by R. L. Morrison

In the religious world of today, there is a great need to be able to distinguish between fact and fiction. Undoubtedly to some people it makes little or no difference. To others it is a matter of much concern. And also there are others who are unable to make any distinction at all. These things are true, for some people are not at all interested in things pertaining to the Bible. There are those who know so little about it and what it teaches, that they would not be able to recognize or to tell fact from fiction. Then there are those who are concerned, who do study and who should be able to tell the difference.

We are not suggesting that the Bible is fiction. It is not. But what many say about some of the things it teaches is fiction (non-truth). Perhaps we should define the words.

FICTION: a making up of imaginary happenings, anything made up or imagined.

FACT: The state of things as they are; reality; actuality; truth. (Both definitions from Webster's New World Dictionary, College edition).

Now with these definitions in mind, let us consider some things that are taught today by some religious people. When we compare some of them to the scriptures, we should be able to easily distinguish between fact and fiction.

A statement heard quite frequently in Bible discussions may be worded somewhat as follows: "We cannot all understand the Bible alike. What it says to me may mean something entirely different to you. We are not expected to understand it alike. We are all different and to expect everyone to understand it alike is expecting entirely too much." You have probably heard some one express these ideas in a discussion. But are these things taught in the New Testament? In Ephesians 3: 2-4, we find, "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward: How that by revelation he hath made known to me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.)" Again: "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Eph. 5:17).

Consider, if you will, the following example. We all know and agree that 2+2=4. If some one should say that 2+2=3, or 2+2=5, no one will agree or say that it doesn't make any difference. All will agree that they are wrong. Why this attitude toward a simple problem in arithmetic and an entirely different attitude toward understanding the Bible?

Now distinguish between FACT and FICTION. The Bible teaches that we CAN understand it IF we will read and study it. This is fact. Men say we cannot do so. This is fiction.

Again, some people claim that church membership is not at all essential to obtaining salvation. The church does not save, they say, and Christ is the Savior. This is true, but consider this. The church consists of those who ARE saved. Consider some things Luke wrote in Acts 2. Peter and the eleven (all the apostles), were present in Jerusalem. It was Pentecost and the city was filled with people from all nations for the occasion. The apostles began to declare the message given to them by the Lord. A part of Peter's sermon was recorded. He preached Christ crucified, buried but resurrected and ascended up to the Father, where he was seated at God's right hand. He said that God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ. Many of those who heard, believed what they heard and as a result cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter replied: "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Many gladly received his words and about 3000 obeyed what they were told to do. These were added to them. Then in verse 47, we read: "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." These scriptures teach that the church then (and yet does) consists of those who had been saved by their obedience to the gospel. No, the church DOES NOT save, but it consists of those who have been saved. You will notice that the scripture teaches that the Lord adds the saved to the church! So again, what is FACT? What is FICTION? No problem, is it?

There are those who teach (and there are many of them) that the sinner is saved at the moment or time he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. They teach that "faith only" obtains salvation for the believer. One who so teaches stated it like this: "Faith plus nothing, minus nothing, saves the sinner." Some refer to Romans 5:1 as a proof text. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Their problem with this is that it simply does not say faith only! In fact, there is only one passage of scripture in all the New Testament where the words "faith" and "only" are used together, James 2:24: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only." James did NOT contradict what Paul had written. He simply says that more than faith is required of a sinner to be saved. He calls it works. It should be observed just here that Jesus, himself, called faith or belief a work. "This is the work of God, that ye should believe on him whom He hath sent." (John 6:29). When one BELIEVES, he OBEYS, as did those in Jerusalem as is found in Acts 2. FICTION: The sinner is saved at the point of faith, or faith, minus nothing, plus nothing. FACT: Faith requires works of obedience.

There are many sincere religious people in the world today who belong to different religious organizations (churches) who sincerely believe it makes no difference. One is as good as another. Find the one you like and then join it. God made them all and He allows us to choose what we like. This would probably be stated in a different way by many, but the idea is the same: "Join the church of YOUR choice." FACTS: In Matthew 16:13-19, Jesus is recorded as telling the disciples that he would build his church on the truth that Peter had spoken: "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God." You will notice that he did not say "churches" (plural), but "church" (singular).

But some say, Jesus said, "I am the vine and ye are the branches." This refers to many churches, each one being a branch of the true vine, Jesus Christ. This is said to be taught in John 15:5. However, verse 6 reveals that a man or an individual is the branch of which Jesus spoke: "If a MAN abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch." So the idea of John 15:5 teaching many churches is found to be FICTION, not FACT. But further, we find many scriptures which teach us there is just one church. In Eph. 1:22-23, Paul wrote: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." "And he is the head of the body the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead ..." (Col. 1:18). And then in 1 Cor 12:12: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body, so also is Christ." "But now are they many members, yet but one body." (12:20). These passages teach that the church is the body and the body is the church. There is only one that has the approval of God. In 1 Cor. 1:10, Paul stated some things which are expected of that one body. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." FICTION: There are many churches. One is as good as another. One can serve Christ in any one of them believing what he wants to and living as he pleases FACT: Christ established but one church in which man can find eternal salvation.

Most people who profess religion know something about baptism. In fact, many have very definite ideas about it. Some say it is a non-essential thing. In other words it can be accepted or rejected as one desires. Some teach that the sinner, saved at the point of faith, is then baptized to become a member of their particular church. Others scorn baptism, calling it water salvation and that water cannot wash away sin. There is quite a difference also, in the action of baptism. Some sprinkle a few drops of water on the head of the person to be baptized. Others use a little more water, enough to pour some water from a container of some kind on the head. Others insist on immersion. Probably you have heard all these things and possibly more, in talking to people or by listening to different preachers.

Now consider, if you will, some things the Bible teaches about baptism. Just before his ascension Jesus gave the apostles some instructions. Matthew recorded them as: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Mark recorded it: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16). On Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter obeying the Lord, preached the gospel. Believers asked: "What shall we do?" He replied: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins" (2:38). Paul, the apostle, was told by Ananias (sent by the Lord): "Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Peter wrote: "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now also save us." The "like figure" refers to the few, that is the eight, who were saved by water in the ark (1 Peter 3:20-21). Paul wrote: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4). Paul also wrote: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal. 3:26-27).

From these scriptures we have learned that Jesus commanded the apostles to preach the gospel. The gospel "included" preaching baptism. Baptism saves, it washes away sins, it puts one into Christ. We have also found that baptism is immersion or a burial in water. These statements are FACTS. The scriptures just mentioned prove this is true.

But perhaps one says: Paul wrote "Ye are all the children of God by faith." True, he did so write. They became children of God when they heard, believed and obeyed the gospel. That is exactly what Jesus sent the apostles to do. Preach the gospel, and baptize those who believed it and repented of their sins. As this gospel is bound on all mankind as long as time continues, we who live today must obey it to be saved. Since there are those who say the gospel cannot be obeyed (yes, some say so), we turn to Paul: "And you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and OBEY NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:7-8).

This should be sufficient to enable anyone whose eyes and ears are open to distinguish between FACT and FICTION! Will YOU do so? Remember, the New Testament will be the standard of judgment when we appear before the Lord on the last day, or when time shall be declared to be no more. Our eternal destiny will then have been determined. It will NOT be subject to change on that day. But YOU can change NOW, IF you want to. Reject the FICTION of men. Accept and OBEY the FACTS, the truth revealed in the New Testament. Save yourself from a world that is lost and dying in sin.

Have YOU accepted the TRUTH?