Transcript

ANNOUNCER: Is there criteria, is there any way to know if someone else is saved? Obviously, God knows, but what is the proof, if any, to us of someone else’s eternal salvation? That is our topic today here on Grace in Focus. We are so glad you are joining us, and this is the radio and podcast ministry of the Grace Evangelical Society. Our website is faithalone.org. Anything to learn about us there, including our National Conference coming up next May. And also, we have a bookstore where you can find Bob Wilkin’s latest book, The Gospel Is Still Under Siege. Come and see us at faithalone.org. 

And now, with today’s question and answer discussion, here are Philippe Sterling and Sam Marr. 

SAM: We have a question from a Russian listener, and I’m not going to try to pronounce the name, because it’s written in Cyrillic, so I can’t even pronounce it. But we do appreciate the question. Essentially, his question is, we see from the Epistle of Galatians that that church in Galatians that’s being written to was carried away by false teachings as believers. So then, for us, what is the criterion for assessing a person’s salvation? Goes on to say, after all, it turns out that if salvation is only through faith, we may already be saved, just in error like the Galatians who were bewitched by false teachers. So basically what he’s asking is, if someone is believing the gospel plus something else, plus works, plus legalism, then how can we know whether they’re saved or not? 

PHILIPPE: Well, the only criterion for having everlasting life is simply believing the promise of Jesus for it. And the only criterion that we have in conversation with someone concerning that is simply their assertion of it. Like, Sam, I’m sure you will tell me that however many years ago, you heard the message of life and you believed it, you believed the promise of it. So on that basis, that’s the only one that I have for evaluating whether or not you’re a believer in that simply that you said that you have believed the promise. There was a moment in time where you believed it. 

And then for anyone else, no, we got us off how they may have erred in their walk with God or however they may be faithful in their walk with God. And neither one is the criterion by which we determine whether or not they are a believer. It’s simply that they have believed at a moment in time, the promise of Christ for everlasting life. So that’s the important question to deal with. 

SAM: Right. That’s the first question. And that’s, if we’re using Galatians, the church in Galatia, as our example. now, let’s analyze modern day churches. Then we were talking before we started, but there were two groups in, well, I guess three groups in the church of Galatia, there were those who were faithful to Paul’s teaching, but then there were the secret brethren that crept in and among these, Judaizers as they’re called, there were some who were saying you have to follow the law in order to maintain salvation or to be saved. The Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to receive everlasting life or to be justified. But then there were others who weren’t going that far, but they were saying, okay, God gave us the law. So we need to follow the law in order to please him, even though Christ died, we’re no longer slaves to the law, but we should still have all the Gentiles be circumcised in order to please God. 

PHILIPPE: Yeah, so there’s two groups, one group of Jewish people who are coming in who are saying in essence that to have everlasting life, you needed to follow the law. Otherwise, you will not have everlasting life. And then that second group who are saying, no, it’s simply believing the promise of Christ for everlasting life, but it still was—the Gentiles still needed to follow the law of Moses, particularly the whole matter of circumcision and perhaps some other matters as well. So not to simplify too much, one group were saying the law needed to be followed for having everlasting life. They are saying that the law needed to follow to be in harmony with God and to be in fellowship with God. 

And both are wrong, you know, it’s simply believe the promise of Jesus, for everlasting life, and then we’re to walk in liberty, as the book of Galatians developed that whole aspect. And now to allow ourselves to be drawn back into legalistic type of matters, the important things become to walk by the Spirit. And if we walk by the Spirit, then we won’t carry out the desires of the flesh. And as we set our minds on the Spirit and that the word of Christ, which we dwell within us, then ultimately the fruit of the Spirit is developed in us, which is of course love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self control. And then Paul makes that point “against such things there is no law”. So the important thing is walking by the Spirit, allowing the word of Christ to transform our minds. And that’s the path of liberty, which we are called to. 

ANNOUNCER: Did you know that the Grace Evangelical Society offers an MDiv degree through our online seminary and tuition is free to those who maintain a 3.0 grade average? It is a three-year degree program and you could submit your application now to gain acceptance. Then stay apprised of our registration periods for upcoming semester terms. Program and application details can be found at GESSeminary.org. Have a look at our MDiv degree. Become an approved workman. Find out how GESSeminary.org.

SAM: And so back to the question, I think this is part of the question. This is something I hear people talk about a lot is, if I don’t see you living out your life like that. I don’t see those fruits or I don’t see you walking in the light, then how do I know that you’re really a believer? Because that’s when people say a lot. And some people worry about that for themselves. They say, I’ve been living in sin and I’m questioning that I ever really believe because if I truly believe that I wouldn’t be living this way, I would have defeated my sin and I would be, you know, living according to the Spirit. 

But then others will say—and I think this applies to some pastors—is they look at other believers or even their congregation and say, well, how do I know these people are really saved? They say they are, but it doesn’t look like it because they’re not living the way that the New Testament outlines for us or that Christ commanded us to live. So how do I know they’re really saved? 

PHILIPPE: And that’s the point. That’s a determination that is never our responsibility to make. The only matter is if a person simply has believed that’s all. And there’s no fruit or lack thereof that is a determiner of whether somebody has believed on that. 

But now as we’re a part of a community of believers in fellowship, with each other and fellowship of the Lord as we worship together and serve with Him, as we’re engaged with each other, believer to believer, if we do notice that someone who is part of that community with us who is overtaken in any trespass as Paul brings it in Galatians chapter six, then we who are spiritual are to restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 

So in humility, if there’s a brother in Christ, that is caught in a pattern of behavior that is destructive, that is sinful, then in love, and in humility we’re to approach them and seek to restore them. And by so doing, we are bearing each other’s burden.

But we don’t do so, you know, if any kind of determination, making a determination, saying, oh, you must not ever have believed because you have erred—not at all. But the matter of sowing and reaping is there, and the matter of reward and the matter of the God’s temporal judgments enter in for believers generally. 

But it is never—I’m a pastor, I’ve been a pastor 40 years—and it’s never been my responsibility to ever make the determination individually or corporately saying, you all must not be believers, or you must not be a believer because you have not engaged properly in the support of the church or in the service of the church. And never questioning whether or not someone is a believer by their lack of work or whether they have sufficient works. 

SAM: And I think that’s because it’s not our job to save anybody. We can’t save anybody. It’s between [God] and that individual. So we share the promise of life. We share the good news with as many people as possible. And we pray that God will open their hearts and their minds and that they will be receptive to that word and that they will believe and that they will receive everlasting life. But—

PHILIPPE: And they will provide instruction and encourage them to grow under grace and knowledge of Christ. But that’s a journey for many ups and downs. 

SAM: So we help plant the seeds, we help water the seeds, but we have no part in the growth, the actual growing of the plant or the fruit. So it’s not our job to question, okay, I shared the gospel with this person and they said they believe it, but did they really believe it? Do I need to keep sharing it with them? That’s not the purpose. The purpose is we share the Gospel. They believe they say—that’s where confession comes in. They confess, they get baptized maybe. And that’s a public profession that all the other believers around them that says, look, I’ve believed and now I want to become a disciple. And then our job is to disciple them. It’s not to keep questioning, going back to the first thing of, are you really saved? Are you really saved? Are you really saved? It’s okay, let’s move on and get you into being a good disciple. 

And then I think that’s where part of what the church in Galatia was struggling with is now that you’re a believer and you’re disciple, let’s not return to the things that you lived your life by beforehand. So for these Jewish believers, it was the law. But for people today, it can be a different belief system or sin or anything else. So let’s not return to what we escaped. Let’s live in the law of liberty. 

And we, like you said, we take believers’ word for it. If they say, I believe that I have everlasting life because Jesus is the Christ and He promises everlasting life, then I believe you. I don’t have a reason to not believe you. 

PHILIPPE: Right. And I don’t have a grid to impose upon someone to say, okay, now can check off these things or that prove that you’re a believer. That’s never our role. 

SAM: Right. But if we see someone who’s straying, then again, it’s not our job to say, okay, they’re living a pretty cruddy life. They’re probably not a believer. No, they said they’re a believer, but now they’re straying. So now I don’t want them to live in God’s wrath or God’s judgment—

PHILIPPE: Or in a self-destructive manner or to involve others and it’s kind of self-destructive way. So in love and in humility, we approach them to try to restore them. 

SAM: And I think that’s good news because living a life of constantly questioning—do these people believe, do my family members believe, do my church, brother and believe, are they really going to go be with the Lord for eternity? Are they going to go to hell, I think is miserable. I think that’s depressing. I think the assurance that we can feel for ourselves, I think that’s a blessing that God gives among believers that we can know these people I spend my time with and I love they also are going to spend eternity with Christ. So to me, that’s hopeful. 

PHILIPPE: Absolutely and that’s how we keep grace in focus. 

SAM: And let’s all keep grace in focus. 

ANNOUNCER: We would love to know where you are when you are listening to us. Please take a short minute to send us the call letters of this station and the city where you are listening and how many times a week you listen. Thank you. You will be helping us with our stewardship. Send it to radio@faithalone.org. That’s radio@faithalone.org. We are so thankful for our financial partners who keep us on the air. Every gift is tax deductible and very much appreciated. If you’d like to find out how you can give, go to faithalone.org. On our website, we have a church tracker. It’s an easy to use map that will help you locate those other free grace churches that might be in your area. So come visit us at the website and take advantage of our free church tracker. It’s at faithalone.org.

Thank you, friend, for joining us all this week here on Grace in Focus. We’ll be back on Monday. Hope you’ll join us then. I hope you have a great weekend and let’s keep grace in focus.