Where do I sign?

Sometimes when people proclaim a salvation of some kind, they try to make it easy, hard, or somewhere in-between for people to get it.

If one listens to or reads carefully these messages, those who want to make it EASY to receive salvation will communicate,

"All you have to do is..."

Then, a step seems doable -

"Come down to the front here..."

or

"Lift your hand so I can see it..."

or

"Sign this card and return it to us..."

or

"Pray this prayer..."

and they share, "You are now saved!"

Some are bold enough to say, if heaven is part of their doctrine, "You are now as sure to go to heaven as if you were already there!"

That's the EASY way presentation.

Those who want to make it HARD to get their salvation may talk about sacrifice, your responsibilities and duties, suffering in this life, and works you'll be expected to do to prove that you're obedient and worthy.

What about the IN-BETWEEN easy and hard messages of salvation?

Is faith part of it?

Do you need to believe in your heart?

And what to believe? John 3:16; Romans 10:8-10

Is there a Divine part in this such as to draw and convince? John 6:44; 12:32-33; 16:8-11

Think of times when we didn't have knowledge about something.

We probably took someone's word on it if they seemed to have authority in that area.

Similarly, for others to tell us that now we have salvation because we did what they asked, who are we to argue since they have more knowledge?

"Where do I sign up for this salvation?" might be asked in response to the EASY way proclamation.

Likewise, if someone says that we should now START doing this or that and STOP doing this or that so that we can get on the road to someday get their salvation, we usually wouldn't know whether this is right or wrong.

The HARD way may require that people think about it first.

The IN-BETWEEN way, not too easy and not too hard, may be a mixture of blessing now and later but also pressure and suffering in this life, too.

Do you think it's possible to make a holy book say whatever you want it to say IF you don't take what ALL of it says in the proper contexts?

As one preacher said, "I've found a Bible translation that says what I want it to say for these verses."

All three presentations of salvation, from easy to hard, can be found in the Holy Bible, IF one chooses to select certain words and not others.

Good words and fair speeches, Romans 16:18

enticing words of man's wisdom, 1 Corinthians 2:4; Colossians 2:4

deceptive Ephesians 4:14; 2 Peter 2:3 or flattering words 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Jude v.16

are poison Romans 3:13 to adulterate, pervert, corrupt, distort, and handle the word of God deceitfully. 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2; Galatians 1:7

Is there any defense?

Suggestion -

Search the Scriptures daily to see if what you've believed, heard, or read, lines up with the whole counsel of the Lord.

Therefore I testify to you this day that I [Paul] am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Acts 20:26-27

Some did this as they even fact-checked Paul and Silas. Acts 17:10

Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men. Acts 17:11-12

What does all of Scripture say Luke 24:25-27, 44-45; John 5:39; 17:17; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6-11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17 on a subject that someone states is truth?

Maybe it is divine truth but maybe it isn't.

There is a way which seems right to a person,

But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12

It's up to you and me to make sure that NO ONE deceives us. Matthew 24:4

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will guide believers into all truth. John 16:13

What about non-believers?

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment John 16:7-11 so that they can believe in Jesus as their Savior. John 4:40-42; 1 John 4:14

Do we really want to say, "Lord, I want Your truth, no matter what"?

God the Father said this years ago,

"When you search for Me, yes, search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me." Jeremiah 29:13

If we're NOT willingly ignorant of spiritual things, 2 Peter 3:5 just lacking some knowledge, and we want to follow the Father's word that is truth, John 17:17 how can we get tricked into wrong doctrine?

Are we lazy and won't study the Scriptures, all of them, to dig out what is truth?

Are we lazy and swallow whatever someone writes or says is correct and not demand chapters and verses on these ideas, NOT overlooking inconvenient words that could shoot down their (and our) beliefs?

Even though there are people lying in wait to deceive, Ephesians 4:14 can't we trust that the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and real believers can help us to grow up into Jesus? Ephesians 4:15-16

Will we say from our hearts, "Lord, I will NOT be like those spoken of who were always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"? 2 Timothy 3:5-7

Will we also say, "Father, I want to receive the love of and for the truth, NOT to be like those Paul wrote about who didn't receive this"? 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Another suggestion -

Question everything.

Every statement you hear or read should be cross-examined in love Ephesians 4:14-15 as you use the whole Bible 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to verify as truth or spit out as error.

Paul wrote that he received his doctrine NOT from other people but by a direct word from the Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11-12

Paul had Peter, James, and John confirm that his teaching was correct. Galatians 2:1-9

So, Paul could write boldly,

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8

Paul also encouraged when he wrote,

It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose.

Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me.

The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.

So all of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, and if anyone thinks differently, God will reveal it to him or her.

Only let’s live in a way that is consistent with whatever level we have reached.

Philippians 3:12-16

You and I can get this also with the Lord's help.

Your thoughts?

R. Jason