I can quote Jesus saying that. And Paul never disagreed with Jesus.
An Article on free will
- Thread starter TomL
- Start date
It is a work of God that Jesus told the Jews that they must do.
mailmandan
Well-known member
So, believing is just another work in a series of works in a quest to obtain salvation by works? By labeling believing as just another work it makes it much easier for you to teach salvation by works. By believing, we are trusting in Another's work (Christ's finished work of redemption) and not our works. Jesus Christ receives all the merit.
Total nonsense. The entire Bible speaks about God's requirements to obey. To have faith is to obey. There is no such thing as faith without obedience. You posit a false faith as something you simply assert as true. It isn't.
mailmandan
Well-known member
There is a difference between obeying the gospel by choosing to believe the gospel in order to become saved (Romans 1:16; 10:16) and obedience/works which follows. I never said that faith remains dead, without obedience. That is a strawman argument. Your problem is that you don't seem to make a distinction between faith and works. You seem to wrap them both up in a package and simply stamp faith on the package because you teach salvation by faith AND works. Roman Catholics make the same error by teaching we are saved through faith "infused" with works and then those works become meritorious towards receiving salvation.
Man is saved through faith and not by works (Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is (evidenced) by works. (James 2:14-26).
*Jesus Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works.* (Romans 3:24-28)
It is through faith "in Jesus Christ alone" (and not based on the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 4:5-6; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies does not remain alone (unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine. (James 2:14-26) *Perfect Harmony*
You are confused about even what faith is. It is not just believing something. Faith is believing and trusting. To trust is to do.
Balaam's *** was given the Holy Spirit. Was Balaam's *** saved?
Yes, the new covenant added the indwelling Holy Spirit to all who believed in God. The empowering Holy Spirit was a work of the Holy Spirit in both covenants. That work was not about salvation of the one given that gift.
You don't seem to understand the difference, but you need to.
MTMattie
Well-known member
The Gospel, most commonly called the Holy Bible is a history book and set of guidelines for those who believe.
Not everyone who reads the scriptures believes what they say... New bibles with new translations spring up all the time
and translations by those who either think they know , feel they are "enlightened" or just want to stir the pot.
You say the gospel is not "a code of laws to be obeyed"
So you are anti- 10 commandments. WOW... but understandable as most of them are broken within the lifetimes of
those who profess to be Christians.
You say ") To "believe" the gospel is to trust in the death, burial and reauction of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.
I say " to trust in the death, burial and reauction of Christ " = faith (in part.) Without which was cannot please the Father.
But as @Jim wrote above... Obey the gospel and be saved; fail to obey the gospel and be condemned. What you wrote...
"trust in the death, burial and reauction of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation. " IMO is a direct result of
belief in what is written.
mailmandan
Well-known member
It's you who is confused. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is not works. Faith is believing and trusting, yes. Trusting results in doing/works yet these works are not inherent in faith. Faith is faith and works are works. Roman Catholics also error by saying faith is not simply believing and trusting but includes works. By that erroneous logic, one would conclude that faith "is" baptism, faith "is" multiple acts of obedience, faith "is" works which is false and culminates in salvation by works/works righteousness.
mailmandan
Well-known member
I'm not anti-10 commandments but nobody has flawlessly obeyed the 10 commandments except for Jesus Christ so salvation by obeying the 10 commandments is not the gospel and is also a big fail for mankind. (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23) We are also under a new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:6-9)
brightfame52
Well-known member
@mailmandan
Actually one must be chosen to believe the Gospel 2 Thess 2:13
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Belief of the Gospel is a Salvation Blessing. Those who dont obey the Gospel were not chosen by God, they were appointed to disobedience of the word 1 Pet 2:8
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Because they were not Christs Sheep Jn 10:26
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
Actually one must be chosen to believe the Gospel 2 Thess 2:13
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Belief of the Gospel is a Salvation Blessing. Those who dont obey the Gospel were not chosen by God, they were appointed to disobedience of the word 1 Pet 2:8
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Because they were not Christs Sheep Jn 10:26
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
God is that powerful!
Eternally-Grateful
Well-known member
Eternally-Grateful
Well-known member
then why is he not powerful enough to teach everyone his truth. and them force them to make a decision?
To answer your question, believe the Holy Spirit causing Apostolic testimony that all of salvation and sanctification and coming to Christ is in Him precisely as the very start of the passage indicates:
13 In Him you also, having heard the Word of the Truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, also having believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
(Ephesians 1:13-14)
The passage says that this event happened (heard) and this event happened (believed) and this event happened (sealed) and this event happened (redemption), yet no time reference between the recorded events is indicated within the passage.
A person in Him heard and the person in Him believed and the person in Him sealed and the person in Him received redemption), so Christ is present for all the events regarding the person in the passage.
Both of your "structured around two key participial phrases", which are having heard and having believed, both are controlled by the love of Christ in us Christians (2 Corinthians 5:14) because Holy Spirit inspired Apostle Paul leads with the all in all of In Him (Ephesians 1:13); therefore, your "Synergism right there" is deception.
Look carefully, @Johann, the passage does not state the time reference which you convey of "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" (proof post #9,242), so the foundation of @Selah and your study is faulty.
You say you self-will (2 Peter 2:9-10) choose to contribute to the redemption of yourself to the praise of your own glory instead of to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men leading to worship in vain (Matthew 15:9).
In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in man's salvation and affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE YESHUA!!!
Selah
Well-known member
Every living soul has free will to choose the LORD—to love and believe in God.
Romans 8:28-30 (NKJV) 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Think about it.
Selah
