Part 3: Examining Each Step in Focus
We last looked at the history of how the “5-step plan of salvation” developed, shaped Church of Christ teaching, and was challenged over the last hundred years.
Now let’s look at each step and examine it for its own merit as a “step to” salvation as an event:
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Part 2: A History of the “5-Step Plan of Salvation” [read the intro here]
While the Gospel has been around for about 2,000 years, the “5 Steps of Salvation” list is much younger. We can trace it back to Walter Scott, a Restoration preacher associated with the growth of the American Churches of Christ/Disciples of Christ of the 1800’s.
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Growing up in the Churches of Christ, it was advertised to me as long as I can remember—in sermons, in Bible classes, at camp, in outlines and tracts, on bulletin boards, on websites, and in personal Bible study with someone about to become a Christian. God had a plan for us to be saved, avoid Hell, go to Heaven. It was obtainable in five simple steps: Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, be Baptized. It was easy to memorize, easy to count. It was a bullet point plan to perfection. It was a reachable solution that I myself could perform to be a good Christian. And for a number of years in my youth, I assumed it was the best way to view the operation of being saved by God.
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It was a Sunday morning. We were down at the beach before going to worship. A baby turtle had just broken through the sand after hatching and was making his way down the man-made path toward the ocean, helped by the guiding hand of a volunteer “turtle person.” My 3-year-old son watched with us and cheered the palm-sized turtle on as he scuffled.
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The KJV: Is it THE Bible? Part 8: Textual Errors and Inconsistencies?
In our last post we saw that there have been multiple versions of the KJV over time. Now let us look at textual errors that have come about, and still persist in the KJV.
Despite what common King James enthusiasts argue, the King James contains a number of mistranslations and errors. “Printing errors plagued all of the early editions”, says Lewis (1). This is important to note, because many extreme KJV-only advocates suppose that because the KJV is special, it contains no errors, or that because it contains no errors, it is special. They never really explain this circular reasoning. A lot of the differences can be identified by looking these passages up in an online source like Biblesuite. These mishaps can be a stumbling block if we read under the impression that the KJV is a textually flawless delivery of God’s word unmatched by any other version. Here are some examples of these errors in the KJV, (some of which may or may not be correct in the edition you have on your shelf) that cast serious doubt on this “perfect translation” myth:
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The Abridged 2013 Church of Christ Directory:
Barbed Gate Church of Christ
Welcome, is this your first time? Would you like to be added to the church? Just sign up for our six-month course and then we’ll have you fill out our ten-page doctrinal questionnare before we get you in the water just to make sure you’re being baptized for all the right reasons.
Billy Peebles Church of Christ
Brother Billy Peebles has been preaching for our congregation for thirty years. Come and enjoy preaching by Billy Peebles. If you have a question about our beliefs, just go ask Billy Peebles. Visiting the sick, conducting Bible studies, representing our church—Billy Peebles does it all! We hang on every word Billy Peebles says. Billy Peebles is the place to be.
Bitter Springs (House) Church of Christ
We used to go to _________ Church of Christ, but they rubbed us the wrong way after years of faithful attendance. We now meet at brother Manning’s house, and we’re still trying to figure out how to accomodate to every member’s perfect ideal image of what a church should be.
Box Springs Church of Christ
With the most prime location, Box Springs Church of Christ maketh you to lie down in your own private green pasture. Close your eyes in prayer, and remain until the service ends. After all, the day after the Sabbath is a day of rest, too.
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CALEB COY 