Welcome
back to Video Two in our series: Finding the True Church: A Historical and
Biblical Guide to Identifying the Church that Jesus Built
This is the 2nd video in this series, and here’s why you should continue listening.
If you
really want to know what the True Church looks like...the Church as it began
2000 years ago.
You can't start with councils.
Or traditions.
Or denominations.
You have
to go back — to where it all began.
To Christ Himself…
…and the men He personally called, taught, and commissioned.
In our
search for the True Church,
we begin where all sound doctrine must begin —
with Jesus Christ…
…and the foundation He laid through His apostles.
Hi, this is Bruce Hays, and this second video in the series takes us on the next era of the history of the True Church. We will be considering the major and minor doctrinal challenges in the time immediately after Jesus rose and ascended to heaven. If you want to stay on top of this study and any other videos we post, click subscribe below.
So, let’s begin.
Jesus and the Apostolic Foundation of the Church AD 30 to 100
This
chapter covers the first 70 years of the Church:
From the resurrection of Christ — around AD 30…
to the death of the last living apostle (John)— around AD 100.
This era
—
The apostolic era —
is our standard.
Everything
that claims the name “Christian”…
must be measured
against what Jesus taught —
and what His apostles established.
This… is the doctrinal baseline of the True Church.
If you’ve watched the first video, you know that in it
we defined
the essential doctrines that every True Church must affirm.
These foundational beliefs were taught by Jesus,
affirmed by His apostles,
and are accepted across all mainline Christian traditions. That means that these 9 doctrines are
accepted by the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant (Baptist,
Methodist, Anglican for example) and Reformed churches.
Here are the 9 doctrines.
1. The Trinity – One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. The Deity and Humanity of Christ – Jesus is fully God… and fully man.
3. The
Death and Resurrection of Jesus was– A real, historical event.
Jesus died for sins — and rose bodily.
This is the cornerstone of Christian hope.
4.
Salvation through Jesus Christ –
Only through His atoning death can sinners be saved.
5. The
Authority of Scripture –
The Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God.
6. The
Second Coming of Christ –
Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.
7. The
Holy Spirit –
He indwells, sanctifies, empowers, and guides believers.
8. The
Church as the Body of Christ –
A spiritual community founded by Christ
to worship… make disciples… and serve.
9.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper –
These are two essential ordinances practiced by all mainline traditions.
These
doctrines — rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles —
form the theological backbone of the early Church.
And any church that deviates from them
cannot rightly claim to be the Church Christ founded. And in the last video I also gave you a list
of denominations who do not believe these 9 doctrines. I’ve provided a link to this list in the
comments below. I’ve also provided a
link to my church website where you can find a transcript to each of these
videos as I upload them to Youtube.
There is also a link to a Kindle book version of this video series. It’s only 2 bucks if you would prefer the
info in one volume.
But our premise is that Jesus founded the Church.
And Jesus
did not leave the formation of His Church to human wisdom.
He established it with intentionality:
through His teaching,
His finished work,
and His commissioning of the apostles.
As He declared in Matthew 16:18:
“On this
rock I will build My church,
and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
He left this world, but He left His Church in it.
And the
Church He left, the first-century church, as described in the New Testament,
was marked by a simple yet powerful structure —
rooted in the teachings of Jesus
and upheld by the apostles.
Doctrinally,
it centered on the identity of Jesus as the Messiah,
the Son of God, crucified and risen —
with salvation offered by grace through faith.
Morally,
believers were called to holiness…
love…
humility…
and separation from the sinful patterns of the world —
living in fellowship with each other and in obedience to Christ’s commands.
Practically,
the church met regularly for prayer,
teaching, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, and mutual support —
often in homes.
Leadership
was local —
shared among elders (also called overseers or shepherds) —
guided by the apostles’ doctrine and the Holy Spirit,
with no centralized hierarchy beyond Christ as the Head.
Picture a gathering of people in a simple home. No stained glass, no steeples, or amplification systems. No sophisticated musical instruments or video equipment. No elaborate programs. No confessionals, priesthood, or complicated hierarchy. People met and studied Scripture, prayed for each other, confessed to each other, ate together, helped each other, and went out telling others about their faith. And they believed these 9 doctrines.
So, with
those doctrines and statements as our baseline, and this is how we are going to
arrive at the answer to “which church is the True Church.” We are going to look at church history and look
at the times when a person, or a movement,
deviated from the baseline.
Because it
was from some of those deviations…
the doctrines that later denominations were formed.
The
apostolic era and the first church was marked by explosive growth —
but also it was a time when questions about doctrine had to be answered.
The New Testament epistles reflect ongoing debates over a number of doctrines including:
and many more. And the 12 apostles led the way in passing on to the churches what Jesus had taught. They passed it on in what we know today as the New Testament.
Now, not
every issue that is covered in the New testament needs to be covered here.
Instead, we’ll focus on three major doctrinal challenges during that
time. They are challenges that:
1. Came from within the Church,
2. Threatened the future of the Church,
3. And persist in various forms to this day.
This video will
address the first of those doctrinal challenges:
The Judaizers — who taught that salvation comes through faith plus
adherence to the Mosaic Law.
So, Conflict #1: The Judaizers and — Law vs. Grace
Who Were the Judaizers?
Before we answer that, first we must remember that Christianity started within Judaism. Jesus was a Jew, His disciples were Jews, and the first converts were primarily Jewish. And as Jews, they were already following Old Testament Mosaic law. But shortly after Jesus ascended, many Gentiles began coming to faith in Jesus. But they didn’t grow up practicing Mosaic law and Jewish traditions.
Well, the
Judaizers were a group of Jewish Christians
who insisted that Gentile converts must follow the Law of Moses —
especially circumcision — to be saved.
These Jews
did not reject Jesus as the Messiah, they believed.
but they could not accept a gospel
that excluded the Law as a requirement for covenant inclusion. They believed
that Gentile Christians needed to follow the Jewish dietary laws, laws about
garments, laws about feast days, and a multitude of other laws.
And this
wasn’t just a doctrinal issue. When
masses of Gentiles started coming to faith in Jesus, some of the Jews looked at
these crowds with jealousy. For centuries Judaism had cultivated a sense that
the Jews were superior because they were God’s chosen people.
And culturally, there had always been a divide between Jews and Gentiles.
Jews in the
first century held deep-seated animosity toward Gentiles.
Scripture and history confirm this rift.
From even a
shallow reading of the Gospels,
you can see the marked and caustic division between Jews and Gentiles in
the first-century world.
The Jews hated
the Gentiles.
And vice versa.
Here are some historical quotes that illustrate the animosity:
From Gentiles toward Jews
Juvenal (late 1st–early 2nd century AD) — Satire 14.96–106: had this to say about the Jews.
“They [Jews]
will tell you that it is wrong to show the way to any but a fellow Jew;
they will not guide even someone who has not been circumcised to the spring
they drink from.”
From Jews toward Gentiles
Mishnah (compiled around 200 AD, preserving earlier Jewish tradition) — Avodah Zarah 2:1:
“One should
not leave animals in the inns of Gentiles, for they are suspected of
bestiality.
[...] One should not be alone with them, because they are suspected of murder.”
And the same sentiment is described in Scripture.
John 4:9 – Jesus had this conversation with a Samaritan Woman:
“The
Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from
me,
a woman of Samaria?’ (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)”
This verse
gives direct commentary on the social and religious divide.
Samaritans were considered impure and unclean by the Jews.
Also
Luke 7:4–6 – The Centurion and Jesus: Jesus is asked to help a Roman Centurion (Gentile)
“And when
they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying,
‘He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation,
and he is the one who built us our synagogue.’
And Jesus went with them.
When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him,
‘Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.’”
Even a Gentile
Roman centurion — respected by some Jews —
recognized the vast cultural and religious distance
between himself and Jesus, a Jew.
When Jesus was arrested, the Jewish leaders
John 18:28 – Jewish Leaders and Pilate’s Headquarters:
“led Jesus
from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters.
It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s
headquarters,
so that they would not be defiled,
but could eat the Passover.”
The Jewish
leaders avoided entering a Gentile residence
to remain ritually clean —
showing just how strict and significant this divide really was.
So, when Paul
and Barnabas, and other apostles, began preaching to Gentiles
without requiring circumcision or Torah observance,
the Judaizers were outraged. So,
they determined to do something about it.
They
followed Paul’s missionary efforts, everywhere Paul went, they went,
urging Gentile believers to adopt Jewish customs
in order to be truly saved — Acts 15:1.
And Paul and
Barnabas had great success
in reaching Gentile communities
and starting churches at Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.
But these successes weren’t received as good news by the Judaizers.
They saw
Gentile conversion as a threat to Judaism.
They were shocked that so many Gentiles were coming to faith —
and that the faith they were coming to
did not include following Jewish law.
So — a group
of them
began going to the Gentile congregations
which Paul and Barnabas had established…
to “set them straight.”
Here’s an account of that in Scripture.
Acts 15:1
Some men
came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be
saved.”
They were
teaching the Gentiles who had come to faith
under the preaching of Paul and Barnabas
that it wasn’t enough to repent of their sins
and put their faith in the Lord.
Now — they
needed to be circumcised…
and follow Jewish law…
or they would not be saved.
Well — Paul
and Barnabas hear about what they’re doing…
and they’re not pleased.
Acts 15:2
And when
Paul and Barnabas had not a little dissension and debate with them,
the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them
should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.
Now remember
—
this conflict between Paul and the Judaizers
wasn’t about whether Gentiles could come into the Church.
It was about how they were to come into the Church.
You see, the
apostles were the missionaries
taking the gospel out into the Gentile world.
But each of those missionaries still practiced Judaism.
They were
circumcised.
They followed Jewish dietary laws.
They followed the Jewish religious calendar.
So the
question became:
“How much of the Old Testament Law do we teach these Gentile converts?”
It was
obvious that some of the laws
were universal —
laws that applied to Jew and Gentile alike.
For example, God said in the 10 commandments,
“Thou shalt
not kill”
and
“Thou shalt not commit adultery”
These commands
were clearly applicable to Gentiles and Jews
because they were given before the Jewish nation even existed.
And Jesus Himself reiterated these laws as universal.
Jesus had said:
Matthew 5:17
“Do not
think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”
Matthew 5:21–22
“You have
heard that the ancients were told,
‘You shall not murder,’ and,
‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty
before the court;
and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery
hell.”
Matthew 5:27–28
“You have
heard that it was said,
‘You shall not commit adultery’;
but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
It is
obvious from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
that not only did He declare murder and adultery to be sinful…
but He also declared that the thoughts of the heart
and the words of the mouth
related to these commandments — are also sinful.
And so some Mosaic laws are for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. They are God’s universal law for all mankind.
But the Old
Testament also had other laws —
laws about things like diet.
Leviticus 11
and Deuteronomy 14
gave the Jews lists of foods that they were not to eat:
And the Old
Testament also had laws
about observing certain days
as days of rest and worship:
There were
laws about how a Jew was to dress:
like having tassels on your garments,
and not wearing clothing made from mixed materials.
These, along
with many other laws,
separated the Jewish people from the Gentiles.
And the law
that caused the greatest separation
between Jew and Gentile…
was the law of circumcision.
The law of circumcision was given to Abraham.
Genesis 17:9–14
God said
further to Abraham,
“Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant,
you and your seed after you throughout their generations.
This is My covenant, which you shall keep,
between Me and you and your seed after you:
every male among you shall be circumcised.
And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin,
and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your
generations —
one who is born in the house or one who is bought with money from any
foreigner, who is not of your seed.
A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall
surely be circumcised;
thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin —
that person shall be cut off from his people;
he has broken My covenant.”
And by the
time of Christ…
the Jews had boiled down their identity as God’s people
to a single question:
“Is the male circumcised?”
Listen to these quotes about the importance of circumcision to a devout Jew.
“Circumcision
causes an angel to save the Israelites from the pangs of Gehenna (Hell)...
According to Genesis Rabbah, it is Abraham who sits at the gate of Gehenna
to save the circumcised.” According to
this, Abraham sits outside the gates of Hell, and if he sees a Jew coming
toward the gate, indicated by their circumcision, he sends them away, in effect
saying, “You’re in the wrong place.”
— Genesis Rabbah; see also Yebamot 43b – studylight.org
So, what about circumcision brought some to the conclusion that it alone could save a person from damnation? Listen to this.
“Homiletically
speaking, the mitzva of circumcision is like a sacrifice.
Just as the blood of a sacrifice achieves atonement on the altar,
so too the blood of circumcision achieves atonement.”
— Rabbenu Bachya, commentary to Genesis 17:13 – etzion.org.il
So even — in
the first century,
the Judaizers were a group of Jewish Christians in the early church
who insisted that Gentile converts
must adopt Jewish customs —
especially circumcision
and observance of the Mosaic Law —
to be fully accepted
into the covenant community of God’s people.
These
individuals —
often from a Pharisaic background —
struggled to reconcile their Jewish identity
with the gospel’s radical inclusion of Gentiles.
They promoted the idea
that to be truly part of God’s people,
one had to not only believe in Jesus —
but also submit to the regulations of the Law of Moses.
Paul
referred to this group in his letter to the Galatians —
a region where their influence had begun to fracture…
and mislead entire congregations.
The New Testament Response
The New
Testament offers a strong and decisive response
to the teaching of the Judaizers —
particularly through the ministry of the apostle Paul.
In the
letter to the Galatians,
Paul vehemently opposes their message —
calling it “a different gospel”
and pronouncing a curse on anyone who preaches it.
Galatians
1:6–9
“If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received,
let him be accursed.”
Paul recounts how he refused to allow Titus, a Gentile believer, to be circumcised:
Galatians
2:3–5
“Not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised...
we did not yield in submission even for a moment.”
He even
publicly rebukes Peter
for withdrawing from Gentile fellowship
under Judaizing pressure: Before Christ,
Jews wouldn’t eat at the same table with Gentiles. Well Peter, when he had initially come to a
particular church, he was sitting and eating with Gentiles, but when some
Judaizers showed up, he moved away from the Gentiles, to eat only with the
Jews.
Galatians
2:11–14 —
Paul opposed Peter “to his face” for hypocrisy over Gentile fellowship.
The doctrinal challenge became very heated.
Paul
stresses that embracing circumcision
as a requirement for salvation
effectively severs a person from Christ:
Galatians
5:2–4
“If you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.”
He said this
because accepting circumcision shifted the basis of righteousness
away from faith in Jesus
and toward the works of the Law.
And the
issue became so divisive
that it had to be officially addressed
at a gathering of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem —
around A.D. 48 to 50 —
just fifteen-plus years after Jesus’ resurrection.
It should be noted who attended this meeting:
So, Paul and
Barnabas arrive —
and find there “the apostles and elders.”
So it’s likely there were others in attendance who are not named.
So, Paul and Barnabas recognized the threat.
This wasn’t
a minor difference in worship style —
it was a direct attack on the gospel.
So they
brought the issue
to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem,
resulting in the first major Church council — Acts 15.
At the Council
of Jerusalem,
three powerful witnesses confirmed that salvation is by grace alone: the apostles reiterated what Jesus taught
them.
1.
Peter’s Testimony —about
his preaching to the Gentiles
God gave the Holy Spirit to uncircumcised Gentiles. (Acts 15:8–11)
After
deliberation, Peter declared
that God had already shown His acceptance of Gentiles
by giving them the Holy Spirit — just as He had to Jewish believers.
Peter’s
point was this:
the Gentiles were accepted by God —
and that was proven by God giving them His Spirit…
even though they were uncircumcised.
2. Then Paul
and Barnabas stood up and talked about how
God worked miracles among the Gentiles — apart from the Gentiles keeping
the Mosaic Law.
Paul and
Barnabas recounted
how God was working miracles among the Gentiles —
by their hands.
And since
they were preaching the gospel
to the Gentiles without requiring circumcision or Mosaic Law,
Paul was saying:
“If God
didn’t approve of our message…
He wouldn’t be doing miracles through us.”
3. Then James’
Use of Scripture —
He confirmed God’s plan
to include Gentiles without requiring circumcision. (Acts 15:13–18)
James
summarized the council’s decision
by citing prophetic Scripture —
showing that Gentiles would come to faith
without the law.
Salvation
comes by grace alone.
And Gentiles should not be burdened with the yoke of the Law.
The council
concluded that salvation
comes by grace, not by law-keeping.
Now, Gentile believers were encouraged to avoid some things.
Not to be
saved —
but to preserve fellowship within the body of Christ. This was not a complete list of things that
Gentiles should avoid. These were
examples of egregious sins that Gentiles should stay far away from, and
practices that would have been especially offensive to Jews. One such practice was “eating blood.” The Jews were instructed in the Mosaic law to
thoroughly drain the blood from any animal they consumed. This was not a Gentile practice. But if Jews and Gentiles were to now come
together in fellowship, and eat together, Gentiles would need to alter some
food preparation so as not to be offensive to the Jews.
And these rules were not a set of requirements to be saved, they were simply to preserve fellowship within the body of Christ.
The message of how to be saved remained the same.
Acts
15:7–11
“We believe that we will be saved
through the grace of the Lord Jesus —
just as they will.”
Acts
15:19–20
“We should not trouble those of the Gentiles (with Mosaic laws and rituals) who
turn to God,
but should write to them to abstain…”
They wrote a letter to the Gentile churches
Acts
15:28–29
“It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us
to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements…”
This conflict was resolved within the pages of Scripture.
Why This Conflict Mattered
The Judaizer controversy struck at the heart of the gospel.
If
circumcision or law-keeping was required for salvation…
then grace was no longer grace.
Romans
11:6
“If it (salvation) is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works…”
Paul’s words
in Galatians
are among the strongest in all of Scripture:
“If you
accept circumcision,
Christ will be of no advantage to you…
You are severed from Christ.” (Galatians 5:2–4)
“If anyone
is preaching a different gospel…
let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:9)
This was not
a side issue.
It was a fight for the soul of Christianity.
Had the
Judaizers prevailed,
the Church would have split into two factions:
But by God’s
grace…
the truth was preserved.
Well, you may think, “whew” thank the Lord that salvation by law was addressed and defeated in the first century- but it wasn’t. Though the doctrine that a person is saved only by God’s grace is firmly stated and established in Scripture, the Judaizers left a legacy of legalism in the church.
The Legacy of the Judaizers
Though
defeated in Acts 15,
the Judaizer mindset has never fully disappeared.
It reemerged in history with a number of groups. For example,
And Jewish
practices
have continued to show up in historic movements —
from monasticism
to various medieval sects.
But more
than just the heresy
of teaching that one must follow the Mosaic Law to be saved…
the underlying legalistic mindset
that the Judaizers represented
has resurfaced repeatedly throughout church history.
There have
always been people and groups
who teach that “grace through faith” is not enough to be saved.
Some even
return to the original message of those early Judaizers —
saying that all Christians
must follow Mosaic law.
While many
churches affirm salvation by grace through faith…
several add unbiblical requirements:
These
deviations… whether subtle or overt…
are all forms of Judaizing.
They teach that Christ is not enough.
And according to Scripture, such a gospel is no gospel at all (Galatians
1:6–9).
The True Gospel: Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone
The consistent message of the New Testament is this:
“By grace
you have been saved through faith…
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9
“We hold
that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
— Romans 3:28
“If
righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
— Galatians 2:21
This is the
gospel that saves.
This is the gospel that must be guarded.
So, what does that mean to our search for the True Church?
The True Church Still Preaches Grace Alone
As you
search for a church today…
ask this simple but essential question:
“Do they
teach that a person is saved by grace alone,
through faith alone, in Christ alone—apart from works?”
If not… that church has embraced the error of the Judaizers.
A church may be
liturgical
or casual…
large or small…
traditional or contemporary…
but if it adds works to grace…
it cannot be the True Church Christ founded.
Let me make a couple of clarifications.
Churches and denominations add works to salvation in many ways. Here are 3 of the major ways.
1. “Means of Grace” Theology
Some teach
that works—or sacraments like baptism or the Eucharist—
are the means by which God gives grace.
In other words, they will say that you are saved “by grace through faith”
but also say that you receive that grace by doing something- usually something
administered by the church.
If you don’t get baptized…in that church
or regularly participate in the sacraments…in that church
or do other good works…or go to mass or confession in that church.
then you will not receive grace.
Examples:
Roman Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, some Churches of Christ,
Lutheran, Latter-day Saints, Seventh-day Adventists, Oneness Pentecostals.
Some Protestant churches teach that Baptism and the Eucharist are a “means of grace.” So, they are saying that you receive God’s grace when you do these things. If you don’t do them, you don’t get God’s grace.
And this is
a dangerous distinction to make
because the act of baptism…
or participation in sacraments…
effectively becomes a work that saves.
A second way that denominations add works to grace is by
2. Conditional Security
Some denominations teach that salvation can be lost through certain sins. Some divide sins into two types; mortal sins and venial sins. They say that mortal sins are the bad ones. They are so bad that, if committed, will destroy the grace of God in the heart of the sinner. So, can you see how this contradicts the teaching of Scripture that a person is saved by grace alone? With “conditional security” it is your “being good” that saves you, not grace alone. If any sin can destroy God’s grace, then it is no longer grace.
Think of it like receiving a gift. The very word “gift” implies that it is given to me free of charge. Once someone adds a price, or once I pay for it, it is no longer a gift.
And grace is
not grace if I have to keep myself from certain sins in order to not lose
it.
This view subtly transforms the gospel
into a system of salvation by works of the law.
Now, you may ask, what are the mortal sins that could destroy grace? Is it really bad stuff like murder, or adultery? Yes, but it is far more. Listen to these two Scripture passages from Paul, because these were cited as references to “mortal” sins.
Galatians 5:19-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious:[a][b] sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Holman Christian Standard Bible
9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality,[a] 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.
Now maybe I can say that I’ve never been involved in idolatry since I came to faith, but I can’t say the same for the others. And according to the definition of a mortal sin, those sins destroy God’s grace, so I either have to keep away from them, or They have to be dealt with another way.
But Scripture instead says that Christ paid for my sin, once for all.
Hebrews 10:14
“For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
Examples
of churches that teach that your security depends on your obedience:
Roman Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Methodists, Free-Will Baptist,
Nazarene, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventists.
A third way that churches destroy the doctrine of salvation by grace is,
3. Self-Paid Penalty
Some teach
that after conversion…
if you sin, you must pay for that sin yourself—in other words, Christ
covered all your sins up to the moment that you put your faith in Him, or (some
say) up to the moment you are baptized, but after that, if you sin, you better
get confessed up, get penance done, or that sin won’t be covered by Jesus’
death.
through penance in this life…
or temporary punishment in purgatory…
before you can enter heaven. Any
unconfessed sin, or sin that is not purged by your penance will carry over
after your death. You will have a debt
to pay after your death. It will be paid
with pain and punishment in purgatory.
Examples:
Roman and Eastern Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox.
I cannot
stress enough:
Sift out any church that teaches a works-based salvation.
Some
differences are inconsequential—in a church.
songs vs. hymns, titles of pastors, meeting in homes vs. cathedrals.
But what a church teaches about how you are saved
has eternal consequences.
According to
Scripture…
if you trust your own works to gain entrance into heaven…
you will instead go to hell.
Romans
3:20
“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight,
since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
Galatians
2:16
“...a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ...
because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
Galatians
5:2–4
“If you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you...
You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law;
you have fallen away from grace.”
Key
point: Seeking to be justified by works
causes you to be cut off from Christ.
Philippians
3:8–9
“...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
but that which comes through faith in Christ —
the righteousness from God that depends on faith…”
Key
point: Paul abandoned his own righteous works
for the righteousness that comes by faith.
Titus 3:5
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to His own mercy…”
Key point: Salvation is not earned by righteous deeds.
Matthew
7:22–23
“Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name…?’
And then I will declare to them,
‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Key
point: Even religious works
cannot substitute for a genuine relationship with Christ.
Romans
9:31–32
“Israel, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness, did not succeed…
Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith,
but as if it were based on works.”
Key point: Relying on works kept them from salvation.
John 14:6
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Key point:
No one gets to heaven by any other way —
including their own righteousness.
📍 Conclusion: Holding Fast to the Foundation
The
battle between Paul and the Judaizers
set a precedent for the Church in every age.
The
gospel must be defended —
not just from external enemies,
but from internal distortions.
The early
Church did not compromise.
Neither should we.
So, before I tell you about the denominations who continue with the heresy of the Judaizers, I want to remind you about what I’ve linked below. There is a link to each video’s transcript, and a link to a Kindle book “Finding the True Church.” It is only two dollars, to keep the cost as low as possible for you. Now let’s look at some red flags.
🚩 Red Flags: Denominations That Teach that Works Save You
Let’s
look honestly at several major traditions,
and how their teachings align—or deviate—from the true gospel.
🔻 Roman Catholic Church
Summary:
Sacraments and moral obedience are required means
of receiving or maintaining grace.
And Grace is mediated through the Church.
Any sins not dealt with in this life will be dealt with in purgatory
🔻 Eastern Orthodox Church
Summary:
Salvation involves a process of transformation,
with the sacraments and obedience working in synergy with grace. They don’t officially teach purgatory, but
they do teach that you will work out your sins after death through a punitive
process of transformation.
🔻 Anglican / Episcopal
Summary:
Broad affirmation of salvation by grace —
but traditional branches emphasize sacramental participation
and moral living as expected norms.
🔻 Pentecostal / Charismatic
Summary:
Emphasizes grace —
but adds spiritual experiences and moral standards
as signs or conditions of true salvation.
Seventh-day Adventist
Summary:
Grace-based salvation is affirmed —
but obedience to the Law, especially Sabbath-keeping,
is strongly emphasized and may affect one’s standing before God.
🔻 Church of Christ
Summary:
Teaches salvation by grace,
but insists that baptism is the point of forgiveness,
and stresses continued obedience for maintaining salvation.
🔻 LDS (Mormonism)
Summary:
Salvation begins with grace —
but eternal life or exaltation requires obedience, LDS ordinances,
and full Church loyalty.
🔻 Jehovah’s Witnesses
Summary:
Grace is not central.
Salvation is based on obedience and association with the Watchtower
organization.
Just as a reminder, both the LDS and Jehovah’s Witness denominations failed miserably with regard to the 9 baseline doctrines, and they both fail miserably here with salvation by grace through faith.
🔥 Final Warning and Reflection- the purpose of the law
The law
reveals sin —
but it cannot save.
“For by
works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight,
since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)
I cannot stress this enough:
What a
church teaches about how you are saved
will have eternal consequences.
But when
it comes to salvation…
everything is on the line.
If you
are trusting in your good works to gain heaven…
you will instead go to hell.
Only
Christ saves.
Only grace through faith makes you right before God.
Let no
church — and no tradition —
add works to grace.
🔄 Transition: What Comes Next
In the
next video in this series,
we’ll examine two other major threats to the New Testament apostolic gospel:
from AD 30 to 100.
Each of
these movements — like the Judaizers —
still echoes in churches today.
So the question remains:
Will we
follow the blueprint Jesus laid through His apostles?
Or will we follow a gospel of our own making?
Remember to hit that subscribe button so you won’t miss any of the videos on this journey to finding the True Church.