How wrong can I be and still be saved?
Scripture does not ask you to have everything right before it will save you, and it does not let you deny everything and still be safe. It draws one line and holds it: the errors that empty the faith are the ones that take away the Christ you are trusting, and the rest are real disagreements between people God is able to make stand. Denominations live mostly on the second side of that line, but not entirely, and the test is never the length of a list. It is whether the error reaches the One your faith actually rests on.
This question arose from studying What is the gospel? and Does it matter which Jesus I believe in?.
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Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The line is drawn at the gospel, not at a list
Paul calls the message he handed over the thing he delivered "first of all," and he says it is the message "by which also you are saved" if it is held firmly. Its content is not vague: "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." This is not one doctrine among many but the ground under all the others, which is why Paul can say that a message which adds to it is not a lesser gospel but no gospel at all.
Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Some errors empty the faith itself
Paul is willing to follow the logic all the way down. "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins." If the dead are not raised, then the witnesses are false and those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. That is why denying the resurrection is not a difference of emphasis: it removes the thing faith rests on. John draws the same boundary around the incarnation, saying that the spirit which does not confess Jesus Christ come in the flesh is not of God, and that "Whoever transgresses and doesn't remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn't have God." These errors do not merely wound a believer. They leave a person with a different Christ.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son.Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
Real disagreements are not always saving disagreements
Paul assumes that believers will disagree about things that matter to them. "One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables," and one man esteems a day while another esteems every day alike. Paul does not pretend the disagreement is imaginary, and he does not settle it here. He tells each man to be "fully assured in his own mind," and then he forbids both contempt and judgment: "Don't let him who eats despise him who doesn't eat. Don't let him who doesn't eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him." His reason should end the argument: "Who are you who judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand." A genuine believer can be wrong about a real question and still be held up by God. Much of what divides denominations today belongs here: the mode of baptism, the ordering of church government, the timing of Christ's return, and which gifts continue. Paul's answer is not that every question must be settled, but that we go on "speaking truth in love" and grow up into our head.
Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
The one foundation can survive bad building
Paul gives the closest thing Scripture offers to a direct answer about how much error a saved person can carry. No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. On that foundation a man may build with gold, silver, and costly stones, or with wood, hay, and stubble, and the Day will test the work in fire. If the work burns, the man "will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire." The loss is real, and the sentence is loss rather than acquittal. But the man is not the work. A believer can build badly on the true foundation and still be pulled through the flames, while the one who builds well on that same foundation receives a reward.
For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is.Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
The church has precedent for naming what is necessary
When men came teaching that Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved, the question was not left to private opinion. It was argued in the open, before the apostles and elders gathered together, and Peter refused to put on the disciples "a yoke ... which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear." The letter the assembly sent named a short list of things to abstain from and said, "it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things." So Scripture itself gives us the category of the necessary, and the first church defined it narrowly and refused to enlarge it. That is the shape an honest answer has to take: firm where Scripture is firm, silent where Scripture is silent, and quick to tell the two apart. It also shows that a dispute over essentials is not a reason to stop talking. They stayed in the room until the matter was settled.
Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.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. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Correct words are not the same as knowing Him
This is where the question turns and becomes dangerous. Jesus describes people who will arrive with an accurate confession and an impressive ministry record, saying, "Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?" and they will hear, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity." Their doctrine was not the problem; they had never known Him. James makes the same point about bare correctness: "You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder." So the question worth asking is not how much error I can carry, but whether I am actually trusting the Christ the gospel describes. Paul tells the Philippians to walk by the light they have and to leave the rest with God: "If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you." That is not indifference to truth. It is confidence that the One who holds His servant up is also able to teach him.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
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Can I lose my salvation?→Our Walk with Him trail“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”What is the difference between assurance and presumption?→Our Walk with Him trail“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”How does God judge people who never heard of Jesus?→Who We Are trail“For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”Should I test every teaching by Scripture?→The Word of God trail“Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.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.
Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
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