Jump Start # 1569

John 12:48 “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Some of the prevailing winds that blow across the landscape of faith are those that claim certain things in the Bible doesn’t matter. Boldly, some are happy to announce that some things are not salvation issues. That declaration means that we can quit fussing with each other about specifics because in the end, God doesn’t care. These things are not matters of salvation. Some are even happy to proclaim that some of the things that they are doing are not “technically” found in the Bible, but it’s ok, because they are not salvation issues.

Salvation issues, as it is claimed, are only those things that affect our salvation. Other matters do not. The manner of worship, the day of worship, the details about the Lord’s Supper, how a church raises money, what it does with the money—are all things that really do not matter, we are told. A person can’t say that there is a right way nor a wrong way about these things, since they are not matters of salvation.

All of this sounds too good to be true. I’ve had two recent discussions with folks that tried to tell me that where they worshipped and where I worship are the same. We believe the same things. We are doing the same things. Really, I thought? How strange. One worshipped where they had Gospel rock concerts. We don’t have that where I worship. We sing, as the N.T. shows us. One had the Lord’s Supper on Saturday. We don’t have Saturday night Lord’s Supper where I worship. We have it on Sunday, because that’s the day Jesus came out of the grave and that’s what we find in the Bible. One occasional used female preachers. We don’t where I worship. Paul said that women were not to teach over a man. The more he talked the less I found we had in common. I began to wonder if we even believed in the same Jesus. When he finished I wasn’t sure if there was anything we had in common. But he kept insisting that we were the same. When I mentioned these differences, he immediately told me that these things are not salvation issues. We can disagree with each other and still be right with God. These things, he told me, do not matter. I wondered, “Matter to who? You or God?”

I asked the guy what’s on the salvation list and what’s not on the salvation list. I told him that I never saw the list. All I had was the Bible. So, I pressed, “some things written in the Bible do not have to be followed?”  I told him that Jesus said, “If you love me, keep My commandments.” Which commandments did He have in mind, was my next question. All of this seem very cloudy to my thinking. I read in the N.T. of God wanting His people to be of one mind, one spirit, one voice. I’ve never found where God said it doesn’t really matter or, you can do what you want to do. The guy mentioned Romans 14—the great chapter where there was a difference about eating meats. The problem with his thinking is that God states in that chapter that they are both approved. God tells us it can be either way. God never said that about these other things he mentioned to me.

Salvation issues seems to be something that Satan came up with to tease hearts that are not content with doing things God’s way. God’s way is clear. It is defined and easily seen in the Bible. Making these made up rules about salvation and not salvation is something that will just clutter the mind and take folks away from God. One person’s list of salvation issues may not be what the next guy’s list is. And so, we are back to where we started, not agreeing with one another.

Our verse today, reminds us that we cannot separate Jesus from His word. I cannot accept Christ and be at odds with His word. To know Christ is to know His word. To be in favor with Christ is to be in favor with His word. I can not be right with Christ and wrong with His word. To reject His word is to reject Him.

Jesus then tells us that it is that word, His word, that will judge us on the last day. You’ll notice the singular nature of word. “The word I spoke…” Which word? Jesus spoke lots of words. It is all summed up, all tied together, all complete in “the word.” The word is similar to Jude saying contend earnestly for THE FAITH. It’s similar to the ONE FAITH of Ephesians four. The N.T. is a unit, a law, a covenant. It stands together. A person can’t say, “I’ll take the love passages, but I don’t want the verses about Hell.” They go together. To have one is to have the other. To drop one, is to drop all of them. Paul declared the whole council of God’s word. He didn’t just preach “nice” sermons. He told Felix about the coming judgment and about self control. It’s all in or none at all.

Go back to Cain and Abel. Two brothers, worshipping God differently. One offered a sacrifice of a lamb. The other offered vegetables. God accepted Abel’s and rejected Cain’s. The issue wasn’t attitude. We are not told their attitude. The issue was one was by faith and the other was not. Where does faith come from? Romans tells us that it comes from the word of God. How did they even know to offer God anything? God spoke. Cain reminds us that God doesn’t accept everything in worship. If it is not according to His word, He will not accept it. God never says “Be original.” Nor does He ever say, “Surprise Me.” Never. All those O.T. laws dictated what animal, what age, what sex, what condition, what month, what day of that month that the offerings were to be made. God is always clear and specific. He was then and He is today.

It doesn’t matter? Really? Ask Cain. Those that claim all that matters is that we worship God, the specifics and details do not matter, go find Cain. Salvation issues, better give Cain a call. The heart is all that matters? Really? Sounds like you have been listening to Cain.

It seems that if faith comes from the word of God, then everything in the word of God is a basis or a matter of faith. By definition, everything in the word of God is a salvation issue.

Seven times in 1 John the expression “keep  His commandments” or “keep His word” is used. Seven times. The Hebrews were told that Jesus is the author of salvation to all those who OBEY Him. Paul said, the things you have learned, received, heard and seen in me, practice these things (Phil 4:9). Follow the leader—that’s the  Bible way. If Paul did it, then we ought to be doing it. And if Paul didn’t do it, then why are we?

Salvation issues is just slick talk that comes from the serpent. Some folks recognize snake talk more than they do the word of God. Quit listening to others. Open up your Bible. Read what it says. Then, do it.

Does it matter? Yes. It matters because God said it. All of it matters!

Roger