Faith in God is not enough to save a man.
Two related stories that came across my computer screen this morning authenticate that statement.
The USA Today references this morning a survey by Lifeway Christian Resources about the so-called faith of young adults (age 18-29). In this study, among those who identified themselves as “Christian:”
- 65% rarely or never pray with others
- 38% almost never pray by themselves
- 65% rarely or never attend worship services
- 67% don’t read the Bible
So there apparently is a 2/3 majority of young adult “Christians” who don’t read the Bible, don’t pray, and don’t participate in worship. Historically, that would never have passed any measure of what it means to be a believer.
Unfortunately, even among those who identified themselves as what typically would be called evangelical — they “believe they will go to heaven because they have accepted Jesus as Savior” — the following is true:
- 68% did not mention faith, religion, or spirituality as “really important in life”
- 50% do not attend church at least weekly
- 36% rarely or never read the Bible
At best, that makes for a very weak Christian church; at worst, it means the definition of faith in Christ has been seriously miscommunicated, misunderstood, and not rightly believed.
Also this morning, I read Al Mohler’s blog on the life and recent death of atheist-turned-theist, Anthony Flew. From the age of 15 in the late 1930s until 2004, Flew was open in his atheistic rejection of God, creation and Christ. But in 2004, he rejected his unbelief in God, embracing a form of theism. More precisely, he called himself a deist (this lengthy interview is fascinating reading) in the Jeffersonian tradition.
Yet at the same time he openly rejected any orthodox definition of the gospel:
Flew has had to assure former students that he does not now believe in revealed religion. “Even one of my daughters asked if this meant we were going to say grace at meals,” he said. “The answer is no.”
Flew is also quick to point out that he is not a Christian. “I have become a deist like Thomas Jefferson.” He cites his affinity with Einstein who believed in “an Intelligence that produced the integrative complexity of creation.” To make things perfectly clear, he told me: “I understand why Christians are excited, but if they think I am going to become a convert to Christ in the near future, they are very much mistaken.”
“Are you Paul on the road to Damascus?” I asked him.
“Certainly not.”
As the New Testament affirms repeatedly, there is one Lord and one faith. There is one means of coming to saving faith and that is through Christ alone. And that singular means of salvation will produce transformation. Faith in Christ does not leave individuals ambivalent to the gospel and Scripture. It does not leave them uncaring about the church and corporate worship.
Genuine faith is rooted in the solemn truth that every individual stands worthy only of the condemnation and wrath of God and only faith in Christ alone will keep us from that wrath — and having believed in this great Savior, He will transform our hearts to love Him. In fact, in John 14-15, Jesus makes the assertion that to believe in Him is to love Him and to love Him is to obey Him. There is no salvation without loving obedience of God.
In other words, a general belief in God without belief in Christ is still unbelief. And a belief in Christ without caring about the things of Christ is still unbelief.
Mohler is right:
…the conclusion of Antony Flew’s life must affirm for us the fact that the rejection of atheism does not always lead to an embrace of Christianity. Salvation comes only to those who come to belief and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ — not to those who merely embrace the existence of a divine First Cause. Rejecting atheism is not enough.
The death of Professor Antony Flew should not escape Christian attention. His life and thought trace the transition from atheism to some form of belief in God. But not every form of belief in God leads to salvation. The Gospel of Jesus Christ does not rest on just any belief in God. Antony Flew’s rejection of atheism is an encouragement, but his rejection of Christianity is a warning. Rejecting atheism is simply not enough.
Augustine articulated concisely the soberness of both forms of rejection of God here considered. We do well to heed his words:
If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.
And that is damning for both so-called deists who reject Christ and so-called “Christians” who reject prayer, the Bible, and worship.
Faith in God is not enough to save a man. Saving faith is rooted in the accomplishment of Christ on the cross alone and the transforming power of Christ in our lives.
Words of Grace 