Where
In The Bible Will I Find:
The
Word Of God Is All Sufficient For Salvation?
We
appreciate those who are willing to obey the command to search the
Scriptures for the answer to eternal religious questions (Jn. 5:39-40).
Though the Bible says the Scriptures are all sufficient for man's guidance
to salvation (II Tim. 3:16-17), and that the gospel is now the powerful
means appointed by God for the salvation of all who believe and embrace it
(Rom. 1:16; Lk. 8:11) many ignore and refuse to believe this basic truth.
This
refusal sends them on "a wild goose chase" with so many religious
pit-falls that they are unlikely to ever come to a knowledge of the Truth
and be saved (I Tim. 2:4). Some depend on feelings, others on their opinion
of a matter, and some on experiences. Some affirm that the Holy Spirit works
in them and speaks directly to them, and some of these speak of
"catching the Spirit", so what need have these of studying the
Bible? None of these "walk by faith" as the Bible commands
(II Cor. 5:7; Rom. 10:17). These see no need of preaching the Word (II Tim.
4:1-5), since they actually believe they can be saved without studying,
hearing, and obeying (I Pet. 2:1-2). Some may preach philosophy, or Readers
Digest, or Ann Landers, or even Mayberry USA, but not the Word!
The
rich man in Luke 16, wanted Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to
warn his five brothers, lest they should live and die without hearing God's
Word as he had done and be lost! Since the Gospel is God's means of
conversion (I Pet. 1:22-25), begetting (I Cor. 4:15), giving life (Jn.
6:63), making us clean from sin and sanctifying us (Acts 2:38; Jn. 17:17),
giving us spiritual wisdom (II Tim. 3:14-15), and fitting us for eternal
glory (Acts 20:32), why would anyone think God will save those who ignore
His Word? To be sure, God did not make and deliver a plan through inspired
men to save folks, and then have to work directly on the same people to save
them, before the plan would operate on them!
What
a shame that the doctrines of Calvinism claim the necessity of a direct
operation of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of men before the Gospel will be
effective. These doctrines fly in the face of Almighty God, and deny His way
and plan of saving the lost! We urge our friends, DO NOT BE FOOLED!
--Gary Colley