As Newborn Babes
By David J. Stewart
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the
word, that ye may grow thereby” —1st Peter 2:2
The Bible likens a new believer in Christ to a “newborn baby.” Carefully
notice that the Bible doesn’t say “baby”; but rather, “newborn baby.”
Whereas an older baby might be able to perform certain advanced intellectual
functions, such as saying “mama” or “papa”; a newborn baby is completely
ignorant of its new life.
Likewise, when a lost sinner repents by turning to Jesus Christ to be forgiven of their sins, they are born-again in Christ Jesus. At that point they are as helpless in their new spiritual life as is a baby physically born from its mother’s womb. Everything becomes new to them…
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2nd Corinthians 5:17).
This is why the Apostle Peter, writing under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1st Peter 2:2, said that a baby
believer needs the MILK OF THE WORD to grow.
The Lie of Lordship Salvation
In view of this Biblical truth, the false doctrine of “Lordship Salvation”
becomes even more absurd. Lordship Salvation is the teaching that a sinner
cannot merely place their trust in Jesus Christ to be saved; but in
addition, that sinner must surrender to Christ’s Lordship, and thus be
willing to forsake one’s sins as part of saving faith. This is works
salvation and a guaranteed road to Hellfire and damnation. The gift of God
is eternal life (Romans 6:23) and it is without any works of
self-righteousness (Titus 3:5).
The Word of God plainly states that Christ’s righteousness is IMPUTED (i.e.,
placed upon our heavenly record) to the sinner who rests his or her faith in
Jesus Christ for salvation…
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him [Jesus] that justifieth the ungodly [you and me], his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:5-8).
This is Biblical salvation; not the false gospel of heretics like John MacArthur, Paul Washer, Aiden Tozer, Jack Chick, Ray Comfort, and a host of others. The Bible plainly warns us in 2nd Corinthians 11:3,4 that Satan would attempt to corrupt the “simplicity that is in Christ” through ignorant and unlearned men who pervert the Scriptures…
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”
All of the men I just mentioned to you are guilty of preaching “another gospel” not taught in the Scriptures. 2nd Peter 3:16 also warns against those who ignorantly pervert the Scriptures…
“As also in all his [Paul’s] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
It is no trifle matter that
Jack
Chick is sincerely ignorant in his false gospel. People are going to
Hell. Unquestionably, untold thousands of lost sinners have refused to
accept Christ after reading a Chick Tract, because they were
unwilling to “be willing to turn from sin” to be saved as Mr. Chick requires
in his tracts. No Sir, you don’t have to be willing to turn from sin to be
saved! You simply need to believe on Jesus as the Christ with a childlike
faith to be forgiven of your sins. It’s that simple.
Just as a little newborn baby who’s just come forth from its mother’s womb,
so is the new believer in Christ. Just as nothing can reasonably be expected
of a newborn baby; likewise, nothing should be expected of a new believer in
Christ. Salvation does not instantly cause a new believer to walk a narrow
path (as Paul Washer errantly
teaches), anymore than a newborn child can use a calculator, run a marathon,
or construct something with building blocks. There is a necessary growth
process that cannot by bypassed. The same is true of every new
believer in Christ Jesus.
In salvation, a lost sinner, who realizes their guilt under God’s Law, comes
to Jesus Christ by faith to be forgiven and saved. This is the second birth.
Absolutely nothing can be reasonably expected of a new believer who hasn’t
been trained, mentored and given the opportunity to grow in the Lord. It is
wickedness, and a false gospel, when men like
John
MacArthur and
Ray Comfort pervert the gospel into works salvation, by teaching that
faith alone in Christ is not enough to save a person from Hell. Yes it is
enough…
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13)
The heresy of Lordship Salvation bypasses growth in grace, and unreasonably demands a changed life, or a willingness to change one’s life, as part of saving faith. There is no such teaching in the Scriptures.
