There is only one message of salvation.
Moreover, I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I evangelized to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, since you hold fast that word I evangelized to you, except you believed without an object. For I delivered to you at first that which also I received, that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
Salvation has always been by faith; it is not a works-based concept. In each dispensation, salvation is the result of a person taking God at His word. Noah believed God and became an heir of righteousness (Hebrews 11:7). Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Galatians 3:6).
There is a difference between fruit and works worthy of repentance. Today, the death and resurrection of Christ is declared among both Jews and Gentiles, in order that all should change their minds and perform works worthy of repentance (Acts 26:20). We see such works—stemming from a change of mind—in the example of the thief on the cross. He had no time to do any good work, but he demonstrated through his actions that he believed Jesus was the Messiah when he rebuked the other man for his words against Christ. In recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, he said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” To this Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:39–43).
Works related to repentance—a change of mind—involve turning from unbelief. In Peter’s messages to the Jews in Jerusalem, after explaining that Christ must suffer just as the prophets foretold, he urges them to change their minds so that their sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). On the Day of Pentecost, when Peter addressed more than three thousand men, he declared the resurrection of Christ and called them to repent—that is, to change their minds. The work associated with this change of mind involved being immersed in the name of Jesus because of the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). The works related to salvation are turning from unbelief, therefore rejecting idolatry (Acts 26:20). They do not involve immersions, laying on of hands, or eternal judgment, which are dead works—works that do not require faith (Hebrews 6:1).
Once a change of mind has occurred concerning the death of Christ for sins and His resurrection three days later, even if a person later claims no longer to believe, they cannot be brought again to a change of mind (Hebrews 6:4–6). The message of Christ’s death on behalf of sins and His resurrection on the third day inherently possesses the power to save (Romans 1:16).
Once repentance happens a person cannot repent again, Hebrews 6:4–7
Repent means to change the mind.
Enlightened.
Tasting of the Heavenly gift—receiving the Holy Spirit.
Partaking with the Holy Spirit.
Tasting the proper utterance of God.
Tasting the inherent ability of the age to come–eternal life and godliness.
In order to be renewed to repentance again, Christ would have to be crucified.
As with the fruit and thorns of the earth, so is the fruit and thorns produced in a Christian’s life. Fruit is rewarded, thorns are burned, but the Christians is not consumed.
Saints can be caught in the snare of the devil, to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). This involves following the teachings of demons, which pertain to the elementary principles of the world—“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle”—as well as the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18). Although such deception does not remove the believer’s salvation, it does hinder their ability to bear fruit.
Fruit is a manifestation of the life of Christ in activity. The fruit that results from salvation is the fruit belonging to the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). The good works which God has prepared beforehand for us to walk in are a manifestation of this fruit–through using the fruit of the Spirit we are able to do works that are good (Ephesians 2:10). Fruit is not a requirement for salvation; rather, it is the result of salvation. Prior to the dispensation of grace, this kind of fruit could not be produced in the life of a believer because they did not have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. The Holy Spirit would come upon them, enable them to produce good works.
Knowing a person by their fruits.
In the parable of the wheat and the tares, Jesus warns us about how Satan is presently at work among the assemblies of God. He sends out his sons as ministers of righteousness, appearing as wheat. Wheat refers to the sons of the Kingdom—those who are saved—while the tares represent Satan’s sons—the unpersuaded ones (Ephesians 2:2; Matthew 13:38–39).
There are only two points in the life of a tare when it can be distinguished from wheat: at its birth and by its fruit. One who is energized by Satan can, and often will, be an excellent teacher; however, it is the application of that teaching to which we must also give careful attention.
No leading questions.
People can parrot the gospel message—repeating what we have said without any real understanding of the content they are speaking about. This is why, when inquiring about the basis of a person’s salvation, we must be careful not to ask leading questions that prompt a rehearsed or expected response—for example, “Do you believe that Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead?”
Due to the predominant condition of congregations today that claim to be Christian, it is important not to judge someone too quickly if they are unable to articulate what they believe. It may take several conversations for a person to gain clarity on the basis of salvation—specifically, that it rests upon Christ’s death on behalf of sins and His resurrection three days later. However, a person who does not retain this information—especially concerning the resurrection of Christ—even if they claim to be a Christian, is not. The gospel message is spiritually understood; therefore, it is the Holy Spirit who convinces a person to believe these facts. If someone is presented with the facts of the gospel on multiple occasions and in various ways, yet still fails to retain this information, it demonstrates a lack of spiritual influence in their life—and, therefore, no salvation.
A son of Satan will be able to parrot the gospel message apart from believing it himself. As Paul states in the declaration of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15, unless you believed without a purpose.
Therefore, it is necessary to also identify their fruit. An unbeliever who is mimicking Christians cannot produce the same quality of fruit because the fruit of a saint is a result of being filled by the Holy Spirit. An unbeliever’s advice will be based on works and self-effort, even while their words claim grace and faith. They are boastful, but not always in an arrogant way (2 Corinthians 10:13–15; 11:18–they boast according to the flesh, not based on what God has done). They will subtly push themselves into position of leadership (Galatians 2:4; 2 Peter 2:1).
Grace believers still struggle with sin, and sin produces works associated with death (Romans 6:16). We must be cautious in examining others’ fruit, not imposing our own standards upon them (Romans 14:3). We are to turn away from those who cause divisions, which is a work of the flesh (Romans 16:17), and from those who walk disorderly—we are to withdraw from such individuals (2 Thessalonians 3:6). If a man is not willing to work, then he should not be supported by the Church. This is walking in a disorderly manner—being idle and acting as a busybody (2 Thessalonians 3:10–11). We are not to associate with such men (2 Thessalonians 3:14).
Those who are not part of the Church, yet claim to be Christians while walking in fornication, covetousness, idolatry, revelry, drunkenness, or extortion—a grace believer is to have no part with them, not even to eat with them (1 Corinthians 5:11–13). Those who cause divisions are to be admonished, but if they do not cease, they are to be rejected, knowing that they are warped and sinning, being self-condemned (Titus 3:10).
Because grace believers struggle with sin, when it is not dealt with within the assembly, this lack of spiritual discipline makes it easier for tares to infiltrate and bring in other teachings. If anyone teaches differently from the healthy words of our Lord and the doctrine according to godliness, we are to withdraw from them, not giving place for a tare to sneak in (1 Timothy 6:3–5).
Another way that a tare can be identified is through the absence of child-training. We need to be cautious and discern the situation without jumping to a conclusion; however, a person declaring they are a believer, yet whose conduct remains that of an unbeliever and who has no disciples in their life, is revealed to be a tare. God child-trains and scourges His sons so that they are not condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:5–6). In contrast, one who does not belong to God is turned over to their corrupt desires to fill up the measure of their judgment (Romans 1:18–32). One who is not a son will not face child-training and scourging (Hebrews 12:7).
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