{"id":1309,"date":"2018-10-10T22:27:56","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T20:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcgill.org.za\/stuff\/?p=1309"},"modified":"2018-10-15T12:25:26","modified_gmt":"2018-10-15T10:25:26","slug":"two-ways-to-live-tract-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcgill.org.za\/stuff\/archives\/1309","title":{"rendered":"“Two Ways to Live”: tract review"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the “Two Ways to Live” tract from “Matthias Media”, in its pictorial form. This tract sets out to present the gospel of Jesus Christ, but fails.<\/p>\n

Instead, this tract sets out what is called \u201cLordship salvation\u201d, which pays lip service to salvation by faith, but amounts to a call to salvation by works.<\/p>\n

This tract is not going to cause a man to believe on Jesus Christ as saviour, but to vainly believe that he has laid down the excesses of his rebellion, and that because of that he\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n

\"Matthias<\/a>

There wasn’t a subtle snake in the background originally. I added that.<\/p><\/div>\n

Here’s the review. It might be superfluous to mention that I don’t much like it:<\/p>\n

1.Way to live<\/h1>\n

The name of the tract gives it away: this tract is about how you live, and in the sense which it presents, it\u2019s about how you live your earthly life. If the gospel were about changing your life, this would be a great thing.<\/p>\n

The Bible says that justification is without works of the law \u2013 it\u2019s not about changing your life at all: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)<\/p>\n

2.Rebellion, not sin<\/h1>\n

Says the tract, \u201cGod won\u2019t let us rebel forever<\/i>\u201d:<\/p>\n

This tract sets out to cure rebellion, and not to cure sin. Rebellion is one particular sin, committed knowingly by wicked sinners who know that they are rejecting God. Not every sinner is a rebel: many sin without properly understanding what they are doing wrong.<\/p>\n

The natural cure for rebellion is that the rebel should cease his rebellion, and seek merciful terms of surrender. The problem is that the cure for sin is death<\/b>. It is a perfectly good cure<\/p>\n

This tract does not have any message for children, of whom Jesus said, \u201cVerily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.\u201d (Mark 10:15). Instead of being able to receive the kingdom of God, the child is expected to grow, rebel, and then only to be cured of his rebellion.<\/p>\n

Sin is not rebellion. Sin is the transgression of the law. All unrighteousness is sin. These statements appear just like this in 1 John. Since only rebellion is being cured, the standard of practical righteousness being asked for is \u201cdon\u2019t rebel\u201d. The actual standard for holy living is to live according to the law: be ye perfect. By dealing with rebellion, the tract avoids the observation that God\u2019s law is yet being broken, even after the excesses of rebellion have ended.<\/p>\n

Rebellion is a particularly wicked sin. When Saul rebelled against the Lord, he was already saved \u2013<\/b> he had already been chosen by God as his king. He was punished for his sin by being rejected as king. \u201cFor rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.\u201d (1 Samuel 15:23) When Saul attempted the solution that this tract offers (laying down his rebellion), he was rejected by Samuel. This is an allegory for the failure of salvation by works.<\/p>\n

3.Death, not death and hell<\/h1>\n

There is only the faintest hint of hell in this tract, being the reference to \u201cjudgement\u201d after death. Limiting what happens after death to mere \u201cjudgement\u201d suggests that our sins might just perhaps not take us to hell. It doesn\u2019t say this, but it leaves room for doubt, and doubt is the enemy of faith.<\/p>\n

The truth is that those that die with their sins unforgiven will most certainly be cast into hell:<\/p>\n

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44,46,48)<\/p>\n

4.Works, not faith<\/h1>\n

The cure offered by this tract is that you should \u201csubmit to Jesus as our ruler\u201d, and then to rely on his death and resurrection. Now what, I ask you with tears, would it mean to submit to Jesus as your ruler, and yet not submit to his law? If you submit to his rule, then you are undertaking to obey his law. This is why they disposed of the law pre-emptively, and dealt only with \u201crebellion\u201d. The acknowledgement given to relying on his death and resurrection does not cure this defect.<\/p>\n

Everyone knows that salvation is not by works of the law, but people don\u2019t as easily recognise it when it is dressed up in unbiblical terms.<\/p>\n

5.Comparison to a competent gospel outline<\/h1>\n

This tract is somewhat difficult to analyse because it is not a competent gospel presentation with a few deadly flaws. It also does not deal with the correct topics.<\/p>\n

What this tract does NOT set out in any way are the following important aspects of the gospel:<\/p>\n