False Teaching - There is More than One Way to be Saved

False Teaching #3 – There is more than one gospel or more than one way to be saved.

This is a very popular mantra because it allows one to define the authority or process by which they can achieve eternal life. It seems that very few want to accept God’s way as the only way. Why? Because that would mean denying self and living according to the principles declared in God’s word.

What does the scripture say?

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Acts 4:10–12 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

These scriptures make it very clear that Jesus is the only One who can provide for our salvation. When one of the religious leaders of the Jews came to ask Jesus this very question, He gave him the following answer.

John 3:3–7 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

In other words, man must experience a spiritual rebirth in order to be saved. He then went on to relate one of the most well known verses in scripture.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

This verse again emphasizes that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul goes on to emphasize that unless we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are not saved.

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

Romans 8:9 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Ephesians 1:12–14 “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

The question then becomes: How do you know you possess the indwelling Spirit? Because there will be evidence in your life of His presence. Consider the truth God revealed through Paul in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 5:22–24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [self control]: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Paul is very clear in this letter in contrasting the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19–21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

I thought it was helpful to look up all of these words when going through Galatians; following are notes on a few that gave me a better understanding. Uncleanness is a reference to either physical or spiritual impurity. Lasciviousness is a reference to the lusts of the flesh. Variance is a reference to quarrelings. Emulations are likened to jealousy and envy—misguided passions. Seditions make reference to causing division or dissension.

Obviously, some Christians will live so as to give evidence to the indwelling Holy Spirit to a greater or lesser degree than others. These verses are given to identify the general characteristics that evidence whether one is living according to the leading of the Holy Spirit or according to the flesh. The word "do" (v 21) comes from the Greek "prasso" which means to practice or perform repeatedly or habitually. A Christian can and will sin; but he/she will not practice sin.