Easy Believism vs. True Salvation in the Bible
The doctrine of salvation has been a central theme that has caused much debate in Christian discourse for centuries. However, one of the most contested biblical topics within Christian theology today revolves around salvation, specifically “easy believism” vs. “true salvation”.
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This is a matter of great importance, as salvation is not something we can afford to get wrong. What does it truly mean to be saved according to the Bible? This perplexing question has troubled believers for millennia, as they wrestle with doubts about their salvation, and some even struggle with doubt continuously. Does Scripture support the idea that salvation is as simple as professing belief without a life transformed by faith? This blog article will address these questions and examine key Bible verses that address this issue.
What is Easy Believism?
Easy believism is the notion that one can receive salvation by belief alone, simply by intellectually assenting to the facts of the Gospel, specifically believing in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It often downplays the importance of repentance, obedience, and ongoing sanctification in the believer’s life.
The concept of salvation by “faith alone” is not explicitly stated in the Bible. In fact, the book of James directly addresses and refutes the idea of “faith alone”, as noted in James 2:24 – “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” .
Critics of “belief alone” argue that such an interpretation, often referred to as easy believism, diminishes the Gospel to a form of “cheap grace,” also known as “free grace.” This perspective, they contend, can lead to “greasy grace,” where the significant cost of true discipleship is overlooked.
While salvation is indeed a free gift from God through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), the Bible makes it clear that true belief produces fruit in the form of transformed behavior (James 2:17).
What is True Salvation?
True salvation is defined by a saving faith that demonstrates a life-transforming belief in the one true God through Jesus, the Messiah. Saving faith is a living faith that actively results in real repentance, life-altering transformation, and a purposed filled life aligned with God’s will and obedience to His commands. Saving faith leads to salvation from the wrath of God the Father due to our sin.
Saving faith is not achieved through works; however, genuine faith will naturally produce Godly fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). True salvation is by a genuine commitment to living in obedience to God the Father, following the example of Jesus. It reflects a enduring faith in Christ that extends beyond verbal declarations or intellectual understanding.
John MacArthur, a prominent theologian, once summarized the debate by saying, “Saving faith is a commitment to leave sin and follow Jesus. It is an exchange of all that we are for all that He is.”
Does the Bible Support Easy Believism?
Some verses in Scripture appear to suggest that salvation is solely based on belief, lending apparent support to the concept of easy believism. For example:
Bible Verses Commonly Cited for Easy Believism
- John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- Acts 16:31 – “They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'”
- Romans 10:9 – “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
- 1 John 5:13 – “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
At first glance, these verses may appear to state “belief” or “faith alone” as the sole requirement for salvation, while missing focus on repentance or transformation, and doing the will of the Father. However, does this “belief alone” align with the full biblical context, which states with clarity the necessity of doing the will of God the Father, faithfully enduring to the end, and obeying God the Father’s commands in order to remain in His love?
When you parachute on a single verse or two, attempting to build a doctrine without considering the expanse of all biblical teachings, it becomes very easy to be misled. You see, – belief alone will never save alone! No amount of works will get you into heaven either. Salvation is a amalgam of saving faith that flows faithfully into producing Godly fruit and while obediently doing the will of God the Father, just as Jesus did.
Exploring True Salvation According to the Word of God
While many verses emphasize the importance of belief or faith in salvation, numerous passages illustrate that saving faith encompasses more than just intellectual agreement. Genuine faith is evidenced by the transformation of the heart, truly repenting of sin, obedience to God’s commands, and the active pursuit of holiness (be holy). Remember, we can’t earn our way into heaven or think that salvation comes from following a strict set of rules or keeping the law of Moses (the Old Testament law given to the children of Israel). Salvation comes through faith, and grace is given to those who are predestined to receive it.
Biblical Warning Verses Challenging Easy Believism
- Isaiah 1:28 “But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.”
- James 2:24 “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone”
- Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
- Matthew 24:13 “But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
- Luke 13:3 “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
- John 15:6 “If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
- Romans 11:21-22 “For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either. / Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”
- Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
- Hebrews 10:26-27 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
- Hebrews 10:28-29 “Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”
- 2 Peter 2:20-22 “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
- 2 Timothy 2:12 “if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;”
- James 5:19-20 “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
- ! John 2:29 “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”
- 1 John 3:7 ” Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous”
- 1 John 3:8 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
- 1 John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
- 1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
- Revelation 3:5 “The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.”
The Balance Between Faith and Obedience
The bible clearly establishes that our faith saves us as a starting point. James clarifies the “faith alone” argument with his clarion call that “faith alone” does not save. My understanding is: faith alone does not save alone. One of the most challenging aspects of this discussion is finding the balance between faith, doing the will of God the Father in respect to commanded obedience to the Father’s commands. The Bible consistently affirms that salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet, this faith is not solitary; it is accompanied by works that demonstrate the reality of one’s belief (James 2:26).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, criticized the idea of easy believism in his famous work The Cost of Discipleship, stating, “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves… grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.”
True salvation calls for the believer to daily take up their cross (Luke 9:23) and follow after Christ in obedience and trust, living as Jesus lived.
Hopeful Thoughts
TThe contrast between easy believism and true salvation calls every believer to carefully examine their faith. If Jesus has truly freed us from the bondage of sin, why do so many struggle to obey God Almighty, even after the burden has been lifted? Are we holding firmly to the truth of the Gospel in a way that leads to true transformation? Genuine repentance of sin means turning away from it completely, and a return to sinful practices may indicate self-deception or a misunderstanding of authentic faith. Are we, perhaps, reducing salvation to a simple declaration, lacking heartfelt repentance and a sincere commitment?
As you reflect on the Scriptures, may the call to a faith that bears fruit inspire you to pursue a deeper relationship with God Almighty through our Messiah. True salvation is not merely a one-time verbal affirmation; it is a lifelong process of being conformed to His image.
If you’d like further reading on this topic or would like to engage with biblical insights, feel free to comment or reach out. Let’s grow together in understanding and faith!
Let us close in prayer:
After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
