You are Teaching 'Easy Believism'

You are Teaching ‘Easy Believism’#

Just recently, I received a kind accusation of teaching ’easy believism’. I was asked three questions.

Are believers different to disciples?

So, this is my more formal response - a work in progress but perhaps it might shed some light for others that are tragically caught in the midst of this divide.

First off, I ask myself, what do people mean by the term ‘easy believism’? A quick search on the internet returns the following as a first option…

“Easy believism is a somewhat derogatory term used by opponents of the view that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. From this they conclude that those who hold to sola fide teach that no corresponding need exists for a committed life of Christian discipleship as proof of salvation; however, that is not what sola fide means. True faith in Christ will always lead to a changed life. Another common usage of the term easy believism is in regards to those who believe they’re saved because they prayed a prayer—with no real conviction of sin and no real faith in Christ. Praying a prayer is easy—thus the term easy believism—but there is more to salvation than mouthing words.” ¹

According to this short definition, there seems to be at least two different options; “that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved” and “those who believe they’re saved because they prayed a prayer - with no real conviction of sin and no real faith in Christ”.

Biblically, I it’s not possible to find that praying a prayer, with or without real conviction of sin, saves anyone anyway, so that is not an option I wish to persue within the scope of this article.

Paul said,

and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, Philippians 3:9

That leaves us with only one possibly definition to discuss, “that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved”.

Daniel Fuller of Fuller Theological Seminary states,

Genuine faith must go beyond the mere intellectual assent concerning biblical doctrines. People must let the implications of these doctrines radically affect their hearts so that they respond positively to God with the obedience and works of faith. ²

So, according to Fuller, when Scripture says “believe,” he understands it to mean “obedience and works of faith”.

John MacArthur, one who has popularized the notion that one must make Christ Lord as a condition for salvation states,

The gospel according to Jesus explicitly and unequivocally rules out easy-believism. To make all of our Lord’s difficult demands apply only to a higher class of Christians blunts the force of His entire message. It makes room for a cheap and meaningless faith – a faith that may be exercised with absolutely no impact on the fleshly life of sin. That is not saving faith.³

By this, I believe MacArthur is saying “saving faith” has to cost you at least a change from a “fleshly life of sin”, otherwise it simply is not going to save you. I would just quickly interject a counterthought that faith does not save, Christ does, but evidently MacAuthur believes that Christ will not save unless you’ve earned the right to receive the forgiveness of sins. I thought grace had to be free in order to still be by definition grace. But before I come across as ‘cheeky’, let’s move on…

Mark Talbot adds his opinion to the topic:

American Christianity tends toward a kind of “easy-believism.” The Gospel is often presented in a way that suggests that someone is saved as soon as he or she has “accepted” Jesus as Savior, even if that “acceptance” never manifests itself in the emotional and volitional recentering of the person’s entire life. But this is actually the paradigm of the sort of dead and fruitless faith that the whole New Testament condemns.⁴

One sums it up in a catch phrase…

Although a Christian should believe simply, he should not “simply believe.”⁵

Who do We Turn to? Who can Help us Decide?#

All of these definitions sound convincing, logical and familiar. One might be convinced at this point, but before you close this article, let’s check, just in case, do they stand the litmus test of Scripture?

We owe to ourselves to know the truth, not just hearing people’s opinions. If we are not willing to search the Scriptures carefully, we will spent our time arguing over who’s argument, tradition and norms are better and utimately he who argues best, wins (the argument is won but the truth has eluded us).

A Real issue or Merely Semantics?#

Ryrie cautions:

that the message of faith only and the message of faith plus commitment of life cannot both be the gospel; therefore, one of them is a false gospel and comes under the curse of perverting the gospel or preaching another gospel (Gal. 1:6–9). As far as sanctification is concerned, if only committed people are saved people, then where is there room for carnal Christians? (p. 170).⁶

Carnal Christians#

Does the Bible state the possibility of a believer being carnal?

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

1Co 3:2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

1Co 3:3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

Notice the term Paul used, infants in Christ. I submit to you that that is not only of believers who have backslidden (as was the case of [some of] the Corinthian believers) or never grown but in fact infant does imply newborn. In other words, The Lordship of Jesus Christ is not yet realized in the infant in Christ, however he undoubtedly is in Christ. This cannot be ignored in the midst of a heated argument of which argument ‘sounds more logical’.

Lest I fail to mention at a later point…

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Eph 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Salvation is not of ourselves. It is not the amount of our faith, the duration of our faith, the quality of our faith that saves and certainly not our works. It is God who saves. In fact salvation is a un unmerited gift. A gift by definition is free of charge or merit.

Faith is not a work

Rom 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

So again, it’s not the quantity, quality or duration of faith that saves but who faith is placed on. “But to the one who… believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness”. Not kind of faith but faith in Jesus as the one who justifies the ungodly.

Absolute Righteousness not Resolute Willpower#

Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

If our righteounesses (our ‘good’ works) are like a filthy garments and we are unclean, how can we, who are the problem, turn our life around, make a resolution to never ‘practice’ sin, abandon a sinful lifestyle to lead a ‘pure’ life that is pleasing to God? This is totally undermining God’s absolute righteousness, God’s holiness and God’s hatred of sin. How can God bring his righeousness down to man’s level so he can do something ‘smallish’ and yet ‘doable’? How can sinful man do anything sort of ‘good’ like make a resolute decision for willpower over sin and be considered perfect by God? This is absolutely ludicrous and blasfemous to why Jesus would have to die in the first place.

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”

God never stooped in his righteousness. God never lowered his standard. Instead what He did was send His Son who fulfilled the righteousness of God on our behalf.

2Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God did that already. It’s done. The only thing that’s needed is for it to be credited to my account. This is promised to those who believe in Him.

Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Who are Truly His Disciples?#

Is God’s Ultimate Intention to find Subjugates

It may surprise you that I ask this, but Scriptures states that all will ultimately bow a knew to Christ and recognize he is Lord of lords and King of kings. There are many who call him “Lord, Lord” but he doesn’t know them.

Actually, God is looking for worshippers…

John 4:23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

While it is true God is looking for worshippers (those who give homage to), it is they who worship in spirit and truth. It is those who want (spirit) and those who worship according to reality (truth) that God is looking for.

Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God;

Worship breaks out in heaven because the saints want to, not because they are forced or obligated.

IF Christ was to sit us in front of Him one day and ask…

John 20:30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

In Conclusion#

Depending on our definition of ’easy believism’ we could actually be moving away from the Gospel of grace to another gospel which is not good news at all.

Differing opinions

True Faith Merely Semantics The Sufficiency of Christ