The Gospel Truth Blog

Author Archive

God’s word being fulfilled in the Jewish people

October 8th, 2011

“Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye (Israel) are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” Isaiah 43:9-10

The nation of Israel is a living prophecy fulfilling – it is a witness that God exists.

This video examines a few of the Bibles prophecies concerning the Jewish people and how they have been, and are being fulfilled today:

There is no supernatural devil

September 16th, 2011

Many people believe in a horrific and terrible being termed the “Devil” and “Satan” who is responsible for all the evil in the world. In this Podcast Mr Patrick Nelson looks at this idea and examines it’s Biblical basis. The results are surprising and exciting and are essential to know if you are seeking to understand the truth of the Bible and God’s ways of salvation.

Podcast

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Download as mp3 version here (4MB) » (Right click and save to desktop)

Download the slides for this talk as a PDF here »

Will God forgive false doctrine?

July 29th, 2011

This question is a very interesting one, and one which we cannot afford to fail to address as it is a matter of life and death to know and understand the answer.

We could discuss what we might like the answer to be. We could think about what theological scholars or the clergy think about this topic. We could project forth our own hopes and ideas on the topic – but such human thinking would be useless for there is only one authority which can answer this question for us, the Bible, the word of the living God which is able to “make us wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15).

God does not lie

Of course, God can forgive who He wishes to – but with most questions of this nature, it’s not really a question of what God can do (as all things are possible with God) but what God has revealed He will do. Therefore it would not be appropriate for any mere mortal to seek to answer on God’s behalf. The only suitable course of action would be to seek out what God Himself has told His creation about this subject.

Anything is possible for God but one thing – and that is to lie. We are clearly told in the scriptures that God does not lie (Titus 1:2) and so we can have absolute confidence in what He has decreed.

What does the Bible reveal?

With that in mind these verses shed some light on our question:

“The gospel… is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” Romans 1:16

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15-16

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”
Ephesians 2:8

“For we are saved by hope…” Romans 8:24

“I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you… By which also ye are saved” 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

“If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:9

“(Christ will) present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” Col 1:23-24

It seems clear therefore that God’s word declares that to believe in the true gospel is vital for salvation. We have to have a faith and that means believing in a set of doctrines. Having a true understanding of The Truth of the Bible is the mechanism by which we can become ready for baptism into Christ and we must continue to believe this. To suggest otherwise is to doubt these words which God has caused to be written.

This may not be the answer we want, but we must humble ourselves and listen to the still small voice of Gods word, for as the prophet Isaiah by inspiration records:

“…But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:2

Christadelphians believe they have found this truth and it is summarised in their statement of faith.

Time is running out

The verse above tell us then that if we reject the true gospel message of the Bible, God will not forgive us and give us the gift of eternal life in His Kingdom. This is quite a powerful thing to come to terms with – especially when we consider the majority of Christendom believe three key doctrines which are contrary to Bible teaching (The immortal soul, The Trinity and an immortal Devil). The Bible tells us that these apostasies are not acceptable in Gods eyes. In Acts we read this sobering verse:

“Because God hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge theworld in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Acts 17:31

The day of judgment for this world is fast approaching and therefore the quest for truth must be an urgent one else we will find ourselves on the wrong side in that day.

On the other hand however, we also know that there is no position from which we can’t repent before Christ’s return, seek forgiveness and be found acceptable in God’s mercy. This must be done on Gods terms however and not our own. It must be done on the basis of that unique gospel message found in His word. Therefore, in the days that remain we must seek to stay true to the faith once delivered unto the saints, guarding it and upholding it and warning those who do not have it.

If you do not have this Truth dear reader, if you do not understand the gospel which is wrapped up in the promises of the Old Testament which God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob  (Galatians 3:8, 2 Peter 1:4) please study your Bible, pray and seek out this knowledge. This website endeavours to help all those seeking truth and it is hopefully an aid to those on such a quest. You may find this article on “The Gospel” helpful as a starting point.

War in the Middle East The Bible Solution

May 10th, 2011

The recent unrest in a number of Middle East countries is sending shock waves throughout the world. As Britain and other nations prepare their war machines to help the Libyan rebels in their fight against Colonel Gaddafi, many are fearful that the UK will be dragged into another full-scale conflict, which could have far-reaching consequences.

This podcast of an illustrated talk by Bernard Burt examines the current world events from the perspective of Bible prophecy. It demonstrates that God has a purpose with the world, and that the turmoil that we see in the world today is the prelude to the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. It will also explain how our personal salvation is connected with these events.

Podcast

Listen online:

 

Download as mp3 version here (5MB) » (Right click and save to desktop)

Download the slides for this talk at a PDF here (10MB) » (Right click and save to desktop)

Will you go to Rome for your Bible?

May 5th, 2011

We have examined in earlier posts on this website that the Catholic Church has tried for many years to keep the knowledge of the Bible suppressed so it can excerpt it’s authority upon the masses. With the 400 year anniversary of the King James Version now upon us it is worth considering the history of Bible translations and the authority of the scriptures – especially when considering which Bible to use on a day to day basis. In the following 9 part documentary we have clear and simple evidence of the strategies of some to undermine that authority. The documentary is called “Catholic Church – Mother Of Corrupt Bible Versions”. Be informed and be warned:

1. William Tyndale & King James

2. The Jesuits

3. Wescott & Hort & The Revised Version

4. The Flood of New Translations

5. Codex Siniaticus and Vaticanus

6. The Nestle’s Text

7. The Counter Reformation

8. The Emergent Church

9. The Power of Gods Word

For further information on the authority of the Bible please read this article: Gods Word – The Bible

The Truth About The Trinity

January 29th, 2011

The Truth About The Trinity - Bible Teaching

The Doctrine of the Trinity is held as a key belief by many Christians today. It is the doctrine that teaches that the Father, his son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit are all one and the same being. In this Podcast we examine if this is a Bible teaching and why it matters so much to have a correct understanding on this subject.

Podcast

Listen online:

 

Download as mp3 version here » (Right click and save to desktop)

Video: The Bible and the Papacy

December 29th, 2010

We are pleased to present the video of the ‘Bible and the Papacy’ talks which were given at Nottingham University on the 17th of September 2010 to coincide with the Popes visit to the UK.

Lecture 1 – Is the Papacy the head of the church?

The Bible and the Papacy – Is the Pope the true head of the church? from thegospeltruth on Vimeo.

Lecture 2 – Bible teaching or Church tradition?

The Bible and the Papacy – Bible Teaching or Church Tradition from thegospeltruth on Vimeo.

Audio

An audio Podcast fo these lectures is available for download here

The true significance of the “throne of David”

December 23rd, 2010

At this time of year many people will have been going to nativity plays in churches and schools. Many people will think briefly upon the impact of the birth and life of Jesus Christ. Many will sing, read and hear about how the baby born in Bethlehem was to be a great King but few will understand it’s true significance or the scope of what this truly means. In this article we take a quick look at the true meaning of the kingship of Christ and his purpose in Gods plan for the earth.

Christ – “the king of the Jews”

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2

We see here that Jesus Christ was born to be the King of the Jews. The wise men from the east were awaiting his birth – probably from the teachings of the Jewish prophet Daniel who, although captured and taken to Babylon, rose through the ranks to become an important and influential figure in the Babylonian empire which was situated to the east of Israel. Jesus Christ though was never accepted by the Jewish nation as their king. When they crucified him they were angry with Pilot for his words which were placed at the top of the cross:

“And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.” John 19:19-21

Did Jesus Christ fail then if he was born to be ‘king of the jews’? No he did not as we shall see.

The Angels Message to Mary

The well known words of the angel to Mary hold some profound prophetic words:

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:30-33

We have here then a prophecy that Jesus Christ would be given the “throne of his father David”. We read that when this throne is given to him his kingdom shall have “no end”. What does this mean?

The Kingdom of God in the Past – the ‘throne of David’

To understand the prophecy of the angel an understanding of the Old Testament must be obtained. God’s kingdom was in fact the ancient Kingdom of Israel. We can see this from the following passages of scripture:

  • The nation of Israel were God’s “kingdom” and he was their “king” allowing them to inhabit “His land” – the land of Israel (see Isaiah 43:15, 44:6 , Exodus 19:5-6, Psalm 114:1-2, Ezekiel 36:5).
  • Israel eventually wanted a man to be their king (1 Sam 8:7). These kings were only ruling on behalf of God (2 Chron 9:8).
  • In Chronicles we read king Davids words:
    And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.” 1 Chron 28:5
  • David and his son Solomon were therefore rulers of the ‘Kingdom of God’ in the past.

These facts serve as a key which unlocks major parts of the New Testiment as we shall start to see as we continue.

The Kingdom of God Temporally Overturned

In Ezekiel we read a prophecy against the last of the line of the Kings of this Kingdom. This is what God said to king Zedekiah:

“…and thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” Ezekiel 21:25-27

So we see that the Kingdom of God was only to be overturned for a limited time “until he comes whose right it is”. There is then to be a ‘coming one’ who will have the ‘kingdom’ given to him – that Kingdom which King David of old sat on a throne governing.

There are plenty of prophecies in the old testament about the future revival of this past Kingdom. Consider these:

“And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.” Isaiah 16:5

“In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:” Amos 9:11

“And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.” Zech 2:12

The message to Mary unlocked

With that Old Testament background we can revisit and better understand that message from the angel to Mary. Remember it was said of Christ that:

“…and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” Luke 1:32

This was the ancient throne of the Kingdom of Israel which was over throne as we saw in Ezekiel 21:27. That throne that King David of old sat on. A throne which governed a literal territory on earth. That throne is to be given to Jesus Christ and when it is given to him it will last forever. This was indeed promised to King David .

“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever… And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-17

So this seed would do these things “before David” (a resurrection from the dead) and that this future descendant would reign forever (e.g. be immortal!). The New Testiment opens with words which hint at this:

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Matthew 1:1

We see then the importance of understanding who David was and the fact that Jesus Christ was his descendant and therefore heir to the throne of the Kingdom of God in the past.

We read in the angels message to Mary:

“…he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever“ Luke 1:33

This links in with the promise to David. The “house of Jacob” is a term which simply means the descendants of Jacob. Jacobs name was changed to Israel in the Bible and he is the father of the Jewish nation. So this king will specifically be the “King of the Jews” and rule over the ancient but literal Kingdom of Israel just as King David of old did.

When does Christ become King?

Some people believe that Jesus is a king now but he has not been yet given the throne of the Kingdom of Israel. He is currently set down at the right hand of Gods throne which is different to the throne which will be set up when Jesus finally is given it upon the earth (see Rev 3:21 for proof that there are two distinct thrones in this respect). Jesus has not yet restored the Kingdom to Israel yet as we can see when the apostles asked him this question:

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6

This question was asked after the death and resurrection of Christ and proves that it was their ernest expectation that the Kingdom of Israel would once again be restored with Jesus Christ as King. However ‘then was not the time’ for Jesus replies:

“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”Acts 1:7

The return of Christ to establish Gods Kingdom
The great message of the Bible is that Jesus will return from heaven to establish the Kingdom of Israel. This was the promise of the angels to those apostles who saw Jesus go to heaven. This is what they said to them:

“…while they (the apostles) looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:10-11

So Jesus is to return to restore this Kingdom which will eventually grow and take over the whole earth (see Daniel 2). This Kingdom will be like the Kingdom of God in the past, it will have a righteous King (Christ) a Capital city (Jerusalem or Zion), a law etc. and it’s influence will grow until all nations have come into subjection to it. We read of this in various places but here are a few passages to consider:

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Daniel 2:44

“They shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all nations shall be gathered unto it; neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.” Jer. 3:17

“And I will make… her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” Micah 4:7-8

The Kingdom of God in the past then will be re-established with Christ as it’s king – but at this future time ALL nations will be in subjection to it. This Kingdom will bring peace to the earth and all peoples will know about God and want to please Him. We are given a few glimpses in the Bible of what this wonderful kingdom on earth will be like:

There will be such benefits for its citizens such as have never been seen before:

  • A peaceful safe existence (Isaiah 2:4, 32:17, 65:21-22, Zechariah 8:4-5)
  • A “righteous” system of justice (Isaiah 11:3-4, 32:1)
  • Good health and long life (Isaiah 35:5,6, 65:20)
  • A healthy earth which will produce an abundance of food (Joel 3:18, Amos 9:13, Psalm 72:16, Zechariah 8:12, Isaiah 35:1, Ezekiel 36:34-35)

In this amazing Kingdom we are told that “…the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9

Your part in God’s Kingdom

The Bible holds within it a wonderful message of hope. It offers you and I a chance to be part of this future Kingdom which Christ is coming to establish. When one understands the gospel message which contains the “things concerning the kingdom of God” and the “name of Jesus Christ” and is baptized (Acts 8:12) this opens the way to a place in that Kingdom on earth.

How different the message of the Bible is then with what most people associate with Christianity and the birth of Christ. His birth was miraculous and amazing and we have only looked at one aspect of Christ role in Gods purpose. However we hope we have shown you that there is more to this subject then stories. There is more to it than what even the churches around proclaim. We encourage you to pick up your Bible and read it, and discover it’s true and wonderful message for yourself. Why leave Jesus in the manger until the following year? Get to know him and his purpose through Gods word, the Bible.

Other articles which might interest you:

Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?

December 20th, 2010

Many ‘Christians’ and non religious people at this time of year, all ‘join together’ to pull out all the stops to celebrate ‘Christmas’. One of the oddest customs is to to bring a tree in from the cold outside and set it up in the warmth of a living room. The tree is then decorated with gold tinsel and presents. On the top of the tree often a gold shimmering star is placed and under the tree people put presents for all their family.

Is the Christmas Tree Biblical?

It might surprise you to know that the Christmas tree is in the Bible:

“Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.” Jeremiah 10:1-4

This passage was given to Gods chosen people to warn them to not learn the way of the heathen around them – to NOT make Christmas trees! It’s a reference to the pagan practices of the false religions that were around Israel. God’s people were supposed to of been separate from these pointless, vain and fruitless practices.

Paganism and Christmas

Just this one simple area of the customs of Christmas expose its true origin. It is not really a true ‘Christian’ festival – but rather a compromise with paganism. The ancient pagans believed that there was a strong connection with evergreen trees and fertility. They decorated trees as an act of worship to their gods – they left presents under the trees as sacrifices. When the Roman Empire switched from being Pagan to being ‘Christian’ these customs were simply re-branded as being Christian. They were no such thing!

Although no-one today will be considering they are worshiping a pagan god as they decorate their tree, the truth of the matter is that this is what the practice originally was intended to be all about. Why would followers of the Bible want to be part of such a practice? Why would we want to blur the lines between Gods word and the pagan practices of the world at large? If we did not have society telling us this was what we were supposed to be doing would we do it? To be an independent Bible based thinker you must have an answer for these questions and to be a follower of Jesus and the Bible you must have a Biblical reason. I leave it to you to find one!

Much more could be said about the pagan origins of Christmas but this year – as you see all the Christmas tree’s spring up around you consider God’s words to his true followers: “Learn not the way of the heathen“…

As we read in Peter:

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9

What do you need to believe to be saved?

November 4th, 2010

Jesus’ teaching about being “saved”

Jesus says a very profound thing to his disciples in Mark 16:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15-16

To be in a position to be “saved” therefore one must believe in the gospel and be baptised. We have already considered baptism in previous posts and articles but in this article we will look at what the gospel consists of and what it is we need to believe.

Clearly belief is extremely important and therefore what we believe is something we should all consider. In Ephesians Paul writes to the believers and says:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8

So the principle is that we cannot save ourselves and that being ‘saved’ will be a gift of God. How are we saved? Through faith. In what? The gospel as Jesus has told us.

What is the gospel?

We have a whole section on this in the Bible Teaching part of the website so head over there if you want some detail. In simple terms the gospel consists of the covenants of promise that God has given to man and their associated doctrines. Consider this verse:

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

So by the knowledge we have in the promises of God we have an opportunity to be saved from sin and death and be able to partake of immortality in Gods grace when Jesus returns to the earth to establish God’s kingdom. These promises are extremely important and they have to do with the nation of Israel – Paul tells us this in his letter to the Ephesians:

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh…  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:11-13

So the Ephesian believers, now baptised into Christ had become a part of the covenants of promise. They were no longer aliens from the things of Israel. The things which had been promised to that nations fathers. What things? Well to understand that question you would have to study the promises of God to Israel and in particular to the fathers of Israel, Abraham Isaac, Jacob and King David.

There are three main covenants outlined in the Bible and each have associated doctrines:

1. Genesis 3 – promise of the seed which would destroy the serpent power, associated doctrine: atonement in Christ.

2. Genesis 12-22 – promises, to Abraham, associated doctrines: resurrection, eternal life,  forgiveness of sins,  Israel to be a great nation,  atonement in Christ.

3. 2 Samuel 7 – promises to David, associated doctrines: Christ on the throne,  Kingdom of Israel restored on earth,  resurrection,  Christ’s second coming.

In Galatians Paul tells us that the Gospel was preached to the ancients of old and in particular was preached to Abraham in the promises from God:

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Galatians 3:8

He goes on to say that all those who are “in Christ” – who have believed in the gospel and been baptised based upon that belief, are heirs of such promises:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28-29

In Acts 8 we have described to us what constitutes the gospel:

“…when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Acts 8:12

So then the gospel is the good news of the promises of God and how they will and are outworked in the Lord Jesus Christ and how we can be associated with them. There are two parts “the name of Jesus Christ” and “the Kingdom of God”.

Christadelphians believe their statement of faith is a summery of the gospel and associated doctrines. You can view this here » Obviously as time has gone on much error has crept into “christianity” and therefore we require more clarification on certain doctrines than maybe the apostles of old did. For example the doctrine of the “Trinity” was not then known in a Christian guise and therefore the apostles would not of had to labour the unity of God.

Because the statement of faith summarises the things required to be saved we uphold and guard the things expressed within it passionately. Our beliefs define us as a community and those not believing the things we profess to believe are asked to leave as they are not Christadelphians anymore. Because they have moved away from the gospel they do not subscribe to what Christadelphians believe in (see this principle being outworked by the Apostle Paul in Acts 19:8-9). We call the different aspects of the gospel “first principles”. The first principles never change and a knowledge of them makes you accountable to baptism. Once baptised you need to show your faith in works (James 2:18). Studying the scriptures and thinking upon them allows your knowledge of Gods principles to grow enabling you to help overcome sin and manifest God in your character in some small way. However once you understand the gospel there will not be new fundamental truths revealed to you – anything new will build upon the foundation already laid in the gospel (Ephesians 2:20).

Is a person who does not accurately know the gospel able to be saved?

No – the Bible tells us we need to have faith in the gospel to be saved as we have seen in Mark 16:15-16. If what the person thinks is not a true reflection of the gospel as revealed in the word then they cannot believe in the gospel or been baptised correctly into that gospel. According to the words of Christ in the reference quoted, they cannot be saved.

Many may say this is a bit of a legalistic way of looking at things. God can save who he wants they will say. This is a fair point but God does not lie. Therefore he will not go back on what he has revealed in His word. The word sets out the process for salvation based upon a belief in the gospel.

When will we be saved?

It’s clear then that we need to understand the gospel, believe it, be baptized into that belief to be in a position to be saved. When will the “saving” take place? Those who have this knowledge and have been baptised are in a sense “saved” now as they are in that position. However they still sin and still die and so the ultimate “saving” comes in the future. Consider Jesus’ words: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.The “saving” will be done at the same time as the “condemning” – this will be determined by the judgment which will be carried out when Jesus returns to the earth:

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom” 2 Timothy 4:1

See also Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. At the judgment those who have known the gospel will be judged by Christ to see what they have done with that knowledge. They will either be “saved” or “condemned”. We can see from this reference in Peter who mentions that it is at the judgement when we will eventually be saved:

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1Peter 4:17

So then it is very important that we understand and uphold the principles of the gospel if we are to be “saved” in that day. I urge you therefore to study your Bible to gain a better understanding of the promises God has revealed in His word. You may also find some helpful articles in the Bible Teaching part of this website.