Pastor Dukes is NOT a non-dispensationalist heretic(he's pre-trib, and believes the ToJT period focuses largely on Israel).
Nonetheless, this is a very interesting read.
FOR PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION...Some very important additional considerations for the doctrine that men are saved differently in different dispensations:
1. Adam and Eve did not have salvation by works in the garden. They were innocent and did not need salvation. They were not sinners, so there was nothing to be saved from. They lived by God's power, but they had no sin, therefore they enjoyed God without need of a Savior. The angels have not sinned, and there is no Savior for angels.
2. Adam and Eve were saved, after they sinned by faith in a substitute. The picture of a sacrifice was given so they could have faith in the seed to come, the Messiah. Their faith had to be in the fulfillment of the sacrifice, and the promised Messiah. The blood was shed to picture Christ.
3. Abraham was saved by faith alone in Christ alone. He understood the picture of a coming Messiah. He was justified, according to Romans, JUST LIKE WE ARE, "to him who worketh not, but believeth…his faith is counted as righteousness. There was not even a little work, or his example cannot be for us. No law, no circumcision, no works - just faith. That's what the good book says.
4. Under the Mosaic Law they were saved by faith. One may say, were they not REQUIRED to offer sacrifices? Indeed they were, but the book of Hebrews plainly declares that sacrifices never took away one sin. So though it was required, it could not in any way save or add to faith. These were only pictures of what Jesus does for us by faith.
5. There can be no mixture of faith and works in any dispensation. Remember Romans 11:6. Salvation is either by faith or works, but they CANNOT be combined. Any talk of some faith and some works should be dismissed out of hand without debate, that is like saying something is a little free and not free at the same time.
6. When Jesus was upon the earth, he called men to faith in Himself and condemned anyone who did not believe in Him. We same verses that He used to tell people to believe on Him for everlasting life are the ones He gave when He was present. He called it faith while He was standing there. For someone to say that we cannot call this faith is to say Jesus was wrong. Of course, that is absurd.
7. In the church age we are saved by grace alone right? Not by works of righteousness which we have done… So how can faith be what saves us and Abraham be our example, unless the same faith saved him? How can we have a “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11 if they were all saved by works and faith together (which is a contradiction anyway Romans 11:6). Either their lives were by faith or they were by works. That is the Bible. No body want to say their lives were lived by works. Therefore, we need to end the idea that some were saved any other way than faith alone in Christ alone.
8. In the tribulation time, the Bible states in revelation 14 that saints have the faith of Jesus and keep His commandments. Do not be fooled to think that salvation then comes by the keeping of the commandments. Here are two Bible reasons. First, we are told by the apostles that there is no law or commandment given that can take away sin, therefore, the law does not presently exist that can add to faith and save us. Second, the revelation of God has ceased and we have it in the Bible. So if it is not given, and the revelation has already ceased, it will not be given. Men are saved by faith or works without the possibility of mixture. There is no law given besides the faith of Jesus that can take away sin. Finally, there will be no more commandment revealed. So it will always be impossible and has always been impossible for any laws, or rules or commandments to in any way procure our salvation or recommend us to God. This can only come on the merits of Jesus, looking past or forward, and only by faith in His blood. Some will object that if you take the mark of the beast after you get save, then you will not be saved in the end. To this, we reply that if the elect could be deceived, this would be true, but the Bible tells us that the elect will not be deceived by the antichrist. If they follow him, they prove they loved the lie and not the truth. They must be given over to believe the lie to follow him. Though all who worship the beast get the wrath of God, there is not Scriptural evidence that any true saints will worship the beast. That is speculation and is not proved by Scripture.
9. Toward the end of the tribulation, at the judgment, Jesus separates those who visited Him in prison and gave Him water from those who did not. Doe this prove that they are saved by works and not faith? The question is, how could God receive those as good works, unless He created the works Himself? The fruit of the righteous are by Jesus Christ. Man cannot produce the first good work without being redeemed first, for all man’s good works are fruits of repentance and fruit of the Holy Spirit, and done by Jesus in us. Remember, “Without Me ye can do nothing.” So unless these were saved first, they cannot do anything God will approve. The idea that they earned their salvation by giving a glass of water when Jesus had to die on a cross to procure it is ridiculous. Additionally, their good deeds must flow from a good heart, made so first, for “a good tree produces good fruit.” They must already be saved or God would not approve their works. Somebody had to MAKE the tree good first, or it could NEVER produce good fruit. This is the same plan we are under.
10. What about the millennium? The question is can a man have faith when he can see God? Let us ask did Jesus trust his Father? Could Jesus not see the Father? When He sees the Father, can He trust Him? In Hebrews 11 we are told faith is the evidence of things not seen. Someday our faith will be made sight. At that time we will have no more sin nature and will be free from the presence of sin. But what of those who still must be saved. If they can see Jesus as we can, can they still be saved as we were without seeing Him? Yes, One Thousand times yes! Read John 20:29, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Thomas believed while he was looking at Jesus. This is no contradiction. Jesus said he did it and we will believe without seeing Him. So unless Jesus was greatly mistaken, someone who is looking right at his glorified body CAN believe.
11. To sum up. The Bible says that it is impossible to be saved by any other faith than by the faith of Abraham who did NOT work but believed and was accounted righteous. The Bible plainly says you can NEVER mix faith and works. You must have either faith or works. There is no such thing as a combination. Finally, Jesus plainly taught that men can believe while they are staring into Jesus’ face. To say the only faith is that which is unseen, is unscriptural and contradicts the plain words of Christ. Nobody ever got saved any other way than by faith alone in Christ alone, with the faith that produces good fruit.
Pastor Troy Dukes
www.GraceBaptistWPB.com
