Jesus + ???

So, I recently discovered the wonders of Pandora. It's amazing to be able to listen to literally whatever I want, exactly when I want, over the Internet. I'm amazed, but then again, after 4 years overseas it doesn't really take much to amaze me. Walmart still feels like Disneyland.

Well, due to the free nature of Pandora, you get the occasion ad in between songs and I have continually heard an ad for Kabbalah, touting that it is "useful for all faiths." Now, I'm also helping with an apologetics class for teenagers and I find this declaration to be quite unsettling and something I see way too much.

First, let me finish my title, Jesus + NOTHING = Salvation. There is nothing that we can add to Jesus in order to obtain salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says it fairly clearly, "For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith, and this NOT OF YOURSELF, it is the GIFT of God, NOT by works, so that no one can boast." We have done and can do nothing to obtain the salvation that God provides. If we could, we wouldn't need Jesus.

Jesus + works = legalism
Jesus + secret knowledge = mysticism
Jesus + nothing = Christianity (salvation)

Being human, I am inclined by nature to try to earn my way. We are naturally bent towards trying to earn salvation, like we earn a paycheck, striving to do enough to warrant salvation, but the truth of the matter is we can do absolutely nothing. John Calvin had it right when he declared man to be Totally Depraved, i.e. we are born into sin and incapable of coming to righteousness on our own. We are born dead, spiritually decomposed and lifeless, until we ask Christ into our lives and experience new birth.

Second, the Bible is the ONLY God-inspired book and can be understood and studied as it is. We don't need any other teaching to help us understand or interpret the Bible. Scripture interprets Scripture. When we find a teaching hard to understand, we compare it with other places in the Bible that speak of the same topic and thereby find what the Bible teaches on a given subject. In terms of the prophetic, there are things that we aren't going to understand because we didn't see the vision. When prophecies are interpreted in Scripture, we can directly see what is meant. Others, such as Revelation, are things we aren't going to understand, but this isn't a post on prophecy. Many other cults and sects have added things to the Bible in an attempt to make it more understandable or add to it:

Bible + Book of Mormon + Doctrine and Covenants + Pearl of Great Price = Mormonism
Bible + Science and Health = Christian Science
Bible + Zohar = Christian Kabbalah

All of these are errant and misguided, even blasphemous, in their inclusion of other "sacred works" or aids in understanding, interpreting, and applying the Bible. The Bible is simple and the message clear. No other work is needed to understand it and where difficult passages exist, we search to find the whole teaching of Scripture. Commentaries do help, but remember this, THEY AREN'T INSPIRED! I don't care what Rabbi, teacher, pastor, theologian, etc. wrote them, they do not have equal weight with Scripture and can be incorrect because they are of human origin

Third, the Bible has ONE meaning. Period. The meaning intended by the original authors to their original audiences is the ONLY meaning that Scripture can have. We must read and interpret Scripture in context, not pulling out our favorite verses for ourselves to give an ego boost (sorry but Jeremiah 29:11 was not written for YOU, but the truth does apply). We have a big tendency towards picking and choosing specific verses to back up whatever theology we wanna believe, *ahem* prosperity doctrine. The Prayer of Jabez, Name it Claim it, "give and it will be given to you", etc. are all OUT OF CONTEXT teachings that are not grounded in the whole teaching of Scripture. Just because you "plant a seed" in some televangelist's ministry doesn't mean that God HAS to give you anything or that He even will.

Manipulation or Coercion of God = Magic, i.e. Witchcraft

Let me boil it all down for you, very easy.

1. Sola Scriptura - The Bible is the ONLY inspired and authoritative Word of God
2. Sola Fide - Justification is by FAITH alone, not works
3. Sola Gratia - Salvation is given by DIVINE GRACE alone (Unmerited favor)
4. Solo Christo - Christ is the ONLY MEDIATOR between God and Man, not Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard, any so called saint, the Virgin Mary (in whatever appearance), etc.