By: Robert Serreyn
Question? Were the Pharisees in Acts 15:5 saved?
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Answer:
No, and here is why.
The words “The Pharisees which believed” have MADE MANY come to a WRONG CONCLUSION. To find the answer Lets read the rest of V5 which states…
Saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
These Pharisee’s were ADDING WORKS to the Gospel, THEY BELIEVED in a False Gospel message and it is no different from today.
There are MANY CHURCHES and people THAT CLAIM that they preach a person is Saved By Grace through faith alone but when you REALLY EXAMINE their Gospel message you quickly find out that they REALLY PREACH a Gospel of WORKS.
Lets take a look at what Galatians 1:6-8 says…
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
In V6 the word ANOTHER is the Greek word HETEROS and it means DIFFERENT
The Apostle Paul WAS AMAZED that these christians WERE BELIEVING a Different Gospel from what he had preached to them.
In V7 the word ANOTHER is the Greek word ALLOS and it means NOT OF THE SAME KIND and Paul said that it was a PERVERTED (Gr. Metaspho = Corrupt) Gospel.
In V8 the Apostle Paul said by Divine Inspiration that any person preaching any other Gospel message other than “Believing on the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ” was ACCURSED.
In Conclusion:
BEWARE of any commentary, preacher, or church (there are some) that state or even hint that Acts 15:5 was simply teaching a INCOMPLETE GOSPEL and that these Pharisees were saved DO NOT believe them.
The truth is a person either believes the WHOLE GOSPEL – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, or they are not saved there is NO MIDDLE GROUND.
(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
To those THAT TRY to reason that because the Book of Acts is a “Transitional Book”, and that there were some that believed in a Faith + the Law (Works) salvation who were saved because they did not understand fully is simply A LIE and False Teaching.
The Gospel has ALWAYS BEEN “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be Saved”.
To teach other wise is to teach CONTRARY to the scriptures.
In the words of Paul “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (Different) gospel, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other (not of the same kind) gospel unto you than that which we have preached (Believe on the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ plus nothing) unto you, let him be accursed”. (Read John 3:18,36 and 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9)
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH