Someone once asked: “What is more embarrassing than jumping to a conclusion that isn’t there?” In some matters jumping to unjustified conclusions is worse then embarrassing. It can be fatal! It can jeopardize one’s salvation.

 

For example, look at one of the most common false conclusions many jump to concerning salvation. Because the Bible says we are saved by faith, many people jump to the conclusion that salvation is by faith “only.” They conclude people are saved the moment they believe, and regardless of whether or not they obey other things God commands. However, the conclusion they jump to isn’t really there.

 

First, the Bible plainly says we are not justified by faith only. “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (Jas. 2: 24). Obviously, when the Bible says we are not justified by faith only, anyone who jumps to the conclusion that we are justified by faith only, is jumping to a conclusion that isn’t there. When the Bible teaches that we are saved by faith, it doesn’t mean “faith only.”

 

People are saved by faith when, their faith leads them to repent of their sins, confess Christ, and be scripturally baptized. Just as the Bible says we are saved by faith, it also says, in 1 Pet. 3: 21, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” It would be jumping to a conclusion that’s not really there, if we decided we are saved by baptism “only” because the Bible says we are saved by baptism. By the same token, it is jumping to a false conclusion to decide we are saved by faith “only” because the Bible says we are saved by faith.

 

The truth is, we are saved by faith when we, by faith, do the things God commands of us to be saved. That includes baptism, as well as repentance and confession of Jesus. Have you been saved by faith? Think on these things.

 

Dennis Abernathy