On my way home one evening, I noticed that a building—called in this country a church—was brilliantly lighted up.
Before I came to it a gentleman touched my arm, and said, “Will you come in to our service at the church?”
“No, thank you,” I said.
“I can get you a seat close to the pulpit, if you will come in,” said the gentleman. “No, not tonight.”
“You had better come tonight,” said he: “ You may never have another opportunity.”
“No, thank you,” I said; and I looked up to the Lord to have a word to say to this zealous one.
By this time we had arrived opposite the doors of the church, and I noticed over the porch these words, “Jesus only.”
I looked at the gentleman and said, “I see you have “Jesus only” outside your church, but have you “Jesus only’ inside?”
“Oh, come in,” he repeated.
“But tell me, What is the way to be saved from the wrath to come?”
“You must believe in Jesus, enter the church, and lead an upright life,”
“Oh then,” I said, “it is not Jesus only.” I must enter the church and lead an upright life besides. You see it is not Jesus only.
“No, no! not exactly,” he replied; and we parted.
This passage came to my mind: “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).) How sad it is, I thought, that they teach in that church that three things are necessary to salvation. We read nothing in the scripture about “entering the church,” or “leading an upright life,” as a means of salvation.
Every believer is a part of the true church, and should seek light from above, as to what Christians he should unite himself with; but this is not that he may be saved, but because he is saved; and surely too he should lead an upright life. But for salvation Jesus said, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”
How is it with you, my reader? are you trying to be saved by three things, and two of them your own doing—or will you let it be “Jesus only?”