Good Enough?: Why Should God Let You in His Heaven?

By Joshua Banks

What does God require of people in order to enter His perfect heaven? Are there certain rites we must perform or rules that we must follow, and if so, whose rules? Good Enough? Explore the various rules and regulations advocated by Christian Legalists that are taught either as a means of salvation or a means of remaining in Gods favor. Are there scriptural foundations for Legalist laws? Each of their laws will be examined through the eyes of the Scriptures, in addition to an in-depth study of the true nature of salvation. Are you good enough?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781503530867

Joshua Banks

Joshua Banks has been involved in ministry since the age of 15, serving in several capacities of leadership from Youth Worship team leader to Discipleship group leader to Young Adult pastor. Throughout his years of service, he has gained valuable training and insights into his personal relationship with God, the church, and the various dynamics of the relationship between the church and the congregants. A 2003 graduate of Rhema Bible College in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Joshua’s graduating class was the last to receive great tutelage in the college setting from the late Kenneth Hagin, Sr. After graduation, he entered the field of law enforcement where he spent nine years serving the Travis County Sheriff’s Office in Austin, Texas. During his tenure, he received numerous awards in recognition of his excellent work. He is most proud of being recognized for his service to his community. Joshua can be contacted via email at [e-mail] Follow me on Twitter: JoshuaBanksAuthor@JBanksAuthor Or on Facebook: Author Joshua Banks

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Copyright © 2015 by Joshua Banks..

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014922862

ISBN:                  Hardcover                      978-1-5035-3087-4

                             Softcover                        978-1-5035-3088-1

                             eBook                             978-1-5035-3086-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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Rev. date: 01/15/2015

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CONTENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1     Defining Legalism

CHAPTER 2     Unearthing the Pharisees

CHAPTER 3     Is Alcohol Sinful?

CHAPTER 4     Holy Garments

CHAPTER 5     The Mane Debate

CHAPTER 6     Tattoo Taboo

CHAPTER 7     If It’s Good Enough for Paul!

CHAPTER 8     The Acceptable Music

CHAPTER 9     Divorced You’re Done?

CHAPTER 10   Baptism

CHAPTER 11   The Yoke of Bondage

CHAPTER 12   Faith and Works

CHAPTER 13   Grace: A Biblical View

CHAPTER 14   Final Thought

NOTES

PREFACE

…and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith…-Philippians 3:9

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? This is, without a doubt, the most important question in life. The Philippian jailer asked the apostle Paul this question and his answer is truly vital to our understanding of what is required of us, if anything, in salvation. Did Paul answer him with something like, Believe in the Lord Jesus, as well as performing the works of righteousness that we advocate, and be baptized for full salvation, and speak in tongues as evidence of your genuine salvation, and lastly, you must look the part? Thankfully, this was not Paul’s answer. Paul’s answer was simply, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. This question and its answer will bring to light what we trust in for our salvation. Surely, we have all heard the question that is presented to unbelievers in the evangelistic setting: If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would spend eternity? Perhaps, this question needs to be rephrased. With regards to salvation the question should be, When you stand before God and He asks you why He should let you in to His heaven, what are you going to say? What would you say? Would you appeal to the great things you have done in the name of the Lord, or that you looked the part, or the services you rendered unto others? Are these good enough? Some, to be sure, rely on things such as these for their assurance. Jesus says in Matthew 7:21, Not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven. This should be a sobering thought for all of us. This should be a time for self-examination of what we are relying on. If we rely on anything that we have done, then we have gotten it wrong. If we are trusting in works of righteousness that we have performed, then we have gotten in wrong.

A text of Scripture that is beneficial to our discussion in this book is Paul’s words in Philippians 3. Paul begins chapter 3 with addressing those who were advocating keeping the Law of Moses, thus adding works to the gospel. Paul, most likely, has in mind here the Judaizers whose teachings he also refuted in his epistle to the Galatians. Paul says to the Philippian church that if anyone could boast in the flesh, it was him. In this text of Scripture, Paul recounts his credentials of all he considered to be gain and concluded altogether, that it all was loss. Paul’s statement in verse 9 is what I would like to focus on. He says, And may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith… The righteousness that God requires of man, man cannot produce. It is only on the basis of the perfect righteousness of Christ that man can have peace with God. This righteousness comes through faith as Paul says. We believe and the righteousness of Christ is credited to us through faith. This is the point that Paul labors to prove not only in Philippians, but also in Romans and Galatians. What must we do to be saved? Believe!

We face in the church today the same heretical teachings similar to those in Philippi and Galatia. There are those who would add to the work of Christ and advocate works of righteousness as a means of salvation. We call this heresy Legalism. Legalism is not contained in one denomination alone, but just as the charismatic movement moved across denominational lines, so too Legalism has as well. This does not mean that all churches are legalistic as we will see, but it does mean that Legalism has gained footholds in each denomination. One may ask why this issue is important. First off, it calls into question the grace of God. In addition, if we believe that God is impressed with our own works or righteousness, we pull him down to our level instead of viewing God as the exalted and holy One. Legalism produces a low view of God.

Legalism is an infection in the church in my opinion. Legalism takes away from the good news of the gospel and adds a plus, plus to salvation. If we understand one thing it is this, salvation is a work of God and God alone according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 1:9). Legalism not only would add righteous works as a means of salvation, but also would add a new set of rules for the supposed Christian. A new criterion would also emerge to take the place of the standard of living that God has set for believers in His word. Growing up, I attended churches that were legalistic that emphasized rules and mandates such as that of appearance where the men were to have the clean-cut hair styles and wear suits and the women also were to fix up their hair and wear dresses. This was the expected appearance of those who attended or who were the more mature believers. Let me say from the start that I do not at all mean that it is wrong to dress nicely when attending church or to have any particular kind of hair cut or style, but if one’s spirituality is called into question as a result, then it is at this point that I must contend.

When I was in my teens, I remember the pastor of my father’s church preach on the proper attire for church, who of course was emphatic on suits and ties and dresses for the women. The criteria for being a Christian also included having the right Bible (KJV), listening to the right king of music, singing only hymns in the church, and on and on it went. The criterion was a long list of do’s and don’ts, but these were not those that were found in the Scriptures. These rules were additions to what the Scriptures had already taught concerning godly living for the believer. At some point throughout the history of the church, a new set of rules began to have as much or even more prominence rather than allowing the Scriptures to set the criteria. We definitely see this throughout history with the Roman Catholic Church. Rome added more and more traditions, many heretical, to the commands already given in the Scriptures. The Scriptures eventually took a secondary role of importance to those advocated by the Roman Church. The Roman Catholic Church eventually became a separate system from orthodox Christianity.

Legalism’s greatest error is not just adding a criterion to believers, but altogether adding works to salvation. This error has eternal consequences. Dr. Ron Carlson says often, You can have every part of theology right, but if you’re wrong on the doctrine of God and the person and work of Jesus Christ you are wrong enough to lose your soul for an eternity. Legalism obviously has a faulty view of the work of Christ as not being sufficient enough. Does not God’s word say, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast? The Scriptures teach that salvation is a gift of God and cannot be earned or merited by anything we can do. There are not any prior conditions that a person can meet in order to gain favor with God. Paul states in 2 Timothy 1:9, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. This is a common theme with Paul as he emphasizes that salvation is by grace alone throughout his epistles. Grace by definition is unmerited favor. It is receiving something that you do not deserve. None deserve God’s favor, so how could any ever think that their works whether pre or post conversion could ever impress God or gain favor with Him? There have been many that attempted to gain God’s favor throughout the history of the church, and have done so to their own detriment.

For example, consider the time of Martin Luther. In 1517, Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Thesis to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. He listed ninety-five reasons why he was dissenting from the Roman Catholic Church. He argued for Scripture alone, Christ alone, Faith alone, Grace alone, and Glory to God alone. The Roman Catholic Church, as stated above, taught a works righteousness salvation, meaning that one could do meritorious works in order to gain salvation or favor with God. Salvation was not just by God’s grace, but God’s grace plus their works. Upon reading Romans 1:17, Luther then understood what true salvation was and the error that Rome had fallen into. The text read, The just shall live by faith. Luther understood at that moment that God justified sinners on the basis of a righteousness that is not their own, but a righteousness that is from and of God.

Fast-forward to the present day. Just as it was in the days of the apostles, Legalism is still present in the church. Paul and the apostles contended against the Judaizers of that day who were preaching a gospel of works. We see this also in Acts 15 at the council of Jerusalem as well as other epistles of the New Testament. Similar to the Judaizers, Legalists teach that salvation is by grace, and yet add additional works to salvation. This is heresy. Adding anything to the work of Christ for salvation is not only a false teaching, but is also an attack on the sufficiency of Christ’s work. At the very heart of the Reformation was the emphasis to return back to sound, true biblical teaching and the church as a whole has went right back to what it once was freed from. Scripture is to be the final authority in matters of faith and life. The adding in of man’s requirements, laws, or practices only makes the Law of God of non effect as Jesus said to the religious leaders in Mark 7. The Scriptures alone are our rule for how we are to please God and walk before Him. It is the Scriptures that teach us of salvation, namely, that salvation is Jesus Christ plus nothing. Man’s externals do not earn favor with God, and in fact, God’s word states in Isaiah 64:6 that our righteousness is like a filthy garment. God’s word says that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart (1 Sam 16:7). Meritorious works of righteousness which includes also maintaining a certain appearance do not gain God’s favor. It is the condition of our