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Only One Savior

by Tony Warren


s   many unbelievers revile Christianity, there is an inherent sadness in their voices. But it is a sadness that is laced with anger. While we can readily recognize the anger in the charges that they make, it takes careful observation to see that this anger is not so much directed at Christians, as it is toward God Himself. They most often say things like, "If there is a God, why do children endure pain and die, or why are there brutal wars, or why is there so much suffering in the world." Their logic being, if there really was a God, He would certainly not allow this. But what they don't realize is that they are trying to forge a god of their own design, fashioned after what 'they' think is best for Him to do.

And of course this is man creating an image of God after the precepts of their own hearts. It is an attempt to create god, instead of receiving the God of the Bible. They fail to comprehend that man was created in the image of God, not the other way around. And it is God who defines who He is, not man. It is foolish for the created to say to the creator, "this is how we think you should be." God is the great "I Am," and is not subject to man's humanistic sensibilities. Again, man is subject to God, God doesn't have to answer to man. Questions like, "why did God put me here if He's going to send me to judgment" is the rebellion and arrogance in man's heart that is what is sending him to judgment. No one goes before God's judgment for any wrong doing on God's part, but for their own wrong doing. Each man is judged for his own sin, and that is righteous, deserved judgment.

Since by definition God is the divine creator of heaven and earth, Holy, True, and Trustworthy, it is utterly foolish for man to question God as if He were the suspect of some kind of crime. But this is the warped thinking of carnal man. An analogy would be like a criminal saying to a righteous judge:

"Sure I killed someone, and sure I knew it was wrong, but that's the way I was born. Can I help it if I enjoy killing? That doesn't mean that I deserve to be punished because I was born enjoying killing, because I didn't ask to be born!"
That's the same attitude the unsaved have. Shall the righteous Judge 'wink' at his reasoning and set him free? Shall he say to the man:
"You are right, you didn't ask to be born, and so you're not responsible for having a nature wherein you enjoy killing someone."
Of course we know that would not be righteous judgment or righteous justice, that would be unrighteousness and injustice. Likewise, it is not God who is unrighteous in His judgments of man for his transgressions, it is man who likes his sin, and so doesn't want to have to pay for those crimes.

The fact is, it is not God who is causing all the sufferings in this world, it is man himself. God is just an easy target. Mankind is rebellious and so wants to do whatever his imagination can conjure up. And then in the rationalizations of his stubborn heart, he tries to blame God for it, asking, "why am I judged because I sin?" But who is man to argue with God Almighty? The word of God declares:

    Romans 9:20

In other words, who are we to think we can debate God's righteousness in allowing things, or his judgments, or argue about what He does or does not do? Who are we to replay against God? And the answer is, we are nobody to be replying against God, or arguing with Him that we know what's right and have decided that He is wrong to allow sin or to judge us. And until we come to understand that we are nobody to argue against God, we have no chance of escaping the judgment. Indeed the road to salvation begins at 'that point.' The point where we come to the realization that we can do nothing to escape the punishment that we so rightly deserve, and that we can but 'confess' our sins before God, 'agree' that we are guilty as charged, and throw ourselves upon the Mercies of the judge. If we do that, He (who cannot lie) says He will have compassion on us.

    1st John 1:8-10

If we are obstinate and prideful and deny that we are sinners deserving judgment, then we have no reason to expect compassion and mercies from the Judge. But if we confess our sins to God, He will abundantly 'pardon' us through the shed blood of Christ. This is His gift to us. Ask, and it shall be given unto you. If you don't ask for it, then how can you complain when you don't get it? The whole "blame God" position really makes no sense. Blame man who is the sinner who brought death and pestilence and wars into the world. If you are too proud to humble yourself and beg forgiveness of God for your transgressions, then why grumble at God when He has warned of the judgment, and you don't get this forgiveness of sins? The sin of pride is like a festering, bacteria laden, pus filled sore, that will never heal and will eventually destroy you. For the Lord has declared unambiguously that He resists the proud.

    James 4:6-8

We have the sure promise that if we "honestly" submit ourselves before God, get down on our knees (Humble Ourselves) and in supplication confess our guilt asking, "Lord Forgive me, a miserable rotten sinner," the Lord is faithful to answer our prayers and forgive us our sins. And so the question is not, "Why am I judged for my sins," the question is, God has made the promise of forgiveness, why don't I receive it? That is the only question for man. Our God is a God of mercy, so why won't we receive that promise of mercy?

But make no mistake, just as the Lord is merciful, He is also a God of wrath. If you seek Him, you shall find Him, if you don't seek Him, He will judge you. He's said it and He will not go back. And if you should doubt it, just pick up the Old Testament scriptures and start reading. There is no 'new and improved God' of the New Testament, that is the exact same God, and He will bring righteous judgment upon the unrighteous still. Jesus Himself made that abundantly clear. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth come judgment day. Some people are just not listening to His words, choosing instead to mentally edit Holy canon with their own desires and beliefs.

Likewise, the Idea in some Church circles that God will save everyone in the world, is just as foolish and carnal as the idea that there is no God. They both stems from that same rebellious nature and desire of man to remove himself from responsibility to the law, or "create a god" in man's own image. To create a god who acts like man is, not as God says He is and is recorded to be in the scripture.

We know from scripture that man loves his sin, but he also intuitively knows that there is a God (it's inherently instilled within us) who hates sin. So he wants to escape judgment without being accountable. In his mind there are two ways. Declare there is no Hod, or make his god after the imagination of his own heart. In other words, imagine a god who will allow him to both sin and be saved. A god where all he has to do is say, "I'm a Christian," and that makes everything righteous. But you see, he has then deceived himself. Because that type of Christian is not really a Christian at all, because he doesn't truly know God, nor is he known of Him. And a Church preaching that kind of gospel is not really a true Church. The Church of Christ is more than a name. This is what God says of those who profess to know Him, but in reality are deluding themselves:

    1st John 2:4

Not to put too fine a point on it, that is strong stuff, but that is what God says! So who are we going to listen to? Our Church, our Pastor, our religions leaders, traditions, ourselves, or to God's word itself? Our Pastor cannot save us, and neither can any of the other religions of the world that many people find so fresh, exotic and mind expanding. Religion doesn't save people, only God can.

First of all let me say that I judge no man. I leave that all up to God. But putting our faith in the Corporate church is folly of the highest order. It's the indivisible Church (which is the body of 'true' believers ruled by Christ), that is the true body of Christ. There are many denominations with true believers in them. There may be some believers in this Church, or that other Church, or this one over here, we don't know. Because although some corporate Churches may have things wrong, it's possible some members trust in Jesus as their Saviour, even though their Church may be unfaithful. It's not our Job as Christians to judge other people on the point of "if they are saved or not." On the Other hand, false religions can never save. This we know. God has said there is 'Only One Way to Salvation.' It is not the baptist Church, it is not the Catholic Church, and it is not the Reformed or Presbyterian Church. That 'one way' to God is through Christ Jesus. Any one who is truly in Christ is His Church, and has been redeemed from the penalty of sin.

Sin must be punished, and the penalty for sin is death. Since we all sin, no one will escape, for God the Judge is not unjust like man the judge. Justice "must" be served, and thus the penalty must be paid. There is no Probation, there is no time off for good behaviour, and there is no suspended sentence. A Holy and just judge demands that justice must be served. The wages for sin must be paid.

Consequently, there is only one faith that answers "The Sin Question." And that is the Christian faith. There is only one name that man may trust in that the punishment of death that justice demands for sin, may be be satisfied. And that name is Jesus Christ. No other god, religion, or philosophy, be it far east, near east or middle east, answers the dreaded "Sin Question." Only one exhorts that man seek 'The Way' wherein the payment for sin that God absolutely requires, may be found. Christianity is the revelation of the God-man, the substitute who has come to take upon Himself all our sins, leaving us clean (without sin) in the eyes of God. One saviour was laden with our sins and willingly suffered in death for us, that we might escape that same death. No winking at sin implied in other religions is possible, because the justice of God demands payment.

    Romans 6:23

The wages or payment for man's sin is death. It is not Purgatory, it is not not reincarnation, it is not to be made to stand in the corner, it is Death! What mere man could pay such a price for all God's people? No worldly Philosophy could change what scripture required. No man could pay what was owed. It Would take a "God Man" to stand in our place facing death and paying the wages required. It would take a God-Man to suffer that death and be raised up afterward free from the sin He was laden with. And it would take a God-man to have that efficacy of sinlessness rest upon all those who have the faith of Christ. It took God, because no mortal man could go to the cross with the sins and corruption of the world be raised up without seeing corruption Himself. No man could survive. And that is what so many others miss in seeking out foreign religions. God himself sent His Holy Spirit unto Mary to bring forth the prophesied saviour in the form of the God man Christ. In other words, God would take on the flesh of man through Mary so that he could take on the sins of man in the flesh, to deliver man. Because since it was man who sinned, man had to be the one to pay the wages. The first man Adam brought sin into the world, and the second Christ had to come to take sin away. The "only" righteous God-man who knew no sin, became sin (our sin) for us, that we might be made righteous in Him. as it is written:

    2nd Corinthians 5:21

Holy God in heaven made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7), that He could be made sin for us, pay the penalty of death, and be raised again without that sin. Thus our sins are passed away in His resurrection without them. He being the Firstborn from the dead, means that all those raised up from death unto life in Him could follow. And it should be self-evident that such a task requires a God-man to see it through to the finish. Only a God, come down as Man, could qualify as the Saviour of men.

And in The History of the world, there is only one recorded GOD/MAN. The Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For besides God (-Hos.3:4), there is no Saviour. So if Christ was not God, how then could He be the saviour?

    Acts 4:12

It had to be this way, for it is written, only God could be the Saviour and beside Him, there is no other. Since there is only one God, there can only be one Saviour. They are one and the same.

    Isaiah 43:10-11

Without our sins being paid for by the work of Christ, they must be paid for by us in the judgment of the last day. One WAY (John 14:6), or the other, the wages of sin must, and will, be paid.

So, when anyone asks, what's the difference between the Christian religion and "ALL" of the others, the clear answer is that, it is the [b]ONLY[/b] religion that truly answers the "Sin question." It is the only faith where the required penalty for sin is satisfied. And by Christ's payment for sin, we are made justified and become sinless before God.

    Isaiah 53:11

He satisfied the payment for our iniquity by bearing them in Himself on the cross. Without this faithfulness of Christ, no one could be righteous enough to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. That is why scripture clearly states that, "there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. -Acts 4:12" The religions of the world may argue that precept, but they do that with "ALL" of God's word. Nevertheless, it is the written word of God and it is true. Without the penalty of death being satisfied by the Saviour, no one can be saved. And without a God Man taking upon Himself sin for us and being resurrected without seeing corruption, we cannot be saved. There has only been one God man, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. And though others may protest in their carnality, no one will have a legitimate excuse come judgment day. Not Atheists, not Gnostics, neither false or substitute religions. For God knows the heart. He knows that He put there a inner knowledge of Himself.

    Romans 1:20-22

No one, whether no belief or false belief has any excuse for not recognizing God. He put it in man's mind to see and in the revelation of creation so that there is no excuse. Where man knows nothing in his unbelief, God knows everything. He knows the difference between the soul and the spirit, between one star and another, and between all the things of creation that man can merely theorize about.

It is a matter of saving faith to believe. All true Christians believe that. For true belief is what saving faith is. God in us because we have been resurrected from death unto newness of life in Him. Many unbelievers (and indeed unbelieving yet professing Christians) say they are sick and tired of religions claiming to be the only true religion. But why? God says there is only one name whereby men can be saved, so can a servant of God say anything less and be His servant? That claim of only one true religion has to be examined in light of scripture and considered. Sin has to be examined in light of scripture and it has to be paid for. And the fact is, someone has to do it. Besides you yourself, ONLY Christ can. That should be the end of debate about religions for any God fearing conscientious Christian. They all come up short compared to the faith of Christ. The Christian faith!

It is human nature to be distressed to hear of proponents of other religions deceiving people into thinking that if they worship a cow, they'll be happy in the hereafter. Or if they kill many people in a Holy war, they'll please their god and be in paradise. We're mournful seeing people worship statues, smoke hallucinogenic leaves, talking to supposed spirits, praying to the dead, praying in vain repetitions, drinking blood, getting in touch with their Psychic hot line, arming themselves and going up to a mountain to wait for God, etc., etc. All in the name of some god that will supposedly bring them happiness when they die. As I said, I do not judge, that is God's job. But I can tell you that none of this is the gospel truth. Our Job is to be a witness and spread the gospel of truth that they would at least hear the word. We make a testimony of what the Lord God has said, which is our great commission. And if they will hear, then well and good. If they will not, then it is all in God's hands. The worst and the best that we can tell them is what God says. For the word is their judgment and their salvation. There is no other name whereby men may be saved. If they will not hear, it is the the word itself that will condemn them. Because every man is responsible for his own obstnate heart and sins. The Lord knows those who are His lost sheep and those who are not. To those who are, He will seek them out and bring them in, one way or another.

There is no question that all true Christians will be spoken evil of, and reviled for doing this, but that has always been the case. Did the Lord Jesus Christ warn us of this in His ministry? We'll count it a blessing of the Lord. For it is the Spirit of truth, not us, that teaches one and not the other.

    1st Corinthians 2:12

Some are given to know God's word and some will argue and rationalize it away that they may continue on in sin. That is a given. Our job is not to judge, but to witness to this testimony that there is only one saviour. And the time for the salvation of the world is now. The time to make our calling and election sure is now. And there is only one name whereby we may do this. Only one Way. Only One Saviour. The God man, who is the Way, the truth, and the Life.

may the Lord who is righteous above all open our hearts and guide us into all truth.

Amen

Peace,

Copyright ©1994 Tony Warren
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Created 12/6/94 / Last Modified 10/27/09
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