There is no end to the debate of scripture and doctrine on social media. I often see this question asked: whether or not something is a salvation issue.
People say to stick to the things that matter.
Do not be distracted or divided on things that are not salvation issues.
First of all, where did this phrase come from?
Who came up with the idea that man gets to decide what is a salvation issue and what is not a salvation issue?
I’m sorry, but for someone to decide what is or is not going to let someone into heaven exhibits an arrogance beyond belief.
Matthew 28:18
And Yeshua came up to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
If we believe this bit of scripture, then Messiah has 100% of the authority in heaven and on earth.
If this is true, then men and women have exactly 0% of the authority in heaven and on earth. [I used simple math to come up with this idea].
If men and women have no authority, then how is it possible that men and women are stating what is and what is not a salvation issue? I’m pretty sure that “we” do not get to decide who is on the narrow path and who is not on the narrow path.
As always, let’s see what scripture says.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God. 9 It is not based on deeds, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians tells us that salvation comes by faith.
It is a gift from Elohim.
It is not something we can obtain for ourselves.
Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah.
Romans tells us that faith comes from hearing the Word.
The book of John tells us that the Word has been since the beginning, and that Messiah is the Word become flesh.
John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made through Him, and apart from Him nothing was made that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He was not the light, but he came to bear witness concerning the light. 9 The true light, coming into the world, gives light to every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. 12 But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God. 13 They were born not of a bloodline, nor of human desire, nor of man’s will, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.
If we believe in, know, listen to, and follow Messiah, then we believe in, know, listen to, and follow the Word.
How much of scripture do we need to read and study? How much of the Word do we have to believe?
All of it?
Some of it?
The parts we like?
What happens if we read scripture, and believe some of it, and reject some of it?
I have a friend in the mainstream Christian church. He has been involved with the church for a very long time. He attends church, he attends bible studies, he volunteers his time and resources to do nice things for those in need. He is a really good guy.
But he told me he does not believe in a single miracle described in scripture. He thinks the stories in scripture are just that… stories.
They didn’t really happen. But they are written down in a book for us to “get the gist” of a story, as opposed to actually believing those things happened. The stories are there to teach us a realistic lesson, even though the stories are not realistic.
He has no faith in the Word. And the Word and Messiah are one and the same, so does he have faith in Messiah?
Faith comes by hearing the Word.
And salvation comes by faith, which comes by hearing the Word.
What happens if we reject the Word, or even reject some of it?
We are rejecting Messiah.
We are displaying a lack of faith.
And salvation comes through faith.
I consider this to be dangerous ground.
Here is my take on it:
Everything is a salvation issue.
If the bible says it, and we don’t believe it, then we are on dangerous ground. If scripture says something is forever, and we think it is no longer applicable, then we have a big problem.
If something is written in scripture, believe it and do it.
Listen and follow.
Do not reject any of it.
If you reject scripture, you do not have faith.
If you do not have faith, then you do not have salvation, at least, according to Ephesians and Romans.