Basic Bible Beliefs: Survey and Response

I sent a survey to 97 people on 9/16/10 and so far have received 26 responses.
First the survey, then MY response.

26 responses
Summary See complete responses

1. The only way to Heaven is through Faith in Jesus Christ
Strongly disagree 3 12%
Somewhat disagree 0 0%
Somewhat agree 1 4%
Strongly agree 22 85%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

2. Salvation is given to those who believe and who do certain things like be baptized or confess their sins to a minister
Strongly disagree 18 69%
Somewhat disagree 2 8%
Somewhat agree 4 15%
Strongly agree 2 8%

3. The Bible is only Authoritative Text to reveal to us the will of God for all mankind
Strongly disagree 1 4%
Somewhat disagree 0 0%
Somewhat agree 1 4%
Strongly agree 24 92%

4. All other world religions are false religions based on false texts and false prophets. (Ed. note, I should have said "Except Judaism" it is obviously biblical in view of the Old Testament.)
Strongly disagree 2 8%
Somewhat disagree 2 8%
Somewhat agree 3 12%
Strongly agree 19 73%

5. Groups that claim to be Christian but don't teach that Jesus is God, that his death bought our salvation, and that some people are not saved are heretical and not truly Christian.
Strongly disagree 0 0%
Somewhat disagree 1 4%
Somewhat agree 3 12%
Strongly agree 22 85%

6. People are seeking after God, Christians just need to show them Jesus
Strongly disagree 1 4%
Somewhat disagree 4 15%
Somewhat agree 8 31%
Strongly agree 13 50%

7. Jesus is still seeking to save the lost though none of them are looking for Him
Strongly disagree 3 12%
Somewhat disagree 4 15%
Somewhat agree 9 35%
Strongly agree 10 38%





Now just so you know, among the 97 recipients (should have been 100 but 3 of my emails were bad) were very few ministers or seminary types. Most were folks who call themselves Christians and who I believe try to live like it.


The answer I was looking for to #1 was Strongly Agree, Faith in Christ is the only way to Heaven. Jesus himself said, "I AM the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." And Paul wrote, "There is no other name given among men whereby we MUST be saved."

#2 I hoped to see Strongly DISagree. The cry of the Reformation was Grace alone through Faith alone. THe Bible says, "For by Grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God.

For #3 The response was great in that most Strongly agreed. The Bible, not the Quran, the Urantia Book, the BgahdVaGita, the Book of Mormon, is the AUTHORITATIVE book of God. That is not to say truth cannot be found elsewhere. All truth is GOd's truth and men sometimes stumble across. It is sometimes mixed with lies by the Devil. But the Bible is God's truthful revelation of Himself.

#4 was tricky because of my mistake. The answer I was looking for was Strongly Agree that all other religions are false. BUT, I should have excluded Judaism from the claim that religions other than Christianity are false. Judaism is based on truth. They have stopped short of the later revelation of Truth in Jesus Christ, but they are not based on False Prophets. In the last book of the Bible we are warned to not add or take away from God's Word. Any other religion does just that.

There were 3 issues in #5: The deity of Christ, His sacrificial death, and universalism. These are three issues under attack today and for 2000 years. Strongly Agree: Groups that teach differently should be considered heretical. Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Unitarian/Universalist churches, and a few of the new Emergent groups are going there too.

#6 Was another Tricky one. Strongly Disagree! Only one got it right! It’s true that Christians need to lift up the name, person and work of Jesus. What is not true is that people are seeking him. You might think you were. You might have heard others say they were. But the Bible teaches Rom 3:11 “...there is none that understands; there is none that seeks after God." We know Jesus seeks the lost, and the Father Seeks worshipers. But Jesus says fallen man seeks things like “What shall we eat, how shall we be clothed.” Jesus no one comes to the Father unless the Father draws them. So the initial movement is not man looking for God but God drawing man to Himself.

And #7 was to balance #6. Strongly Agree: Jesus is still seeking to save the lost even though humanity does not look for God.

Now some of you may disagree with what I believe, but can you see the Biblical reason behind it? Maybe you interpret the Bible differently but I used very plain texts from the Bible. Not those that are hard to understand.

Maybe you just disagree with the Bible. That's fair. Dangerous! But Fair.

The Guarantee

This last week I received a number of very nice Birthday Cards, some funny cards, and a few presents. It was great! I am a very blessed man. (I'm fixed for Starbucks for a while!)

Dale Carnegie, the guy who wrote How to Win Friends and Influence People, tells how he used to not only do his best to remember people's names whom he met, he would also remember their birthday. He would write down the person's name as soon as he could and also write down their birthday. Then he would send them a card on their next birthday. He found that for most of the people to whom he sent a card, it was the only card they received outside of one or two cards from family. For some it was there only card.
Now that's a nice idea but that's not why I'm bringing it up.

It just occurs to be that just because you know some folks and even have some friends it doesn't mean you will be remembered when you would like to be.
Its not a sure thing! I am very blessed to be remembered by many people but it may not always be that way. I have had birthdays in the past where the only cards I received were from Marney, one my girls, and my sister, Donna, who is great at remembering things like that.

There is something that is guaranteed however.
The most popular verse in Romans 8 says:
Rom 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

But have you ever asked Why is this the case?

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (ESV)

Here's the guarantee:
Everyone of THOSE God foreknows, He predestines to become like His Son.
Everyone of THOSE He predestines He Calls.
Everyone of THOSE He calls He Justifies.
Everyone of THOSE He Justifies He Glorifies.

EVERYONE of you who know Christ today, have been KNOWN by HIM for eternity past and your future Glorification one day is Guaranteed!
God may not send you a Birthday Card, but He has never forgotten you. Everyday He is working for your good, and conforming you to the Image of His Dear Son. And on the most important day that you will want to be remembered, He will bring you into His eternal Kingdom of Heaven, of which you are already a citizen!

There's a lot of good news in that passage!
Brother Clark

Our Gospel Seed - Jim Eliff

A Wonderful Essay by Pastor and Theologian  Jim Elliff

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I awoke this morning thinking about the tree that is the highest up on the mountain. Have you ever wondered about such trees and how the highest tree got there? Since the cones on these coniferous trees always fall downward, how is it that there are trees way up on the sides of the mountains at unbelievable altitudes?

The only answer is that the wind blows hard in those regions. And sometimes the wind will catch the seed or cone of a tree and whisk it up to normally unreachable heights. Even though there is almost no soil in such places, somehow the seed falls between massive rocks and finds a place to grow. Then, some time later, out comes the tree. It will be a sinewy one perhaps, but nonetheless a real tree growing there on the highest place on the mountain in the most incompatible conditions. No one would purposefully plant a tree there but God.
The responsibility of the believer is to throw out the seed everywhere. But sometimes the seed is carried away to places never intended by us. Or, if intended, it is sown without much reason to believe that anything will happen. Our gospel seed seems to hit the rocks and slide down into the crevices where it is not appreciated. Or, even more amazingly, the seed sits on the rock until it is carried to another undesirable place in mysterious ways that you and I will not ever figure out. But there, in that most uninviting place, a "tree" is born.
Only God can do that.
Here is my word for you. Throw the seed everyplace. Be promiscuous in sowing it. Don't be discouraged about stubborn, hard, rock-like responses from some, even among your own relatives. You cannot really tell what God is doing. God will prove you wrong.
Satan is not languishing in his zeal. The world's motivations are not asleep. Neither must we let down. But enthusiasm is not all that is involved. It is God that is at work in growing the kingdom. "I will build my church," He said. Therefore, I don't even have the slightest hint of concern that our labors are in vain.
In the morning sow your seed,
and at evening withhold not your hand,
for you do not know which will prosper, this or that,
or whether both alike will be good.
Ecclesiastes 11:6

Copyright © 2005 Jim Elliff Jim Elliff.

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