Test all things; hold fast that which is good. – 1Th 5:21
Beyond checking for the Christology (opinion of Christ) of any doctrine or teaching, we need to also check for a most important aspect of their belief system: their “soteriology”, i.e. their doctrine of salvation, (gotten from “soteria”, the Greek word for salvation).
Soteriology is a doctrine/preacher’s answer to the Philippian jailer’s question, “WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?” (Act 16:30). The biblical answer was what Paul gave in that passage, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” We are saved by grace, through faith in the atoning death of Christ on the Cross alone (Eph 2:8).
The key word there is “alone”. Deviant Christian doctrines, while affirming the work of the Cross, will typically place additional “requirements” on it. These may come in the form of membership to a specific church or organisation, performing a church rite/practice, tithe payment, etc. Whenever a church, organisation or preacher says that you aren’t yet saved (or “fully saved”) even after you’ve believed on the Lord Jesus, you’re dealing with heresy.
In these last days of dangerous deception, it is easy to find organisations or preachers that say they believe in Christ (right Christology); they may even also affirm they believe in the atoning work of Christ, but as our Lord says in Mat 7:20, by their fruits (there teachings, doctrines, scriptural emendations, obligatory rites, etc.) “you shall know them.”
AMEN.
More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN