Letter to my wonderful English Teacher part four

I am so glad that you shared this with me.

First of all, I want to acknowledge my own ignorance before God. If there is anything that I misunderstand, I pray that God may reveal it so that it may be understood with the aid of the Spirit of God. May the Lord work through each of us that we may both learn and be edified together in Christ. May the Spirit work through you and I both, that we both may be one in Christ.

Okay—so you have encountered a common misconception among the saints of The Church—both anciently and modernly. Does salvation come through faith or works?

And it is very exciting that we are discussing this—especially when I think that Paul had this conversed on this subject with the saints in Rome (fourth chapter) because they misunderstood it also-- just as the missionaries appear to have misunderstood it when they spoke to you.

This is a subject that I (and other church leaders) have brought up countless times in and out of the church because it so commonly misunderstood (as you rightly identified).

The missionaries and people that talked to you, like the saints in Rome probably thought that there is something inherently righteous by being submerged in water (baptized)-- in and of itself. That salvation lays on the other side of getting wet and thus saying that salvation is in and through "baptism" and "being a member of the right church".

Is it the “baptism” that is righteous or is it the “faith” that is righteous?

(In Pauls day, the topic was circumcision).

This discussion is sometimes called the “faith vs works” discussion.

Before I say another word, I want to make something abundantly clear, I believe that: JESUS SAVES. PERIOD.

Jesus is both the Judge and the Savior.

But how? What are His requirements for this salvation? What must I do in order to receive of His mercy unto the salvation of my soul?

It turns out that someone actually directly asked this question of the Master, it is recorded in Matthew chapter 19: “And, behold, one came and said unto him, ‘Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?’ And he said unto him, ‘Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments’”

So here is where some saints get a bit confused. Some of them think, “well Jesus said that to keep the commandments, so it must be the commandments that save me”… oops…

They take it a step further and quote Scriptures like Acts 2:38 where it reads: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” And they think—that it is the *baptism* itself that causes the remission of sins (salvation from sin)… oops…

The saints in Rome likewise thought that it was the law of Moses (10 commandments)—which they had included to encompass circumcisions that saved them … oops again…

So why then did Jesus tell this man that if He would keep the 10 commandments that He would inherit Eternal life? 

This is where the Faith vs works debate gets going and why so many people in and out of the church get confused about it.

I believe that the confusion all has to do with understanding of what faith actually is. I will try to share what I understand and hope that the Lord will help me to share it and if I make any mistakes, I hope that the Lord will work through you to make them known to me, so that I may change.

From what I can see there are three ways that scriptures can be understood, and two of them are mistaken.

1. WORKS: One perspective is the one that the missionaries communicated: works save. So if you have works, then you will be saved, as if the works saved you (baptism, 10 commandments, circumcision etc…).

2. “FAITH”: Another perspective is that “faith” saves (I put this word in parenthesis because, I will explain dead faith in a moment). Some people have actually gone on to justify committing sin because they are "already saved". I spoke with a man who used all kinds of illegal drugs daily and fornicated constantly and said that he could do whatever he wanted because his faith saved him, so it didn’t matter what he did and he planned to do it till the day he died.

I think this is the kind of thing that Peter was likely referring to in 3:16 when he said: “As also in all [Pauls] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [twist or distort], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Paul wanted the early saints to understand that it was not their keeping of the law of moses that saved them, and that it was not necessary for them to be circumcised any longer. He said some things like “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  and some people, like the man I mentioned above, read this verse out of context and without understanding say “I believe in Jesus… and therefore I am saved! Time to get high and fornicate!” …oops…

So why doesn’t this work? What is missing?

Faith is missing. Living faith. Living faith is the kind of faith that Jesus is talking about.

I think others must have also misunderstood some of Pauls writings because James also talked about this same subject when he gave an equation: faith - (without) works = dead faith. Naturally, the reverse is equally as true. Faith + works = Living faith. James went on to explain that “dead faith” is the same kind of faith that the devils have, since they also clearly believe and mourn, and it is not unto their salvation.

But earlier I said that “JESUS SAVES”. But now it may sound like I just said that “living faith saves”? so is this a contradiction? -- I will try to explain.

My understanding is that faith is another word for “trust in action”. It is not the trust that saves us, it is the *Being* in whom we place our trust.

Using an analogy given by the Creator: a sheep lost in the forest has trust in the Good Shepherd. When the Good Shepherd speaks, the sheep listens to this voice, has faith in it (trust in action), and so the sheep follows the voice of the Good Shepherd. The shepherd brings the sheep into its flock where it is fed and watered and protected. The Good Shepherd is the one who saved the sheep. The sheep just had to have “faith” in the Good Shepherd—"living faith". If the sheep knew that the shepherd was good and that following the Good Shepherd would lead to its salvation (rescue), but then refused to follow the call of the shepherd (dead faith)—this sheep would not have become saved. It would have remained as lost, starving and perhaps eaten by wolves.

The sheep can believe that his shepherd is good all day and it wont keep him safe until he follows the voice of the Good Shepherd directly.

The Good shepherd was speaking directly to the rich man when he told him to keep the commandments (I will plan to talk about treasure in heaven later, perhaps another message to you). He spoke directly to fishermen when he said “come follow me” and they straightaway left their nets and followed him. He also speaks directly to us, by the voice of the Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost or Comforter as it is sometimes called.

It was not the works that save us—it is hearing and following the Master that allows us to be saved by Him. *Directly*. When Christ was on the earth, it was by his physical voice that he called the apostles, but when He departed, it was by the voice of the Spirit as he explained when He said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me… If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him… If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things...”

If we are to be directed and “saved”, then we must have faith (trust in action) in Jesus Christ by keeping the commandments. (Among the things that God has commanded is that we are to be baptized and continue to follow His direction-- which for these missionaries meant serving in the church). And if we keep the commandments, then we will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost or Comforter. Then we may receive direction *directly* from God and Hearken unto the voice of the Good Shepherd *directly*.

This is how one directly exercises faith in Jesus Christ.

I try to emphasize this word "directly" for a reason. 

In the days of Christ, the Jews thought that they were exercising faith in the God of Abraham as well. Today, many people in every religion think that they are exercising faith in God also—for example the man who fornicated and used illegal drugs without any repentance every day and laughing about his saved condition being able to do whatever he wanted while disobeying the commandments, thought he was "exercising faith in God". This man was following his scriptures as he understood them—but was he following God? The Jews that rejected Christ followed their scriptures as they understood them, but were they following God? They were not hearkening unto the voice of Christ which is the Holy Ghost or Comforter, instead they hearkened to their own interpretations of what they read—worshipping the book instead of the God who inspired its writings. They were using their own minds, and not by the Holy Ghost. As Peter warned when he said:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Then you can see how the words are fulfilled by Christ when he said: 

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

As we understand that the Jews in the day of Christ shouted "Lord Lord" and then killed the Savior Himself.
The man who fornicated daily, while high cried "Lord Lord" as well.

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting that you do not follow Christ-- I believe that you do! I believe that Christ works through you as you are willing to hear the invitation of His Spirit and that He has invited you throughout your life and that you have brought many people to the peace of the knowledge of their Savior. There is a peace that comes through the old testament. There is a peace that comes through the New testament. There is a peace that comes through everything that God has done and is doing and will do. 

If you and I will keep the commandments, then we will be “invited” by the Holy Spirit to make changes towards God (as I wrote about in my first letter)—just as you have throughout your life, and I throughout mine. I was invited to be baptized by one holding the priesthood of God, and after my baptism, hands were laid on my head, just as had been done by the ancient apostles—for me to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

The missionaries that spoke to you, may not have understood many of these things and it sounds like they explained some things incorrectly—for which I apologize. I do think that in their own weak way (just as I in my own weak way), were trying to do their best to share the message given by Peter that I quoted above where he said:

“…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Could you imagine the depth of humility which some of the learned righteous Jews would have to sink to be baptized at the hands of Peter of John, when these good and learned Jews had already dedicated their entire lives to the God of Abraham, and had read the writings of Moses every day, and praised Their Creator all the day long—only to have some ignorant and illiterate fishermen come to them and tell them that this same God, had done more upon the Earth, and invited them to be a part of it?

I testify that Jesus Christ has truly done more upon the earth in our day. The manifestation of the Spirit of God is upon all flesh and all are invited to come unto Him. In the book of Acts of the Apostles it reads:

“…I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip...”

Earlier in the same chapter it reads:

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)"

This gift of the Holy Ghost is what I want everyone to receive, just as it was received during the days of Christ-- and just as the Lord permitted a weak and ignorant 8th grader to receive it-- to be comforted and to know of the Love of God in a way that is beyond any words to describe. I would like everyone to be aware of all of the things which God has done; is doing, and will do upon the earth among all people. 

I feel that you are righteous and very learned in the Scriptures—much more so than any young missionary that could ever talk to you could be. Now a younger and somewhat naïve fisherman is inviting you to be baptized by unlearned and naïve missionaries. After your baptism, if you choose it, shortly thereafter, you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost And through the reception of this gift the voice of God will be made manifest to you directly. You will recognize it because it will be the same voice which has invited you all of your life-- but after receiving the gift of the holy Ghost by the Laying on of hands by those in authority-- and as God promised, He shall make His abode with you. And the words will be fulfilled in you also which are written in the book of Acts where it says: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams”.

So in summary and to answer your question directly: "Richard....am I righteous in God's sight simply by the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, or do I need to add something more to be righteous in His eyes like join your church?"

From my perspective, you are and always have been an extremely righteous man. If Christ invites you to do something, and you do it-- then this is exercising faith in Christ. This is Righteousness as I understand it.

If in any word or way, I have not spoken rightly, I apologize for my errors and would seek correction from God and from you-- and perhaps from God through you.

With gratitude and love, ever a student, Richard.
Here is a link to part 5
https://truthprocess.blogspot.com/2020/04/letter-to-my-wonderful-english-teacher_9.html