are filled with the practice of sin, then we are vessels of shame. If, on the other hand, our lives are purified from these shameful things, we may be suited for service in the Master’s house.

The Man Who Is Sanctified

The idea of sanctification, mentioned in this context and elsewhere by the apostle Paul, is no great mystery. The notion is actually rather simple, though the word is intimidating to some of us on account of the eccentric, and even sometimes bizarre, interpretations which have been forced upon it by theologians. All it means is that something or someone is “separated,” “set apart” or “set aside” for special uses. Most Bible dictionaries and lexicons define it as “to separate from the world and consecrate to God. To sanctify anything is to declare that it belongs to God.” That pretty much says it all. In the Old Testament such items as the tent of meeting (Exod. 29:44), the holy altar (Exod. 29:36), the offerings placed upon it (Exod.29:27), the Sabbath day (Neh. 13:19-22), and the whole nation of Israel (Exod. 19:5, 6) were sanctified by God for his special uses.

The root from which the word “sanctify” comes is the same as that from which the word “saint” is also derived. We are “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in every place” (1 Cor. 1:2). Do we see ourselves as living to please ourselves or to please the one who “sanctified” us?

The Man Who Is Meet For The Master’s Use

The NIV renders this line as “useful to the Master.” A person who loves God wants not merely to be identified with him, but to be useful to him, helpful in his purposes and his work. Each of us has talents which may be beneficial to the cause of Christ, but whether they will be “useful” or not is another question. A hoe or shovel which has a broken handle is not very useful in the garden. A rake with many loose tines will not serve it’s purpose well in raking the yard. Likewise, a Christian whose life is not in proper order cannot be “useful to the Master.” This will ever be a matter of priorities. “Christ has no hands but our hands to do his work today, he has no feet but our feet to lead men in his way . . .” When we recognize that we, in the church, are the Lord’s only workers today, it becomes the more important that we live up to our responsibility to be “useful to the Master”!

The Man Who Is Prepared Unto Every Good Work

The vessel which can serve a useful purpose in the service of the Master is the one which is ready to hand. A container which is hidden in the deep recesses of a closet or a cabinet will not be of much value. Neither will the one which is still enclosed in the fancy box it came in, stored safely in the attic. The vessel of honor, the Master’s “favorite” is the one which is ready for use when work needs doing.

Every cook has her favorite pots and pans, often well used, and sometimes dented and scratched in the process. They may not look like something the TV chefs would use, but she would not part with them at any price. A new frying pan or kettle would have to be “seasoned” and that might take several weeks or even months. The old one is ready for work. It needs no preparation because preparation is already over. As God’s people we go through a similar process. We are at first clumsy and of little use in the Lord’s kingdom. Over time, though, we become more and more useful if we have weathered the preparation stages as we should. This is where we need to be heading, so that we may be “vessels unto honor” in the service of our God. Once prepared, we need to remain at the ready, prepared for every opportunity to do good.

By David and Flora Tant

A careful look at what happens when young people choose to ignore the moral guidelines that have been given to us by our Creator for our protection and for our ultimate good.

This is an important subject — especially today. Young people (and older folks, too) are bombarded with the world’s (Satan’s) standards of morality, or immorality. The values and moral standards which were endorsed by most Americans in years past are now ridiculed and/or ignored by many. Teaching on sexual purity before and after marriage is no longer held before young people as a law of God nor even an ideal goal to strive for. So-called sexual freedom is flaunted as the norm among teen agers and adults and often those are ridiculed who expect and encourage young people to remain virgins until marriage. God’s law is plain: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body; but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:18).

God, our Creator, knows our needs and what is best for us, his creation. He is not a cosmic killjoy. Behind each negative Bible command are two positive principles. One is to protect us, the other is to provide for us. God has “good” planned for us and does not want us to do something that will bring pain to us and to others. To illustrate this, consider an owner’s manual that comes with an automobile. I may want to change the oil once a year. That takes less time, and would seem to cost less. But the Owner’s Manual says to change the oil every 5,000 miles. Now, if I have good sense, I understand that the manufacturer knows better how to care for it than I do. Following their advice will save me much grief and expense. And we have also come with an Owner’s Manual — the Bible. It may seem good to enjoy the pleasure of sex before marriage, but the “Owner’s Manual” disagrees. So, whose judgment should we consider — ours or God’s? God’s motivation in dealing with us is love. “God is love” (1 John 4:16). He is the author of love, and he knows all about it. God is not anti-sex. He created sex and said it was good, but he gave rules with it. Rules in any realm are to protect us and give us freedom to enjoy the activity we are engaging in, whether it be sports or whatever. Can you imagine a ball game without rules, where everyone does just what he wants to do? We have one basic rule from God with reference to sexual activity. That is, “Wait until marriage.”

Look at God’s design and plan for our happiness. When we have faith in a powerful and all wise God, we obey without always understanding the reason behind the command. But in this area of sexual conduct, God has provided evidence that his way is best in words and principles taught throughout the Bible.

 

Consider four areas of life that will be greatly affected by our choices of sexual behavior. Look first at the effects of unchastity, so that we can know how to deal with these consequences. There are physical, spiritual, emotional, and relational effects of an immoral lifestyle.

Physical Effects

We saw in 1 Corinthians 6:18 that sex before marriage is a sin against the body. Sinning against the body means losing respect for your body, as well as the body of the one you are involved with. Once respect is lost, it becomes easier to indulge in promiscuous sex. Losing respect then leads to a warped view of love and centers the definition of love around the physical. The emotional needs which God created are not met in casual sex but in the loving commitment of a mate. Only in marriage is it possible for sexual relationships to reaffirm the dignity and uniqueness of each sex partner. Sex combined with love in marriage makes us want to give to our mate — not take. Waiting as God commands gives peace of mind which affects our physical health. We don’t experience the stress of worrying about unwanted pregnancies, or sexually transmitted diseases that could kill or cripple us or our children. Now, of course, the “safe sex” campaign across our country fools many into a false peace of mind. Birth control methods are sometimes unreliable, and the high rate of failure for condoms is not understood among many teens. At best, among those who are sexually active, one in six condoms will fail, and at worst one in three. That’s the same or worse odds as in Russian Roulette, which is a pretty stupid game. And of course the pill offers no protection whatsoever against STDs.

Fifty years ago, teens were warned about two STDs (called “venereal diseases” then): syphilis and gonor- rhea. What has our newfound sexual freedom brought? There are now over 50 STDs, and AIDS is not the only one that kills. And others can cripple and/ or make life miserable. (Herpes is not a picnic.) Some cause birth defects that pass a parent’s foolish decision on to an innocent child. Furthermore, that sperm that causes pregnancy can get through a tiny tear or pinhole in a condom. But the virus that causes AIDS is up to 300 to 400 times smaller than the sperm. So what does that same tear or hole look like to the AIDS virus? It looks like a train tunnel! Dr. Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General, doubts that there will ever be an AIDS cure. It is a virus, and we have never cured any virus, not even the common cold. And do you know about cervical cancer, a disease that is proven to be more prevalent among sexually active teenage girls?

Spiritual

God blesses purity. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). “Watch your heart with all diligence, for from it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). “We are to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil” (Rom. 16:19). “Abstain from sexual immorality . . . God has called us for purity” (1 Thess. 4:3-5, 7). Clearly God’s word forbids any type of sex outside of marriage. There are spiritual consequences any time we disobey God. “God will judge fornicators and adulterers” (Heb.13:4). Sexual sins brought destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. Many Bible characters committed sexual sins and were judged by God. Great trouble and grief came to Lot and his daughters, to Shechem, Reuben, Judah and Tamar, Samson and David. Judgment from God may be immediate as in the death of David’s son or come in future consequences we will face.

Medical science may eliminate or lessen some consequences of my sin, but it cannot remove my accountability before God. Sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2; Hos. 5:6). It causes us to be a bad influence on others, both Christians and non-Christians. Sexual purity is a way to show respect for others and to confirm their dignity as human beings. It is impossible to show someone the love of God while engaging in immorality with that person. When we maintain sexual purity, we can be channels of God’s  love and can accurately represent him to others.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, and “against such there is no law” (Gal.5:23). Waiting for something builds excitement, as in waiting for a birth- day. Sex is something we wait our whole life for until we finally partake of it. A godly character results from patience and perseverance. When we wait for sex till the proper time and place, our character is developed and self-esteem is built. We develop self-control which is required to live a godly life. Waiting builds trust, and God’s plan is for marriage to be built on a basic trust factor. Sexual involvement almost always wipes out trust in a relationship. In surveys conducted, it is found that “sexual intimacy produces more broken relationships than strengthened ones.”

Emotional

God’s plan gives protection from being put on a performance basis. When put on a performance basis with another person, one is accepted only if he acts or does something the way the other person wants. They are respected not for who they are, but for what they do. Their value and dignity is lost. A boy says, “I love you if you will have sex with me” or “because you are pretty, “rather than “I love you.” That is conditional love, and is worthless for building a committed relationship. Without the committed bonds of marriage, sex is inherently a selfish act done for personal satisfaction or gain. We must continue to please for the relationship to continue and that leaves one in a constant state of insecurity. God protects us from being put on a performance basis by reserving sex for the commitment of marriage. Are you aware of the various studies that show that sexual satisfaction is much greater in marriage than in uncommitted relationships? Why is it this way? Could it be that God knew what he was doing when he created us, and ordained the marriage relationship as the place for fulfillment?

The emotional baggage that often comes with premarital sex includes sexual dysfunctions in marriage. Many end up in counseling or therapy to deal with problems related to “teenage” sex. Studies have shown that premarital sex also increases the rate of cheating after marriage. Teens don’t know that when they are young, but God knew it when he gave the rules in his “Owner’s Manual.”

Guilt is another consequence of violating God’s standard of chastity until marriage. This has long term effects on future relationships in marriage, and may haunt and affect a person longer than any other consequence. To have the sex act linked with guilt in one’s emotions because of premarital activity, causes the joy intended by God for husband and wife to be robbed and clouded. For example, a couple I know has been married over 50 years, and sex has never had any meaning for her. Premarital sex did its damage. Guilt is an awareness of having transgressed a standard of right and wrong. Or it may be just a lingering doubt of thinking that some act was wrong.

Our society is plagued by those two kinds of guilt. The first is a moral guilt, which Christians are subject to, which tells us specifically when we have stepped outside God’s boundaries of conduct. It is a conscious awareness of specific transgressions. The other kind of guilt might be called a floating sense of guilt. One psychologist says, “It is indeed amazing that in a fundamentally irreligious culture as ours, the sense of guilt should be so widespread and deep-rooted as it is.” This floating guilt he spoke of comes from a society that says there is no absolute right and wrong. Rather than producing freedom as many claim they are seeking, such are in a constant turmoil. “Are these things I’m doing right or wrong?” These people have no standard, therefore no direction in their lives and are constantly adrift. Yes, they are free — as free as a ship at sea without a rudder. Christians have the Bible which gives direction and guidance to lives and tells of God’s character. (Illustration: A farmer was asked which was better — raising cattle on open grazing land, in a pasture, or in a corral. His reply was, “Well, on open grazing land they are always subject to attack from wild animals or they could wander off and be lost. In a corral they are safe, but somebody has to take care of them. In a fenced pasture, the cattle have everything they need. They are protected, yet have the freedom to graze.”).

The Bible defines our pasture. God has placed intelligent boundaries around us to keep us “home” and to keep away those who would prey on us, yet within those boundaries we have freedom to make choices. Deep down, young people want boundaries. We have seen those who had no rules, no curfews, who could make all their own decisions, but who wanted some guidance.

God has set marriage as the proper place for sex. We are protected within this boundary. Husbands and wives don’t have to be concerned with catching diseases; they are unselfish and open in expressing their sexual needs to one another. They can plan for the family they want and when children come, they are counted as blessings from God, not reminders of a grave mistake. Again, God protects us from shame and guilt, and gives us joy in the sexual union of marriage.

Misleading feelings is another emotional effect of fornication. This often comes from confusion between sex and love. Sex outside of marriage turns the relationship upside down and mixes emotions to the point of misinterpreting feelings. When we mix sex and love, we confuse the concepts of giving and taking. Personal selfish reasons cause premarital sex to take, but sometimes the taking may be confused as giving. A girl gives in to have the security the boy provides, or maybe the popularity achieved in being “his” girlfriend. Many times young people are misled by these emotions and think they really are in love.” The sex is so powerful that it creates a strong emotional bond often when there is little in common and little basis for a lasting relationship. Those mixed up feelings are destructive in a dating relationship and can have tragic consequences if the relationship progresses to marriage. God’s plan protects us from the devastating effects those confused emotions bring. Sex does not constitute love. As Christians, we are to develop agape love, the kind God has for us that gives with no expectation of getting something in return. The 1 Corinthians 13 model of love does not describe emotional feelings, but rather acts of the will. Love is primarily an act of the will, but has tremendous emotional overtones because it has to do with how we relate to people. Our actions of love are tied to our emotions because relation- ships naturally have emotional bonds. Likewise sex has a powerful emotional aspect because God meant for it to be a joining of soul and mind as well as a physical union. That involves the moral conscience which can inflict pain after the physical pleasure is gone, unless the two have become one in marriage. Marital sex is a model of God’s provision to draw us closer to one another and to him. 

The hardship of breaking off the relationship is another consequence. The pain that comes when one breaks up with a sexual partner is often an emotionally terrible tear- ing apart. Even when a couple realizes that fornication is sinful, they may try to find ways to justify the relationship because of the emotional bond formed between them. Sex forms a bond that exists when the rest of the relationship is bad. We see evidence of that when a girl stays with a partner who physically abuses her, and who often treats her like dirt.

Then there is the effect of psychological and emotional distress that comes. Premarital sex has a serious adverse effect on the self image of the partners. Rather than joy, an emotionally crippling guilt seems to be the companion of permissive sex. Sex is such a definite experience that a part of each of us remains forever a part of the other. The effects of this “casual investment” on the mind and emotions is far reaching. Humiliation and a poor self image come to many after sleeping with a person who never calls back or breaks off the relationship. “Let marriage be held in honor . . . and let the bed be undefiled” (Heb. 13:14). One partner accepts sex as love and directs his or her love toward the other. But anger and rejection come when love is not returned. Resentment and bitterness often come toward the other person, as well as blaming that one for causing you to violate your standards. 

We have shared our very bodies and souls with another and when we don’t find meaning in the relationship we feel that we have been stripped of our dignity and self worth. One reason God gives his loving commands is so our dignity will be preserved. That dignity is the sense of nobility, worthiness and honor God puts in everyone. That is a concept unique to human beings and makes us more than animals. The Bible spells out in numerous passages the inherent dignity and value in each person. That dignity and value come because we are handmade by God in his image — God’s spiritual and moral image (Gen. 1:27). If young people can understand that and realize that they are valuable to their parents and to God, it can help them in overcoming the false assumptions of evolution that we are mere animals and, therefore, must behave like animals.

Some try to justify sexual experience before marriage as profitable to see if the two are compatible, but studies show a greater incidence of divorce among couples who are sexually active before marriage. Often these first experiences are not pleasurable and leave greater emotional scars that must be dealt with in marriage. Emotional damage almost always comes as a result of fornication and adultery. There has been a great increase in teenage suicide in recent years as sexual promiscuity has increased, along with increased pregnancy, abortion and STDs. Certainly this unrestrained lifestyle is one factor of the high suicide rate.

Unequal levels of commitment is an effect that is nearly always present in premarital sex and can bring emotional devastation. Especially for girls and women, the sex act has a psychologically binding effect. Sex increases the feeling of closeness to the partner. When this is not shared, one partner is always vulnerable to rejection. “What if I don’t please him any longer?” If the boy is not as committed, the girl may feel she is merely being used by the guy to fulfill his physical lust. God’s design for marriage brings protection against emotional suffering and builds self esteem as we realize we are unique creatures made in the image of our Creator. The sexual bonding as he created it in marriage is for our good. A young person who uses self control to say “no” to sex outside of marriage is building discipline and security into future relationships, because waiting gives your mind and body time to mature. If we do not learn to develop self-control before marriage, it makes it easier for a lack of self-control to lead to extra-marital affairs after marriage. Various studies have confirmed this fact.

Consider the sad case of a 31-year-old woman I talked to whose life is filled with guilt. She began having sex at age 19. She has admitted to having sex with five different men. She has never been married, but would like very much to be married. When I asked her why she began having sex, she said it was to create a bond, hoping that she would be able to hold on to her boyfriend. I asked her, “Did it work?” “No,” she admitted. “Then why do you think it’s going to work now?” She didn’t have an answer. I repeated to her the old adage, “Why should he buy the cow when he gets the milk free?”

God teaches that our body is the dwelling place of God, described in 1 Corinthians 6 as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Sexual immorality disgraces God’s temple.

Relational

There are relational reasons to wait for sex until marriage. For one thing, sex hinders communication. Sex is often the easy way out to those who have never learned to communicate intimately apart from the physical. Efforts to really get to know the person and their likes and dislikes are often hindered when sexual activity starts. Sex becomes the focus, and other aspects of the relationship have no chance to develop. And a relationship based solely on sex is in trouble, for you can spend only so much time in bed. When we delay physical involvement till its proper time, we allow the relationship to grow and mature. Friendship lays the foundation for love to blossom. By obeying God’s plan to wait for sex, a couple can discover other ways to communicate that will do much in building a healthy relationship.

There is the involuntary comparison of sex partners. This is very harmful to both partners as they deal with mental flashbacks of earlier sexual encounters. These can be frustrating, disturbing and destructive to a couple who later desire to experience God’s plan for true intimacy and love in their marriage. Minds are like computers, as all information is stored there. Intimate sexual encounters which involve senses of sight, sound and touch are not easily erased. Memories are called to mind by association. Something from within us (thoughts, feelings, actions) or from without (through our five senses) remind us of something similar from the past. If these earlier experiences involve hurt, pain, mistrust, exploitation, or guilt, then permanent scars are left which carry over into marriage. This is one reason rape and incest are so devastating in people’s lives. The most important sex organ God gave us is the mind. When two people learn about sex together for the first time within marriage, they are creating vivid and unforgettable memories. These are positive memories that bind two people together in a loving, trusting union without any interferences from the past.

There are damaged family relationships as a result of sex before marriage. Often premarital sex is justified “because we are getting married anyway.” But studies have shown that there are twice as many broken engagements among those couples and those are the ones more likely to be divorced or separated or to engage in adultery. One of the things God protects is the trust and assurance of fidelity that a proper sexual union brings.

There are children who come as a result of fornication and adultery. “Safe sex” is very often not safe as a prevention of pregnancy. Then a child is born without the proper foundation for nurturing that should be there. The exploding violence among teens has a direct relationship to children born out of wedlock and raised by a single parent. What God intended as a blessing of man and woman’s love brings shame, embarrassment, and trouble.

Damaged relationships with parents also come as a result of unlawful sexual behavior. Godly, loving parents can forgive (and must do so), but they will experience hurt and pain for the young people who have strayed from the boundaries God has established.

Last, there is often disappointment and regret at lost virginity. When we lose something we know is valuable, we feel regret. I do not know how many young people have told me, “I wish I had waited.” God’s way to protect us from that is to reserve sex for marriage. There is no chance of heartache later when our first sexual experience is with the person we will spend our lives with. When we wait until the wedding night, we have a most special gift that has been reserved for our chosen lifelong companion. We establish a bond of trust and love that has no equal. God’s design to limit sex to marriage protects us from hurting each other and provides the proper setting in which to express love through sex.

The story is told of a 15-year-old boy who looked and looked for a special girl for the true love of his life. He finally settled on a beautiful ring, and gave it to her as a token of his love. And as usually happens at that age, in a few months there was another “true love.” Again he looked and looked, but could find nothing more beautiful than the same ring he had given before. As you might suspect, the same thing happened a few more times during his teen years. And then at 22 he did find his genuine true love. He looked and looked and looked to find a special gift for her on their wedding day. But all he could find was the same ring, which by now had lost its special significance. I think you get the point. There is no gift as special and sacred as the giving of one’s body. But if we give it again and again before giving it to our marriage companions it will have lost its sacred meaning.

Now, we have seen some of the effects of unchastity and great emotional consequences that come with this sin. But as with all sin, God’s forgiveness is freely given as we repent. We know in his eyes there are no big and little sins, and we know his love and power is great to help us over- come and deal with whatever consequences may come.

We know these things intellectually, but often the problem is we’re not able to forgive self. We may feel we are “damaged goods,” and can never be worthy to make a good husband or wife, or we may be married and still experiencing some of the guilt and emotional scars that come from unlawful sex either before or after marriage. We may feel cheap, used, unworthy of God’s forgiveness and love.

But we must not limit God’s power to forgive and the cleansing effects of Jesus’ death on the cross. His blood was poured out for all sinners — those who crucified him as well as us. God’s forgiveness never ends. We can come to him at any time for any reason and he promises to cleanse and make us whole again as we bring our lives into conformity with his will. 

Dealing With This Sin

Four things are necessary in dealing with this and every sin.

1. Admit that we have sinned and repent as Jesus commanded in Luke 13:3. Repentance is a change of direction or course of action in our lives. God gives us strength to leave old ways behind and start on new paths. Our part is repentance; God’s part is forgiveness.

2. We must accept God’s forgiveness. He is willing and able and has promised to forgive. God always keeps his promises. When we accept his forgiveness, we accept his grace and Jesus’ death as sufficient payment for our sins. If we reject God’s forgiveness, we reject his grace and consider ourselves beyond forgiveness. We say God is not almighty and that he is unable to cope with the magnitude of what we have done. But God forgives and doesn’t keep a score-card. “God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). For those who have never been baptized into Christ, this forgiveness comes upon the confession of our faith in Christ, and our immersion in water (baptism). The Scriptures clearly teach this in Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3-5, etc. If this has already been done, and one has fallen into sin, a confession of sin and a determination to turn from it will cause God to hear our prayer for forgiveness (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9).

3. When God forgives us, we must forgive self. If you were the only person alive, Christ would have died for you alone. Do you really believe that? If you were the only person alive and you sinned, as Adam and Eve did, God would provide a Redeemer for you, just as he promised Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:15). If Christ could love you that much and be willing to forgive you, then surely you can learn to forgive yourself.

In living as a Christian, we fail from time to time. Yet every day God is waiting to forgive us. Accepting the fact that we sin doesn’t mean we should wallow in unworthiness. God wants to lift us up and set us free from guilt. Only in that assurance can we again be useful in his service. Jesus’ death on the cross is the good news of forgiveness to those who crucified him as well as to us who crucify him anew every time we sin. Christ didn’t come to save the righteous, but to save sinners (Mark 2: 17; Luke 19:10). He isn’t interested in our proving to him how good we are. His message is forgiveness. He wipes the record clean. Spiritually we are a virgin again in God’s eyes so we must see self as now clean, not tarnished.

4. We must show fruits of repentance (Matt. 3:8). If we are repenting, we are turning, changing in actions and thoughts. If we are single, it may mean breaking off a relationship, staying away from certain temptation. If we are married, we may have some of the same temptations to deal with, but we may just need to develop and exercise self-control, to “think on right things,” not old sins of the past (Phil. 4:8; Rom. 12:1-2).

Next, don’t let Satan deceive you into believing, “Well, I blew it, so how can I help others?” Instead, we can use our time and influence to help other young people avoid sexual sins. You can tell them of the bad consequences that come better than one who has not fallen in that area. God can use a forgiven sinner, as we all are, to help accomplish his will in the lives of others.

Lastly, God can give us help in remolding our lives by reshaping our mind from within. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). He has given us his truth (John 8:32). He has given us the power of his Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:20). He has given us his people (Gal. 6:1, 2).

(This material has come from our own observations in dealing with thousands of young people through the years, as well as from material prepared by Josh McDowell, Patsy Dawson and others. David Tant is an evangelist working with the Roswell Church of Christ, 11670 King Road, Roswell, GA.)

By Franklin T. Puckett

One of the most widely held beliefs of our day is the teaching that a man is saved by faith alone. Nearly all of the denominational creeds have the idea imbedded in their articles, either clearly stated as in the Methodist Discipline, or else clearly implied. It is taught that man is saved miraculously, the very instant he believes in Christ, and that this belief is wrought in his heart by the action of the Holy Spirit. Man, in this view, is wholly passive and unable to do anything at all to bring about his salvation. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit. Neither the man’s obedience, nor the commands of Christ are taken into consideration. It is purely a miracle.

This is surely one of the most damnable of all false doctrines which curse the land this day. It does more to produce indifference in the hearts of the people toward the church, and to diminish respect for the church, than anything I know. It leads men to deny the essentiality of the church altogether. So strong a grip has the doctrine secured on the hearts of men that it is a very common experience to hear devoted religious people say, “Oh, the church is not important,” “The church does not save,” “One can go to heaven just as well without being a member of the church as he can in the church,” etc. Now if by the word “church” such people mean some denominational institution, then surely no Bible student anywhere would argue with them. On the contrary, every informed person will agree fully with the idea that membership in a denomination (any denomination) is not essential to salvation.

But no person who has reached the age of accountability, and has transgressed God’s law either by omission or commission, will ever reach heaven without being a member of the church which is revealed in the Bible. I call your attention to the fact that Jesus Christ is the “Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23). It is Christ who saves; Christ who is the Savior; and not the church. “The church” does not save; the church is the thing saved! “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the Savior of the body.” What does Christ save? He saved the body. But what is “the body”? It is the church (Col. 1:18, 24; Eph. 1:22, 23). Christ is the head of the church — his body. And it is this body which is saved by Christ.

The conclusion is clear from this that if one does not belong to the church, he does not belong to that of which Christ is the Savior. It was the church which was purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28); and it is “to the church” that the saved are added (Acts 2:47). There are no saved out of the church; there can be none. For everyone who is “saved” is “added” to the church by the same one who saves him — God.

The church was purchased by the blood of Christ. Un less we are willing to say that Christ was swindled when he bought the church, we must recognize that the value of the church is equal to the value of the blood of Christ. If the church is not valuable, then Christ was cheated when he purchased it with his own blood.

The church is a “blood-bought” institution. If one is to be saved by the blood of Christ, one must be a part of the church, his spiritual body, which was purchased by that blood. If one is a sinner, at enmity with God, then salvation and peace and reconciliation are to be had only in the church, the blood-purchased possession of Jesus Christ. “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace, and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Eph. 2:14-16).

Where are people reconciled to God? In the one body, the church. Where is peace found? In the one body, the church. The Bible says that the body is the church, and that peace and reconciliation are to be had in the body, and not out of it. Talk about being “saved by the blood of Christ!” My friend, if you are ever saved by the blood of Christ, it will be because you have come into that body where you are reconciled to God by the cross of Christ. The blood which was shed for our redemption can save us only in the church. There is no other way.

Does the church save? Of course not! It is Christ who saves! But what does he save? He saves the body, the church. God exercised great power when he raised Jesus Christ from the dead and “made him to sit at his right hand in heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:20-23). So the church is the fullness of Christ. It was not some human institution, or some man-made denomination which he purchased with his blood; it was “the church.” It is over this body that he reigns as head; it is here that the fullness of God dwells. It is here and here only that salvation is promised to the penitent sinner.

We are pleading with people to become members of the New Testament church. We are pleading that men and women in our day do exactly what they did in the days of the apostles. These people then heard the gospel, believed it, repented of their sins, and were buried through baptism for the remission of sins. And when that happened God added them to the church. Here they were reconciled to God, washed and made clean by the blood of Christ; they were then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. They were in the church — the saved of God.

By C.W. Fell

Notice in John 3:16 that God “gave” his Son. God did not owe us a plan of salvation. He was not indebted to give us a plan of salvation. This plan of salvation was given as an unmerited favor by God to mankind while we were still dead in our sins.

How does a sinner obtain salvation? People have different ideas about God’s plan of salvation. Overcoming these differences can be difficult at times, but it is not impossible. In fact, most of us are much closer to agreement than we realize.

For example, let’s take Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Here is a simple point we all agree on. Regard- less of what name you wear, whether Assembly of God, Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Independent, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, or Presbyterian we all agree on this point.

Next, we all agree with Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” This teaching transcends all the boundaries of division.

How Does One Escape?

Next, let’s consider how man can escape the condemnation of sin. What we want here is a Bible answer, not the opinions of men, but rather a clear book, chapter, and verse Bible answer. 

The following verses provide just such an answer:

. . . having now been justified by His blood . . . (Rom. 5:9).

. . . having made peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20).

. . . and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

 

From these verses it is obvious that the blood of Christ is our hope for escape from the wages of sin. Without Christ’s blood we would be hopelessly lost.

I’m confident that most of us will agree up to this point. So, we now have three points of agreement.

• All have sinned.

• The wages of sin is death.

• Christ blood is our only hope of escape.

Man Did Nothing!

Let’s move on to the fourth point. I am certain we will agree on it, also. The fourth point is that man did nothing to merit the sacrifice of Christ. Again we turn to the Bible for solid book, chapter, and verse answers.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son . . . (John 3:16).

. . .Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6).

. . .while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses. . . (Eph. 2:1).

Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive. . . (Eph. 2:5).

Notice in John 3:16 that God “gave” his Son. God did not owe us a plan of salvation. He was not indebted to give us a plan of salvation. This plan of salvation was given as an unmerited favor by God to mankind while we were still dead in our sins.

Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). God eliminated all possible boasting from the plan of salvation. No man can boast that he has earned salvation.

We should now have four points of agreement.

• All have sinned.

• The wages of sin is death.

• Christ’s blood is our only hopeof escape.

• Not a single one of us deserves God’s plan of salvation.

To emphasize the fourth point a little further, consider the fact that this plan of salvation was designed and offered before you were born. You certainly did nothing to merit a plan of salvation that was given nearly two thousand years before you were born. You can also rest assured that the people of Christ’s day did not earn this plan. No one deserves salvation.

Saved By Grace Through Faith

In Ephesians 2:8 Paul introduced another element of salvation that we will agree on. Paul taught that we are saved by grace through faith. It is through the avenue of faith that we take hold of God’s grace and gain the salvation that is in Christ’s blood.

In Acts 15:9 we read, “. . .purifying their hearts by faith.” We see again that it is through the avenue of faith that we reach the saving blood of Christ. It is not faith that washes away our sins, but rather it is through faith that we reach the saving blood of Christ.

In Hebrews 11:6 we read, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Faith is absolutely essential because it is the only avenue by which we can take hold of God’s grace and reach the blood of Christ.

No doubt we are still in agreement through these five points.

• All have sinned.

• The wages of sin is death.

• Christ’s blood is our only hopeof escape.

• Not a single one of us deserves God’s plan of salvation.

• Without faith it is impossible to please God.

What Is Faith?

The next step is to identify and de- fine saving faith. What is its character and its nature? How does a person exercise saving faith? The Bible speaks of two kinds of faith. James tells us about one of these in James 2, starting at verse 14.

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (2:14).

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (2:17).

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons be- lieve and tremble (2:19).

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (2:20).

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (2:21)

Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (2:22).

You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only (2:24).

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (2:26).

Why is the faith of this passage dead? Because it did not obey the truth. This dead faith recognized the facts and understood the truth but did not do the will of God.

James’ message is simple: An inactive faith is a useless faith. Only the Devil would encourage such a faith.

We have an example of this dead faith in John 12:42-43. John writes, “Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” These men had an inactive faith, a dead faith.

In Matthew 10:33 we read, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” The rulers mentioned in John 12 would not confess Christ even though they believed he was the Christ, therefore Christ will deny them before his Father.

Faith alone was not enough just as James had said. A faith that recognizes the truth but does not surrender to God’s will is dead and does not lead to the saving blood of Jesus.

What Is Saving Faith?

Obviously we want the opposite of this dead faith. We want a faith that is alive, surrenders to God, and actively does his will. Various Bible passages reinforce this idea of saving faith.

In Matthew 7:21 Jesus taught, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Later in Matthew 12:50 Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister.”

The Hebrew writer wrote in He- brews 5:9, “. . .He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”

In 2 Thessalonians 1:8 Paul taught that when Jesus returns he will take vengeance “on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We can see from these verses that the faith that leads to the blood of Christ is an active faith. It is a faith that does the will of God, making a personal surrender to whatever God may require.

We now have six points that we should agree on.

• All have sinned.

• The wages of sin is death.

• Christ’s blood is our only hope of escape.

• Not a single one of us deserves God’s plan of salvation.

• Without faith it is impossible to please God.

• Saving faith obediently surrenders to the will of God. 

The Terms of Surrender

Next, let’s consider the terms of this surrender that leads to the blood of Christ. Once again we want a solid Bible book, chapter, and verse foundation, and once again the Bible provides such an answer.

In John 6:28 the people asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”Jesus answered in the next verse, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” To the modern mind “believe” might sound like an odd answer to their question. People today tend to view belief as something that is passive, but the religious minds of Jesus’ day knew that faith without works is dead.

In the Bible, saving faith and obedient surrender are so closely related that sometimes the ideas are interchange- able. This relationship between the two is obvious in the following verses.

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? (Rom. 10:16). (Did you notice in this verse that the gospel is something to be obeyed?)

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Heb. 3:18-19).

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient. . . (1 Pet. 2:7).

Saving faith is a firm conviction, a personal surrender, and a conduct of life based on that surrender. This is the first term of surrender. This first term by its very nature includes all the other terms of surrender. In other words, if a person truly exercises saving faith then all of the other terms naturally follow. If any of the other terms is rejected, then a personal surrender was not made.

Repentance as a Term of Surrender

So, what are the other things that the Bible connects to salvation? Once again we want solid book, chapter, and verse Bible answers to this question, and again the Bible gives us clear answers.

Several Scriptures connect repentance to salvation:

. . .unless you repent you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:5).

. . .God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life (Acts 11:18).

God . . . commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

So what is this repentance that God commands upon all men everywhere? Repentance is simply a change of mind that turns away from sin and unto God.

The fact that God requires us to turn from sin and unto him is just common sense. To expect God to save us without us turning to him would be absurd. It would also be contrary to the obedient surrender of saving faith. So, while we can talk about saving faith and repentance separately on paper, the two cannot be separated in practice.

Notice also that repentance is something that God granted us (Acts 11:18). If God had not chosen to accept our repentance as part of his plan of salvation then repentance would be worthless. Repentance is only valuable in coming to Jesus’ blood because God made it so.

We should now have seven points that we agree on.

• All have sinned.

• The wages of sin is death.

• Christ’s blood is our only hope of escape.

• Not a single one of us deserves God’s plan of salvation.

• Without faith it is impossible to please God.

• Saving faith obediently surrenders to the will of God.

• God commands all men everywhere to turn from sin and unto him.

Confession as a Term of Surrender

The Scriptures also show that confession is vitally connected to salvation.

Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before

My Father who is in heaven (Matt. 10:33).

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus . . . you will be saved (Rom. 10:9). . . . and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:10).

If we deny Him, He will also deny us (2 Tim. 2:12).

So, what is this confession that we must make as part of our surrender? It is a confession that Jesus is our Lord, a declaration of our acceptance of him as our Lord and Savior. We cannot be like the rulers mentioned earlier in John 12:42; we must openly confess that Jesus is the Christ.

If a person is not willing to make this confession, then that person has not obediently surrendered to the will of God. He has not turned from the way of sin unto the way of God.

We should now have eight points of agreement. 

• All have sinned.

• The wages of sin is death.

• Christ’s blood is our only hope of escape.

• Not a single one of us deserves God’s plan of salvation.

• Without faith it is impossible to please God.

• Saving faith obediently surrenders to the will of God.

• God commands all men everywhere to turn from sin and unto him.

• If we deny Jesus, he will also deny us.

Most likely we are in agreement up to this point. We might have some technical differences, but hopefully those will be minor.

Baptism as a Term of Surrender

Now we come to the biggest hurdle of all: baptism. As always we want a solid book, chapter, and verse answer. Once again, the Bible is surprisingly clear.

He who believes and is baptized will be saved. . . (Mark 16:16).

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him (Luke 7:30).

. . . unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

Repent, and lest every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins . . . (Acts 2:38).

Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins. . . (Acts 22:16).

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead . . . even so we also should walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4).

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ(Gal. 3:27).

There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism . . . (1 Pet. 3:21). 

Baptism does not merit salvation any more than faith does. It is rather absurd that anyone would think that the simple act of baptism could merit eternal life. Baptism is simply one of the terms of surrender that God designated. If a person truly surrenders to the will of God, then he will submit to God’s will in baptism. If he refuses to be baptized then he has not surrendered to the will of God (Luke 7:30).

Baptism and Grace

After surrendering to God in baptism a person should not think that he has done anything to earn the saving blood of Christ. Salvation is by God’s grace when one surrenders according to the terms God set.

 

Naaman the leper illustrates the point. God offered to cure Naaman of his leprosy upon seven dippings in the river Jordan. Dipping in the river Jordan worked for Naa- man only because God’s grace made it work. God chose to impart the gift of healing to Naaman by means of dipping in the river (2 Kings 5:1-19 ).

Likewise God has chosen to impart the healing blood of Jesus by means of baptism. It is not the baptism itself that washes away sins, but rather the blood of Christ. God has arranged his plan of salvation so that the blood of Christ is applied when a sinner surrenders to the point of baptism. Thus, the man dead in his sins is buried in baptism and a new man is resurrected from the grave of baptism by God’s grace.

Noah is another good illustration. Genesis 6:8 tells us that Noah found grace in the eyes of God. Does this mean that Noah had no part in saving his family from the flood? Of course not. Noah and his sons put in many long hours building the ark. Yet, all the work and efforts of Noah and his family were successful only because God’s grace was with them. If God’s grace had not been with them then their work would have been in vain, and they too would have died in the flood.

Likewise, our baptism would have no benefit if God’s grace was not with us in baptism. Baptism leads to the saving blood of Jesus only because God’s graces makes it that way. If God’s grace was removed then baptism would be absolutely worthless.

The Bible teaches that a person must believe, repent, confess, and be baptized unto the remission of sins. When a person has thus surrendered to God then that person’s sins are washed away by the blood of Christ.

Obedient surrender does not merit salvation. A person cannot point to his surrender and say that he has earned or bought salvation. God, in his wonderful grace, has simply allowed that if a person will surrender to him, he will cleanse that person by the blood of Christ, but we must first come to him on his terms.

Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven”(Matt. 7:21). Have you surrendered to God’s will?