Y Safle

Someone asked me:
>If, and I repeat, IF, one is saved by acknowledging Jesus is Lord, what
>does it matter what else we do?

The question is a good one, and one which is all too easily passed over
or muddied by a poor understanding of what the doctrine of Justification
by Faith alone truly implies.

The writer is right, that if you are indeed saved through your faith
in Jesus Christ, our LORD, then it will in no way affect your salvation
if you stay or leave your church. Nor will it affect your salvation if
you manage to dot the “I”s and cross the “T”s in your doctrine, nor will
it affect your salvation if you slip into error. If you have faith in
Jesus Christ for your salvation, and him alone, then all of these things
can never affect your salvation.

But what then is the place for right doctrine and right worship? The
question begs another, much neglected question – one which is nevertheless
found in most catechisms. What is the chief end of man? Why are we here?
What is our purpose? The answer, as given by the catechisms, and indeed
the Bible, is that we are here to glorify God and to enjoy his presence
forever.

So the question of doctrine, teaching, worship and whatever else is
one that is simply answered – none of these things affect our salvation,
but they are far more important then that – they affect the glory given
to God.

If I teach error about God then people will misunderstand him, and he
will not be glorified. If I fail to worship God, or worship him
incorrectly then I fail to ascribe to him the Glory which is his. If
I preach error regarding the doctrine of justification by faith alone
then I place a stumbling block in the paths of those who might be saved,
and as salvation glorifies God more then anything else, then
again I fail to glorify him.

If I do not care about the glory of God, then what did my salvation
mean anyway? This is where the modern day “profession of faith” can
become shallow and unreliable. If all we ask from people is that they
profess that Jesus Christ died for them and they want to be saved, then
surely our emphasis is all wrong. If we emphasise only what we can get
out of salvation then we have misunderstood what it is to call Jesus
our Lord, and we have failed to see the magnitude of Christ’s work on
the cross.

When we are concerned about the glory of God then the doctrine of
Justification by Faith alone becomes a great comforting doctrine, as
well as a great enabling doctrine (because it is only when we see that
our works really gain us nothing with respect to salvation that we can
do works from truly pure motives without self interest). Nevertheless
it is not our main goal to be saved, but rather to bring glory to
God the father, and Jesus Christ, his son, our LORD.

This is why it is important to read and understand all that God has
told us in the Bible. David said “I have written your word within my
heart that I might not sin against you”. He knew that when he sinned
God is faithful and just to forgive those sins, but forgiveness was
not enough – he wrote God’s word within his heart that he might *not*
sin. He was concerned about God’s glory, that the name of God would
be honoured and revered, not ridiculed.

Leonard Ravenhill wrote, regarding those bumper stickers: “Christians
are not perfect, just forgiven” that “some backslider must have written
that”. Quite right! It is not that Christians are perfect, but it
is through the grace of God that we have power *not to sin*.

Glorify God. Don’t make excuses, but (in the words of Mary at Cana):
“Whatever he says to you to do, do it.”

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