Once Saved Always Saved? Part 2 of 2

(Continued)

Now, concerning Heb 6:4-8, there are different interpretations. The main ones include:

1. Those in Heb 6:4-8 are Christians who have fallen away and lost their salvation;
2. They are Jews who have tried Christianity but returned to Judaism;
3. This passage talks about the loss of rewards for backsliders but not the loss of salvation;
4. This is a hypothetical case to warn Christians about the dangers of apostasy, but it did not happen.

I will discuss each briefly and then tell my position:

Saved and then lost. This assumes that Christians are preserved by their perseverance. If they endure, they are saved. If they don’t, they will be lost. But according to:

• 1 Pet 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Christians are protected by God’s power, not the strength of their perseverance. So, this interpretation is not valid.

Jews who are not yet Christians. According to this view, these are seekers who tasted the goodness of the gospel but never embraced it and returned to the law when they faced trials. Let’s check what they have experienced to see if they are believers:

Enlightened. To give light, to shine, light up, or illumine. The same Greek verb phōtizō occurs one more time in Heb 10:32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings.

So, the group in Heb 6 enjoyed the same enlightenment as the Christians in Heb 10.

Tasted of the heavenly gift (v 4), tasted the good word of God (v 5), tasted the powers of the age to come (v 5). Tasted translates the Greek verb geuomai, which means to try the flavor of, partake of, or enjoy. Heavenly gift is not further defined. Some suggest it to be the free “gift of God” (Rom 6:23) or eternal life. Others believe the gift is grace (Eph 2:8). Some interpret “the word of God” as the Scriptures or the gospel. Some equate “the powers of the age to come” to be “signs and wonders and various miracles” (Heb 2:4). This school contends that since the Heb 6 group only “tasted” the benefits of belief but did not swallow them, they were only seekers but not yet believers. However, besides Heb 6:4 and 5, tasted also occurs in Heb 2:9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

Jesus did not just “taste” death partially. He died the most cruel death invented by men, for men! Hence, the premise that “tasted” falls short of full participation is not substantiated.

Partakers of the Holy Spirit. Greek adjective metochos. Sharing in, or a partner in a work or office. Some interpret this to be sharing or having fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Again, this word’s other usage in Heb indicates otherwise:

• Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle, and High Priest of our confession;
• Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
• Heb 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

If a person shares in the heavenly calling, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s discipline, having a part with all three Persons of the Trinity, he is an insider, not an outsider! Heb 6:4 is particularly relevant because of Rom 8:9b, “But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

My conclusion based on the evidence is that these are not just Jews but Christians.

Lose rewards but not salvation. Proponents claim that the writer of Hebrews is not talking about losing salvation in chapter 6, only the rewards of salvation. What does the text say? We have already examined what these people experienced in v 4-5 to be part of the salvation process. What about v 6? Fallen away translates the Greek verb parapiptō, which means to deviate from the right path, turn aside, wander, to error. It occurs only once in the NT in Heb 6:6. What is the outcome of this falling away from true faith? It is impossible to renew them again to repentance. They have repented before. If they fall away, they cannot renew their repentance again. Repentance from what? The word repentance is the Greek noun metanoia, translated uniformly as repentance in the KJV, a change of mind or reversal of decision. Of particular interest is its occurrence in Hebrews besides v 6:

• Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
• Heb 12:17 For you know that even afterward when he (Esau) desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Both were genuine repentance, not false. I conclude that Heb 6:6 is about the consequence of falling away from faith in God, not just rewards not even specified in the entire paragraph.

Hypothetical for warning. This school contends that this verse presents a hypothetical case based on KJV (NKJV, RSV):

• Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

They believe the “if” in “if they shall fall away” is a matter of possibility, but had not happened. Opponents point out that the premise does not stand, as there is no “if” in Greek. The phrase is a participle and can be translated as “having fallen away” (see Interlinear). Another objection is, “If this were hypothetical, why bother warning someone against something that can’t happen?”

Nevertheless, there is some merit in this interpretation given:

• Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

My view is that of the four common interpretations, the first three have serious difficulties. I am not fully satisfied with the fourth, but the problems are less serious than the others. My interpretation principles are to start with exegesis instead of imposing a theological system to explain an idea, and to use clear passages to clarify more obscure verses.

On balance, I believe the “once saved, always saved” view to be valid, as this article tried to demonstrate.

Mustard Seed Faith

Q. “Jesus replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.’” —Lk 17:6

According to the passage, it would seem the amount of faith one has does not really matter. Even if small, God will still respond. But we often ask for people to be healed, yet it does not happen. Is it because we have no faith at all? Perhaps one may say this is not God’s will. But if it is God’s will, it would be done anyway. Why, then, do we need faith in that case?

1. Many assume that “the greater the faith, the better the result.” That is, the “quantity” of faith determines the outcome. But according to Lk 17:6, it is not the quantity but the “quality” of the faith that is important.

Let me give you an illustration. You can have great faith walking on thin ice. It cracks, and you fall into freezing water. Or you can have little faith walking on thick ice that holds you up. The amount of your faith is not the deciding factor; the object of your faith, in this case, the strength of the ice, is. In prayer, the quantity of faith depends on the person praying. The quality depends on who grants the request, in this instance, God. The individual may/will fail. God never fails.

A mustard seed is tiny. But it is whole and can grow. Other passages also teach that it is quality that counts, e.g.:

• Mt 17:20 And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible to you.
• Mt 21:21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.
• Mk 11:23 “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

Regarding prayers for healing that did not happen, sometimes it is because we doubt (Mt 21:21, Mk 11:23). Sometimes it is simply not God’s will. For example, David inquired of God for his child, and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. Then, on the seventh day, the child died (2 Sam 12:16, 18a). Paul prayed that the thorn in the flesh might leave him, but it was denied: “Concerning this, I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He had said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Co 12:8-9a)

If it is God’s will, why do we still need faith? Because faith is the channel through which God’s grace flows! Go back to the example of walking on ice. The ice is thick enough and strong enough to uphold the man walking on it. But if the individual does not exercise his little faith to walk across, he will never find out. So, faith is needed to experience God’s grace. The issue is, “Is faith present or not?” If there is faith, however little, the person can walk across safely, even if he is trembling. Without faith, he will not dare venture across and stay stuck; he will never know the love and power of God. Period.

Witnessing

Q. The synoptic gospels were written for us but to the Jews before Jesus’ crucifixion. John’s gospel and Acts 10 onward were written to all people.
What should I say to a non-believer?

• Matthew 4:17 “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
• John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
• Acts 16: 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
• Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is LORD,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
  
  

A. There is no one answer fits all, as non-believers come with different backgrounds, beliefs, concerns, experiences, values, etc. All the verses you mentioned above are useful, depending on the circumstances, as they talked about repentance, God’s love, and believe.

Christians have used different tools in their witnessing, such as Evangelism Explosion, Gospel Bridge, Steps to Peace with God, Four Spiritual Laws, etc. There are variations in Bible verses and illustrations, but essentially the gospel presentation boils down to just four things:

1. SIN – Man is a sinner and cannot save himself,
2. GOD is just and must punish sin, but He is also loving and wishes to save us,
3. CHRIST – God’s solution is to send His Son Jesus to pay the penalty on our behalf. He proved that He is indeed God the Son and can save us by His resurrection three days after His death.
4. FAITH – To receive God’s gift of eternal life we have to repent and put our trust completely in Jesus alone. We show that our faith is genuine by following what He teaches and doing what He commands.

Some want to start on a positive note by saying that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, or heaven is a free gift from God and cannot be earned or deserved. What we need to share with a non-believer are these five points. You can elaborate on these to clarify the gospel to the inquirer, but it is up to the Holy Spirit to convict hearts so that people may trust in Christ and be saved.

Do not worry about having a perfect formula for all cases. Our Lord used a different approach each time when He spoke to Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, and the rich young ruler. Always pray and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

Sin Boldly?

Q. Can you please explain the meaning of “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly” in the letter written by Martin Luther to Philip Melanchthon?

A. I will try. This quote had often been taken out-of-context to accuse Luther of teaching antinomianism, which is definitely not true. Luther knew Rom 6:1-2 too well:

• What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

To understand what he meant, let us first look at the background, then the context. Luther had been excommunicated by the pope and went into hiding for his life. He wrote to his young associate Melanchthon, urging him to implement reforms in the church. Melanchthon had a milder approach and asked Luther to elaborate on the problems with Catholic practices like monasticism, celibacy, and communion before he would change them, as he was fearful that the proposed elimination or modification might lead people to sin. The paragraph from Luther’s reply read as follows:

“If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (or sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign. It suffices that through God’s glory we have recognized the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard, for you are quite a sinner.”

Now let us unpack what Luther said. Most people, probably including Melanchthon as a “preacher of mercy”, imagine themselves to be pretty decent persons, except for small or venial sins which are excusable. They consider themselves “imaginary (or slight) sinners” committing “imaginary (or inconsequential) sins”. Luther said this thinking was wrong because in fact all people are sinners and will commit sins in this life. This extended to Melanchthon himself, as Luther bluntly pointed out in “you are quite a sinner”! So the meaning of the first part “Be a sinner and sin boldly” is “admit or own up to who you really are, a full-fledged sinner. Admit the seriousness of your sins. Do not try to hide your guilt. Be honest before God.” It does not mean “go ahead and sin boldly, without impunity or fear of consequences” as a superficial reading would seem to indicate.

The second part “but let your trust in Christ be stronger” in contrast is easy to understand. Luther was saying that even though our sins are great, our Savior “the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world” is greater. No sin can separate us from Him, who paid a huge price with an enormous sacrifice for our sins. But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Rom 5:20b). Yes, our sins are real and great, but in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us(Rom 8:37). Just keep on trusting Him and we will be fine. Luther was arguing strongly for salvation by grace through faith, not works. Hope this clarifies the common misunderstanding.

Taking Advantage of God?

We shared the gospel with a senior. She hesitated, feeling that if she trusted in Jesus at her age, it’s tantamount to taking advantage of God’s kindness. She had tried to be a good person all her life, and moral by human standards, but readily admitted that she has her faults. However, if she takes up Jesus’ free offer of salvation by trusting in Him so late in life, wouldn’t it be like exploiting God?

We assured her that while she may feel that way, God doesn’t:

• Isa 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Jesus’ promise is:

• John 3:15-16 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Man’s way is based on performance. The premise of all religions is that if you try hard enough, if you work at it long enough, you earn your way into heaven. And if one life is not long enough, go through as many cycles of reincarnation as you need till you are good enough to deserve heaven, based on your merit. As much as this appeal to man’s pride, over-estimating his abilities to perform while under-estimating the sinfulness of his heart measured against God’s perfect requirements, it simply does not work. This is because no matter how hard we try, we can never be perfect. None of us are, or ever will be. We can never save ourselves.

God’s way, on the other hand, is based on faith. Performance is not a just system. Some are born with innate qualities and abilities that they start out in life not on the same footing. The world values intelligence, strength, speed, looks etc. While part of these can be developed, some are born smarter, stronger, faster, or more handsome or beautiful than others. To demand the same performance from all is not a fair system. However, everyone can believe, everyone can trust, regardless of whether you are young or old, smart or ordinary, strong or weak, fast or slow, pretty or plain. Because what’s important is not what you can do, but on what God had done for you in Christ. All God asks is that you put your faith in His Son, who sacrificed Himself to save you. Salvation is based on this trust relationship. You can accept or decline God’s free offer, and, depending on your choice, either Jesus pays the penalty for our sins, or we bear the consequences ourselves.

Let me close with a biblical example and an analogy. In John 3 Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus to ask about how to enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). As quoted in the Jewish Encyclopedia, “the qualifications of the members of the Sanhedrin are as follows: they must be tall, of imposing appearance, and of advanced age; and they must be learned and must understand foreign languages as well as some of the arts of the necromancer (Sanh. 19a). We can therefore infer that Nicodemus was learned, respected by his fellow men, and elderly. Jesus did not tell Nicodemus that based on his achievements, he can enter God’s kingdom. On the other hand, He told him, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7)

John 3 did not record Nicodemus trusted in Jesus at that time. But as we can deduce from John 7:50 and 19:30, he became a disciple subsequently, late in life. Those who trusted in Jesus early in life has many years to follow Him and serve Him longer. Those who trusted in Him late in life has a shorter time to learn from Him and serve Him, but He welcomes both. Whether you board the “Jesus plane” early or you got on at the last minute, you still arrive at the same destination. Don’t ever feel that trusting in Jesus is only for the young who can do a lot for God. It does not depend on work at all!

Becoming a Christian (1 of 2)

Q. I read the entire New Testaments and find that I can be a good Christian. In my mind there are three aspects to it:
(1) following the expectation set stated by the Bible,
(2) my interaction with other people,
(3) the relationship between me and God.
I can do (1) easily including the 10 commandments in the Old Testament. As for my interaction with other people, I can always improve myself and find what is being promoted in New Testament is a very good framework and principles.

Unlike (1) and (2), which are visible and behavioral, (3) is the core of the matter, it is my inner world, like a thought or a desire. I think God can help me the most in my inner world where peace and inner strength can be much further developed.

A. First of all I’ll like to commend you for reading through the entire NT. Most people would not have done that before they decide to accept or reject the Gospel, but if you want to choose wisely that’s the right thing to do.

God Himself said:
• Deut 4:29 But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.
• Jer 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
If you do that you will find God in due course.

The three aspects you listed are true, but you have listed them in the reverse sequence. The correct sequence is to start with Jesus first, then you will find reconciliation and peace with God. I don’t know whether that’s what you’re thinking, but some tried to please God by rule-keeping, obeying His laws by self-effort and discipline. I don’t want you to run down a wrong path, so I would like to point out some caveats that have stumbled many people in time past.

I’m sure you’ve read the story of the rich young ruler recorded in Mt 19:16-26, Mk 10:17-27, and Lk 18:18-27. In this story, obtaining eternal life (Mt 19:16), entering into life (v 17), entering the kingdom of heaven (v 23), and being saved (v 25) all mean the same thing. The young man asked Jesus “what good thing shall I do”. The emphasis was on his performance, which is what many people think – by doing good deeds they’ll earn heaven. Jesus knew his heart and tested him by replying “keep the commandments”:
• YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER – 6th Commandment;
• YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY – 7th Commandment;
• YOU SHALL NOT STEAL – 8th Commandment;
• YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS – 9th Commandment;
• HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER – 5th Commandment;
• YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

The last one is not one of the 10, but something far greater:
• Mt 22:39-40 The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
• Mk 12:31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
• Rom 13:9 … and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
• Ga 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

The young man didn’t know himself as well as Jesus knew him, and said, “All these things I have kept.” I think superficially he had kept the letter of the law, as Jesus felt a love for him (Mk 10:21), but according to the spirit of the law as interpreted by Jesus, he, along with all of us, failed miserably. For example:
• Mt 5:21-22 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
• Mt 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Who hasn’t been angry, ever? Who has never had lustful thoughts? We’re all guilty. And that’s just two commandments!

Jesus knew his weakness, so He probed further, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” At this he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. He was unwilling to part with his riches to follow Jesus. His Achilles’ heel was covetousness, or greed.

Everyone has his or her own Achilles heel. For some it’s pride, for others power. Some are addicted to money, or sex, or any other sin that controls them. If we think we can meet God’s requirements in our own strength, we are sadly mistaken, for God’s standard is perfection:
• Mt 5:48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
And none of us is perfect, as:
• Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
You may be able to keep some laws, but remember:
• Jas 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
The law is like a chain of links. Even if one link breaks, the whole chain is broken.

So don’t try the performance route. It does not work. The Jews tried to be meticulous law-keepers, but for all their effort they were hypocrites and deserved only “woes”. (Read Mt 23).

(To be continued)

Endurance

When I first started exercising, I stretched and stressed muscles that I had not used in a long time. When your job involved sitting in an office working on a computer or talking to people most of the time, it did not require any serious exertion. The adage “use it or lose it” is true. Even though I practiced karate when I was young, nearly half a century of “non-use” had erased any trace of agility or power that was once there. The exercises put the long neglected muscles through the grind, and an hour later I was exhausted and aching all over! I thought I could sleep it off, but the following morning proved otherwise. Not only did the soreness not go away, but the fact that I had to repeat it day after day poured cold water on any enthusiasm I had for my new year resolution. That’s when I’m reminded that what I need is endurance in order to succeed.

In the spiritual realm it is the same. Often one quality makes the difference between success and failure – endurance. Christians know and appreciate the value of qualities like faith, hope and love. Few, however, make it their goal to pursue endurance, possibly because it is not a high-profile character like the three, or possibly due to its close association with suffering, which few of us want. Yet that’s what Scripture teaches us to do, because endurance is exactly what we need when we encounter hardship and suffer:
• 1 Tim 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
• 2 Co 1:6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
• 2 Co 6:4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;

If we mean business with God, both Paul and Peter taught that persecution and suffering is inevitable:
• 2 Tim 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
• 1 Pet 2:20-21 But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.
Since trouble is unavoidable, patient endurance is mandatory.

What’s more, endurance is closely linked to faith, hope and love. In addition to 1 Tim 6:11 which we’ve already looked at:
• 2 Tim 3:10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
• Tit 2:2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
• Rom 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
• 1 Thes 1:3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

These qualities are so intricately intertwined that they develop together, making us mature and complete. I hope we all learn endurance, and all the more as we see the Day approaching.

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Q. In Mt 13:18-19, why is the kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed? What has heaven got to do with mustard?

A. The term “mustard seed” appears 5 times in the Bible:

• Mt 13:31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.”
• Mt 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
• Mk 4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
• Lk 13:19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.
• Lk 17:6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

The mustard is the smallest of all seeds commercially cultivated in Palestine, yet can grow to be a big shrub like a tree. The Lord compares our faith’s growth to a mustard seed. The imagery comes from Dan 4:10-12
• These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
In that vision Nebuchadnezzar was the tree, whose dominion extended to distant parts of the earth, and the nations found shelter in his kingdom.

The Lord used this as a symbol of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom has a humble beginning, starting with a dozen disciples. However, it grew and grew until nations find shelter in its branches. Yet there is a negative element in the symbol. Birds represent evil in the Lord’s parables:
• Mt 4:4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
• Mt 4:19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

So while positively the mustard seed represents faith that grew, negatively the mustard tree can become so big that it shelters evil. You can observe that today. Evil can be perpetrated under the name of Christianity. Though “birds” hiding under a Christian guise are not believers at all, yet the world sees them as Christians and give Christianity a bad name. The parable is in fact prophetic as well as symbolic.

All Roads Lead to Rome?

Q. Aren’t all religions basically the same, teaching us to do good? Isn’t it simply everyone looking at God from his cultural perspective, like the proverbial blind men and the elephant?

A. No, all roads do NOT lead to Rome, only those surrounding Rome. And while we are all limited by our culture and knowledge, the blind men and the elephant is a false analogy, as God had revealed Himself to us and we are NOT blind and can see:

• Rom 1:19-20 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

God has revealed Himself to men, through His creation (general revelation), and His word the Bible (special revelation). Everything has been made plain, clearly seen and understood, so that people are without excuse. When they refuse to accept, they are suppressing the truth by their wickedness (Rom 1:18). It is an act of the will, not out of ignorance.

All religions are NOT basically the same. Some are non-theistic e.g. pure Buddhism; some polytheistic e.g. Taoism, Mormonism; and some pantheistic e.g. Hinduism, New Age etc. Only Christianity, Judaism and Islam are monotheistic. And among them only Christians believe in the triune God.

The way of salvation is also very different. All religions teach men to do good to earn God’s approval i.e. the way of works, by self effort. Only Christianity tells people no matter how hard you try, your best efforts are not good enough. Our righteous acts are like filthy rags, and our sins sweep us away (Isa 64:6). The only way to be reconciled to God is by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. No one comes to the Father except through Him (Jn 14:6).

Don’t get fooled by generalities that seemed true but are in fact false. They only provide people an excuse not to face the truth. You owe it to yourself to find out what’s real, reliable, and trustworthy. Don’t be deceived.

Old Testament Salvation

Q. How could the people in the Old Testament become righteous without the blood of Jesus? John 14:6 says “No one comes to the Father but through me.”

A. OT people become righteous in exactly the same way as NT people, by grace through faith in God. This is clearly explained in Rom 4:

• Rom 4:3, 6 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” … David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.
• Rom 4:13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
• Rom 4:21-24 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Note the following:
• Abraham believed God, and God credited righteousness to him apart from works.
• It was not through keeping the law, but by faith.
• This principle by receiving righteousness through faith is not just for Abraham alone, but for us who believe in Him as well.

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. OT people looked forward to the cross. In God’s forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand (up to the cross) unpunished (Rom 3:25). NT people look backward to the same once-for-all sacrifice of the Son making atonement for our sins. OT people may not know the Son as clearly as NT folks, but they knew and trusted the Father. Both are fully persuaded that God will fulfill what He promised. There is no difference.