“We believe the Scriptures teach that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace...but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood” (Hiscox Standard Manuel for___Churches).
Webster defines “wholly” as “the whole amount or extent; totally; entirely.” Webster’s definition of “solely”: “without another or others; alone, only, exclusively, merely, or altogether.” Using those definitions, if one is “wholly” saved by grace, then all men would be saved. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). If there is not anything one must do to be saved, why then would not all men be saved? If one is saved “wholly” by grace, then there is nothing for man to do. If one is saved wholly by grace then it is not possible to be saved solely by faith. If one is saved “solely” by faith, then it is not possible to be saved wholly by grace.
If salvation is “wholly” by grace, then the way a man lives has nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul. If one’s obedience to God’s commands does not enable him to be saved, then what determines whether one is a saint or a sinner?
No one can be saved without the grace of God. No one can earn his salvation. Every person who is saved, is saved by grace but not by grace alone. Every person who is saved, is saved by faith but not by faith alone. Every person that is saved, is saved by baptism but not by baptism alone. “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us...” (I Pet. 3:21). Note that Peter said baptism saves us and it saves us now. If baptism doesn’t save one from his past sins, from what does it save us? When Peter said that baptism saves us did he mean that grace and faith are not necessary? Of course not. The Bible nowhere teaches that one is saved by anything only!
The New Testament nowhere uses the term “grace only” but it does use the term “faith only.” “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by ‘faith only,” (James 2:24). The Hiscox Standard Manuel for__Churches says man is saved by faith only. The inspired James said we are not saved by faith only! Many refuse to believe that fact, but it will still read the same way in the judgment. “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day”(John12:48)
It should be clear that while the works of man cannot earn the forgiving of even one sin, it is nevertheless the case that salvation by the grace of God is contingent on man’s faith in, and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey them” (Heb. 5:9). Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, yet the entire world will not be saved (Matt. 7:13-14) God has seen fit to attach conditions to his grace. If there were no conditions, then all would be saved. If there are conditions, then only those will be saved who meet the divinely stated conditions. By meeting the conditions set out in the Bible, one does not in any way merit salvation or obligate God (except in the sense of fulfilling his promise). No single condition nor set of conditions can create merit toward salvation. Paul said Jesus would take “...vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thes. 1:8). Jesus said “...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
“If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God” (I Pet. 3:21)
Don H. Noblin
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