THE TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION : AN EXHAUSTIVE GUIDE TO DENOMINATIONAL SALVATION VERSUS WHAT SCRIPTURES ACTUALLY TEACH AS TRUTH (using a Direct Contextual Translation of Scripture DTCS)

Let me begin with the simple and easy overview before I go into an in depth explanation.

All sin is already removed by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. GOD does not see sin. We have the free will choice to either acknowledge Christ and be acknowledged by Him before GOD or reject Christ and be rejected by Him before GOD. That is all. There are no other steps, no special prayers that need to be said, no classes to take, no special works to do. You don't even have to change your lifestyle, because those that truly acknowledge Christ, GOD and Christ will change their life for them. You either openly, publicly acknowledge Christ or you don't. It's that simple. Anyone that teaches otherwise, unfortunately, they are antichrist, and true followers of Christ should not receive them.

Every denomination teaches salvation, however each defines steps differently and proves steps from its own library. Result: People think they are debating Scripture but they are actually debating systems with different proof sources - 

Catholic adds Deuterocanon + Tradition + Magisterium, 

Orthodox adds Holy Tradition + Fathers, 

Reformed adds Confessions, 

IFB adds English literalism, etc.

This lists each checklist AS THAT DENOMINATION WOULD PRESENT IT, with their proof verses/writings. Not endorsing, just documenting their own claimed proofs. 

I. CATHOLICISM (Roman Catholic) - Sources: Bible + Deuterocanon + Tradition + Magisterium + Catechism + Trent

Steps as Catholic teaches:

1. Initial grace via Baptism - infusion of grace, original sin removed - John 3:5 born water & Spirit, Titus 3:5 washing of regeneration, Acts 2:38 baptism for remission, 1 Pet 3:21 baptism saves; CCC 1213, 1262-1274; Council Trent Session 7 

2. Faith + Works + Sacraments ongoing - James 2:24 not by faith alone, Phil 2:12 work out salvation with fear, Matt 19:17 keep commandments to enter life; CCC 1814-1816, 2010 

3. Eucharist & Penance to maintain grace - John 6:53-54 eat flesh drink blood have life, James 5:16 confess to one another, John 20:23 whose sins you forgive; CCC 1324, 1446; Tobit 12:9 almsgiving purges sin, 2 Macc 12:45 prayers for dead 

4. Mortal vs venial sin - lose grace if mortal not confessed - 1 John 5:16-17 sin unto death, Matt 12:32 sin not forgiven; CCC 1854-1864 

5. Final justification via merit + purgatory purification - Rev 21:27 nothing unclean enters heaven, 1 Cor 3:15 saved yet as by fire, Matt 5:26 pay last penny; CCC 1030-1032, 2011 meritorious; Trent Session 6 Canon 32 Proof Library: Deuterocanon Wisdom 3:1-7, Sirach 3:30, plus Catechism 1987-2029, Augustine, Aquinas.

II. EASTERN ORTHODOX - Sources: Bible + Septuagint + Holy Tradition + Fathers + Liturgy + Councils

Steps as Orthodox teaches:

1. Baptism/Chrismation - participation in death/resurrection - Rom 6:3-4 buried with Him, 2 Pet 1:4 partakers divine nature; Liturgy of Basil 

2. Synergy - faith cooperating with grace - Phil 2:12-13 God works in you, James 2:22 faith wrought with works, Eph 2:10 created unto good works; Maximus Confessor, John Chrysostom homilies 

3. Theosis - becoming by grace what God is by nature - 2 Pet 1:4, John 17:22 glory given, Matt 5:48 be perfect; Athanasius "God became man so man might become god" 

4. Mysteries/sacraments - Eucharist as medicine of immortality - John 6:53-56, 1 Cor 10:16 communion; Ignatius of Antioch letter to Ephesians 20:2 5. Continual repentance & asceticism - Luke 13:3 except ye repent perish, Matt 11:12 kingdom suffers violence; Philokalia writings Proof Library: Septuagint includes deuterocanon, 7 Ecumenical Councils, Palamas essence/energies.

III. LUTHERAN (Missouri/WELS) - Sources: Bible + Book of Concord (Augsburg Confession)

Steps as Lutheran teaches:

1. Sola Gratia, Sola Fide - Grace alone, Faith alone - Eph 2:8-9 by grace through faith not works, Rom 3:28 justified by faith apart from works of law, Gal 2:16 not justified by law; Augsburg Confession Art IV 

2. Baptism as means of grace - Titus 3:5 washing regeneration, 1 Pet 3:21 baptism saves, Acts 2:38; Small Catechism Baptism 

3. Lord's Supper for forgiveness strengthening - Matt 26:28 blood shed for remission, 1 Cor 10:16; Augsburg Art X real presence 

4. Simul justus et peccator - still sinner and righteous - Rom 7:18-25, 1 John 1:8; Formula of Concord 5. Perseverance via Word & Sacrament - John 8:31 continue in Word, 1 Pet 1:5 kept by power through faith; Large Catechism Proof Library: Book of Concord 1580, Luther's Catechisms, Augsburg Confession 1530.

IV. REFORMED / PRESBYTERIAN (Calvinist) - Sources: Bible + Westminster Confession + Institutes

Steps as Reformed teaches:

1. Total depravity, unconditional election - Eph 1:4-5 predestined, Rom 8:29-30 predestined called justified glorified, John 6:44 no man comes unless Father draws; Westminster Ch 3, Institutes 3.21 

2. Limited atonement, irresistible grace - John 10:11 lays down life for sheep, Acts 13:48 as many as ordained believed, Phil 2:13; Westminster Ch 8,10 

3. Justification by faith alone imputed righteousness - 2 Cor 5:21 made righteousness, Rom 4:5 faith counted for righteousness; Westminster Ch 11 4. Perseverance of saints - John 10:28-29 none pluck out of hand, Rom 8:38-39 nothing separate, Phil 1:6 will perform it; Westminster Ch 17 5. Evidence by works & sanctification - James 2:26 faith without works dead, John 15:8 bear much fruit; Westminster Ch 16 Proof Library: Westminster Confession 1646, Catechisms, Calvin Institutes 1536.

V. METHODIST / WESLEYAN / HOLINESS - Sources: Bible + Wesley Sermons + Articles of Religion

Steps as Methodist teaches:

1. Prevenient grace enables choice - John 6:44, John 12:32 draw all, Titus 2:11 grace appeared to all; Wesley Sermon "On Working Out Our Own Salvation" 

2. Justification by faith - Rom 3:28, Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:16; Articles IX 

3. New Birth, witness of Spirit - John 3:3 born again, Rom 8:16 Spirit bears witness; Wesley "Witness of the Spirit" 

4. Sanctification - initial and entire/second work - 1 Thess 4:3 sanctification, 1 Thess 5:23 wholly sanctified, Heb 12:14 holiness without which none see Lord; Wesley "Christian Perfection" 

5. Can lose salvation if not continue - Heb 6:4-6 fallen away, 2 Pet 2:20-22 entangled again, John 15:6 branch cast forth; Articles XII Proof Library: Wesley's 44 Sermons, Notes on NT, Book of Discipline.

VI. BAPTIST / IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) - Sources: Bible KJV only often + literal English

Steps as IFB teaches:

1. Hear Gospel - Rom 10:17 faith cometh by hearing, 1 Cor 15:1-4 Gospel Christ died buried rose 

2. Admit sinner - Rom 3:10 none righteous, Rom 3:23 all sinned, Rom 6:23 wages sin death 

3. Repent = turn from sin (defined as stop sinning) - Acts 3:19 repent be converted, Luke 13:3 except repent perish - IFB defines repent as behavioral change 

4. Believe / Pray sinner's prayer / Ask Jesus into heart - John 1:12 receive Him, Rev 3:20 open door, Rom 10:13 call upon name - phrase "ask Jesus into heart" not in Bible but used as formula 

5. Confess / Make public / Baptism as evidence - Rom 10:9-10 mouth confession, Matt 10:32 confess before men, Acts 2:38 baptism - added as proof not cause 

6. Eternal security if truly saved - John 10:28 never perish, 1 John 5:13 know eternal life, Rom 8:38-39; but if fall away were never saved - 1 John 2:19 went out from us Proof Library: KJV as final authority, Romans Road pamphlets, Hyles, Ruckman writings, no lexicon - exo story Lucifer, easy believism vs lordship debates.

VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST / RESTORATION - Sources: Bible as blueprint

Steps as CoC teaches (5-step plan):

1. Hear - Rom 10:17 

2. Believe - Mark 16:16 he that believeth, Heb 11:6 without faith impossible 

3. Repent - Acts 2:38 repent, Acts 17:30 commandeth all to repent 

4. Confess - Rom 10:9-10 confession unto salvation, Matt 10:32 

5. Be baptized for remission - Acts 2:38 baptism for remission, Mark 16:16 baptized shall be saved, Acts 22:16 wash away sins, 1 Pet 3:21 baptism saves 

6. Live faithful - Rev 2:10 faithful unto death, 2 Pet 2:20-22 Proof Library: No creed but Bible, Thomas Campbell Declaration, patternism.

VIII. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST - Sources: Bible + Ellen G White

Steps as SDA teaches:

1. Faith in Christ - Eph 2:8-9, John 3:16 

2. Keep Ten Commandments incl Sabbath Saturday - Ex 20:8-11 remember Sabbath, Rev 14:12 keep commandments, Matt 5:17 not come to destroy law; White Great Controversy 

3. Investigative judgment from 1844 - Dan 8:14 2300 days sanctuary cleansed, Heb 9:23 heavenly sanctuary; White Sanctuary doctrine 

4. Health message & remnant - 1 Cor 6:19 body temple, Lev 11 clean/unclean; White Counsels on Diet 5. Final seal vs mark - Sabbath seal Rev 7:2-3, 14:9-11; baptism & Sabbath keeping Proof Library: Ellen G White 2000 visions, Steps to Christ, 28 Fundamentals.

IX. JEHOVAH'S WITNESS - Sources: New World Translation + Watchtower

Steps as JW teaches:

1. Knowledge - John 17:3 taking in knowledge, Acts 17:11 search scriptures; Watchtower study 

2. Faith in ransom - John 3:16, Rom 5:8, Matt 20:28 ransom; only 144,000 heavenly Rev 7:4, 14:1 

3. Repent & turn - Acts 3:19 

4. Water baptism as Witness - Matt 28:19, 1 Pet 3:21 

5. Obey Jehovah's organization & preach - Matt 24:14 kingdom preached, Heb 13:17 obey those taking lead; Watchtower organization as channel 

6. Endure to end + works - Matt 24:13 endure saved, James 2:24 faith without works; Kingdom Hall attendance, field service hours Proof Library: New World Translation 1950, Watchtower magazines, Reasoning book.

 

Up Next : THE TRUTH OF WHAT THE SCRIPTURES ACTUALLY SAY

FAITH VS. WORKS