Objection:
You teach that a man must keep the commandments to be saved.
Answer:
Again, we are confronted simply with a variant of objections already answered. But the present objection so briefly sets forth a mistaken idea regarding our teaching that it is here examined as a separate objection.
To the rich young man who inquired of Christ, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Jesus replied, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:16, 17. The following verses show that Christ referred explicitly to the Ten Commandments.
Unfortunately, so many Christians remember only one portion of the statements of Christ. They preach much about the passive side of Christianity, of accepting Jesus Christ as a Savior. However, there is also an active side, for Christianity embraces much more than saving a man from his past sins. It has to do with his living a sinless life. For the Christian, there is a doing of God’s will, a keeping of God’s commandments, and a certain working out of his own salvation (See Matt. 7:21; Rev. 14:12; Phil. 2:12).
Although we do not teach that a man keeps the commandments to be saved, we do absolutely teach that a man who is saved gives evidence of that salvation by keeping the commandments of God. It has been well remarked that although there is no salvation in keeping the law, there is awful condemnation in not keeping it.
Christianity does not free man from the claims of God’s law, which he, as a sinner, has not been able to fulfill. If it did thus free him, Christianity would be but an opiate to his soul, leaving him in the same unfortunate state as before. No, Christianity is God’s plan whereby man can obtain power to keep the laws of heaven. It is the divine system by which Christ lives and works within us (See Gal. 2:20).
We believe the words of Christ, “if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,” but we also think that the keeping power is a gift from God. We confess that we, of our own selves, can do nothing. Still, we believe that we can do all things through Jesus Christ, who strengthens us (See Phil. 4:13). We accept without reserve the words of our Lord: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. Though we say with Paul, “Work out your own salvation,” we immediately add, as does the apostle, “It is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (See Phil. 2:12–13).
